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[Kkay]

Hello everyone,

I've posted here a bunch of times over this last year as I've struggled with VA and burning...

It a very long story but basically I'm at my wit's end with continuous burning and pain. I'm not sure whether to post this here or on the vulvodynia thread, but as its an estrogel question, I'll start here.

I am using two puffs, one on each thigh in the morning. I feel very low, full of dread and am fighting back tears all the time. Normally, I'm a grounded cheerful person. Also have terrible burning and vulodynia which I've been struggling with now for a year.

I feel the crying and dread are low estrogen symptoms and that I should increase my dose up to 3 pumps. Isn't that a lot ? If I do, is the received wisdom to apply them all at once or in divided doses ?

Thanks everyone.

[Peony]

Thanks for the update Peony and glad it's working for you - especially the vaginal use of Utrogestan on a continuous basis - since there are not many of us who do this due to bladder irritation and also not wanting to take progesterone continuously.

Do you mean you get up in the middle of the night to apply the estrogel  and do you mean 3 pumps in total? If you are taking quite a high dose of gel then you may well get a small bleed eventually when you stop the utro although it is mainly designed as a no-bleed continuous combined HRT  with the break just in case there is any thickening. Some women do find they get random spotting on the conti dose but perhaps less so with vaginal use as the dose would be more consistent.

Hope you continue to feel well

No am not so dedicated as to get up in the middle of the night to apply oestrogel. I apply two pumps in the morning after my shower one on each thigh. Then I wash my upper arm when am getting ready for bed and apply one pump then. I ve always done better on divided doses when I first started and had bad menopausal symptoms I found taking all the oestrogel in the morning didn't work. The fluctuations in levels caused symptoms so I divided the doses and that helped. I haven't had a bleed and am now 10 days into the next cycle so hopefully will settle down to no bleed. When I was researching menopause I discovered that it was the fluctuations in hormone levels that caused the symptoms rather than the absolute levels so I have always tried to avoid fluctuations in dosing. This combination seems to be working well for me at present so will see what the future brings. Thanks for your help.

[geewizzpip]

Hi everyone

I would like some advice.

A bit of background.  I'm 61 and been on Utrogestan 100 vaginally (at night) and 1 pump of Estradiol per day (in the morning) for 4 weeks. I was prescribed both of these to try and elevate my mood - I was very down and crying much of the time.  My mood does appear to be more stable but prior to using Utrogestan and Estradiol I had never suffered from overheating or hot sweats but now particularly in the mornings once I start walking (outside) I am so hot and sweaty (like a fever) and my hair become soaking wet.  Whilst everyone else is wearing coats I'm in a T-shirt.  It seems to subside in the afternoon and when I'm sitting down.

My question - has anyone else suffered this side effect?  I'm wondering whether the balance between the Utrogestan and the Estradiol needs adjusting, or maybe I should apply the Estradiol at night rather than in the morning.

Any advice would be much appreciated

[Mav196]

Hi ladies
I have just started this regime on day 11 of my cycle and was told to use 1mg sachet of estradiol (Divigel) every day and then 200mg oral Utrogestan day 14-28. Day 14 of my cycle will be tomorrow and so I know that I have to start Utrogestan then. However I am confused about when to "restart" the Utrogestan in the next cycle - do I wait until the first day of the bleed and then count 14 days from that OR do do I restart the Utrogestan 14 days after I last stopped it irrespective of what day the bleed started on?
Sorry my head is melted due to brain fog....I guess what I am trying to ask is is it 14 days gel followed by 14 days gel/Utrogestan , then you start again 14 days gel followed by 14 days gel/Utrogestan? I am trying to figure out if you should wait for the bleed to start and then count 14 days from that date to restart the progesterone?
Mav

[matildamouse]

Hi everyone

I would like some advice.

A bit of background.  I'm 61 and been on Utrogestan 100 vaginally (at night) and 1 pump of Estradiol per day (in the morning) for 4 weeks. I was prescribed both of these to try and elevate my mood - I was very down and crying much of the time.  My mood does appear to be more stable but prior to using Utrogestan and Estradiol I had never suffered from overheating or hot sweats but now particularly in the mornings once I start walking (outside) I am so hot and sweaty (like a fever) and my hair become soaking wet.  Whilst everyone else is wearing coats I'm in a T-shirt.  It seems to subside in the afternoon and when I'm sitting down.

My question - has anyone else suffered this side effect?  I'm wondering whether the balance between the Utrogestan and the Estradiol needs adjusting, or maybe I should apply the Estradiol at night rather than in the morning.

Any advice would be much appreciated

Can be the progesterone as it raises bodycore temperature or the estrogen/progesterone ratio. You also take the progesterone vaginal so higher absorption as oppose to oral. Not sure re suggestions...hope the very knowlegeable ladies on here can help more.

[Mav196]

Hi ladies
Can anyone answer my question above?
Thanks for your help
Mav

[Cassie]

Mav you do not stop the gel you use it every single day and just use the utrogestan from the 14th of each month.

[Goosieloosie]

Hi ladies
I have just started this regime on day 11 of my cycle and was told to use 1mg sachet of estradiol (Divigel) every day and then 200mg oral Utrogestan day 14-28. Day 14 of my cycle will be tomorrow and so I know that I have to start Utrogestan then. However I am confused about when to "restart" the Utrogestan in the next cycle - do I wait until the first day of the bleed and then count 14 days from that OR do do I restart the Utrogestan 14 days after I last stopped it irrespective of what day the bleed started on?
Sorry my head is melted due to brain fog....I guess what I am trying to ask is is it 14 days gel followed by 14 days gel/Utrogestan , then you start again 14 days gel followed by 14 days gel/Utrogestan? I am trying to figure out if you should wait for the bleed to start and then count 14 days from that date to restart the progesterone?
Mav

Hi Mav, This always confuses me too but I think you count the first day of the bleed as Day 1 of the whole cycle and on day 15 take the first utrogestan for 12 days, stop then hopefully have a bleed within 3 day's and count the first day of the bleed as day one again. I hope someone can clarify this as this is my understanding anyway??

[Mav196]

Mav you do not stop the gel you use it every single day and just use the utrogestan from the 14th of each month.

Cassis do you mean I take the Utrogestan for 14 days on and then 14 days off irrespective of when the bleed happens? (I know I need to use the gel every day)
Are u on this regime, how do you find it?

Thanks for your help.
Mav

[Cassie]

You supposed to take the Utrogestan on the same date every month, I use it from day 15 of the month through to day 26. The bleed comes approx 4 days after you have stopped it, its a really regular cycle just as was when you were not yet menopausal. Does this make sense? I find it fantastic, really works, but I use 100mg of Utrogestan couldnt handle a heavier dosage.

[Mav196]

Am still confused...on the prescription the doc wrote " Utrogestan 200mg at night every second fortnight"....on the back of the prescription she wrote "start Utrogestan day 14 - use it 14 days on + off". So I am thinking she means I start yesterday which was my day 14 and then I take it for 14 days and then stop for 14 days and then restart for 14 days and then stop again and so on in that sequence.
I think I will call her on Monday to be sure.

Cassie when you say you couldn't handle a dosage heavier than 100mg - does that mean it gives you side effects? Could you share those with me so that I know what to watch out for. I have been put on this regime as I have killer headaches and migraines and doc is hoping to balance my hormones out to see if it helps those symptoms.

Thanks
Mav

[Peony]

Hi ladies
Can anyone answer my question above?
Thanks for your help
Mav

From my personal experience it could be the fluctuation in oestrogen levels in your body causing your symptoms. I got symptoms when I took all my oestrogel in the morning so I divided the dose and used half in the morning and half in the evening. Tricky if you are only using 1 pump. If you would consider using two pumps a day and your doctor is happy might be worth a try

[Mav196]

Thanks Peony....the Estrogen I am using isn't a pump it's a sachet 1mg so I think it suddenly be hard to equally divide the dose each day....I will ask my doc about this. Do u take Utrogestan and if yes how often do u take it?
Thanks for ur help
Mav

[Cassie]

Dont overthink it Mav just start Utrogestan on the 14th of each month, its that simple and use it for 12 days then when you stop you will get a bleed and then you start again its a very simple cycle. I got bad tinnitus and very jittery on the heavier dose.

[Mav196]

Thanks Cassie....I checked with my doc today - I started the Utrogestan last Friday which was day 14 of my cycle and I have to take it for 14 days, then I stop it for 14 days and then restart it and stay on it for 14 days and continue that pattern. So it's Estrogen gel every day and Utrogestan for 14 days on and 14 days off.
So I am all set - hopefully it will work when all else has failed over the last year.
Thank you for your support.
Mav