Testim for Women

[ZenFitness]

Hi all,

My wife has been gaining weight at an increased weight over the past year which is unusual for her. She is 5' 4" and always has hovered around 110 - 115 lbs. Over the past year that range shifted up to about 130 lbs. On top of this, she has had very high levels of exhaustion and almost zero libido. She is currently almost 37 years old.

Her sister had a similar situation, and a local doctor noticed her thyroid levels were at the very bottom of the range. Going on Synthroid (sp?) made a world of difference for her. As a result, my wife went to see this doctor.

Prior to the thyroid treatment, it was discovered that my wife's sister was low testosterone. She went down the pellet route and switched to gels and finally went off altogether as she had extreme acne (not just breakouts but something apparently much worse).

A wide blood panel was run for my wife, and her thyroid levels came back fine. However, her total testosterone was at a 3 ng/dL (normal range 8 - 48 ng/dL). The doctor prescribed Testim for her, and she will go through a tube once a week (basically applying 1/7th of a tube every day). She just started the Testim yesterday. The doctor also wants her to take 150mg of DIM (two tablets a day). My wife wants to hold off on the DIM until she gets blood work from the Testim. I have learned through the men's low T forum here that the less is more approach is best (I'm 37 and low T on TRT as well), so we are trying to go that route.

This is an off-label use for Testim but appears to not be entirely uncommon. Does anyone have any input on this? I'm looking forward to the potential libido effects of course, but my real concern is for my wife's broader health. Any input is greatly appreciated.

[Vettester]

How many grams of testim will she be taking? This needs to be monitored closely with follow up labs in 4 to 6 weeks. There's a whole myriad of variables associated with getting on this medication, which can also impact DHT and E1, E2, and E3. It's important that ALL her hormones; both upstream and downstream are in balance in order for her to achieve some optimal wellness. A testosterone solo therapy could have some negative impact if other factors are not considered. I'm really needing to see her labs, including all the thyroid panels, progesterone, DHEA, free & bio tet, cortisol, Iron-TIBC, ferritin, Vitamin D, B12, ... and of course the standard lipids, metabolic and CBC panels.

[ZenFitness]

Thanks Vettester for the reply. She takes about 1/7 - 1/10 of a tube daily (basically a tube over the course of 7 - 10 days). After a week and a half, her energy levels are higher.

More labs:

TSH: 1.350 (0.450 - 4.50)
T4, Free (Direct): 1.12 (0.82 - 1.77)
T3-Free: 2.7 (2.0 - 4.4)

FSH: 8.0 (3.5 - 12.5)

Testosterone: 3 (8-48)
Estradiol: 26.2 (12.5 - 166.0)

Vitamin B12: 833 (211 - 946)
Vitamin D: 89.2 (30 - 100)

WBC: 5.2 (4.0 - 10.5)
RBC: 4.10 (3.77 - 5.28)
Hemo: 13.5 (11.1-15.9)
Hemotocrit: 38.9 (34 - 46.6)

They did not run her lipids, (she has always maintained exceptional cholesterol, but I'm not sure why they didn't run it this time), progesterone, DHEA, cortisol, iron, or ferritin. She will have follow up labs at the six week mark.

[Vettester]

Couple questions ... I presume her monthly cycles are still normal? I need to know what phase of her cycle that her labs were taken (follicular, ovulation, or luteal). E2 is low, even for follicular phase readings. Has her physician discussed any possibility of her being perimenopausal? My wife started seeing some of these issues at/about the same age as your wife. If her cycles are irregular, inconsistent, or she is skipping periods, then this should be discussed with a qualified physician.

IMO, she not only needs the other labs, but she might need to looking closer at finding a doctor who is a little more specialized in female BHRT. Again, prescribing testosterone only could have some negative consequences if not monitored properly, and if other vital hormones are not addressed. Before I forget, please include the LH and FSH assays into the mix. These labs will be address the feedback loop process and will help assess her perimenopausal status. FSH will be high if her estrogen production in the ovaries has declined. Again, a good doctor will know this and be looking out for it.

Lastly, as I wrap up for the night, progesterone is (according to Dr. Reiss) the 2nd most important hormone that makes a female who she is. Estrogen and progesterone balance each other out. There are a multitude of benefits with keeping progesterone balanced, including GABA production, cancer prevention, and just the overall sensation of feeling good. I can almost bet her DHEA is low, and trust me when I say she will want that in synch with her increased test levels when you start talking about libido increase. I am a strong advocate with Keto7 DHEA, especially for women, I can get into that discussion another time. For now though, we need the status of those other labs to make some additional discussion on her BHRT options.

PS: I like her B12 and D3 results! The D3 will be helping to keep her SHBG balanced, which will help free T.

[ZenFitness]

Hi Vettester,

She had an oblation a couple of years ago as we are through having kids; however, after examining her, the doctor assumed she was follicular.

She has blood work in a couple of weeks, so we will keep these points in mind. Thanks so much for the help!