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[Loubylou]

It will make you restless it does to me as well, but I basically just get through the 12 days, treat the thrush, its prob a once off thing and keep using it vaginally, its really good and the gel will make you feel so much better, I also had to start on it at a young age.

Thanks Cassie. How old were you when you started? Did you notice a difference in your skin? I've developed spots since using Utro and Ive never suffered with spots before. I have been post-meno for about 6 years and only just started HRT so my skin doesn't look good at the moment and its losing elasticity. I really hope it will improve. I've upped to 2 pumps of oestrogel as I figured 1 pump was too low.

[MIS71MUM]

Can I join please?  I've recently changed from 100mg patch to gel.  Currently on 3 with a view to increasing to 4 so that I can override my cycle.
I've seen some positives on here for 4 pumps.  Hope it works for me.

[Dotty]

Loubyloo - do you use testosterone? That can cause spots .

[Loubylou]

Loubyloo - do you use testosterone? That can cause spots .

Hi Dotty. Yes I do, I have got Testim gel. I was told to make a tube last 4 days as my levels were so low. To be honest I haven't really been taking it. I reduced the dose to a pea size amount.

I used 2 pumps of estrogel today instead of 1 and felt a bit teary. I need to get used to it though as my bones need the protection.

[Dotty]

Loobylou - try using the testosterone as you were prescribed it. It might make you feel better.

Oestrogen should make you feel better too. X

[Loubylou]

Loobylou - try using the testosterone as you were prescribed it. It might make you feel better.

Oestrogen should make you feel better too. X

Thanks Dotty I will.

The time has come for me to take Utrogestan again. I took it before bed and didn't sleep AT ALL. This happened the last 2 cycles of it. I don't think this agrees with me. I am on this as the BCP made me depressed. However, I wonder if I take Provera and because it is only for 10 days rather than 21 days like the BCP, I may be able to tolerate it?

[Hurdity]

Is it normal to have crampy, moderately painful bleeds after using utrogestan vaginally? I have been on this regime for 2 years now (Estradot patch/Utrogestan vaginally) and my bleeds are always painful like they used to be when I had proper periods. I'm 56 by the way and 3 & half years post menopausal. I had a scan to check the womb lining last August and all was well. The cramps every month are really annoying and painful enough to take painkillers especially this month as I brought the whole cycle a bit closer/shorter as we are going away for the weekend and I wanted to be finished with the bleed, so I figured as this was a shorter cycle there would be less lining to come away, the bleed is not particularly heavy. I was planning on taking the Utrogestan this month 100mg for 12 days but I've only gotten to day 8 when my bleed has began, I have tried 100 x 12 days before about 18 months ago and both times I bled before I got to day 12 so I decided to alternate with 100, 200, 100 etc for the 12 days and for the last 18 months this has worked perfectly but always with crampy bleeds. I decided to try taking the 100 x 12 days again as the 200 feels just that bit much for me with migraines, restless sleep, waking groggy and lately I've began having night sweats while on the Utro.
So what I would like advice on is : is it normal at my age (56) to have painful cramps and moderate bleeds? Does anyone else who's post menopausal have cramps? And why do I bleed before the end of the 12 day Utrogestan course when only taking 100 vaginally? If I wanted to take 100 Utro for 25 days per month on a conti regime I would never get that far as I always begin bleeding after days 7/8  (not that I would want to take it for 25days  ) Oh and I use the Estradot 50 patch. Thank you

I never have crampy periods on my HRT regime and I've been on more or less the same for 6-7 years ( ie approx 50 mcg Estradot patch although now it's 62.5, 200 mg utrogestan x 12 days vaginally every 6-8 weeks, pea-sized blob of testosterone daily). My bleeds are way less and shorter than when having proper periods - I think I would have changed my regime if they had been similar. I never bleed until after I have missed the last Utrogestan. Last scan showed normal endometrium.

The reason for your early and heavy or cramping bleeds could be that the dose of utrogestan is insufficient, although if you are taking it monthly ( ie 12 days per 28 and alternating 100 with 200) and only on a 50 mcg patch this would be surprising. Maybe you have fibroids or polyps or have you had endometriosis in the past?

I would check with your doc and ideally have a scan at the end of a bleed before the lining starts to grow again, if possible, just to check there is no other reason ( than oestrogen/prog imbalance) for your symptoms.

Hurdity x

[Goosieloosie]

Is it normal to have crampy, moderately painful bleeds after using utrogestan vaginally? I have been on this regime for 2 years now (Estradot patch/Utrogestan vaginally) and my bleeds are always painful like they used to be when I had proper periods. I'm 56 by the way and 3 & half years post menopausal. I had a scan to check the womb lining last August and all was well. The cramps every month are really annoying and painful enough to take painkillers especially this month as I brought the whole cycle a bit closer/shorter as we are going away for the weekend and I wanted to be finished with the bleed, so I figured as this was a shorter cycle there would be less lining to come away, the bleed is not particularly heavy. I was planning on taking the Utrogestan this month 100mg for 12 days but I've only gotten to day 8 when my bleed has began, I have tried 100 x 12 days before about 18 months ago and both times I bled before I got to day 12 so I decided to alternate with 100, 200, 100 etc for the 12 days and for the last 18 months this has worked perfectly but always with crampy bleeds. I decided to try taking the 100 x 12 days again as the 200 feels just that bit much for me with migraines, restless sleep, waking groggy and lately I've began having night sweats while on the Utro.
So what I would like advice on is : is it normal at my age (56) to have painful cramps and moderate bleeds? Does anyone else who's post menopausal have cramps? And why do I bleed before the end of the 12 day Utrogestan course when only taking 100 vaginally? If I wanted to take 100 Utro for 25 days per month on a conti regime I would never get that far as I always begin bleeding after days 7/8  (not that I would want to take it for 25days  ) Oh and I use the Estradot 50 patch. Thank you

I never have crampy periods on my HRT regime and I've been on more or less the same for 6-7 years ( ie approx 50 mcg Estradot patch although now it's 62.5, 200 mg utrogestan x 12 days vaginally every 6-8 weeks, pea-sized blob of testosterone daily). My bleeds are way less and shorter than when having proper periods - I think I would have changed my regime if they had been similar. I never bleed until after I have missed the last Utrogestan. Last scan showed normal endometrium.

The reason for your early and heavy or cramping bleeds could be that the dose of utrogestan is insufficient, although if you are taking it monthly ( ie 12 days per 28 and alternating 100 with 200) and only on a 50 mcg patch this would be surprising. Maybe you have fibroids or polyps or have you had endometriosis in the past?

I would check with your doc and ideally have a scan at the end of a bleed before the lining starts to grow again, if possible, just to check there is no other reason ( than oestrogen/prog imbalance) for your symptoms.

Hurdity x

Thank you for your reply Hurdity, well since I posted the above a few days ago my bleed has got heavier with a couple of small clots and still crampy, today is day 4 of the bleed and i just feel ready to pack it all in, I'm truly fed up with these bleeds even though I feel quite happy and settled on my regime when I'm not on the Utrogestan phase. I did have a scan last August which was fine with a lining of 5mm, no polyps or anything showed up and I've never had endometriosis. I do wonder if the heavier bleed could be due to me going longer over xmas, as I did a 7 week cycle, the bleed in January after this wasn't too bad as I did expect worse due to the length of the cycle but last month (Feb) was crampy & moderate but only lasted 4 days then this month (March) has been particularly painful and heavier even though this month was only 23 days between bleeds. I was planning on doing another longer cycle in June as we are away on a big holiday for almost 4 weeks, so I'm worried about that now  It only gives me April and May to see what the bleeds are like before we go away. Not really sure what to do to be honest other than going back to 28 day cycles of alternating between 100 & 200 Utrogestan and hoping the cramps settle. If anything makes me want to give up on HRT it's this awful bleeding but as we're going away I wouldn't obviously do that yet and risk the dreadful menopause symptoms while away     Appreciate any advice

[Hurdity]

Maybe as you suggest try going back to a 28 day cycle - with 200 mg utrogestan vaginally for 11 days if you can - during April and May. Then at least you will have done your best to thin your lining before having your long cycle while you go away for your big holiday (where are you off to - we have a holiday thread too and I know other members will be interested? ). Sounds like you will need to take some medication to relieve the cramps too during April and May? Maybe they won't be so bad on a shorter cycle? Bit puzzling though if your lining is normal? Sorry I can't be more helpful but I do hope this works out for you and you can look forward to enjoying your holiday without cramps and utrogestan!

Hurdity x

[Goosieloosie]

Maybe as you suggest try going back to a 28 day cycle - with 200 mg utrogestan vaginally for 11 days if you can - during April and May. Then at least you will have done your best to thin your lining before having your long cycle while you go away for your big holiday (where are you off to - we have a holiday thread too and I know other members will be interested? ). Sounds like you will need to take some medication to relieve the cramps too during April and May? Maybe they won't be so bad on a shorter cycle? Bit puzzling though if your lining is normal? Sorry I can't be more helpful but I do hope this works out for you and you can look forward to enjoying your holiday without cramps and utrogestan!

Hurdity x

Hello again Hurdity and thank you once again for your reply, Well today the bleeding has dramatically reduced, gone from heavy and painful this time yesterday to virtually nothing overnight and so far today too, this happened at the end of last months cycle too  . I will certainly be going back to a proper 28 day cycle over the next couple of months and try and tolerate the 200 Utro if I can and hopefully that will get me back on track  (cross fingers) We're going to the West cost of America and Las Vegas to celebrate our sons 21st birthday (which was actually last week but we're going once he has finished Uni in June) Thank you for letting me know about the holiday thread, I will check that out!

[willotty]

May I join this discussion, please? I started my own thread a few days ago, because I have been bleeding for 53 days continuously since starting on Estrogel & Utrogestan 100mg, but have been talking to a friend today and wonder whether I have been making a mistake with my HRT all along!!! I thought that 'one pump' meant one pump on each leg leg, but my friend says that she only uses one pump between both legs, and so I was wondering whether I am overdoing the oestrogen against the progesterone dosage, and that's why I am bleeding! Would that be the case, does anyone know?
Thank you

[Hurdity]

Hi willotty - whereabouts are you in menopause and what was your cycle doing before you started HRT? I presume you are post-menopausal? It could be that your womb lining had built up before you started HRT and is now shedding? Also bleeding is quite common when first starting continuous combined HRT for a few months. On high doses of oestrogen sometimes the standard dose of oral progesterone may not be sufficient to keep the lining thin but you would need to keep going a while longer. What were you prescribed. One pump means one pump not two although 2 pumps is often the standard starting dose. Some women absorb more than others though!

Hurdity x

[willotty]

Thank you Hurdity - I'm such a numpty!! I thought one pump meant one pump on each leg! I had a bilateral oophorectomy last August as I was bleeding a lot & had large ovarian cysts, having been given Estrogel & the Mirena coil. I had previously not had a period for 10 years, as I has had 2 Mirenas before this one. After the op I was given the combined HRT patches, but they didn't work as well for the vaginal dryness and lack of libido, so I went back on the Estrogel in January, together with the Utrogestan. After 2 weeks the bleeding started & hasn't stopped since! Maybe I am just overloading on teh Estrogel then...

[roo]

I hope you're all doing ok ladies.

Can I join in too please. I'm after a bit of support/advice.

I have tried this regime before last year but the estrogel element made me feel very wired, jittery, shaky and anxious. This also happened with Evorel Conti patches. I was advised by specialist at menopause clinic to use half a pump of Estrogel for the first month then increase to a full pump and introduce 100mg Utrogestan for 12 days per month. I managed for the first month then the anxiety, jitteriness kicked in and I couldn't stand it so gave up.

I am now trying again and started with half a pump of gel on Thursday so I've been using it for five days and the old jittery, shaky, nauseous anxiety is right back. My question is, is this just a side effect of introducing estrogen and will it get better if I stick with it? Or increase?

Any advice would be gratefully received.

[Robs mummy]

Hi All Newby here , I joined the group due to noticing  a change in UROGESTAN , at first thought it was out of date ? spoke to a colleague who suggested taking the pack back to the chemists , and to take one from the newest prescription

like everyone else I try to use the oldest first , having now seem an Endocrinologist he has upped my dose , and was furious with my GP,s practice I should have been having regular blood tests

my endo claims the NHS in the UK is currently prescribing the cheapest HRT to women , he thinks the NHS will be removing Utrogestan

so if anyone hasn't had a blood test in some time get down to your GP or ask to see an Endo/Gynaecologist as most GP,s think we should put up with all the problems , hope this helps