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[Beaker]

Dear All, just after a bit of advice really.  I changed from Prempack C (lower dose) because of terrible moods during the progesterone phase of the tablets.  I tried Femoston 1/10 but had to change up to Femoston 2/10 because of vaginal soreness.  I am just completing my first month on Femoston 2/10 and I am really struggling with depression.  I feel that it really started to hit when I began the progesterone half of the pack of tablets. (I previously suffered terrible mood-swings on the Progesterone half of Prempak C and Femoston 1/10 too).  I have a history of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and have started to realise that I am very sensitive to Progesterone.  I am 50 years of age and started on HRT age 47 because of hot flushes.  Does anybody have any advice?  I beginning to think that I will have to give up altogether on HRT but the symptoms are so acute that I find it difficult to continue work through the sweating, insomnia and hot flushes.  Any advice would be gratefully received.  Many thanks!

[Spangles]

Hi Beaker,
I'm sorry to hear that you are suffering like this. I completely sympathise as I am also sensitive to progesterone. Lots of ladies in here advised me to use Utrogestan as it is bio identical to what we produce naturally. I use it for 12 days per cycle at a 200mg dose, I take it vaginally. I don't get the nausea this way. I also use Evorel 50 patch for oestrogen.
It's not perfect but it's the best regime I've had, I've use this regime for around 3 years now.
Hope you get sorted quick, I'm 49 and I've been on HRT for 5-6 years, it took a lot of swapping around with different things before I found one to suit.
I hope you feel better soon.
Shellb
xXx

[Beaker]

Thank you Shellb - that sounds like a very good suggestion!

[CLKD]

Also do ask your GP for vaginal atrophy treatment! this will ease dryness and soreness ;-).

[Beaker]

Thanks CLKD - I would say amongst all of my symptoms - vaginal soreness has been the worst!  I will do that.

[Hurdity]

Hi Beaker

I agree with Shellb - give utrogestan (  "micronised progesterone") a try - listed here:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/to_progestogens.php

Some docs haven't heard of it so do some research first!

Try this for a few months (first orally and then vaginally if side effects as Shellb) and if you continue to have problems then ask for a referral to a menopause specialist so that you could perhaps reduce the number of days you take it per month under supervision.

Hurdity x

[Beaker]

Thanks Hurdity (and all!).  My GP hadn't heard of Utrogestan.  I decided to book an appointment with a consultant whom I found under the specialist finder on this website and I will see her today.  I'll ask her advice about Utrogestan (which you and others have suggested - thank you) and ask her to write to my GP.  Your support has been really appreciated, especially at a time when I felt I was headed down a blind alley. 

[MicheleMaBelle]

Hi Beaker- hope you get on ok today. I too have had to go down the private route as I wasn't getting anywhere with my GP over a period of 16/17 months.
Same as you, seem very sensitive to progesterone especially synthetics. Am taking continuous utrogestan. Now a few weeks in and early days ( after a week started taking it vaginally) I'm having side effects so waiting to see if they settle and I see the consultant again in June for a review. He has suggested switching to Femeston if I don't get on with current regime or then a patch and a mirena coil as a last resort, but I'm not keen on this. When I go back I will speak to him about switching to utrogestan sequentially but I'm not sure how this will go.
Point is, he took the time to explain all the options to me and has put me on oestrogen, cyclical utrogestan and ovestin vaginal cream ( godsend) . He might add Testesterone into the mix too. I wish I had gone to see him earlier but I suppose I was hoping for miracles and so far, I'm not feeling that much better but I do need to try it for longer. Good luck and let us know how you get on x

[Mary G]

Beaker, good luck with your appointment today, I hope you get back on track.

Michelemabelle, it sounds like you could be drowning out the positive effects of oestrogen with the daily progesterone - this is what happened to me when I had a Mirena coil with patches.  I am also intolerant to all types of synthetic progesterone and to Utrogestan in high doses so I have to seriously limit its use. 

From my experience, Utrogestan is far more effective when used vaginally and it also has fewer side effects.  You could try using it cyclically and see if you feel significantly better when on the oestrogen only phase. 

Having had two Mirena coils myself both pre and post menopause, I would strongly recommend anyone who is progesterone intolerant to use Oestrogel with the Mirena rather than patches or pills to give yourself as much dose flexibility as possible.  Although the progesterone in the Mirena coil is mainly confined to the womb, enough of it gets into your overall system to cause side effects (low mood and breast pain for example) and I found I needed very high doses of oestrogen to get any benefit and even 100mcg oestrogen patches didn't cut it. 

Obviously those who are not progesterone intolerant can disregard this post. 

[MicheleMaBelle]

Thanks Mary G- very interesting x

[Beaker]

Hi all!  Well I don't know what I would have done without this forum. 

The consultant was lovely.  She listened to everything I said.  She was sympathetic and knowledgeable about menopause and put me on Utrogestan 200mg as you suggested in your posts, Elleste Solo 2mg and Vagifem vaginal tablets (as you also suggested).  She said if this form of progesterone is no good she will try me on Angeliq or perhaps Duavive.  I felt that she took plenty of time with me and really tried to tailor the prescription to my individual needs.
I'd say to anyone struggling - don't give up, try to scrape the money together if you can (this lady was very reasonably priced compared to others) and go private - it's really worthwhile just to be able to get somebody to work with you on resolving your various symptoms.  I'll let you know how I get on with the new regime after I've tried it for a few months.
Thank you all for your replies - they certainly inspired me to do something about this problem.  Fingers crossed things might even improve from now on.

ps interesting to hear what your consultant advised, Michelemabelle and also what you say, Mary G.  This doctor did say to me that to a certain extent - HRT is trial and error but that you just have to keep trying until you get something that helps you.