Can I Get Testosterone for Menopause in France?

This is a very popular question and the answer is YES.... but ;).

Testosterone is 'Unlicensed' for Menopause

No ladies that does not mean it's illegal, as I've seen some women saying! An unlicensed medication means it is not officially recommended for use, even though still on the market. And it is not covered by your carte vitale and/or mutuelle. You have to pay out of pocket. Why is testosterone unlicensed for menopause here in France? The same reason it's actually unlicensed for use in many countries. There is not enough evidence yet, particularly long-term evidence, as it's simply not been long enough that women have been using it during menopause. Secondly, it's hard to study its effects given its only taken alongside oestrogen and progesterone. And third, there is a lack of products geared to women.

Again, before you moan 'of course France is behind', testosterone is unlicensed for menopausal use in most countries. The exceptions are Australia and South Africa, where they have released a product designed for women, Androfeme. (You can get the product in some other countries but privately, and it's expensive, and its not in France). Yes, even in the UK where NHS doctors prescribe testosterone to women, they are prescribing it off-license.

What testosterone is available in France?

The testosterone available in France is called Androgel. It's a transdermal gel that comes in a pump. Designed for men, if you are prescribed it, you certainly do not want to follow the dosing instructions in the box. There are also testosterone injections in France, but don't fall for it. One male doctor tried to tell me 'one mega dose of testosterone by injection would change my sex drive for years'. Which is mind boggling as that is not at all how testosterone functions in the body. And testosterone shots are used for transitioning, and should not be used for menopause. Avoid. When I told a leading NHS menopause expert about this experience she was beyond shocked.

Is it easy to get testosterone for menopause here?

No, it's not easy but it's possible. There is a very, very slow sea change where here and there I hear of gynaecologists here and there prescribing it with no prior usage of testosterone in the patient. But by and large the easiest way to get prescribed testosterone for menopause is to already have a first prescription from elsewhere, the easiest being the UK or Spain. Your gynaecologist here is then obliged to continue treatment. I also got it prescribed 'cold' by another type of specialist here, which I discuss in the book. In summary, you'll need to be committed and persistent.

Do I even need testosterone?

While social media will have you thinking HRT is candy you need to try, and that everyone needs all of it, all I can say is, whoa, horsie! Look, I'm a fan of the stuff. But testosterone should never be prescribed unless you have already been on a regime of oestrogen and progesterone for a minimum of six months. I've heard of doctors in the UK, where any NHS doctor can be a menopause expert on the side, prescribing it right off the bat. It's a capitalist cowboy show over there at the moment. If you take testosterone right off the top you'll never know what is doing what. And you should also never be taking it without a blood test first to show you even have low testosterone already.

Will it fix my sex drive?

Note that the ONLY evidence-based symptom that testosterone is prescribed to women for is hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). Aka, you have no sex drive. This is a global recommendation. So going to a doctor and saying 'I need testosterone as I am tired' will get you nowhere.

And unfortunately ladies you can't expect miracles. I had very severe HSDD, where I went from the woman with the highest sex drive of anyone I knew to about a one out of ten on the scale. Testosterone got me back to about a 4 or 5, so I guess my sex drive is about normal now. You do not get back to younger ways, sorry.

Note you can read the global consensus statement on menopausal women and testosterone use here.

So is it worth taking?

It depends on the woman. For me, even though it's not prescribed for other things, the real surprise was that I got back my LIFE drive. I didn't even realise how depressed and lethargic I'd become until the 'the T' kicked in and suddenly I had ideas again and wanted to do things with my life. In fact this site would honestly not exist if I never took testosterone. I also have a very good memory now, it's maybe better than ever even.

What dose of testosterone should a menpausal woman take? How do I go about getting my first prescription elsewhere? Are the side effects real? What other kind of specialist can I try here in France? What blood test do I ask for ? Is it worth getting that special Androfeme cream? All things that can be covered in my upcoming Masterclass on Saturday the 20th of September 2025, or you can read about in the book.