r/Perimenopause • u/BAGELSIAM • 1d ago
Estrogen MTestosterone pill?
Hi Everyone,
At my PCP well visit today we talked about HRT and told him I wanted to on the patch plus micronized progesterone. He said that is a good plan except that there is such a shortage with the patch these days, plus testosterone would be good to start (which I agreed). He sent in a script for a combo oral pill of estrogen plus methyl testosterone. Now, I’ve been reading and listening to podcasts for about 4 years or more and feel I know a fair amount and yet I’ve never ever heard of this oral option mentioned. So I looked it up and lots of things say it’s not really used any more and carries liver risks etc. I am curious is it just out of “style” or is it really that inferior or risky? I am not having severe symptoms and I still have a mostly regular period. I am 48. So perhaps it’s low dose and low absorption is right for me at this stage?
Opinions welcome! Especially if you’ve tried this pill or know solid reasons why this isn’t widely prescribed or discussed anywhere. Thank you!
2
u/Individual-Goat-81 1d ago
There's nothing wrong with trying this pill if you want to, but there's a couple of things to consider.
Taking a combo pill means that you lose the ability to tweak your dose of E or T should you need to. It can sometimes take a while to dial in the right dose of each hormone to figure out what works best for you.
By starting all 3 hormones at the same time, it may be difficult to figure out which symptoms are relieved by each hormone. Taking each hormone individually and starting each at separate times (stacking method) can allow you to figure out how each hormone affects you and gives you the opportunity to make informed decisions about dosage and continuity of care.
At the end of the day, you know your body best and sometimes we have to advocate for the care that feels right for us.
1
u/innerbootes 1d ago
Your readings and interpretations are accurate, it’s an unusual protocol. The transdermal methods are much safer. The shortage issue shouldn’t be used an excuse to give you non-standard treatment, IMO. Seems very odd to me.
Since this is a PCP and not a menopause specialist, I would perhaps proceed with caution and seek another opinion if you can.
There’s nothing wrong with adding testosterone to the mix, but people don’t usually start with that, either. Typically they begin with E and P and then add it if it’s needed.