Testosterone for Women

[doglover]

MrsNOP,

I couldn't agree with you more that healthcare for women is inadequate. I would go so far as to say that US healthcare in general is pretty much driven by the interests of managed care and pharmaceutical companies and not by the needs of consumers, but enough of that rant.

I am LD which has been an ongoing issue in my marriage, but my R with my HDH has improved over the last few months, chiefly from insights I have gained from reading SSM and this BB as well as from recent and ongoing counseling.

[A NOTE: I work FT and too much time spent on this BB subtracts from my limited free time and so aggravates my H, who thinks if I have that much time to sit at the computer we might as well be in bed and he's partially right, so my reading/posting has diminished recently.]

Last month I raised the issues of libido and testosterone at my annual checkup with my PCP (a female internist). I was not pushing for it; just questioning pros/cons, but she was not encouraging.

[Some hormone history: I am postmenopausal and took HRT for 4 years (estrogen/progesterone) until a couple of years ago. I didn't have hotflashes but did have vaginal dryness and the signs of osteoporosis (runs in my family). My ob/gyn had been gungho HRT - she said: good for bones, menopausal symptoms, heart, Alzheimers etc - but except for the first 2, other benefits have been disproven and risks discovered. My PCP was not enthusiastic and urged me to stop HRT after 4 years due to possible cancer risk with longterm use. I stopped and now use an Estring (worn intravaginally and secretes a very small amount of estrogren locally - much less risk than oral estrogen and very helpful for vag dryness and general better feeling down there) and take Fosamax for bones. Also I belong to a Y and try to lift weights 2-3xweek - about 6 years ago I discovered the books by Miriam Nelson on weight training eg "Strong Women Stay Young" which emphasize a small group of free weight exercises for beginners - I now do a full Nautilus circuit at the gym.]

Anyway, my PCP said that if I took Testosterone I would also need to take Estrogen which I have already rejected for longterm use. I don't know if that is due to being post-menopausal or if it's true for all women.

So there are pros/cons, and each person must weigh them for themselves. I will be very interested to hear what you find out and hope it is helpful for you.

best,
Doglover