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[honorsmum]

So did you decide ?

Me?
I change my mind every hour.
Things not helped by trying to change surgery at the moment - I would like to see a new GP to talk things through before making a decision, but got to wait until we've moved to the new surgery.

I guess there's no rush - I'm not going to die by doing nothing for now.

[CLKD]

When do you get to register with the new Surgery?  No one said Life would be easy but hey, we sometimes need a break 

[honorsmum]

DH went into the new surgery last week to get the forms to register...receptionist was new and didn't know where they were kept, and couldn't find anyone to ask.
He went back in today, and has the forms for all of us to register. Not sure how long it will take once we've returned them?

[CLKD]

A positive then?  Poor Receptionist - I remember those feelings don't you, someone asking the 1 question I was unable to help with 

[Dyan]

Honorsmum- just caught up with your thread.
I have the mirena and am very happy with it,no problems at all

[Briony]

Know exactly how you feel. I'd originally planned on getting a Mirena (well, doc kind of coerced me). He then announced, because I have not given birth, I would have to see a specialist for insertion. Despite hearing lots of positive reviews, the day before I was due to have it fitted, I got really, really panicky and cancelled. I was convincedI would faint or bleed for months.

I went on to change docs and have Utrogestan  vaginally with Evorel patches. Now that I have been having hormones of one kind or another for several months, I sort of regret not trying the Mirena. Looking back, I think my reticence was mainly due to the low estrogen and how this made me so anxious about anything and everything. I feel a lot more balanced now in my thinking (most the time anyway!) even if the HRT hasn't totally helped the physical symptoms.

Really hope that you get some relief soon - though be patient. It often take months rather than weeks.  Xxxx

[honorsmum]

Briony - how do you find the vaginal utrogestan?
I am leaning towards trying that first, before considering the Mirena.

[hayjude]

Hi Honorsmum and Briony,
I too am terrified of the mirena coil, it has been suggested over the years for me and I do know people who are happy with it,,,but its the thought of the insertion for me.I have no children and believe it to be very clampy and painful whilst going in.
I have just started recently on HRT at 48 and prob in early perimenopause.,,,but terrible fatigue and flushes. I am using oestrogel and ultrogeston and for this my second month taking ultogeston vaginally to try and minimise side effects.

[honorsmum]

Hi Honorsmum and Briony,
I too am terrified of the mirena coil, it has been suggested over the years for me and I do know people who are happy with it,,,but its the thought of the insertion for me.I have no children and believe it to be very clampy and painful whilst going in.
I have just started recently on HRT at 48 and prob in early perimenopause.,,,but terrible fatigue and flushes. I am using oestrogel and ultrogeston and for this my second month taking ultogeston vaginally to try and minimise side effects.

Thanks, Hayjude,

I am trying to weigh up the pros and cons of Mirena versus vaginal utrogestan.
I don't have heavy bleeding, so that's not a consideration .
My main worry for both is the risk of feeling worse, mood wise, and things like migraine.

How are you finding the regime you're on?

[hayjude]

I'm only on second month so not really given it enough of a chance yet. I liked just being on the oestrogen gel and felt better and slept better. Not too keen on oral prog, so thats why I'm trying this month vaginally.

It is all a learning process for me and a lot of trial and error probably too.  I too don't have heavy bleeding, but if i was to tolerate the mirena progesterone ok I would maybe consider this as a last resort....presuming no-one would give me a hysterectomy meanwhile ( v unlikely I know).

[Dancinggirl]

honorsmum - a top gynae who is specialist in the meno has suggested that a Mirena would be good option for you.  You have had children so fitting will not be an issue.  Thousands of women are extremely happy with the Mirena and once fitted it causes few if any problems for most women.
I'd give it a go - bottom line, if in 3 months you are not happy it is really easy to remove.  At the end of the life of mine it slid out really easily.
You do have other options but I'd go with the recommendation because a Mirena is less hassle in the long run and there is a very good chance you will get on with it fine.
I hated the idea of having the Mirena but at the time it was the best option for me.  DG x

[honorsmum]

I'm sure you're right, DG, it's just the huge number of horror stories and the long list of side effects that put me off.
I just wonder whether there would be any reason not to try utrogestan first? Apart from the obvious application issue, are there any drawbacks? Is it actually kinder for being bioidentical?

[Dancinggirl]

honorsmum - I'm using Utrogestan but orally and I'm finding it great -  it helps me sleep so well - I actually get 5 whole hours sleep after I've taken the pill. You would be using it sequentially and at a 200mg dose (I'm using 100mg) which can have quite a strong sedative effect.
I think your issue is around your Crohns and I'm not sure whether Annie would sanction you using the Utrogestan vaginally.  Some women do report that Utrogestan aggravates the bladder when used vaginally and that for me would be disastrous as I get up at least twice a night anyway.
Just like HRT in general, we tend to only hear about the horror stories with anything. I doubt very much whether highly respected gynaes would be recommending the Mirena if they knew they caused problems.
If you weren't allowed to use Utrogestan vaginally (it's not licensed to be used for HRT purposes in this way) then you have the issue of absorption if you use it orally. Your alternative would be patches and they contain the synthetic progesterones and these combined patches only come in medium dose which may be too high for you at the moment.
I really understand your anxiety over this but some women can't get on with Utrogestan either - we are all different but do look at the info about the Mirena on this site as it is a strong contender when it comes to choosing the right HRT combination - firstly because it controls and eventually stops all bleeding, secondly because it offers birth control and thirdly it has the least systemic absorption of progesterone. The down sides are: the possibility of initial side effects from a boost of progesterone which may make you feel rather too relaxed (I got this a bit - I slept sooo well), you can get some stomach cramps occasionally and a bit of spotting now and again.  I very quickly forgot I had it in.
Your other alternative is to wait and see how things go. You've been experiencing some ups and downs and you are still in early peri so there is no rush to try anything.
The danger of over thinking is it tends to stop you doing anything.  If Annie had said she would fit the Mirena then and there you probably would have just gone ahead?
It is a shame that there aren't some better transdermal ways of giving progesterone - at one stage I would have given anything to have a hysterectomy as I used to get such horrible period pains even on HRT.  I've been on hormones most of my life, initially because of the period pains and then later the premature menopause.  I am grateful I was able to have my two kids - neither of my sisters could have children as my older sister had Crohns and my younger sister had Colitis and both had major surgery that prevented them from having kids.
Find out if you can get a Mirena fitted locally (there may be a good family planning clinic and they would be fitting these all the time) and perhaps discuss it with the doctor or nurse who would be fitting this first before making a decision either way. DG x

[honeybun]

Only problem is if you ask your GP for Utrogestan you will have to say nothing about using it vaginally. It's not licensed for use like that in this country. If you can get your specialist to prescribe it then fine.
A lot of us have just used it vaginally with our GPs being none the wiser.

Not sure if you realised this.


Honeybun
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[honeybun]

We posted at the same time DG.


Honeybun
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