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[Sphere27]

Hi does anyone take separate oestrogen and progesterone tablets? It's been suggested as I'm
Quite sensitive to progesterone and want to keep at similar level to femoston Conti which on just now but need extra oestrogen. I don't have a bleed as 3 years since last period. Thanks

[peegeetip]

Hi Sphere

the femoston is the only one you can get with that type of prog.

If it works for you then great but moving to another new prog might cause you problems.

You can get the femoston prog as a separate tablet however not sure you can get it in the UK.
If you can then its worth a try.

If your on the 1mg Conti option then you could goto 2*1mg (twice a day) like some who have posted.
Someone recently was doing 1mg of their gel in the morning and 1mg of gel at night.
But like patches the gel does not suit everyone.

Whats been suggested to you so far?
What other prog have you had problems with previously?

[Sphere27]

Thank you
I started on kliovance last year and didn't feel good so gp changed to femoston Conti which has been great. Symptoms back and think possibly need higher dose of oestrogen. Saw my gp and she has prescribed elleste duet Conti but not taken as yet as been advised that the northesterone in them may give me more side effects. I wrote to Dr Currie and she suggested trying the separate tablets. Would be worried about doubling femoston Conti as would that not be double the amount of progesterone daily? What's the femoston progesterone called? Seeing my gp this Friday and bit worried about saying not taken ones she prescribed and asking for something else!! My flushes not back but terrible anxiety and low mood and palpitations!! Presuming hormonal as felt fine one day then suddenly things changed. Thanks anyway

[peegeetip]

Hi Sphere

thats the prog I'm on (northesterone).

I maybe one of the lucky ones but it has been great for me.

Not seen any post recently on bad side effects to this either tbh.

 

[Sphere27]

That's good to know. Did you have problems with progesterone sensitivity on previous treatments?

[Hurdity]

Hi Sphere27

 

Just a quick clarification

The progestogen in your original HRT - Kliovance - which you didn't feel good on, is the same as the progestogen in Elleste Duet - ie norethisterone - so the doc should not have prescribed this to you knowing your history with the Kliovance.

The progestogen in Femoston is dydrogesterone - which as peegeetip says is not available separately any more in UK.

You can see the different types of progestogen here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

Progestogens which can be used cyclically are of 3 main types:

    Testosterone derived - Norgestrel, Norethisterone acetate and Levonorgestrel.
    Less testosterone related - Medroxyprogesterone acetate(MPA).
    Least testosterone related - Dydrogesterone and Micronised progesterone (Utrogestan).

Side effects are often experienced during the progestogen phase of treatment and can be reduced by using a product containing a different type or route of progestogen.

The different types of tablet oestrogen as well as patch or gel are listed here:

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/postmeno.php

If you tolerate the progestogen in Femoston well then a specialist may well suggest doubling these tablets - but yes it will give you double the progestogen, but it sounds like you may benefit from the extra oestrogen.

Alternatvely as Dr Currie has suggested you take them separately. The progesterone would be Utrogestan capsules and the oestrgoen could be taken as tablets, patches or gel. I use Estradot 50 patches and Utrogestan. There are quite a lot of utrogestan usres on here - some take it cyclically to get a bleed - especially if very sensitivie to the prog. Others take it all the time because of the calming effect in smaller doses.

The oestrogen only types are listed here (scroll down for patches and gel):

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/treatafter.php

The progestogens here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/to_progestogens.php

Hope this helps 

Hurdity x

[Sphere27]

You are a gem! Much clearer thank you.
Can at least go in on Friday feeling as if I know what
I'm talking about.
X

[peegeetip]

Hi Sphere

The main choice is whether you want to have dydrogesterone as your Prog option?
Not sure what problems you might have had with the other Prog options but in Post Meno the options are limited.

I've just noticed a way you could stay on your current prog type.

Since there is an Ultra low version of Femoston, then you could take your normal Femoston in the morning and then and ultra low Femoston later in the day. This would gradually increase your estrogen instead of pushing you to 2mg per day as per some of the other options.

The other benefit is that you'll have a slighter increase in the Dydrogesterone to ensure that keeps things in check.

Some ladies posted that they split their dose to morning and evening anyway.

Just for info the Dydrogesterone(Duphaston) 10mg was available as a separate prog option however due to a commercial decision and not a medical one it was discontinued in 2008. This was likely down to a lack of doctors prescribing it and it made no commercial sense to keep making it available in the uk.
It would have been used in the same way some ladies use Utrogestan now and we could have added tablet/gel/patch to give us the estrogen component.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/womens-health/medicines/duphaston.html

You could try another option like a  patch that has combined conti or patch/gel estrogen and utrogestan option that others.
This option is probably a big change away from what your used to with an easy tablet per day.

For Friday make up your mind if your going to start.
Don't sway from that and don't let the doc bully or guilt you out of going with one of the solutions in links.

[Sphere27]

Thanks again
Think the femoston Conti im on is the ultra low dose! 1mg/5mg.
Whatever I do will probably involve 2 tabs instead of one daily as
The other options mostly include northesterone!! Previous had given
Me horrendous pmt symptoms!!
My doctor nice but always bit nervous of saying to them that
You want to do something different!!
Will probably ask for combination Dr Currie suggested. If my symptoms don't
Get better I can always go back to femoston! I'm presuming my symptoms are
Hormone related rather than some other reason!!
Thank uou

[Sphere27]

Actually my mistake there is lower dose. That could be option to take them both!
Wether Dr will agree to that! Just wonder if that will be too much progesterone?
Cheers

[peegeetip]

Hi Sphere

it wont be too much.

The dydrogesterone(duphaston) was 10mg when it available to use as a separate item in combination with estrogen of choice.

If you took a 1mg/5mg in the morning and then the lower dose in the evening then 0.5mg/2.5mg in the evening.
You'd still be less (7.5mg) than the separate 10mg tablet they used to have.

The reason for doing this is you can build up your estrogen slower and see how it feels. Going direct to 2mg might be too much.
Plus stay on a good prog that suits you.

Also if doc is worried then both tablets have the right amount of prog to counter the estro part your taking across the whole day.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[Hurdity]

Actually my mistake there is lower dose. That could be option to take them both!
Wether Dr will agree to that! Just wonder if that will be too much progesterone?
Cheers

Peegeetip is right re the amounts of prog being right for the oestrogen dose so no worries there re your womb lining.

However I wonder if you are asking if this would be too much for you personally, in that you may get more side effects from a higher dose of progestogen, as you are sensitive? The answer is you won't know until you try - and as always the main issue is making sure you get the beneficial effects of adding oestrogen without too many of the negative side effects of continuous progestogen!

Hurdity x

[Sphere27]

Thank you
Been prescribed separate oestrogen and utrogestan! Dr had never prescribed this before! She
Was very grateful I had some info! Only problem so far the utrogestan will be next week before
They can get!! Will try this and know I still have adding femoston together if don't improve!!
Thanks ladies for all your info and advice.
X

[Sphere27]

Well  been on this for a month and feel crap. Back to gp tomorrow and think will ask for femoston again but add in the ultra low dose!! Think she will Prob offer anti d as suggested that before but
Really don't think its that. Unfortunately feeling this way making me depressed as every morning feel so flat, moody and no motivation to do anything I normally do!!

[peegeetip]

Hi Sphere

the first month was worst for me. Felt weepy and down but looking back I felt bad about taking HRT (failure complex given to me by doc).

Took a while for that to lift and in the 2nd and 3rd months things improved but the feeling of failure didn't lift till after I'd convinced myself I was on the right track.

I Feel much better now and glad I stuck it out (lots don't because they need support and comparisons to help them get through).

Feeling crap (what sort of symptoms have you?) can just be simply your body starting to get used to the hormones its been missing (dependant on how long you waited to start HRT).
The longer you wait the longer the symptoms can take to be helped/cleared also.

Given that you've had no periods for three years and are straight onto conti option then you've probably more to get used than those of us who made the move sooner to sequi HRT.

I hope you can stick with it (I had quite a few wobbles).

All the best