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Does testosterone usually accompany HRT in support of muscle mass?
In my late 70's, I have been using the Menostar patch for several months primarily in support of bone health (currently in the range of osteopenia/osteoporosis) after decades of EVISTA and 4 Reclast infustions. Currently awaiting my next DEXA scan. On another note, I eat a healthy diet but do not gain weight with little muscle mass since childhood. Is it customary for testosterone to accompany HRT? My menopause consultant has not mentioned testosterone but I plan to research and discuss. I would appreciate hearing from those who have sought to have testosterone added to the HRT package especially in support of building more muscle and to maintain the ability to live independently.
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My thought is that most physicians have little training or experience working with women and their hormone needs.
Women are in the process of ramping up our demands for hormone treatment now that the women's health initiative study has been recognized as flawed.
That said, I have had the best care with my functional medicine providers
You have to be diligent in doing your own research....it will prepare you to advocate for yourself.
Go to the top of this page and click on 🔎. Type in hrt and testosterone. It will present a list of discussions.
Also, Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith
Interestingly, the FDA is hosting a public meeting on Sept. 17 to talk about testosterone use in menopausal women. Here's the description:
"The purpose of the public workshop is to examine the current scientific evidence and critical knowledge gaps related to testosterone use in menopausal women to help inform future research and potential drug development of testosterone products for menopausal women. Researchers, educators, industry, clinicians, patients, and consumers may benefit from attending this scientific workshop. "
- You can read more about what's being presented here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/18/2026-16829/testosterone-use-in-menopausal-women-public-workshop-request-for-comments
- And you can register to attend the event here: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/womens-health-events/fda-public-meeting-testosterone-use-menopausal-women-09172026
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4 Reactions@klp
Thank you for posting.
It is about time that women's needs for testosterone is important too. Many women do not know that we have testosterone receptors.
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1 Reaction@klp Thanks for the link! I've registered just in time.
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1 ReactionI use testosterone cream that I get from the compounding pharmacy- it took my migraines from 20 days per month to about 3 as a positive side effect. My bloodwork showed almost nonexistent levels of testosterone.
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1 ReactionI use testosterone for libido.....fabulous. I am still thinking and mourning those years without testosterone and little to no libido......
@gravity3
I have zero libido. Mostly due to depression I believe. I have in the past and currently, take several Rx for depression. Even when I was properly medicated and not in a major episode, I still seemed to have a total lack of libido.
I am 54 now and currently in perimenopause. When I was in my early to mid-20s, I was diagnosed with PCOS and had higher than normal levels of androgens, including testosterone. The extra testosterone did not seem to have any impact on my lack of libido.
I was never that enthusiastic about sexual intimacy and often wondered why sex seemed to be so important to other people. Like, people cheating on their spouses/partners, cruising bars, or using the internet to find no-strings flings. Craigslist personals were especially popular to find local hook-ups.
Anyway, I am also wondering/contemplating the use of testosterone in perimenopause to help conserve muscle mass and prevent bone issues. I suppose it may be possible that using testosterone may increase my libido, but I really do not care if it does not.
Did you find that being on testosterone increased your libido quickly? Or did it take some time to kick in? What is your Rx like? Like, the mg's and the route of administration?
I admit I do not know much about testosterone medications at this moment. I assume the hormone can be taken by shot or perhaps a patch, but I am not sure if it can be taken orally.
At 77 I had and still do lean toward quality not quantity of life. I experienced rage when I became aware of the flawed women's health initiative study and how it had robbed women of so much. And for me, it shed a light on what had happened to my libido from 38 when I had early menopause and 77.
Grief and anger. Bhrt/hrt post menopause for almost 40 years I wanted whatever positives hormones could give me. I knew that it could jump start my libido, lend some limited help to my bones. When I started through a functional medicine provider, I had estradiol/testosterone pellet, estradiol cream, progesterone (even without a uterus). In two days I had a powerful sexual surge of energy. Almost overwhelming in its intensity. The estradiol helped my skin, sense of well being and I had no more senile purpura.
The estradiol vaginal cream helped with vaginal atrophy and dryness. I also hoped that the testosterone would help with muscle retention/strength. I believe it has helped.
Here is a link and you might also watch the YouTube videos by Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6893124/