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[Perimental]

Hi have been advised by a private practice hormone dr to take utrogestan every day at 200mg orally every day?  To combat anxiety and to feel good.  But reading on internet it's recommended to take days 15 to 26 I think.  Which I have for first time last period but period was late by 15 days, much lighter than usually and not sure when to restart tablets again. Wait another 15 days?  Thanks for any help.

[dangermouse]

This is from the Cemcor site which may help:

The treatment involves either oral micronized progesterone (Prometrium® in a dose of 300 mg at bedtime because of its drowsy side-effect, or medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in a dose of 10 mg per day for 16 days – on days 12 to 27, counting from the first day of the menstrual period. This will usually bring flow back to normal.

To ensure an adequate counterbalance to the high estrogen, each 16-day course of progestin/progesterone must be completed, even if bleeding starts. In other words, the woman should finish the 16 days but – at the same time – start counting towards day 12 and the next dose from the beginning of flow. This means that during some cycles, she may be off progesterone for only a few days. Cyclic progesterone therapy should be continued for at least six months.

Let us know how you get on!

[Hurdity]

Hi Perimental

 

Whereabouts are you in menopause? Have you started getting longer cycles yet? You could well find that taking that much progestogen gives rise to side effects, and especially after you stop especially if it coincides with your own period. In your case it didn't though! Also without additional oestrogen its main effect would be to help prevent the lining from thickening so should make your bleed less than it otherwise would have been. I can't imagine it helping you to feel good - many of us on here hate it, or at least only tolerate it! I know there is a school of thought that suggests that taking progesterone daily will prevent the symptoms arising from sudden increases and sudden fall in progesterone as occurs naturally throughout the menstrual cycle and maybe to a more extreme level during peri-menopause - and the same argument is applied to oestrogen which is why it is prescribed as HRT. It is the fluctuations and the eventual decline in oestrogen that is responsible for most of the symptoms of peri-menopause and then post-menopause.

Are you getting peri-menopausal symptoms?

Hurdity x

[Perimental]

Hi thanks for reply. My periods are all over the place. Last four months have been 24 days, 17 days, 29 days and this month 45 days.  I was told my oestrogen was fine but testosterone was low.  I haven't started utrogestan again (I did the 15 days after last period) but wasn't sure if I should take it 15 days after this period started even though it was late so I am waiting to start again. I have also been prescription for DHEA and Pregnanlone but feel reluctant to take these.  I was hoping the progesterone would help stop thinning hair.  I don't really get many other symptoms apart from mild anxiety. 

[dangermouse]

I suspect the Utrogestan feels very different when taken alone as opposed to with oestrogen as part of combined HRT. I don't know of anyone who's tried it that way (apart from for fertility and they seem to feel good on it) so would be keen to hear of the effects.

It's likely that it will still release any excess (natural) oestrogen into the blood at first, which may not feel great, but who knows!

[Hurdity]

Perinatal - as you are having irregular periods then the addition of progesterone at a fixed point each month ie days 15-27 every month - could theoretically regulate them - however if you are not ovulating then your oestrogen will eventually decline. One reading from a blood test is not enough to see what you oestrogen levels are like overall.

You would be better off taking some form of HRT ie oestrogen (every day) - perhaps as a low dose patch or gel, as well as the progesterone and hopefully your bleeds will become more regular if you continue to take the utrogestan for 10-12 days per month if it suits you.

I also don't think progesterone will prevent your hair from thinning - and may well have the opposite effect. It is oestrogen and tesosterone (in the right proportions) that give us a healthy head of hair, provided your thyroid function is OK, and you have sufficient iron. Also I understand some vitamins also cause hair shedding/thinning if deficient.

Not sure what you mean by oestrogen being released into the blood dangermouse? Much oestrogen is produced mainly by the ovaries and all goes into the bloodstream from where it is transported round the body to exert its effect on target tissues locally. Some is also produced in fat cells. Sorry that's a bit garbled - brain's getting fuzzy at this time of the evening!

Hurdity x

[dangermouse]

I was referring to old oestrogen stored in the tissues and fat cells that gets released by the new progesterone and has to go back into circulation (blood, liver, bowels) until it's excreted. It's a phenomenon with Progesterone only therapy.

Better out than in though!