This website has been developed by Besins Healthcare (UK) Ltd.
This website has separate sections for healthcare professionals (containing promotional information), and patients who have been prescribed Testogel® (testosterone) within the UK.
Please confirm that:
This website is provided for patients prescribed Testogel® in the UK by Besins Healthcare (UK) Ltd.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Couldn’t find the information that you were looking for? We’ve shared our most frequently asked questions. Simply search for your query below.
If you are using Testogel® 40.5 mg, transdermal gel in sachet, wait at least 1 hour after gel application before you bathe, shower or swim.
If you are using Testogel® 16.2 mg/g gel pump, wait at least 2 hours after gel application before you bathe, shower or swim.
If you are planning to take Testogel® abroad, please speak to your health care provider who prescribed your medication about what documents you may need to take with you.
You’re allowed to carry essential medicines of more than 100 mL in your hand luggage, but you need supporting documentation from a relevant medical professional (e.g. a letter from your doctor or a copy of your prescription).2
Airport staff might need to open the containers to screen or X-ray the liquids at the security point. We would recommend either putting the medicine in the hold luggage, or carrying it separately from other liquids with a letter from your doctor or a copy of your prescription, because the volume of the gel in the pump is approximately 100 mL. At security, you must present medications for inspection.
As with taking any medicine abroad, we would also recommend you check the requirements of the country you are visiting. Visit the gov.uk website for more details.
Each Testogel® 16.2 mg/g gel pump contains 88g of gel and delivers a minimum of 60 depressions. How long the pump lasts depends on the dose prescribed by your doctor. The table below shows a rough guide for how long you can expect each pump to last for different doses.1
| Depressions per day | Dose per day (mg) | Estimated lifetime (days) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20.25 | 60 |
| 2 | 40.50 | 30 |
| 3 | 60.75 | 20 |
| 4 | 81.0 | 15 |
Keep your Testogel® in a safe place to protect it. Store Testogel® at room temperature. When it is time to throw away the pump, you can safely throw away used Testogel® in your household bin. Be careful to prevent accidental exposure to children or pets. Keep Testogel® away from fire.1
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date.
Among lots of other things, your body relies on testosterone to stay well.
As you age, your testosterone levels naturally decline. However, in men with TD, testosterone levels drop to a level where it starts to affect your overall health in a negative way.
TD affects the body in lots of different ways. Discover the most common signs and symptoms.
If you have TD, over time it will slowly affect your body in a negative way. This can cause problems with your mood, relationships and overall health too, and can even impact your life expectancy.
Symptoms typically include:
The good news is, TD is treatable. Long term treatment with testosterone therapy can help get you back on track.
There are common symptoms of TD, although it affects different people in many different ways. Review your symptoms using the Ageing Males’ Symptoms (AMS) questionnaire.
There are two main causes of TD in men, known as primary hypogonadism (when TD is caused by a problem with your testicles) and secondary hypogonadism (when TD is caused by a signalling problem in your brain).3
The following risk factors mean that you may be more likely to develop TD:3
Find out more about the causes of TD and risk factors.
Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you and read the Patient Information Leaflet. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. Follow these 3 simple steps each day:
Apply
If you are using the pump, your doctor will tell you how many depressions of the plunger to make to get the correct dose of gel for you.
Please note, this product contains alcohol (ethanol 96%) and is flammable until dry.
Wash your hands
Cover up
Limiting transfer risk is very important with Testogel®. During close and relatively long periods of skin contact, testosterone may be transferred to another person unless you cover the treated area. This could cause the other person to show the signs of increased testosterone. Remember to take precautions when using Testogel®.
In the following circumstances, please talk to your doctor straight away:
Like all medicines, Testogel® 16.2 mg/g gel can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Please read the package leaflet that comes with your medicine for a full list of side effects. Common side effects that may affect up to 1 in 10 people:1
Testogel® 16.2 mg/g gel may cause changes to your mood including:1
Testogel® 16.2 mg/g gel may cause skin reactions including:1
Other common side effects include increase in red blood cell count, haematocrit (percentage of red blood cells in blood) and haemoglobin (the component of red blood cells that carries oxygen), identified by periodic blood tests. Changes to the prostate gland (including increased blood levels of a protein called prostate specific antigen (PSA) that is produced by the prostate).1
Like all medicines, Testogel® 40.5 mg, transdermal gel in sachet can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Please read the package leaflet that comes with your medicine for a full list of side effects.
Common side effects that may affect up to 1 in 10 people:5
TD requires ongoing treatment. As such, Testogel® should be used daily, as prescribed by your doctor, until they advise you to stop. Regular application of Testogel® is required to maintain steady levels of testosterone, within the healthy range, in your blood. If you stop applying Testogel® too early, your testosterone levels may fall back to deficient levels, and the symptoms you used to experience could return.
Do not apply a double dose to make up for a forgotten individual dose. Apply your next dose at the usual time.
Don’t worry, tell them to wash the area that may have been affected immediately with soap and water. Contact a doctor if they get signs such as acne, changes in the growth or pattern of hair on their body or face, deepening of the voice or changes in their menstrual cycle.
Testosterone therapy for men with TD can help with obesity and some aspects of type 2 diabetes. This is because testosterone positively influences how fat is distributed across your body by promoting lean muscle gain and reducing fat mass.
When used properly and over time, testosterone therapy can help reduce your waist circumference and increase muscle strength, as well as reduce insulin resistance.4 It’s important to speak to your doctor if you are obese or type 2 diabetic about what you can expect from your testosterone therapy. If you have diabetes and use insulin to control your blood sugar levels, testosterone treatment may affect your response to insulin and your anti-diabetics medication might need adjustment by your doctor.
Testogel® is for the treatment of adult men with symptoms of TD, confirmed by blood tests. Testogel® should not be used by men under the age of 18, or women of any age.
Additionally, do not use Testogel® if:1,6
Always inform your doctor of any pre-existing conditions you have.
For full information about cautions for use of Testogel® 16.2 mg/g gel please read the patient information leaflet. For full information about cautions for use of Testogel® 40.5 mg, transdermal gel in sachet, please read the patient information leaflet.
Some of the symptoms of testosterone deficiency (TD), like changes in your libido/sex drive, can improve after just a few weeks of testosterone therapy.
The maximum effect of testosterone therapy on symptoms is normally seen after 6 months to 2 years.4
See how long it can take for testosterone therapy to improve the symptoms of TD.
Be patient. A lot of the symptoms of TD do not go away overnight. Regular, consistent application of your treatment is key to help your symptoms improve.
Testosterone therapy can improve the symptoms of TD over time.
You might be experiencing lots of little changes in your overall health that are hard to notice until they are all put together. Try tracking your symptoms over time using a clinically validated questionnaire, to help you see small changes.
If you don’t see any changes in your symptoms after 6 months of consistent treatment, it’s best to speak to your doctor.
Testosterone is a hormone that is important for maintaining your physical and mental health. It is produced mostly in the testicles, but also by your adrenal glands (organs above the kidneys that produce hormones).
Take a look at understanding testosterone to learn more about the role that testosterone has in helping you to stay well.
Testosterone is essential for developing and maintaining characteristics in men such as:3
BHUK/2022/184. February 2023.
References
BHUK/2022/184. February 2023.
