Boosting Low labido, Testosterone, progesterone

[Bizzyizzy]

Has anyone taken a particular supplement or combined, mini pill or mirena coil and found it has had positive benefits on increasing labido? I feel oike my thyroid symptoms and levels are managed quite well but still no labido and that makes me sad. Scared to try anything incase it has a negative impact. Apparently low testosterone is often the culprit for loss if labido and sensitivity to sex, having sexual thoughts and being able to orgasm! I know oestrogen can have a negative impact on thyroid function but I am debating the mini pill or mirena as progeterone only. I am already taking zinc and try to manage stress and get enough sleep. Help I want my sex drive back!

[HashiFedUp]

are you of peri or menopausal age? You won’t want any oestrogen based products as as you rightly say, it can make hashimotos worse, so testosterone is probably the best option. My endo prescribed it on my last visit but struggled to get hold of the product because of Brexit i am told? Your endo (and some GPs) can prescribe other non thyroid hormone treatments so maybe have your testosterone tested via blood test.

[Buddy195 Administrator]

Regarding peri menopause symptoms, it may be useful to have a look at Dr Louise Newson’s free Balance App, as I find it really useful for comparing HRT medications & having up to date research articles. There is also an ability to post questions.

healthunlocked.com/redirect... 

[Bizzyizzy in reply to Buddy195]

My periods are normal and bang on time every month. Last time I had my sex hormones tested apparently they were normal!

[TiggerMe in reply to Bizzyizzy]

'Normal' hmmm 🙄I think that is more for you to decide...

gloshospitals.nhs.uk/media/...

FAB-jellybean

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Please add most recent thyroid and vitamin results and ranges

Always test thyroid levels early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

when were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Do you have autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

[Bizzyizzy in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes I have Hashimotos. Diagnosed 2 years ago. Thyroid levels are fairly optimal not on the lower end.I am kn 100mcg of levothyroxine. I also take Magnesium, B complex, Selenium, zinc and Omega 3's.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Bizzyizzy]

So do you test as recommended

Early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Essential to test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 together

Test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least annually

remember to stop taking vitamin B complex 5-7 days before any blood tests as biotin can falsely affect test results

Very common to have poor conversion of Ft4 to Ft3 on just levothyroxine, especially with Hashimoto’s

If not on strictly gluten free diet, test for coeliac BEFORE trial cutting gluten out - 3-6 months minimum

[Bizzyizzy in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes I do all of those things. Thanks though. I have done alot of research on Hashimotos, diet, supplements etc. It just the lack of libido now!

[annnsandell]

Have you had your hormone levels tested, male and female?That might be a start to see what is going on.

[Bizzyizzy in reply to annnsandell]

Yes this year. Apparently the are ok. Think it's more to do with conversion

[TiggerMe]

Testosterone absolutely! I tell people that women need it to make men bearable 😉 I couldn't function without it, get your levels checked, NHS will prescribed to women for libido (it's in the NICE guidelines) might need to make a song and dance about it 🤗

[FAB-jellybean]

Transdermal oestradiol HRT (patches of gel) have less of an effect on thyroid hormones than oral preparations. In fact some doctors will tell you that transdermal oestradiol will have no effect on thyroid hormones. However, many of us have found that we need an increase in levothyroxine to counter it's effect. The menopause matters site (menopausematters.co.uk/) is also really good for finding out information about all things menopause and you can ask questions in the forum where generally someone will have had a similar experience. There are quite a few people on there with hypothyroidism and you can read about their experiences with different HRT and alternative therapies.

It's important that our sex hormones are balanced as that affects libido. Medichecks do a hormone test that measures your sex hormones along with thyroid tests - Advanced Female Hormone Blood Test. As well as measuring your female sex hormones (not progesterone unfortunately), it measures your testosterone and your free androgen index which tells you how much testosterone is available for your body to use. If your FAI is below 1%, you shouldn't have too much difficulty getting testosterone gel prescribed. However, you depending on your health board, you may have to be referred to a menopause clinic to get it prescribed as there are no testosterone products for female use licensed in the UK. See the information that GPs use below. I'm perimenopausal and as such my hormones can swing wildly and like you, my libido has upped and left me. I'm trying some new HRT preparations as the synthetic progestogen found in most HRT products including the mirena don't appear to agree with me. I'm about to start micronised progesterone (from days 15-26 of my cycle) to see how I get on. If it doesn't help my libido I'm going to ask to be referred to my local NHS menopause clinic as the GP has said that anything beyond simple HRT is their area.

gpnotebook.com/en-gb/simple...

[Bizzyizzy in reply to FAB-jellybean]

Thanks for this. I was already considering doing a medichecks again.in the New Year to include sex hormones

[nightingale-56]

My special needs Son has been on Testosterone for about 34 years now. About 3 months ago the Testogel, which he had to start using after injections caused problems at injection site, had the dose lowered by the company that make it, Besins. It was in 50 mg sachets and this was lowered to 40.5 mg sachets. This has had the effect of lowering my Son's testosterone level to well under range. I wrote to the company after being told my GP to look for a Pharmacy that can arrange to fulfil a prescription for 50 mg. This has proved impossible. I rather think this is price-gouging by another name, as to my knowledge the price has stayed the same, but if a lower dose is given it is still asking more for the product.

So good luck anyone trying to get a GP to write a prescription for Testosterone.

[TiggerMe in reply to nightingale-56]

I have swapped to the more concentrated one also, just means less gel and a little less strength per sachet?

"Less volume of gel needed

Testogel® 40.5 mg, transdermal gel in sachet is a more concentrated gel than Testogel® 50 mg rather than a stronger preparation, meaning less volume of gel is required to apply the recommended dose.1,2 Refer to your prescription."

Perhaps your son just needs a slightly higher dose?

[nightingale-56 in reply to TiggerMe]

Thank you for explaining what has happened. I did not think of it like that. I phoned up the company and they did not explain this to me. Do they do a higher dose one, do you know? Thanks for explaining.

[TiggerMe in reply to nightingale-56]

The excerpt above came from their website, probably easier to just use 2 sachets? They do a pump version, you are right though everything is shrinking in size but at least it is on prescription so it's the jolly old NHS taking the hit again!

Possibly his levels have dropped due to ageing?

The new pack contains 9.5mg less testosterone and half the gel is how I see it?!

50mg would last me 10 days and the new one 8 days of a smaller splodge of gel... all highly technical for a girl using a boys product! 🙄

testogel.co.uk/hcp/faq/

[jrbarnes]

I'm also 42 and hypothyroidism severely affects my libido when my thyroid hormone is not balanced. Going on Levo created a handful of issues that didn't previously exist. When my thyroid hormone is low it messes with my body. Your labs can look optimal but that doesn't show if you're actually getting enough T3. Levo created this sort of low level under the radar hypothyroidism for me. I was functional but not completely restored. Birth control would be the last thing I'd try as it totally destroyed my libido, even the minipill. I even went so far as to go to a reproductive endo at 38 and he said I was definitely not close to meno or even peri due to how many antral follicles that showed up during the ultrasound and my sex hormones were all very good.

[Bizzyizzy in reply to jrbarnes]

So what was the verdict? Did anything help your lack of libido?

[jrbarnes in reply to Bizzyizzy]

Taking enough thyroid hormone solved it

[chrisbuy63]

Have you looked into Pregnenolone? It helps to balance all hormones including sex hormones.

It can be purchased online

[Bizzyizzy in reply to chrisbuy63]

Have you tried it? Just did a quick Google and seems DHEA is researched and heard of more. May also help lack of libido more where as progeterone works differently?!

[tattybogle in reply to Bizzyizzy]

DHEA is a 'controlled drug' in UK.. (ie. not legal to import .. not legal to possess unless it was prescribed ... that sort of thing ~ not 100% sure on exact details)

helvella explains more in his replies to this post .... healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[chrisbuy63 in reply to Bizzyizzy]

Maybe Barbara Hoffman 's video's on youtube would help you , she also answers emails and has tons of information for people tryig to balance their hormones and deal with the issues that you mentioned and more.

[Auntbessy]

Hi Bizzyizzy. Did you get anywhere with sorting your libido? I'm in a similar boat and wondered if you ended up trying anything to help?