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[Jane 70]

I started using utrogestan vaginally 100mg a week ago with oestrogen patch, (was using everol conti before). I felt I would absorb less progesterone systemically this way but I must admit the side effects were far worse than when I started on the everol conti patch. Nausea, headaches and feeling so drained and tired makes me wonder if more is being absorbed than I thought. Also that route is irritating my bladder. I thought I might try it orally and failing that go back to the patch which I didn't want to have to do since I like the idea of bio identical progesterone.

Just wondered if anyone has any advice, it seems a lot of people prefer to use it v rather than orally.

Thanks 

[CLKD]

Isn't it awful when a treatment gives more problems than it solves 

Have a look at the menus left of screen, I'm sure someone will be along soon >wave<

[Dancinggirl]

I'm using Utrogestan but I am taking it orally.  I have to say the only side effect has been tender breasts.  I have been sleeping quite well.  I didn't want to use it vaginally as I already get problems with my bladder and in fact I've been getting up less in the night to pee throughout Utrogestan stage.
I just wonder if you have had a virus?  About 6 weeks ago I got a nasty virus that made me feel nauseas, tired and generally dreadful - it went on for about 2 weeks!
Sometimes we blame the HRT when there are other things at play.
I'd stick with it, try taking it orally about an hour before bed (2 hours after food) and see how you feel.
DG x

[Jane 70]

Thanks dancing girl, I think I am going to try it orally and see how I get on. Having read other threads I think you take the sequi regime, is that right? Do you do the long cycle?

[honeybun]

Urtogestan gave me a very painful bladder, I returned to patches. I also wanted to try a bio identical but I'm fine on patches so for me it's a case of....if it ain't broke don't fix it.


I hope you manage to settle on something that suits. Sometimes it's just so blooming hard.


Honeyb
X

[Jane 70]

Thanks honeybun, I've noticed you have over 8000 posts. Still working out how this forum works, do you get notification as soon as someone posts or are you just good at checking all the time? It's a great site, so much info and so good to hear other people's stories and advice. Xxx

[Hurdity]

Hi Jane70

I've been using Utrogestan for 3 1/2 years now - but I've only ever used it vaginally. I've always had a "nil by mouth" approach to HRT as being the most natural way to get hormones into the body and a way to minimise the metabolic breakdown products.

There are side effects undoubtedly - just as some women notice the effects of progesterone during the second half of their menstrual cycle, and indeed in pregnancy.

I use twice the amount that you do - 200 mg daily, V route, but only on a cyclical basis - so maximum 12 days every 5-8 weeks - so I don't have continuous progesterone. I certainly wouldn't want to do  this on a conti basis, because of intimacy and also because of not wanting continuous progesterone due to adverse side effects.

The dose I have, the effects build up gradually and seems to vary in different cycles. Sometimes I feel exhausted and leaden for the first few days and then my body acclimatises to it somewhat. Other times I don't feel too bad initially but about day 5 I feel really exhausted and my head gets foggier. Sometimes I get a headache or migraine but not always - and sometimes get this on withdrawal until the progesterone has cleared from my system. It always affects my bladder so that I have to get up to pee in the night once and sometimes twice. I imagine this may happen more with V use than taken orally because a higher concentration will get to the bladder as it diffuses directly while it's down there! I think it affects my breasts too but nothing painful.

You mention about systemic absorption - I have a theory - but I don't think anyone's done any work on it - that less is absorbed systemically if your vaginal tissues are plumped up - much in the same way that Vagifem is not absorbed.  It would follow that if you have thin tissues and some degree of vaginal atrophy, more will be absorbed V route than otherwise. Therefore what I do about a week before starting my utrogestan cycle is to do a re-load of Vagifem ( I use vaginal oestrogen as well as sytemic HRT as I need this to keep tissues healthy) for a week and keep it up while using the utro - when I have to do the Vagifem in the mornings  - otherwise too much going up there at once 

Having said all of that - I still tolerate the side effects of utrogestan because it is a physiological substance - ie it is bio-identical and I know it can't be doing me any untoward harm, that maybe a synthetic progestogen might do.

I would have thought any side effects from oral use would be greater - apart from the bladder effects - but you can only try.

I hope this gives you some idea anyway and hope it's not too long-winded!

Good luck and let us know how you get on .

Hurdity x

[Jane 70]

Hi Hurdity

Thank you for your very informative reply. I want to try and stick with urtogestan so will persevere. I took it orally last night which was fine. However like you would prefer to take it vaginally so I might try again once things have retuned to normal down below  . Maybe I do have a degree of VA as I was 2 years post meno before I started hrt and never thought about using vagifem in combination with oestrogen patch.

I like the idea of trying a sequi regime but am so confused as there are different regimes that people do. I was told by meno clinic to take 100mg daily everyday but on leaflet in the box it says 100mg days 15 to 26 but I would have thought that should be 200mg for sequi? On this site it says conti regime should include a break days 25 to 28. From reading other posts I know I'm not alone in my confusion. 

Jane  xxx

[Dancinggirl]

Hi Jane 70
I contacted the drug company about the leaflet and they admit they made an error about the instructions about use.  The new packet will have the revised, correct info.
Like Hurdity, I am using it on a longer cycle but I am seeing a gynae privately - you wouldn't get a GP to prescribe it this way as it is not approved by NICE.  I have just come to the end of my 14 day Utrogestan phase. I took it orally and had no real side effects except for tender breasts.  I did start spotting at about 9 days which has continued and now I've finished my 14 days it will be interesting to see if I get a proper bleed.
I am 58 and decided that sequi would work better for me as when I tried conti before I didn't like the side effects. I have been post meno for at least 13years (premature meno) and have suffered with VA and bladder issues for some time.  The Utrogestan actually improved my sleep so much that, for the first time in many many years, I have only been getting up to pee once in the night!!!!!!!! I have been using local vaginal oestrogen for the last year though - Vagifem - and I will continue to use this.
AS this was my first experience of using Utrogestan I didn't know what to expect.  I will seriously consider using it in the more continuous form (the regime you are using) as I didn't notice any nasty side effects (apart from the tender breasts) and this may work for me quite well. I wouldn't use it vaginally because of my bladder problems.
I think Hurdity may well be right about absorption if VA is an issue and if you were 2 years into post meno before starting this HRT regime then using it vaginally may not have been a good idea to start with.  Perhaps use Utrogestan orally for 3 months to allow the oestrogen to plump up the vaginal area and try it vaginally again after that?
BTW - those of us who post regularly simply check in regularly to read all the posts and respond.
DG x

[Jane 70]

Thanks dancinggirl, it's so good to hear what others do, well done for contacting the drug co. I just thought it was another variation that could be taken that way. Do you take 200mg? I always like a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits before I go to bed, I know that doesn't count as an empty stomach but do you know if that's ok? Sorry if this has already been covered somewhere but tried the search bar to see if anything came up but that didn't work.

Xxxxx

[Dancinggirl]

Hi Jane 70
As I mentioned, I am under the supervision of a private gyane so the regime I am doing would not be available under the NHS.  He is allowing me to do 6 weeks of Oestrogel (between 1-2 pumps per day depending on my need) and then 14 days of Oestrogel with 100mg Utrogestan. Normally one should use 200mg for the 12-14 days per month so I will have to have a scan done in 1-2 years to check my womb lining and I will have to pay for this. My gynae explained that the problem with doing a long cycle like this is the chance of problematic bleeding if the lining builds up too much.  If the 100mg Utrogestan isn't enough I assume that my lining will not shed properly and this could lead to a thickened lining.
Now the oestrogen has built up in my body quite well I am using less Oestrogel each day - for me it's about getting enough sleep, so if one and a half pumps per day (which is quite a low dose) is keeping most of my flushes etc. under control then I'm hoping my uterus won't build up too much.  Being new to Utrogestan myself, I was pleased to find I felt quite good taking the Utrogestan so will seriously consider using it on the 25/28 regime which is virtually continuous.

I tend to eat my evening meal around 7pm so I take my Utrogestan pill around 9.30pm.  I did some research and the advice for taking any medication on an empty stomach is 2 hours after eating and one hour before eating - which sort of makes sense. So if I needed a snack before bed I could have something after 10.30pm knowing the pill should have been digested.
How on earth do you sleep having had a cup of tea? The caffeine would keep me awake for hours. I must say that the discipline of not eating after 7pm - just having sips of water - has possibly helped me to loose weight. The Utrogestan made me drop off to sleep so well(it's known to one feel sleepy) and I am now getting at least 4 hours sleep before I wake needing to pee. I visit the bathroom and drop back to sleep quite quickly which is so wonderful for me.  I wake feeling refreshed and ready for the day.
I would take it orally for a time and see how you get on.
DGx

[Jane 70]

Thanks for all the info, I'm learning loads. I wouldn't try what you do without a private referral, the nhs meno clinic was happy to prescribe the utrogestan if I took it continually so I'll stick with that.

I've never had problems sleeping, so tea and biscuits before bed is a real treat  . I'm finding I go into a much deeper sleep with utrogestan though!

Thanks for all the advice ladies xxx

[Kittyjay]

Hi Jane70. I take utrogestan 100 mg vaginally days 1-25 with 3 day break to day 28-Just starting 3rd month of this. First month was horrendous and I felt very low, achy, awful anxiety ....but second month has been 100% better and feel so much better with hardly any side effects to speak of.In fact I've just had 2 nights with no progesterone and had headache both days. Can't wait to take it again to be honest. I guess it does show we are all different (or I'm just weird!!)
I'm not sure I can continue to take it vaginally long term as it has the obvious drawbacks however having found an hrt that suits me well for now, I'm loathe to change it. Hopefully your side effects will ease up after a while xx

[Hurdity]

Hi Kittyjay

No you are not weird Kittyjay - that's absolutely normal! The headache is to be expected - it is a progesterone withdrawal headache and many of us get these when younger just before our period ie pre-menstrual headache (drop in oestrogen can exacerbate this too I understand). Once the progesterone has gone the headache goes. Even if you stopped taking the progesterone the headache would go and you would feel fine! It's to do with fluctuations in hormone levels if you see what I mean.

I often get these too - but as I am on a longer cycle I am on oestrogen only for several weeks after stopping the progesterone.

Hurdity x

[Jane 70]

Hi all, yes it's interesting how we are all different and what works for one might not suit another. I've taken utrogestan orally for 2 days now and so far so good, just feeling anxious and low but that's nothing new, probably a bit worse at the moment but I hope that will improve.

Can anyone explain why utrogestan needs to be taken on an empty stomach? All the internet searches I've done don't say why?!!

Jane xxx