Testosterone on the NHS & Newson Health Catch up

 Last week I suddenly realised I was running out of Testosterone and was due a Newson Health catch-up that I wouldn't be necessary if I could get the Testim on the NHS.

I dutifully waited for an hour on the phone and a few days later managed to speak to my GP over the phone to request the Testim.  The short answer to this... is no she wouldn't.  I didn't really question why. I felt a little under prepared for the answer. I also was recovering from Norovirus, so wasn't exactly at the top of my game.

So 1 hour later I had my Newson Health call. Mmmm cutting it all a little fine!

Thankfully she was on time and back to her normal helpful self.

I explained I couldn't get the testosterone on the NHS and she was a little cross about it. I said she said she wasn't allowed to and NH said maybe it was the surgery stance. Hopefully, if testosterone gets approved for female use soon.  This stance would change. She then explained I would need to have a blood test to check my testosterone levels were right before she could issue me with more. I was just to check for this as it was still pointless checking my oestrogen etc as I was still in perimenopause and they would still be all over the place.  This annoys me so much (not that she wasn't checking) but that all of my friends who have gone to their NHS GP have all insisted they have a blood test to check their levels before trying HRT (obviously after they had told them to go on anti-depressants!!) Another example of the phenomenal waste on the NHS resources!

She then mentioned I was still on a very tiny does of my Lenzetto (oestrogen) and just two pumps a day. I then mentioned that whilst my eyes, etc had all been fine I was getting muscle aches again and very hot at night. She immediately told me to up my dose to 3 pumps a day. 

I then said I felt we were done and thanked her so much. How long could I leave the next appointment and stay on the books.  She then explained she was leaving Newson Health to hopefully starting a much smaller practise and I would need to check in once a year.

She gave me a years prescription of Testim (providing I had the test). I think this cost £35.00 and £75.00 for the Testim (worth every penny). Told me that if my symptoms return again after the 3 pumps I could safely go up to 5 pumps a day. (the leaflet says 3).  I asked if start to miss periods how long do I leave it before going on continual progesterone instead of cyclical. She said if I didn't have a period for 3 months to change to continual.  I should then stop having periods and this was actually a much better way to take progesterone. 

Jacqueline Boden, thank you so much for helping me on what is the very important start of my HRT journey. I certainly wouldn't have persisted with the 2 pumps of Lenzetto without her encouragement. Something I just don't think you would get from most NHS GP's. I feel she has steered me right. I wish her every success for the future.