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[soniad]

Hi StellaJane,

I am taking the Utrogestan vaginally and am only on 25 mcg estradiol patch.

Even using them vaginally I still find the first few days trying as my body thermostat just goes AWOL! 

Yes the exact same thing is happening to me!

I plan to increase this soon to 37.5 and see how I go from there.

Does anybody know what the equivalent of 2 pumps estragel is compared to estradot patch?

[Smarlo]

Hi Fullmoon - Well done on the run. My boobs feel so heavy that I'm thinking I may need to throw on my best sports bra underneath my swimsuit for aqua aerobics tomorrow morning. Here's hoping mine calm down soon too. I figure I'm paying for all the chopping and changing I've been doing and now hope getting back on what worked before will do so again.

Sounds as if you're sure you need the two pumps. My theory was that you could taper down the Estrogel to one pump in keeping with the reduction from continuous Utrogestan. Keen to hear what the docs say about your bleeding/spotting. Maybe you had more to slough off and it will soon end? I do recall my Swiss gyno saying I was unlikely to have a bleed on one pump Estro and 3x Utro and so far not even a hint of one.

Ta for keeping me posted and hope you continue to feel great. Whenever I've tried to take more progesterone I blow up like a balloon and get so muzzy-headed that I can't function.

[butterfly286]

Hi not sure this thread is still going ! I have changed from Femston 1/10 to Sandrena gel 100mg daily & on day 21 for 7 days 200mg of
Utrogestan , I can't say I feel tired on this but feel totally out of sorts,nauseous & anxious, dread the thought of doing this every month feel that I will have to wipe a week out of my life every month!!! Does any one know if this will improve or not?

[Mary G]

butterfly286, this thread on pretty much ongoing!

The first question is, how are you taking the Utrogestan, orally or vaginally?  It is far better when used vaginally because most of it hits the spot and does not get lost in your digestive system.  The other advantage is fewer side effects like stomach problems and breast pain. 

I take 100mg Utrogestan vaginally for 7 days every 5 weeks and I can just about live with that, at a push!  I have found this works extremely well for lining clearance/thinning and regularly have a post bleed lining reading of just 2mm.  For me, it's either that or a hysterectomy so choice doesn't actually come into it.

If you are taking 200mg orally then you are probably losing about 50% of it in your digestive system anyway was it's the same difference really. 

Definitely one to think about.

[butterfly286]

Hi Mary
I'm taking it orally & am I write by taking the Sandrena at the same time? Do you think I need to go back & see my GP & get pesseries prescribed? I had this script originally given to me by a private consultant but I can't afford to go back& see her again! Im already planning my life around my 7 days of Utrogestan , this week is ok because I have annual leave but dread having to go to work on it- counting down the days till I finish it!

[Mary G]

butterfly286, I guessed you had been prescribed this regime privately because of the 7 day Utrogestan dose.  I know how you feel because I dread taking Utrogestan too. 

Yes, you should be using the Sandrena everyday and while you are on the Utrogestan phase.  You don't need to get special pessaries from your GP for vaginal use, they can be taken either way and my box says 'vaginal or oral use' but that is because I buy them in Spain - the UK is about the only country that does not licence Utrogestan to be used vaginally for some unknown reason. 

You can just use the pessaries you have but try to place the capsule next to your cervix if you can.  I use an old thrush cream applicator and it works very well.  Make sure you insert it last thing at night and try not to go to the loo too soon afterwards because you can end up losing some of it if you do!

It's worth a try and you may well find it has fewer side effects.  Please let us know how you get on.

[butterfly286]

Ok thank you I'l give it ago tonight!

[Nellendra]

Hi I've been prescribed estradiol and utogestran ( pharmacy don't have the Utrogestran til Monday.). I intend to use these tablets vaginally.
 I asked the GP how much of each I should take and how often and when I should start ? he looked puzzled and didn't actually know , he first told me to take the gel on the first day of my period for 21 days, he then told me to use up the rest of the femoston 1/10 that I'm currently using first ( Im on the combined tablet part at the mo and have til nxt Friday ,then the pack is finished),  regardless of when my period is! does anybody actually know the real time I should start on the gel ? I have not got on with femoston 1/10 and have felt poorly most days. Dreadful low mood, tinnitus , nausea and headaches. I still have periods, I'm 48. Tried evorel conti before and that didn't agree with me either.
Anyone have any ideas on the best time to start as I'm pretty desperate.
Thanks all
Xxx

[Nellendra]

sorry, i meant to say I was on Evorel sequi not evorel conti.

[Hurdity]

Hi Nellendra

Finish the course of Femoston until you have reached the end of the combi pack. Then start the oestrogel on the next day - Day 1 - and then take it continuously without a break. The licensed dose of utrogestan is 200 mg (ie two capsules) on days 15-26 or 17-28 and then go back to the gel. You should get a bleed hopefully starting around Day 1 - Day 3 but just carry on with this regime and see what happens. Depending on how far into menopause you are you might not need this amount ( eg if you are only on one pump of gel or if your periods are still pretty regular) but start with this and see how you feel. In theory you should not need as much progesterone when used vaginally but I would still take it for the 12 days to start with and see what sort of bleed you get.

Sorry to hear you have still been feeling rough. Did the Femoston eliminate your flushes and sweats?

Good luck with the new regime and let us know how you get on

Hurdity x

[Nellendra]

Thank you Hurdity, you are always so helpful and knowledgeable.
I'm truly at my wits end. I'm dragging myself through life by my fingernails at the mo. This is not living. I'm sure I must be allergic to hrt!!

 I'll try this regime, if it doesn't work I'm going to beg for a hysterectomy. 😀

[Nellendra]

Forgot to reply on this bit.
The femoston helped with sleep and the being hot all the time.
But when it comes to the progesteron tablets it makes me really poorly. Then I get hot sweats, dizzy, nauseous, waking in the night.  Just dreadful. X

[Greenfields]

Could do with some advice as my regime is changing.  I was on Evorel 50 (patch) and Utrogestan 100mg (orally) last year which suited me fine.  I moved to Canada mid-January and from February started to experience a range of symptoms including mid-cycle bleeding and a non-malignant breast lump (before my move I did not have any bleeding at all and was taking Evorel 50 twice a week as a patch and taking Utrogestan 100mg for 25 days and then omitting taking it for 3 days). 

I then saw someone who advised me that my natural cycle and my medication were out of synch ... I attempted to reset it several times - most recently my regime has been 100mg progesterone (recently prescribed Prometrium 100mg as they don't sell Utrogestan in Canada!) and I continued with the Evorel 50 as I had some to use up from the UK.  The Prometrium 100mg I took as I took the Utrogestan i.e. for 25 days then omitted for 5 days.  The Evorel 50 is a patch and I changed it twice a week. 

Was still experiencing some side effects though ... spotting on a couple of days and some anxiety/mood swings noticed on a couple of days. 

Saw Canadian Gynaecologist today and because I didn't go a full calendar year without periods before I was originally put on HRT (just under a year) she's not sure whether I'm post menopausal or not.  She suggested I might be and attributed some of the side effects I'm now getting to my current medication regime.

She's ordered a vaginal scan to check the layer in my uterus to make sure it hasn't got too thick.  And has told me to continue taking the Prometrium 100mg but to take it continuously (i.e. no break).  She's also told me to stop taking the Evorel 50 and instead has prescribed Estrogel which contains estradiol - 17 Hemihydrate 0.06%.  She's told me to take 1 pump a day and I'm scheduled to see her again in 3 months.

I asked the pharmacist about the amount of estradiol in the Estrogel compared to the amount of estradiol in Everol 50 and there is slightly less in the gel but not dramatically so.  I'm hoping that my menopausal symptoms won't reappear too dramatically as I've just started back on a course at University and I need to function! (I need to start submitting written assignments in October!).

The Dr said that if my anxiety and depression symptoms recur with this new regime I might need to see a psychiatrist ... I'm hoping not as the previous hormone regime got rid of my hot flushes, night sweats, roaring anxiety and awful depression ... so I'm in no hurry for it to come back.

I just wondered whether anyone else has switched from medications like the one's I've been taking to the one's I've now been prescribed (i.e. Evorel 50/Prometrium (Utrogestan) 100mg to Estrogel and Prometrium continuously?  And any advice on coping with switching regimes?  I'll admit I'm a tad apprehensive as my life has been quite stressful since I returned to Canada and I really don't want to get ill again the way I did last year - but equally, the regime I was on, was no longer suiting me so I'm really hoping the new meds help.

The idea, apparently, is to go for the lowest possible effective dose which enables me to function - so I guess, if 1 pump doesn't work, then maybe the pumps will be increased - altho' I won't get to see the Dr until December so I hope the symptoms don't come back too dramatically as that's a long time to wait!

Any thoughts/advice/information appreciated - I know everyone reacts differently to changes and one cannot predict the outcome but it's nice to get support! 

BTW just to say I'm 53 and my last natural bleeding (prior to being put on HRT) was in June 2014.  I started on HRT in March 2015 and was switched to Evorel 50 and Utrogestan 100mg in April 2015 - and they worked fine until I left the UK in January 2016 - the midcycle bleeding started in February 2016!

[Greenfields]

Thanks StellaJane!  The only thing I've noticed so far (which started yesterday before I took off my patch) is some sensation of pressure on my low abdomen ... I've had this intermittently on this HRT medication (the patch and pill before switching to a pill and gel) but it's persisted in to today which is a little weird.  It's not exactly cramps ... more of a sensation of wanting to pee ... yet I go and have a pee and the pressure on my lower abdomen kind of remains.  I'm hoping it will go away in the next day or so as it's a tad uncomfortable. I don't know whether its related to hormones but it has happened in the past too ..

And you are so right, changing can be so daunting! Last night (and today) I didn't have any hot flashes which was nice but I didn't sleep that well last night altho' I don't know whether that was due to the hormones or just that I have a lot on my mind at the moment having just started a university course ... it's lovely to be able to check in with people here - helps keep me sane!

[Dancinggirl]

Hi Greenfields - I got a lot of lower abdominal cramps with Utrogestan (Prometrium) - I think this is common for many women.
Oestrogel is great - flexible to use and delivers a consistent dose - you may well only need one pump per day.
Sounds to me as though you are getting good advice from your canadian gynae.  DG x