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[Gilla999]

I'm considering switching to a continuous regime - to cut a long story short my Progesterone levels have plummeted in the last 1-2 months and I'm completely out of balance now, I have all my standard symptoms of too much Estrogen (severely swollen and painful boobs and nipples, rapid weight gain of 8 pounds in 3 weeks, my body just generally feels awful). This is exactly what happened when I started HRT back in April, I think because I have always used 100mg Utrogestan vaginally and it has just never been properly enough to balance out the high ish level of Estrogen I seem to need.

I have reduced my Lenzetto to 3 sprays but I don't feel my Estrogen is the issue, I need to somehow get my Progesterone level up a bit (this is also what my meno specialist thinks). She suggested potentially switching to a continuous regime but I'm a bit nervous and I wondered if anyone here has done so while still having periods? I am keen not to suppress ovulation (as that has generally caused me lots of problems in the past with symptoms) and I wondered if anyone here taking it continuously still had periods etc? (I don't mind the randomness of them - it's more that I don't want them to be affected by using 100mg Utrogestan vaginally on a continuous basis).

Thanks in advance for any comments xx

[Katherine]

Hi, I have regular periods and take continuous progesterone pills ( Utrogestan) with oestrogel and it hasn’t changed my periods. My GP recommended it. It hasn’t done me any harm. From what I’ve gathered on this forum many people do it and I haven’t heard of it causing any problems with periods.

[Gilla999]

Thank you for the reply Katherine, that's so reassuring to hear. Do you take the Utrogestan orally? If so that's especially reassuring as I know more is absorbed that way than vaginally how I take it, so it's even more unlikely to mess with my periods! I wish I could tolerate it orally but the next day sedation was just unbearable for me! I have wondered like many medications if your body does get uses to the medication after a while and that side effect goes away, but never really feel like I can stick it out to find out! Thanks again for the reassurance x

[Katherine]

Yes, I take it orally. I started 6months ago and was ok then in the last few weeks I have been bothered by the sedated feeling ( I think it had built up slightly in my system) so I skipped one dose the other night, slept fine then the next night I really needed it to sleep. so I am planning on taking it every other night as many people do, or just skip a dose if and when I need to. It helps me a lot I think it’s just a question of getting the dosage right. I know exactly what you mean about that sedated feeling ! X

[joziel]

I took utrogestan 100mg continuously, orally every night, and I had an endo flare - which tends to mean it wasn't stopping ovulation for me. (The other key thing being that my ovaries started up again after 9 years of being dormant on desogestrel POP and started firing shooting stabby pains in to my hips whilst they came back to life!)    So if you want ovulation on that, I think you'll be fine 

I am now taking utrogestan 200mg continuously orally every night... and hoping this is enough to keep the endo quiet. Then I can avoid taking synthetic progestins. I guess it's helped also by the fact that I've reduced my estrogen now. I'm only a week in on this progesterone regime but so far so good. Last time on 100mg it was 5 weeks before the old ovaries sprung back into life though, so I can't tell if it will work yet...

[Katherine]

Joziel when you say endo do you mean endometriosis? Do you get a sedated feeling during the  day with utrogestan too?

[Gilla999]

It kind of blows my mind that women can tolerate 200mg orally (or even 100). Bearing in mind that every night I take Mirtazapine, Trazodone and prescription Melatonin and I have no issues with sedation (though I have been on them a long time) and yet 100mg Utro renders me totally unable to move off the sofa the next day! Of course I realise many women do tolerate it, it's just so hard for me to relate to!! Thank you also for the reassurance Joziel  I'm going to start tonight!

[Katherine]

Gilla999  I know what you mean about not moving off the sofa. It has made it more difficult for me to get things done and I feel less productive but I find that if I have a coffee it helps get me going. Also when I tried to stop taking it I realised I needed it. Only problem is I am wanting sweet foods all the time as they give me a big energy boost so I am trying to resist that and not keep anything too tempting in the house! I am going to ask my gp about testosterone.

[Scampidoodle]

Do you not get any side effects from the 200mg utro continuously Joziel? Do you feel like it helps to balance the Estrogen? X

[joziel]

I have zero side effects from the progesterone. I don’t think even 200 makes me sleepy at all 🤷‍♀️ Definitely nothing left the next morning 🤷‍♀️

Yes endo = endometriosis

[Katherine]

Joziel wow you are lucky with the utrogestan! X

[joziel]

Well yes and no - I would love to be sleeping deeply and well at the moment 

[Katherine]

Do you not have any other positive effects from the utrogestan Joziel?

[joziel]

Not that I'm aware of, I mean it might be doing good things for my bone health etc but nothing positive or negative I can tell really. Except it does often make me do giant farts when I wake up  - it seems to generate wind overnight 

[Katherine]

Luckily I don’t have that problem