In case you haven’t been keeping up to date with your hormone news, allow me to fill you in. Last month, a testosterone cream (AndroFeme) – formulated especially for women – was approved by UK regulator the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Until now, women in perimenopause or menopause could only access AndroFeme through a private clinic with a special MHRA licence.
The only other way to access a bit of T was to have it prescribed “off label” (meaning that because in the UK testosterone is not currently licensed for use by women, a doctor prescribes testosterone cream or gel that is licensed for men). This is how women have been accessing it on the NHS, where testosterone is only currently prescribed by a specialist doctor to treat low libido in perimenopause or menopause. It is not yet known if AndroFeme will be available on the NHS.
If you are one of the (doubtless) many people reading this and thinking, “I didn’t even know women produced testosterone, let alone ran out of it!” – don’t worry, you are not alone. The use of what is so often thought of as a “male” hormone to treat women white-knuckling their way through the perimenopause and menopause, surprises many. It certainly came of something of a shock to me, when I was prescribed this hormone some four months ago – but I have to say, it’s been an absolute gamechanger.
I should also say that I am not a medical doctor. I have zero medical qualifications and everything I am about to relay to you is based on my own subjective experience as a patient – and should be treated as such. Now I’ve got that out of the way, allow me to address the hormonal elephant in the room: yes, women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) produce testosterone. It’s made in the ovaries and the adrenal glands at much lower levels than estrogen, but it is just as vital when it comes to hormone health, which impacts almost every part of the body.
Testosterone in women is vital for bone density and muscle mass, cognitive function, mood, sexual function and energy. About this time last year, I wrote about suddenly struggling with blinding migraines and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a very severe form of premenstrual syndrome. I suspected this was perimenopause, but was unable to access HRT on the NHS – because at 42, I was deemed “too young.” After having to take more time off work and spending days on end curled up in the foetal position, shouting at the walls, I finally bit the bullet and went private.
At first, I was prescribed estrogen and progesterone and they helped a bit, but my mood was still on the floor and the migraines continued. I went back for a second time and a blood test revealed that my testosterone levels were low – very low – so I was prescribed Testogel, a 2.55 mg, daily sachet of gel that is licensed for men. Women need a fraction of that – and I was given strict instructions about only using a pea-sized amount each day. It’s inexact, but that’s all that can be done – because Testogel is made for men.
When testosterone drops in men, it is taken very seriously and there is a plethora of treatments available to them. When it drops in women, they are expected to just get on with it – or, they can ask the men nicely if they can have some of their medicine. This is why the approval of AndroFeme is so important.
Not that I knew any of that when I went to that appointment. In fact, I’ll be honest, when the doctor started talking about taking testosterone, my first thought was that I would go bald and start shouting at women from a white transit van – but I was soon reassured that this was not the case (and if that ever happened, they would lower my dose).
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I was also informed that testosterone does a lot more for women than simply boosting a flailing libido – it can improve mood and concentration and can help with headaches. By this point, I was willing to try anything – and my concern that I might start collecting power tools and grow a beard seemed a reasonable risk to take.
The first thing that happened was that the headaches vanished. Within a week, they were gone. I went from throwing back enough painkillers to floor a rhinoceros, to taking none at all. I can’t even begin to describe the relief of not being in pain for days on end. Then, my mood lifted and my energy levels returned. I started running and going to the gym again. Far from feeling more aggressive, I felt calmer. I stopped shouting at complete strangers over mild inconveniences. Looking back, I hadn’t realised how lethargic and melancholic I had become until the factory settings were restored.
Then, the brain fog lifted. It became faster and easier to write because I wasn’t struggling to recall names and dates. The anxiety that had followed me about like a nervous black cloud cleared and a calm confidence took its place. In short, I started to feel more like myself than I have in a long time.
The only downside (if it can be called a downside) is that my libido has come roaring back, like a kraken from the depths. I had just got myself to a place where I was very happy not dating or allowing the male species into my life – and now I have a sex drive like the triffid in Little Shop of Horrors, screaming to be fed all night long.
This is an interesting side effect, but it’s certainly not why I took it. I can personally attest to the fact that testosterone does improve your sex drive. Honestly, I could hump a tree, but it really irritates me that it is only prescribed for this reason on the NHS. Yes, I’m horny, but so what? I am also sharper, more confident, less anxious – and finally migraine free. So why is the horny part the biggest selling point of this treatment?
If I was being very cynical, I might think it’s because having an amorous wife is more important to the patriarchy than one who is focused and confident (because it’s much more important to keep the mens happy than it is to have women thinking), but maybe that’s just the testosterone talking. My point is that testosterone treatment has taken away my constant migraines, brain fog, rage and anxiety. Surely, that is the reason to take it. My wanting to lick the entire New Zealand All Black squad up the legs is neither here nor there.
It is my hope that with the licensing of AndroFeme and the increasing awareness of hormonal health, we can start making testosterone more widely available for women who are struggling with perimenopause and menopause. As I said at the start, I am not a medical doctor – and anyone who wants to explore testosterone treatment needs to talk to a medical professional, but I wanted to write about my experience. Because for me, testosterone was the missing part of the puzzle.
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