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[Gracecat]

Hi folks - i’m in a really bad way I need some help.

Up until last October I was on a combo cream of oest/prog. My dr upped it to 100mg oral Utrogestan and 0.5mg Sandrena. I did mention of the time that I’d had a couple of bad experiences with Utrogestan - feeling dizzy and anxious the day after taking it - so my dr told me to ‘keep an eye’ on things.
I was good at first, and then noticed increasingly I was getting sudden rapid heartbeats. Then at the end of December they became horrendous, and I ended up in A&E on NY Eve. The EKG didn’t show anything to worry about and neither did the blood tests, but I’m waiting for a referral to a cardiologist for further investigation.
Since then I’ve been in a permanent state of anxiety and panic, and can’t eat or sleep – I’m in an awful state and convinced I’m going to have a heart attack at any moment. I’ve had a couple of instances of fast heartbeat, but if I’m honest there has been a little bit of an improvement. I noticed that others on this forum have had bad experiences of Utrogestan and so I’m keen to know whether anybody has had a similar experience as me, and if so, how long after stopping taking it did things begin to get better?
Grateful for any feedback as I’m really struggling now. Thanks everybody 

[CLKD]

Morning.  Why did your GP alter your regime?

Many find that the progesterone part of HRT causes huge problems.  How long B4 you get a cardiac referral, in the mean time I would ask for a referral to a dedicated menopause clinic - not a gynaecologist as they don't know much more about hormones very often than GPs. 

If you put 'utrogestan' into the search box you might find threads .  Make notes ;-).

 

[Gracecat]

Hi CLKD and thanks for coming to my rescue (again!).
My doctor is a private hormone doctor in London, and she upped my dose after a blood test show that my hormones had taken a drop. I spoke to her last week and she advised that I should come off HRT (but keep a bit of oestrogen going) but think about taking up yoga (ffs!). I have done the former!
No news on the cardiac appointment. It’s been a week and a half - but I guess everything is held up because of Covid 

[CLKD]

What's her thinking behind stopping?   

Hormone blood tests are reliably unreliable  because our hormones rise and fall all the while.

What's your thought on stopping? 

[Gracecat]

I am so scared of these racing heart episodes that I just want to come off. So it’s a decision based on fear if I’m honest.

[CLKD]

Luckily I'm. never aware of my heart.

Think back to what you wanted to take HRT for? which symptom to ease first?

[Gracecat]

Ironically it was for heart palpitations, but that was nearly 7 or 8 years ago- so a long time!

[CLKD]

Have you been prescribed propranolol?

[Gracecat]

No - not until I’ve seen the cardiologist.

[CLKD]

Let us know how you get on?

[Wrensong]

Hi Gracecat, so sorry you have had this frightening experience & yes I've found Utrogestan intolerable for various reasons, the worst being that it badly upsets my heart rate - making it race uncomfortably - & rhythm, the ectopics I'd been plagued with in peri (before HRT) being confirmed on ECG to have returned on Utro several years postmenopause.   

As for timing of improvement on withdrawal from Utro: my heart rate decreased & rhythm stabilised within 48 hrs, but I had simply swapped back to another HRT product & not gone cold turkey.  I do find that changes in oestrogen dose can also upset heart rate & bring back ectopics for a couple of weeks, as well as thyroid meds changes.  I think if we are especially prone to palpitations, as you seem to be if you had them some years ago, we are perhaps unfortunately overly sensitive to changes in hormone levels. 

Stress of course makes matters worse & I can absolutely relate to how difficult it is not to stress about them, causing a vicious circle. 

I'm not sure from your posts whether you are still on a little oestrogen, or whether you've perhaps reduced the dose, but if you have felt obliged to reduce or stop all HRT - entirely understandably - it could be that your heart is also now reacting to the drop in oestrogen & may take a little while yet to calm down. 

My feeling is that your cardiologist will very likely find nothing of concern but do keep the appointment so they can check you out thoroughly & put your mind properly at rest.  I had the whole range of cardiac tests in peri, with nothing other than benign ectopics found. 

If at any time you feel things are really not right & you need to get checked again as a matter of urgency, I would either ring your GP - ours can do a simple ECG in the surgery - or go back to A&E.

Meanwhile if you can do some controlled breathing exercises these can really help to calm the body.  I found I needed to do them for around 20 mins for the relaxation response to kick in & they may need repeating as often as you can manage it over the coming weeks, if you feel you want to ride out the cold turkey of stopping HRT.  Anything else that helps you relax & distracts you from the natural anxiety at this time will be beneficial.

I hope this helps you feel less alone with it & that you will soon be feeling much better 
Wx

[Gracecat]

Thank you so much for this post Wrensong - it has really made me feel so much better. I have been off the HRT now for just over a week, but I have stayed on a little bit of oestrogen. Things feel a little better and I’m beginning to feel a bit more like myself by the day. So here’s hoping this continue on an upward curve. Thanks v much for taking the time to reassure me - I don’t feel so alone on this horrible journey after all! 

[Wrensong]

Hi Gracecat, glad it helps a little to know others have got the T shirt.  Can I ask have you agreed with your doctor to taper & then stop systemic oestrogen altogether, or are you planning to continue but change to another progestogen?  If you are continuing on systemic oestrogen indefinitely with an intact uterus you will need a progestogen to protect the lining.
Wx

[Gracecat]

Morning W - my hormone doc has suggested that I stay as I am for a couple of months while I’m having heart tests and then she’ll review. It is a good point and thank you for raising it. G x

[Wrensong]

Morning Gracecat - good, glad to know you have a review pending.  Everything crossed the horrible palpitations will soon be a thing of the past.  Don't be alone with any worry though - there's always someone here to hold out a hand.  You can always PM me if that  might help.