I was on a dose of .5 testosterone cream for 3 months. At the beginning of the 3rd month I started to get a husky voice. I posted about my voice in another thread. I am a high soprano and make my living as an opera singer. I've have stopped singing and just found out today that something is wrong. My levels after 3 months on the cream went from 2.2 to 867. I've been off the cream now for 3 weeks and my level is now 870. It's gone UP! I'm going for a catscan today of my ovaries. I also have hashimotos disease. I'm wondering if I triggered something by starting on the testosterone cream?
Thanks for any info!

I have replied to you on your other posts about this and I have been following your story.
I have heard that supplementing with testosterone for a while can stimulate the body into producing its own but that is after an oophorectomy (as in my case).
It is not usual for levels to increase AFTER the testosterone has stopped as far as I am aware.

Good luck today and hopefully you will get some answers.

By the way-doesn't hashimotos also cause voice problems? It's thyroid disease isn't it? I know someone whose voice went very croaky with an underactive thyroid.
janet c

What are your other hormones looking like and your blood sugar? All of these can play a part in the T being high too. I had very high testosterone for one of my blood tests and we lowered it with leveling out my P. Doesn't mean that will work but just curious if they are looking at your other hormones too. Most certainly have the ovaries checked out first!

thank you all. I had the catscan about an hour ago. All my other levels are normal blood work wise. My DHEA is still in the toilet though I had taken that too. My doctor thinks I may have an ovarian tumor making it. But then why were my numbers so low prior? Did the testosterone cause the tumor? Could I have ovarian cancer ? I'm freaked out both about my voice and possible lose of my work and livelyhood but not I'm worry about could something be even worse. Thank you all for being such a support. I so welcome your comments and thoughts.

Hashimotos can cause a husky voice in itself. Can I assume that you were positive for thyroid antibodies? Are you being treated for hypothyroidism?

I was just thinking that a high testosterone could signal PCOS Poly cystic ovary syndrome. The ovarian scan sounds a good idea.

Let us know how you get on.

XIII

my thyroid numbers were beautiful - just had it all checked in march and then more blood work over the past few weeks. Something seems to have been triggered by the testosterone cream. I'm hoping maybe it was that I was just giving a wrong dose. I'm having the cream sent off to be analyzed. could the cream cause a tumor to suddenly grow that fast? This is a mystery.

Sorry to hear your news-my heart goes out to you -it really does.You must be very worried, but a tumour doesn't have to be cancerous so try not to panic just yet!
I have never heard of testosterone causing an ovarian tumour and you weren't on it very long were you? It could all be just coincidental.
What is the next step then? Do you have to have more tests?
XIII is very knowledgable-maybe she will be along with some more reassurance honey

janet c

Can I ask when you were first prescribed the testosterone and if your levels were normal before you used the cream?

Please try not to major on the word tumour. That is, at the moment just a vague possibility.

Try not to do too much Googling because it will scare you too much. It sounds as if your doctor is doing all the right things and that is really positive. This could still be a matter of letting the T get out of your system.


We are here to support you every step of the way.


Take care,


XIII

You are all so wonderful. You are right I'm googling and scaring myself silly. All my numbers in March both thyroid and hormone ---all were great but for my DHEA and Testosterone.Those 2 were very low. I had been using BIEST for 18 month and all was great. I had noticed over the winter that my muscle tone was going downhill. And I am active. Carry bags lifting things. I looked in the mirror and everything looked like it just dropped out over night. Yet I am slim and have a good body. Just the tone, something was 'off'. Also NO interest in sex what so ever. I actually dreaded thinking about it. So my doctor suggested I just start with a low dose of testosterone to see if that may help. She also suggested the DHEA cause that was and STILL is in the toilet numbers wise. My last reading from the other day was like a trace number of it in me. She also suggested I use a homeopathic HGH spray. I felt fantastic those 1st 2 months. Infact I STILL feel great but for the worry right now. It was the voice loss followed by the acne and then the dark hair starting to grow on my legs. That I realized it was maybe too much. Now I was told that once I stopped that within 72 hours levels should have started to drop. So here I am 3 weeks off the cream (though I was on the biest till yesterday when I was told to for now stop that too) and the blood work comes in around the same numbers. The stuff either isn't leaving me OR it triggered something in me to keep producing it. I will find out the results of the cat scan today and have a vag ultrasound later in the day with the possible CA125 test, which I'm apprehensive to take as a false positive may freak me out even more.

That's why I was wondering if a tumor could grow over night from the high levels of testosterone in me? The whole thing seems a mystery. Hence the tests. Any ideas??? Thanks again all for being out there. It really helps!

Dee

PS for the past 3 weeks - just about the time I stopped the cream I started to get a dull ache on and off on my left side that moves. Sometimes I feel it in my waist - other times lower all areas between my left groin area to my waistline. I figured it was digestive as I had some acid reflux at the time. or maybe pulled something as I'm always lifting things. would an ovarian problem have a pain that 'moves' through all those areas. It comes and goes and isn't severe, I hardly had it at all yesterday but maybe 2 times. Just thought I'd add that bit of info for those of you who are somewhat experts out there. Thanks again!

You probably pulled something in your back. It's best not to speculate because you are getting a vag ultrasound later. I had one of those and they are usually accurate. Hopefully you should get the results immediately.
I know you are probably filling in time until your appointment though, so you are bound to speculate. I would do the same!
Good luck and keep us posted.

janet c

thanks Janet!

Hi Ladies.
Just an update. My scan isn't back yet but my sonogram looked good. So now we just wait for the scan. if that's clear -and my blood levels are still up in a week I go see an endocrinologist. However the compounding pharmacy may have just given me a wrong dose. We won't know till the tests come back on the cream. Also if they used an 'oil' base it can stay in the system longer. So it's more waiting but I feel a bit of relieve with good sono. we did a CA125 test but it's more for the doctor's records and we will only go further depending on the 'numbers' it shows in the results. thanks again for all your support. Now just hoping it's a clean scan report tomorrow.

That's good news-you must be feeling relieved!
Keep us posted.
janet c