Have to give this a look up and kinda makes sense if it’s replacing lost hormones what we’re naturally there
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@susan50 thank you for sharing your experience - this is sooo helpful.
My GP wouldn’t prescribe it, but he has referred me to one of the surgery’s menopause GPs (i.e. a female one, I guess). Also for vagifem as he wasn’t sure about this either, but I have used it in the past to help with response (haven’t tried the cream but vagifem was good for general dryness as well).
So, waiting for the new appointment. My GP surgery is a teaching practice in a city with leading hospitals, so that bodes well.
My regular hrt has been stable and effective for years, now, and it is all the good stuff (Evorel patches and micronized uttrogestan 100mg daily with no break so no bleeds).
I’m v much aware of Dr Newson and her work - she’s great!
Thanks again xx
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You are very welcome and good luck. I’ve recently switched to a small pea sized blob of tostran daily and that’s really helpful
There’s also no reason why you can’t use topical eostrogen at the same time as systemic HRT, indeed you’re likely to need it for life to prevent vaginal atrophy. I find mine very helpful and I no longer get pain at my episiotomy site.
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Before menopause, a women’s ovaries produce oestrogen, progesterone AND testosterone - yet only the first two are routinely prescribed. Adding the third in can be really helpful for some women (including me)
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Most interesting 
human bodies are fascinating things, wonder if men produce some lady hormones
I had a google, men do produce oestrogen as well as testosterone, but if you have too much oestrogen it will lead to problems with libido and fertility.
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Very fascinating and it makes total sense! I’m guessing when a baby is being created in the womb before it becomes a gender it has both sets of hormones produced until one becomes more dominant to create the gender formation…
Thank you, everyone, especially @susan50
First GP wouldn’t prescribe anything but was happy to pass me on to one of his colleagues who specialises in menopause care. She was happy to prescribe everything!
So, as well as my regular hrt I now have vagifem again (yay!) and a prescription for tostran but there seems to be a national shortage, so I will have to wait for that one. The pharmacist is going to see if there is an alternative.
I’ll get there.
Thank you all for your supportive comments!
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Aww @MsR I am soo so glad that you have got some brilliant advice and support I hope are on the way back up hun after an awful time keep well and stay in touch we miss your contributions 
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I’ll second that @Gazza_64
Good to see you @MsR
Keep popping in and so glad to hear you are in a better place
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Thank you @Gazza_64 & @CurvyJilly
You all remind me that I should hang out here again!
You guys are great
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you are very welcome and good luck. I’m pleased with tostran, and hope you can pick yours up soon x
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Thank you @WillC and @susan50.
I’ve got the tostran - yay! - but haven’t started using it yet - wanted to wait until the teens were back at school in case it causes migraines etc.
MrR and I need to recalibrate our intimate life - we are a strong couple but that side of things has been on hold for too long during a stressful 18 months. So, I’m going to try to kick-start my libido and he is going to lose weight - joint effort.
I know some friends on this forum have had unkind comments from previous partners regarding weight issues, but tipping over from overweight into very overweight isn’t helpful in our bedroom when I am quite petite. So, we are both taking action because if we don’t do it in our 50s we may lose something precious.
I’ll post back in a couple of weeks - tonight is the night for that first blob of tostran gel…
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Oh, the romance! 
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Proper life, innit?
Good luck. Looking forward to reading your updates, good or bad.
@MsR any updates to all of this?
I was about to start a new topic along these lines but decided to do a search first. Yours was the most recent relevant postings, nearest my topic.
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First of all I’m very sorry to hear about the difficulties you’ve endured, and while I may not have been around (in the forums), before you left. I’m glad to see you’re back.
I wrote up a ridiculously long post.
Then found the best website I’ve seen dealing with all things Peri/Pre and Post Menopausal. Or, separately age related with no relevance to Menopausal Cycle.
And then deleted all of what I had written and am just going to link it at the bottom of this post.
How much anyone reading the article is willing to read to understand what they may or may not be going through, age related, Menopausal Cycle related or emotionally related I leave up to them.
I think it’s important to point out (for anyone reading this,) if you start at the page I linked, at the very bottom right corner in blue/white text is a next button.
It includes both Peri/Post Menopausal effects on sexuality.
Age related, (stated as sometimes beginning in the early 30s, but more commonly in the 40/50/60 age range), with cited Doctoral Studies, that are **specifically not **Menopausal related at all, either Peri/Post Menopausal.
The effects of stress, anxiety, depression, traumatic life events, and relationship issues a woman may experience, and their correlation to Desire.
….I think all partners would benefit specifically from reading this as well if they are in a relationship with a Woman.
Specifically those who Identify as Men.
By “Female/Women” I mean anyone who identifies as that regardless of whether or not that’s what they were born as.
HRT is replacing birth body hormones with these same hormones just with varying levels of emphasis.
(As in learn how you can contribute to your Female partners willingness and eagerness for sex.
Based on the effects of emotional status and concerns Women have throughout out their life whether they are age related or of a hormonal nature.
Or based on their relationship with you as the partner and how that can affect their emotional desire as well.
Simply by showing her you’re making an effort to understand what she is possibly dealing with; Or, are at the very least you are aware and are trying to be more sympathetic/address the problems you as the partner is unaware they are causing their Female partner.
Hopefully you’re not just doing it to try to get “laid more frequently.” But even if it’s all done out of an egocentric viewpoint like that, it could be said that even THAT might be appreciated by some women.
The article is Menopause.org
I hope it helps. But, I’m pretty sure it will for anyone that takes the time to read through all the various pages.
Thank you, friends, and to Anony - I will check out that link.
I didn’t get on well with the first two sachets (3 weeks worth) of gel - it’s impossible to measure an accurate dose each day and then it went out of stock in my area.
Also - and I know my libido flops under stress, our youngest who has complex medical needs has been in hospital 3 times since June.
So, not a lot of bedroom action but lots of talking, I’ve sourced some more gel and OH is still on the salads, bless him.
We are carving out some dates with each other. Time together isn’t always easy to find with 3 teens and one of them poorly, but we have a new carer and have always shared ideas, books, films etc - I think discussing ideas is our way of flirting! We are both ‘head’ people, no pun intended
So, doing ok but hoping to do better and I hope I’ll have more to say about the gel soon.
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One thing I have noticed is erotic dreams. More so than usual.
Now that I have another supply I hope this translates into reality!
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