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[EllaAurora]

Hello ladies,
I'm seeking your experience related to Utrogestan. As I've shared elsewhere, for me Utro has been good as I helps me sleep and seems to have an overall calming effect. During recent days however I've noticed being increasingly tired and very foggy and groggy especially in the morning part of the day, sometimes until early afternoon. So it's like too much of a good thing and the sedative effect is too strong. I'm taking utrogestan orally 200mg, and am on 50 mcg Estradot patch since a week ago (previously Oestrogel which I needed to stop due to side effects).

I'm now thinking if it would be better to start taking Utro vaginally, but am wondering if this would then also mean that I would lose the sedative/calming effect altogether? Or would it still be there but just milder? Would I still use 200mg or would it be a smaller dose?

I'll be speaking with a gynae again in 1.5 weeks so would be helpful to get some experiences so I'll know what to ask from her.

Thanks and have a lovely Sunday! xxx

[Gilla999]

I've been informed by a couple of gynaes that it doesn't have it's sedative effect if used vaginally. However my way of thinking is that if your hormones are balanced (ie. you're getting the right amount of Estrogen and Prog that you need, regardless of delivery method) then you shouldn't in theory need the sedative aspect / be anxious.

The official line is 200mg vaginally but Dr Newsome says and I think studies have shown that you can take 100mg vaginally as more is getting directly to the area that's needed.

Many women including myself struggle from the next-day effects of oral Utro. It was SO potent that I couldn't function the next day, which seemed a bit counter-productive to taking it! Certainly taking it vaginally didn't cause that to happen for me.

Good luck Ella xx

[sheila99]

I take it vaginally and still get fatigue, it doesn't make much difference to my sleep but I'm dopey in the day. I would try it and see.

[Mindfulmoomins]

Makes me sleepy too on only 100mgs vaginally. Good luck Ella xx

[EllaAurora]

I've been informed by a couple of gynaes that it doesn't have it's sedative effect if used vaginally. However my way of thinking is that if your hormones are balanced (ie. you're getting the right amount of Estrogen and Prog that you need, regardless of delivery method) then you shouldn't in theory need the sedative aspect / be anxious.

The official line is 200mg vaginally but Dr Newsome says and I think studies have shown that you can take 100mg vaginally as more is getting directly to the area that's needed.

Many women including myself struggle from the next-day effects of oral Utro. It was SO potent that I couldn't function the next day, which seemed a bit counter-productive to taking it! Certainly taking it vaginally didn't cause that to happen for me.

Good luck Ella xx

That's so great point Gilla! I wish I would be already there, and having a good balance so that I'd not need the extra sedative to cope.

Like you say, it should be about the right amounts in blood circulation and I suppose absorption vaginally is equally good (if not even better?) than orally, in terms of delivering progesterone to the system? Does anyone know about this -is there any impact on the amount of progesterone in blood if its dosed vaginally vs orally?

Thanks also for your comments Mindfulmoomins and sheila99, very helpful as always!

Take care all and hope you're feeling well! xx

[Gilla999]

I know what you're asking Ella as I've wondered it myself: enough studies prove that absorption vaginally is equally as good as orally when it comes to prevention of the womb lining thickening, but that's not what you mean - you mean does it cause the same amount of Prog to be "circulating" in your system. I have never seen a specific answer to this but my own thought process was that if a progesterone cream can cause your circulating Prog levels to be higher (which it definitely can, just as trans-dermal estrogen can) then you'd assume that using Utrogestan vaginally is the same principal - it's absorbed into the skin and circulates that way (I don't really understand the science behind it though  !).

[applejack]

Coincidentally I'm just about to start on vaginal utro. After speaking to a menopause specialist (and boy, does it make such a difference to talk to someone who understands) she gave me three options to combat the bleeding I had earlier this year.  Vaginal utro, provera or evorel conti

Since I already knew I was ok on utro (apart from the bleeding incident, obvs!) I opted for that one although she did say provera is the best for keeping the endometrium in order.

The box of capsules arrived on Saturday - 200mg every other day, continuous, with a 50 estradot patch.  I've got applicators and the tablet isn't like the round oral one, it's more elongated.

I'll let you know if I feel dozy on it - unfortunately after dropping to a 25 patch in an attempt to combat the bleeding, I now can't sleep anyway. Even going up to 50 for the past ten days has only helped a little so I now have to up to 75 :-( . As Gilla said, if you're getting the right combination of hormones it should be ok sleepwise - as I can attest.  I was ok until I fiddled with my oestrogen and now I'm like a frickin' zombie.

I'll pop back in a week or so and if I'm half asleep I'll let you know :-)

[EllaAurora]

I know what you're asking Ella as I've wondered it myself: enough studies prove that absorption vaginally is equally as good as orally when it comes to prevention of the womb lining thickening, but that's not what you mean - you mean does it cause the same amount of Prog to be "circulating" in your system. I have never seen a specific answer to this but my own thought process was that if a progesterone cream can cause your circulating Prog levels to be higher (which it definitely can, just as trans-dermal estrogen can) then you'd assume that using Utrogestan vaginally is the same principal - it's absorbed into the skin and circulates that way (I don't really understand the science behind it though  !).

Hi Gilla, yes that's exactly the question! I'm hoping to find a balance where there would be sufficient progesterone in my system (not just in the womb area), so that it would create a good balance with Oestrogen, but not cause so much of this tiredness. I'd be really keen to try vaginally but at the same worry about again changing something in my regime, if the vaginal dosing would then mean less of progesterone in the system. 

So tiring this endless tweaking and trial and error...  but really happy to have this Forum and the support from you ladies here! xxx

[EllaAurora]

Coincidentally I'm just about to start on vaginal utro. After speaking to a menopause specialist (and boy, does it make such a difference to talk to someone who understands) she gave me three options to combat the bleeding I had earlier this year.  Vaginal utro, provera or evorel conti

Since I already knew I was ok on utro (apart from the bleeding incident, obvs!) I opted for that one although she did say provera is the best for keeping the endometrium in order.

The box of capsules arrived on Saturday - 200mg every other day, continuous, with a 50 estradot patch.  I've got applicators and the tablet isn't like the round oral one, it's more elongated.

I'll let you know if I feel dozy on it - unfortunately after dropping to a 25 patch in an attempt to combat the bleeding, I now can't sleep anyway. Even going up to 50 for the past ten days has only helped a little so I now have to up to 75 :-( . As Gilla said, if you're getting the right combination of hormones it should be ok sleepwise - as I can attest.  I was ok until I fiddled with my oestrogen and now I'm like a frickin' zombie.

I'll pop back in a week or so and if I'm half asleep I'll let you know :-)

Hi Applejack, thanks for taking time to respond, really appreciate it!
Hope you'll get the oestrogen situation sorted soon, and the 75 mcg patch will help! I'm also thinking if I will have to move to a higher strength patch eventually, as the 50 feels somehow on the low side.. especially after the first 1.5 days. But its very early for me, only on my 3rd patch now, so perhaps it'll take some time to build the levels up in the system.

Will be interesting to hear how you will get on with the vaginal utro dosing! I was surprised to learn that you will only be using every other day -is this a usual practice? I've always assumed that a daily dose would be needed, but I guess the utro builds up in the system so that every other day is fine.

Hope you'll feel great soon and do keep us posted! xx

[juliemargaret]

Hi Ella how are you feeling on your 50mg patch? I upped mine to 75g only after 6 days (cut half of my 50) - early I know but I was on 4 pumps gel prior to patch but also know 2 pumps not enough. I’m ok woke with but if a headache though but have to let it settle. I decided to have n utrogestan break this cycle only so that I could settle into patches otherwise I’d never elbow if they were helping and it’s been such a long. Few weeks. I’ll re add the utro vaginally for 12 nights as usual on next cycle . I found orally for me was bad! So more or less from beginning did vaginally.

[applejack]

Hi Ella

I thought it would be daily as well as I was taking one 100mg daily orally.  This one is 200mg though, which I guess explains why it's on alternate days only.

I started it last night - the applicator made it so easy to insert. Shame it's one use plastic though - bit meh in terms of recycling.

I'd give it another couple of patches and see how it goes for you - my meno doctor told me to wait 7-10 days once I boosted back up to the 50 patch, but I already had some oestrogen in the system otherwise I suspect she'd have advised a longer wait. Although it sounds like you have some in the system as well if you were taking oestrogel. As it happens I don't feel much better and am still struggling with poor sleep and night sweats so have just boosted up to 62.5 by quartering one of my patches. I suspect I'll end up on 75 eventually, but I want to keep it as low as I can if possible.