This topic is for questions and discussions about testosterone and testosterone supplementation.

At 57 is it possible to have too much testostrone?  What kind of test would comfirm this, and why at my age would I have this problem?  My dermatologist suggested  that I might have a problem with this based on my extremely oily skin and hair, thinning hair in the front, excess facial hair and acne.  Before menopause I never had a pimple, now they are a daily part of my life.  Everyone talks about declining hormones but I think I have too many.  What kind of doctor would I need to see to find out for sure?  Thanks for your help.

Sometimes it isn't really a case of making too much, but of not making as much of the others that used to balance it out. In other words, in our fertile state our ovaries made a bunch of estrogen, varying amounts of progesterone, and a little testosterone. Because of all the estrogen, we have the usual bouquet of female characteristics.

But after meno, our estrogen and progesterone phase out more dramatically than the testosterone. This makes the test., even though it hasn't spiked in amount, proportionally more expressed. And for many of us, that expression consists of male-pattern baldness and oiliness and the dowager's trademark moustache. There's also some feeling that the increase in cardiovascular risks at menopause come in part from this tilt in the hormone balance, in that testosterone is known for its negative cardiovascular profile.

Any doctor who is willing--even a family doc--can order testing of the levels of your three ovarian hormones. An endocrinologist (especially a reproductive endocrinologist) would have the greatest level of expertise in treating significant hormonal disorders. A GYN with an interest and expertise in menopausal problems might be a middle ground.

For most menopausal women, reversing the testosterone effects seems to relate to manipulating their estrogen/progesterone levels (whether by prescription or non-prescription hrt) to bring the feminizing balance balance back. But it's a good idea to check out what's happening whenever something is different enough in your body to raise concerns.

Hi Carolyn... I was also thinking of exactly what Framboise wrote... that the balance of the other hormones may have more to do with the problem than too much testosterone.  A decrease in estrogens and progesterone might make the testosterone proportionally high.  

Okay, I have tested very high for testosterone, pretty high for progesterone and low for estrogen.

I'm having a very, very hard time getting anyone to even understand the problem.  I believe I have been perimenopausal for some time.

When I got my saliva results back and I saw the testosterone level -- way beyond normal -- this had nothing to do with the levels of estrogen or progesterone -- I had to research it myself.

The jist is, several things can cause this.  All are marked by insulin resistence or hyperinsulinemia to some degree.  It can be PCOS (Ovarian cyct disease, not always accompanied by Ovarian cysts!), exhausted adrenals, Cushings Disease/Syndrome and I read one little blurb that ovarian cancer will raise testosterone.

I have oily skin, thinning hair, irritation to the point I feel like I'm going to explode...

Hi, BigBaby.  Do you know yet what is causing your high testosterone?

You listed several possible causes - and a good endocrinologist should be able to sort out what might be causing this in you through blood and urine testing.

The diseases you mentioned all have other symptoms besides the ones that you listed here, so an endocrinologist probably would not diagnose you with them without further testing.

Best of luck to you...and keep us posted

Hi Big Baby,I also tested high for testosterone during perimenopause. I don't know my exact value, but it was over the high end of the range. I don't know what caused it. And my sex drive was about zero at that time, so I really question the role of testosterone and sexual desire.  However, I can tell you that a couple of years later, it eventually went down to the normal range for someone at the start of menopause.

Hi, Has anyone ever used the testosterone cream? I was told that the burning I have in the vulva area may be from lack of testosterone, so I am now using testosterone cream in that area only at night. The thing is that I was using estrogen cream and they both do about the same thing for me. Burning is relieved when I apply it but comes back when it wears off. Does anyone else have this burning. I have had all sorts of tests but nothing conclusive. Am going to to a saliva test in about 3 weeks. The idea of using something like the testosterone bothers me especially if I don't need it. Any thoughts on this? I have talked to Pete H.