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[julie55]

Oh lorrstar I've only been on 4 days but my hot flushes have gotten worse really hot and my head feels funny like hot on the inside I don't feel good at all I'm on two pumps and utrogesten vaginal this morning at 5am flashes were so bad I put another pump on beginning to wish I had not I was on  elesete duet conti tabs but shortage stopped them and they were fab for me I was put on evorol conti and I got the head thing with that I'm wondering if the strength of the patch and tablet were different and my body was asking for more my tab was 2mg and 1mg  absorption on patch was 50 micrograms and the gel is 75 I'm so confused I don't know if my body saying to much or not enough I only know I feel rubbish ATM and have no idea what to do I know that after adding 1 pump more I don't feel great sorry no help I would like some help to though hugs

[Lorrstar]

Hi Julie55, sorry to hear that you?re feeling so awful - it seems like there are no easy answers, maybe as others have said it just takes time for your body to adjust . it's an awful time I don't know if I feel better or worse on HRT! I've just been on it for 3 months & so many weird symptoms. Sending you some hugs & hope you feel better very soon

[Cassie]

On day 8 of my 12 days of Utrogestan 100mg, feeling very tearful and at the same time quite wired up and angry, not to mention bloated stomach and boobs which are very sore. Horrible stuff, thus me only taking it every other month.

[Hurdity]

Hi all.

I was planning on coming off HRT completely but decided instead to reduce my Utro to 100mg for 12 nights instead of 200mg.
I'm peri and still bleed well so assumed it wouldn't be a huge risk to try this.

Bonus- I feel great! No suicidal thoughts and feeling really positive.
But today, 8 nights of Utro, I have cramps and a bit of spotting as though I'm about to get my period.
Does this mean I need more prog? Should I increase my dose tonight or carry on with 100mg?
I'm wondering if I should figure out my natural cycle and sync my hrt to that.

Any ideas?

Unfortunately it's impossible to tell what the bleeding is due to when you are peri-menopausal and also as well as taking HRT. Unless you are one of those women who can definitely tell when they have ovulated, even on HRT ( rare I would say!) then you won't know what's going on.

Some women with more or less regular periods (and other women too, who are intolerant) do take lower amounts of progesterone under medical supervision for that very reason, because they will be producing their own progesterone. However as you get further towards peri-menopause and if you don't know when you ovulate then taking 100 mg is lower than the licensed dose so could lead to thickening of the lining. Used vaginally more gets to where it is needed so safer to take a reduced dose when used this way.

Hurdity x

[Hillbilly]

Thanks Hurdity.

Can I ask;
I want to try and sync my HRT to my natural cycle, is it best to stop HRT and wait for a natural bleed and count that as day 1? I'm not sure how that works with prog though, as I should take it on day 16 but as I bleed a few days after stopping, that would take me over the 28 days and my bleed would now be on day 5/6 or abouts.

I've probably got this completely wrong 

[Hillbilly]

I just found another post of yours, Hurdity, which answers my question, so I'll try this 

****
Depending on how regular your natural cycle is, and how long, you count the first day of your proper period as Day 1 of the cycle. With a 28 day cycle if you've been prescribed 10 days x 200 mg then you start the pessaries on Day 17 and take them up to and including Day 26 and not on Day 27 and Day 28. Then start counting Day 1 again (irrespective of whether you bleed or not) and next time take again on Day 17 which should be 4 weeks later so easy to put on calendar from then on ie every 4 weeks. If your cycle is normally longer than this maybe adjust slightly? Also if this turns out to be out of sync with your natural cycle you might have to tweak a bit...hopefully you will experience fewer pms symptoms with the pessaries?
****

[julie55]

Hello was wondering if anyone could give me some advice as to if I should increase my oestrogel I've only been on 5 days but hot flushes have got more intence especially at night and creepy skin head tingling during day I was on tablets for years but due to shortage have been unable to get them since November and they were fantastic for me I was put on kliofem but I got rotten sore breasts and palpations I stopped cold turkey all hrt and have been so very ill vertigo for nine weeks ringing ears tingling and numbness anxiety couldn't take anymore so asked my GP for the gel and tablet he not good with hrt he prescribed it at first with 200 mg utrogesten I had to ring back and say I've been post Meno approx 5 years and would need 100mg taken daily he hasn't even put how many pumps of gel I should be useing so I have started on two and one tablet vaginal every night and as I say my hot flashes are way more intence and more frequent as the day wears on I get the creeping feeling in my skin like I've suddenly got a cold chill  and my veins stand out  and the funny head thing I was on 2mg +1 mg elesete duet conti for years and years and was great I really want this to work and I'm not sure if it's to much gel or not enough how do you know I don't want to over do it and make myself feel worse than I already do would anyone have any advice I don't want to stop and go down the dark road again if I could have my tablet back I would in a shot but not available and I don't think my doctor would let me go back on them I have tried evorol conti also they started my vertigo off but thinking about it I don't think they were the right strength compared to the tablet oh I'm in such a middle I just want to feel better should I up the gel or decrease it my doc not great and due to virus it's Tel call only sorry for long post regards Julie x anyone got any help please

[Cassandraa]

Hi Cassandra, I have been using the low dose Utrogestan for over 12 yrs and its always worked for me, as Hurdity says, using it vaginally does make a difference as well.
Having said that if you go for an annual ultrasound then I cannot see why you shouldnt try it this way, as 200mg was way too strong for me, apart from giving me terrible tinnitus it did turn me into a loon 
I apply 1 pump to each  leg at  night in bed, never anywhre else for the past 12 yrs and it works a treat.

Thank you Hurdity and Cassie for your feedback! I guess you're right and I should at least attempt the 200mg once - I start tomorrow for 12 dd. Years ago I had been on 100mg internally for 10 days during early pregnancy and the side effects were so extreme that I was put off off ever taking progesterone again... reason for which I am dreading the prospect of a double dose for 12 days! Then again, perhaps it won't have the same effect and I'll be fine with it. I'll keep you posted.   

While I'm here, I was wondering if anyone has had issues with bleeding / spotting mid-Oestrogel treatment. Is this a mere side-effect while the body gets used to it, or our natural periods interfering? If it is the latter, in practical terms how do you time treatment to coincide with your natural cycles - for example, I should be starting my 12 days of Utrogestan tomorrow - should I scrap taking it, have my period and then start a new Oestrogel / Utro treatment cycle? My periods can be irregular so not sure I can do this anyway.... but any tips would be welcome.

My doctor also told me that I can take the Oestrogel every single day, without ever skipping it for 5 days a month - even though my treatment is cyclical with 12 days Utro. Are there any advantages to never taking a break, considering I am in peri and not post?


Thank you so much for your responses xxx

[winnie1967]

Hi all,
I take utrogestan vaginally..quick question...I've got an appointment for a cervical smear on Friday...would anyone have any idea how many days it would take for me to stop taking them temporarily, so that there weren't little white bits floating around for when the nurse does the smear? I was going to make up for it before and afterwards...
Hope the question makes sense?
Thanks in advance 🙂

[Hurdity]

I don't think I would stop the utro if you are taking it on a continuous combined basis. It doesn't really matter about stuff floating around I would imagine because it is the cells they will be looking at not gunk! Women always have stuff floating about that area!

Hurdity x

[winnie1967]

Hi, thanks for your reply..
So presumably any bits of the utrogestan won't affect the test result? As I had an issue last year and am being tested again this year because of that.
Thanks 🙂
 

I don't think I would stop the utro if you are taking it on a continuous combined basis. It doesn't really matter about stuff floating around I would imagine because it is the cells they will be looking at not gunk! Women always have stuff floating about that area!

Hurdity x

[Zar]

Hi all!

I'm going to pick up my prescription today for utrogestan and oestrogel - I'm moving over from Evorel Sequi. As is the case with most people just now, I was only able to have a telephone conversation with my GP about the change over and it felt rushed, so didn't ask an important question so I wondered if you could help. Can I start taking the new prescription today? I am currently on day 21 of my cycle ie I am taking the patch that contains both estrogen and progesterone. My period is due at the end of this week? I'm not due to pick up the prescription until later this afternoon so should I take my patch off now in preparation for taking the new ones later today?

Thanks for any advice you can give! 🙏

[Jane50]

Hi everyone,

Ive just had a telephone appointment with my gynaecologist and wanted to run his recommendations past you all.

Ive been on 4 pumps oestrogel and 200mg utrogestan from day 14 -28 for 7 months now. I'm 51 and as far as I'm aware I'm still in peri.

The majority of my symptoms have improved but I'm now finding my periods are super heavy/clotty and very painful. They almost always occur during the second week of utrogestan and not on withdrawal from it.

My gynaecologist recommended increasing the utrogestan to 300mg as he said this would regulate the cycle and reduce blood loss. Is this correct?

My other option would be the merina if this doesn't work. Although sometimes he said this can make things worse...

He's also  booking me in for a pelvic scan where they will take a biopsy of the womb lining just to check nothing else happening unrelated to the HRT.

Having only just stabilised in the last month I am very nervous and wary of messing with the hormone levels. What does anyone think? Shall I increase to 300mg??

Any thoughts and advice gratefully received!

[Hurdity]

Hi all!

I'm going to pick up my prescription today for utrogestan and oestrogel - I'm moving over from Evorel Sequi. As is the case with most people just now, I was only able to have a telephone conversation with my GP about the change over and it felt rushed, so didn't ask an important question so I wondered if you could help. Can I start taking the new prescription today? I am currently on day 21 of my cycle ie I am taking the patch that contains both estrogen and progesterone. My period is due at the end of this week? I'm not due to pick up the prescription until later this afternoon so should I take my patch off now in preparation for taking the new ones later today?

Thanks for any advice you can give! 🙏

Hi Zar - did you decide what to do?

If you are due to take the new prescription in a cyclical basis then you should ideally continue at the same point in the cycle. Depending where you are in menopause it might not matter. However in your position i would actually finish the course of Evorel sequi ie until Day 28 and then start the gel the next day as Day 1. Then take the Utrogestan as prescribed days 15-26 and continue with your 28 day cycle.

Hurdity x

[Hurdity]

Hi everyone,

Ive just had a telephone appointment with my gynaecologist and wanted to run his recommendations past you all.

Ive been on 4 pumps oestrogel and 200mg utrogestan from day 14 -28 for 7 months now. I'm 51 and as far as I'm aware I'm still in peri.

The majority of my symptoms have improved but I'm now finding my periods are super heavy/clotty and very painful. They almost always occur during the second week of utrogestan and not on withdrawal from it.

My gynaecologist recommended increasing the utrogestan to 300mg as he said this would regulate the cycle and reduce blood loss. Is this correct?

My other option would be the merina if this doesn't work. Although sometimes he said this can make things worse...

He's also  booking me in for a pelvic scan where they will take a biopsy of the womb lining just to check nothing else happening unrelated to the HRT.

Having only just stabilised in the last month I am very nervous and wary of messing with the hormone levels. What does anyone think? Shall I increase to 300mg??

Any thoughts and advice gratefully received!

Hi Jane50 - I would go with what your gyane suggested. It isn't often that 300 mg is prescribed although the research I've read showed that this is sometimes needed especially when given orally I think? The thing is if this is what is needed to prevent the womb lining from thickening and reducing the intensity of your bleeds then that's what you should do, unless you go down the route of the Mirena which should help keep the womb consistently thinner. If you do have a scan, make sure you arrange to time it immediately following your bleed, when your lining should be at its thinnest. It is not of quite such value to have one at other times because the womb lining thickens and thins as part of the natural and artificial HRT cycle, although I don't think the biopsy is affected by this? Not sure here. Also re the dose - the main thing is if you can tolerate this higher dose. Also have you been taking it vaginally or orally? Another alternative is to take the same dose but vaginally (if you feel that 300 mg orally might be too much for you depending on your tolerance levels?) which is more effective in protecting the uterus.

Hurdity x