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[Jasmine3234]

Hi I was fortunate to have a consultation with a really good specialist yesterday, after 10 months of side effects and meno symptoms returning.

I am currently on Femston 2/10 and have now been prescribed Oestrogel x 2 pumps daily with desogestrel x 2 tablets daily.

She has told me to start this new regime immediately, (I am 10 tablets into the oestrogen only phase of Femoston) which I am quite happy to do, however the Oestrogel leaflet says to finish the pack of sequential before starting the new continuous regime.

I am definitely thinking of doing what my specialist says, but can anyone see a problem with that?

Many thanks

[Hurdity]

I would have thought it's always better to start a continuous combined HRT at the end of the bleed following the completion of the combi part of the cycle. This way the lining will be at its thinnest and should minimise the amount of spotting etc. However high doses of progestogens act to thin the lining so you could achieve the same thing. If your specialist is really good then will obviously be an experts in this field, so no reason not to go along with their suggestion - at least give it a try for a couple of months? They will have suggested this for a reason! I presume you have tried desogestrel in the past - it's not licensed as a separate product for HRT but is the same as Cerazette POP.

Hurdity x

[Jasmine3234]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

Yes, I was on desogestrel from 2003 until I started Femoston 10 months ago.

I think the reason I have been prescribed this is because I tolerated the double dose very well. I wish my GP had left me on this at the beginning, as I asked, and added in Oestrogen.  I very much doubt I would have suffered the awful side effects etc for the last 10 months.  But as you say, it isn't licensed so she wasn't able to do it in primary care. 

It was the same with Oestrogel.  My GP couldn't prescribe so I had to see a Specialist.

I am very anxious starting this new regime, but also feeling very hopeful.

J  x

[Hurdity]

Just to clarify - you do not need to see a specialist to be prescribed oestrogel - your GP is stringing you along if they say that. It is a licensed oestrogen product for HRT as listed here: https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/treatafter.php

Also if you are being prescribed Cerazette or similar at double the dose then even if your GP doesn;t feel able to prescribe this off-licence s/he should be able to consult a specialist themselves in order to do sdo n NHSA since it is a licensed progestogens available for hRT even though some of them are in combi products and some used as POP as with Cerazette. No woman should have to go privately at great expense!!

Anyway having had my little rant - I do hope this works for you - try not to be anxious and instread, focus on eliminating those troublesome symptoms

Hurdity x

[Jasmine3234]

Thank you Hurdity.

I was initially referred to see the specialist via the NHS, however it was a 17 week wait and I was so desperate that I saw her privately the next week.  Any follow ups will be done on the NHS. 

Interesting to see that Oestrogel could have been prescribed via my GP, but maybe the PCT don't allow it in my area?

I understand prescribing "off licence" can be an issue in Primary Care, so maybe the regime I am now on had to be instigated via a specialist?

J x