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[Starkitten]

Ladies -I knew progesterone would send me into a tailspin but I'm at that crossroads tonight: Do I stay or do I go now? Three days of serious depression and a month of basically the worst PMT style symptoms ever. Or do I stick to the three month trial period in the hope it will "settle down"!
Quick background, 52 and tried the bog standard one size fits all classic pill combo the GPs hand out. Lasted the full 3 months but as there had been no improvement at all, I knew I had to give up. Two years later, I put up with the night sweats and the hot flushes, couldn't be sure the anger and feeling down was menopause -related or just me but what I couldn't put up with was the severe back pain, joint stiffness and feeling about 100 years old. This I knew was entirely menopause related (I ended up in an ambulance with the back issues) because I had a silly miniature period and the next day ALL the back pain disappeared. New doc agreed this could be down to a sudden flash of my beloved oestrogen.
Frightened it would come back, I fought quite hard and got my GP to refer me to another GP in the next city with some knowledge of HRT (lack of GP knowledge about the menopause is a vast and much discussed subject I suspect). Big day arrived and though I only got the usual 10 minute session I was so grateful to speak to someone who knew something! She gave me the Oestrogen pump (one on each arm at night) and the dreaded Utrogestan  - she promised it was the lowest dose possible. (A side note: I know I am very sensitive to prog as I endured drastic IVF treatment for some years and it nearly finished me off. )
She did say getting a coil fitted would be better in that the dose of prog would be smaller but it does seem an extreme measure...
Anyway, nearly at the end of the first month and I'm angrier, more anxious, more tearful with sore boobs and all the worst PMT symptoms imaginable. The back and joints are ok - not great but ok - and obviously the flushes have gone but they really didn't bother me in the face of the much more terrifying back and joint problems. I've e mailed the doc (I won't get another appt for two months) and she says I can try sticking the (One tablet a day) prog up my nelly at night insted of having it orally though this is not proved to protect the womb lining/put off cancer threats. I thought this was the entire point of the progesterone? Obviously I'd rather slather myself in oestrogen gel and not touch the prog but I realise that its important...
Ah sorry to write so much. Please let me know if I should give up now, if it is likely to all suddenly "settle", whether the coil will be a magical solution or whether I should - rather pointlessly I feel if its not protecting against cancer risks - shove the prog up. This is such a hard decision and I really need your experiences here - worth far more than overworked GPS with such limited interest!
Thanks for reading!

[CLKD]

Which cancer risks?  Many reports have been dismissed in recent years ;-)

   HORMONES! 

As oestrogen levels drop off so muscles may become lax = aches and pains.  Also the body may dry: inside and out; skin, vagina, deep in the ears, eyes .........

Think why you went onto HRT and which symptom would you like to ease most?  Usually HRT takes 3-4 months B4 benefit is really felt.

Maybe put the product name into the search box here and see what pops up?

[sheila99]

I would suggest using utro on a cycle rather than continuous - 200mg for 12 days per cycle, at least that way you might feel OK some of the time! I use a 6 week cycle. Some people use less utro, some as little as 100mg for a week. If you go off-piste it's better with the agreement of your gp and have scans to make sure lining isn't building up. I use utro vaginally as do many other people, just push it up as far as it will go and better done at night. Some people find it better this way as it doesn't pass through the liver. You can't tell which prog will suit you without trying, some people use mirena or jaydess.

[CLKD]

 

[Starkitten]

Thanks for the replies everyone - I've moved on since this post on to vaginally which is deffo better though I'm yet to celebrate any major improvement regarding hrt versus no hrt - apart from the fact I think it's lessening my back pain so worth it for that reason. I have a new crisis if anyone can help = can find nothing about it anywhere! I have a 3 day break (25 days on, 3 off) with the progesterone. Was supposed to have this last Monday (for 3 days), clean forgot, so started the three day break on Thursday. (It's Saturday today) and last night I had horrible period pain type stomach aches. Have I made a big mistake can I ask or is it ok as long as you take the break when you remember. I will go back to the normal routine after tomorrow...

[sheila99]

The break is so that you will bleed if there's been a build up, a delay of 3 days won't make a difference. Are you peri or meno (not had a bleed for 12 months)? If peri you should be using it cyclically. If you know utro doesn't agree with you I wonder why are you still taking it continuously?

[Starkitten]

Sheila99, is 25 out of 28 days continously? (Genuinely new to all this). I would love to take Utro less but it's been such a struggle finding a doc with any knowledge to ask (You have to book for even an e mail consultation). She agreed to me taking it vaginally but it will be a while before I can get an answer to whether the mess up on the break timings is a problem!
Hence asking on here! I have just noticed a small bleed to go with the "period" pains - but I don't usually have this with the 25 days on 3 days off which is why I wondered if I'd messed up by the delay. I want to avoid bleeds if I can which might be why I am on it continously.
Some debate about whether peri or meno - suspect meno - but have had silly nothing bleeds up to 8 months ago so was on the cusp I suppose.
So relieved it doesn't matter that I delayed the break, but still woder if that is what has caused the really nasty period pain and also whether it's ok to simply carry on as normal (in other words I'll only be taking it 22 days from Sunday onwards as there is a 3 day overlap).
Is this confusing?! Any thoughts much appreciated xx

[Ladybt28]

Don't worry about being out of sync Star Kitten it won't do any harm.
I would be like you, have a problem with progesterone.  I am 58 and I use it on a cycle and use it vaginally as Sheila99 suggests.  I cannot take it continuously,  it messes with my head.  We start off ok and then it builds in the system and well...as you know it's horrible!  I too have experimented all ways and this is the only way it works for me.  Cant take pills and patches didn't work either for oestrogen or a combi.  I have had 6 types of hrt and have been on gel, utrogestan and blob of testosterone twice a week for nearly 2 years now!
GP's like older women to use it continuously because it avoids a bleed which behaves like an old fashioned period but it just cant be done in my case.  I have to say that you are quite early on in the process.  It can take a total of 3 months or more before things settle down depending on how long they had been out of bonk before you started again.  To be honest it took me 5 months to feel ok and 7 months to feel "well".  Sometimes you get worse symptoms or others you didn't have before it all suddenly starts to stop if you understand me?

When I started on the utrogestan vaginally I got period cramps for the first 3 months but then they went away.  Its easier for me to say what meno symptoms I didn't have which was vaginal atrophy or bladder issues but I had extremely painful joints and I have some dodgy discs anyway which didn't help but that is also now under control.

Its all a steep learning curve if you are new to it and I always say you need to be patient and ride it out for at least 4 months before giving up.  I know its difficult and uncomfortable but if you don't give it a good go you will never know if it works.  Unfortunately hrt is one of the things that takes ages to work.  There is no real quick fix, the body needs time to absorb to certain levels and adjust.
I'd carry on as normal and see what happens, there is nothing unusual going on, we all react differently but that kind of spotting/small bleed when starting out is normal, you could get it up to 3 months, plus the more you chop and change the more confused your body becomes. x

[CLKD]

Some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary helpful.

[Starkitten]

That's so interesting to hear of similar things happening Ladybt28 - and you are right that it probably needs time to settle. I gve my first attempt - the bog standard elleste pills - 3 months and they were horrific but I'm more inclined to give the pump gel and vag utrogestan more of an effort. My main deciding factor for hrt was back problems/aches too and I have to say, it's worth it just for that! I'm not quite continuously as I take it for 25 then have the break (when I remember!) but I will push the consultant to see if there are any other ways of reducing the dreaded prog. As a side note, I took literally barrels of the stuff when going through IVF so that may well affect my sensitivity - who knows.
The bleeding has slowed - though it was a shock to find all the other classic period-like symptoms that went with it - so I'm going to get back on schedule and take/shove up a utrogestan tonight as I am due to restart. I wondered if that is ok - putting the pill up there while still bleeding (?) but don't think I have much option?
Any other experiences would be great to hear! Thanks so much

[Ladybt28]

Great Starkitten...elleste was no good for me either but you do know whether it is worth giving something a continuing go and that's exactly how I felt on the gel and the Utro so I persevered and it paid off!  Yep shove it up and keep going.  yes your body does react with all the periody things to start off with.  As I have a definite bleed because of the cycle I get the similar symptoms.  Yours should settle more as you are going for a more balanced regime (well that's  the idea anyway, whether it works or not is another thing???).  Good luck xx