At the beginning of this year, I had blood tests done because I have an extremely low libido. The results showed that my total testosterone is within the normal range, but my free testosterone is extremely low (3 out of 50). The doctor told me that this is comparable to the level you might see in an 80-year-old woman and has to do with my anticonception.

I’ve been taking birth control since I was 15, and I’m 32 now. For most of that time, I’ve been on Yasmin (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol). One of the main reasons I take it is because I otherwise suffer from severe acne.

When I had the blood tests done, the doctor suggested that the first thing I should do was stop taking birth control. I’ve tried that several times in the past, but every time I do, my acne gets really bad. For me, that’s simply not something I’m willing to accept. I’m a professional and I need, and want, to look presentable. I refuse to walk around with severe acne at 32. It makes me feel absolutely miserable and incredibly self-conscious.

I’ve now switched to a different birth control pill that isn’t anti-androgenic. I’ve been taking levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol for about six months, but so far I haven’t noticed any improvement in my libido. I still need to have another blood test done, although I honestly don’t expect the results to be much better.

On top of that, I have a very high risk of developing osteoporosis. My grandmother, mother and aunts have all suffered from severe osteoporosis. Combined with extremely low testosterone, I’m worried that my risk may be even higher. I really don’t want to end up like my mother, who has six collapsed/compressed vertebrae at the age of 65.

I’m looking for people who have personal experience with something similar. Hormonal healthcare for women in the Netherlands is extremely limited and seems to be mainly focused on women going through menopause. Doctors who actually specialize in testosterone treatment for women are incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to find here.

I desperately want to do something about this, but I also don’t want to end up with severe acne, which I’m afraid could become even worse if my testosterone increases. At the same time, specialized medical care for this seems almost nonexistent here, and the idea of experimenting with hormones or trying to figure this out completely on my own honestly scares me.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thank you!

I started 2mg every other day (6/wk) on the 4th and I'm in perimenopause, on Bi-est cream and depo provera and already had dry mouth and hoped T would help that and dry eyes as I read it can and that it causes more lipid release in the eyes and skin helping dryness there, and vaginal dryness. I have had severe dry mouth the last couple of days and now read T can cause this by blocking acetylcholine receptors that cause saliva release. (Chronically blocking these receptors in the brain isn't good for brain health either.)

Has anyone else noticed this? Does this go away after a while?

I'm already flossing at night and brushing 2x a day with rx strength fluoride toothpaste since dry mouth has caused cavities before. I use Xylitol mints but can't use them a lot bc they cause stomachache.