Hi I am female and hypopituitary. I have used bioidentical hormone creams for the last 7 years. The past spring I had to switch compounding pharmacy's and move to an out of town one. In October I began to have problems with my testosterone cream, though I did not realize at that time what it was. Making no hormones, I have to figure out which medicine is my issue.
By December I had figured out it was my testosterone cream. I had blood work done and went off of my testosterone cream. My level was T-Total 52. The symptoms I was having was severe/debilitating aching in my lower gluteal muscles and surrounding areas, fatigue and a headache. After 4 days off of the cream all the symptoms were mostly gone. After 6 days, the symptoms were totally gone, but I was losing my legs. Not able to do stairs, or stay on my feet for long. I could not make dinner or really take care of me well.
I saw my doctor two weeks ago and he called my prescriptions into local compounding pharmacy and I worked with the pharmacist to use a different base cream to see if that was the problem. I did well for a week and then the debilitating pain came back. Being a scientist, I thought, may be it is the site where I apply my creams at and switched my testosterone from the labia to my wrist. I continued to use my estradiol and progesterone creams on the labia. I called the pharmacist and told him what was going on and he agreed with my decision. I have given it 6 days now and I am still hurting and have fatigue.
I am wondering if the problem could be the form of Testosterone they are putting in the cream? I thought they were just using Testosterone USP (Micronized) for HRT creams. I will find out when pharmacy opens this morning. If I had the option of quitting... I would, but I cannot. I need testosterone to stay alive. I lose the use of my legs and I don't do well physically without it. I know that my heart will be affected as it is a muscle.
I would like to live again. If you have any ideas on what may be going on, I would appreciate it. Thank you, TownerT
By December I had figured out it was my testosterone cream. I had blood work done and went off of my testosterone cream. My level was T-Total 52. The symptoms I was having was severe/debilitating aching in my lower gluteal muscles and surrounding areas, fatigue and a headache. After 4 days off of the cream all the symptoms were mostly gone. After 6 days, the symptoms were totally gone, but I was losing my legs. Not able to do stairs, or stay on my feet for long. I could not make dinner or really take care of me well.
I saw my doctor two weeks ago and he called my prescriptions into local compounding pharmacy and I worked with the pharmacist to use a different base cream to see if that was the problem. I did well for a week and then the debilitating pain came back. Being a scientist, I thought, may be it is the site where I apply my creams at and switched my testosterone from the labia to my wrist. I continued to use my estradiol and progesterone creams on the labia. I called the pharmacist and told him what was going on and he agreed with my decision. I have given it 6 days now and I am still hurting and have fatigue.
I am wondering if the problem could be the form of Testosterone they are putting in the cream? I thought they were just using Testosterone USP (Micronized) for HRT creams. I will find out when pharmacy opens this morning. If I had the option of quitting... I would, but I cannot. I need testosterone to stay alive. I lose the use of my legs and I don't do well physically without it. I know that my heart will be affected as it is a muscle.
I would like to live again. If you have any ideas on what may be going on, I would appreciate it. Thank you, TownerT
Last edited:
