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[PoppyPopcorn]

As I have had a hysterectomy, I have been using estrogen only for my HRT. (Started on Estradot patches which were great, they are impossible to get so put onto Evorel which I am allergic to, and for the last 6 weeks have been on gel). I am still feeling fairly crap, low mood and anxiety especially in the morning which seems to get better during the day. I have gone back to using Estradot patches bought privately as I am not sure the gel is doing it for me.

It has been suggested that I ask for progesterone, even though it is not typically given to women who do not have a uterus. My GP is pretty crap and misinformed about menopause but is generally happy to prescribe whatever I ask for.

Does anyone have experience in this?

[Perinowpost]

Hi Poppypopcorn

I don’t have any experience of this but do feel we need a little bit of progesterone (not too much) for balance. The beauty of having a hysterectomy is you don’t need to take it, but what you could do is experiment with small doses to see how you feel.

I’m prog intolerant and really struggle with it but feel if I could just take a little bit (which I can’t as it’s not enough for endometrial protection) it would be perfect.

Maybe ask for utrogestan as it’s body identical and go from there.

Also do not underestimate that the change in hrt may have given rise to these feelings. I tried gel but didn’t absorb it but felt fine once I was settled back on patches.

Hope this helps x

[PoppyPopcorn]

Yes that's good advice. I will give it a good few weeks back on the patches before exploring the progesterone. Let things settle and see how I am feeling. My GP is very much of the opinion that post-hysterectomy giving progesterone is utterly pointless so I may have a bit of education to do along the way.

It's a scandal that a large NHS GP practice with 6 permanent doctors and several locums has nobody with any interest at all in menopause and women's issues. They do smears and contraception and that's it. There's a diabetes clinic, an asthma clinic, an incontinence clinic, antenatal clinics - my suggestion that a menopause clinic might be a good thing was met with blank stares before the practice manager (a middle aged woman) said "what would we want to do one of those for"?

[Perinowpost]

You’re right it is scandalous. What your GP fails to realise is just because you don’t need it physically you may still need it mentally. Hormones are precursors to our moods after all x

[CLKD]

That's why we need to push for referrals to appropriate NHS menaopausal clinics.  My GP is good at 'keeping up'. 

[PoppyPopcorn]

I'm OK with progesterone, used the combined pill for years and also had a Mirena before my hysterectomy. Will use the next few weeks to think about it and do some reading.

[sheila99]

I would be happy if I never had to use the stuff again but there do seem to be a few women who don't need it but do seem to find it beneficial. I hesitate to suggest a medically unlicensed product but you may find the lower amount contained in creams suits you better than the higher doses needed to protect the uterus.
Totally agree about the lack of expertise. There isn't anything else that 50% of their patients will go through yet they consider it unimportant.