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[Annabel1979]

Hi there
New to the Forum. Good to meet you all.

So I'm 44, was having peri symptoms - irregular, painful, heavy periods and low mood + anxiety.

Went on Femoston and which body accepted estrogen really well (what a dream that is!)  When it came to the grey pills, they did exactly that (made me feel grey and anxiety crept back).

So doc put me on Utrogestan on 12 days p/m as thought would tolerate it better. In terms of anxiety and low mood, it's better, but my god am I tired. The first few days i slept about 13 hours a night and literally was out of it in the day (which is fun with a 3 year old!). Messaged doc and she suggested using vaginally... which is marginally better (also now trying to do it every other night as read it's more concentrated when taken this way) but still feel whacked.

Just wondering if anyone experienced this, and if got better? or am I doomed on this? I'm currently in between jobs, which is lucky, but honestly dont know if i'd be able to work 12 days a month like this!

Thanks all,

Annabel

[KaraShannon]

Hi Annabel

well I'm struggling with fatigue but I don't think it's all to do with progesterone in my case.  So what I take might be helpful with you (my fatigue is due to underactive thyroid as well as menopause stuff).

I take evorel sequi patches.  The progesterone in them is only used for 2 weeks of the month and it's a synthetic progesterone, which I wasn't happy with, but my body seems to be a lot happier with it than utrogestan atm. 

In fact it helps my thyroid symptoms and gives me a little more energy for those 2 weeks.

Just a thought for you.  I am going to try utrogestan again at some point.

[Annabel1979]

thank you!.. interesting.. My friend mentioned thyroid as well, my doc has sent a letter to GP to arrange Thyroid blood test. So perhaps its' that. Will push for the test.

i'm scared to go back on the synthetic progesterone - but it's a shitty choice between being knackered or anxious! I have only been on Ustrogeston for 8 days and just 4 left so will see how I am when I stop again for rest of cycle. keep you posted!

[KaraShannon]

Annabel, what is it about the synthetic progesterone?  Or is it because it's synthetic? 

I'm not keen on that but for the moment I've got to get my oestrogen levels right before I concern myself with it, I'm imagining it's not great long term

[Annabel1979]

thanks, the synthetic progesterone just has more side effects - anxiety, mood swings etc - although not the tiredness. have to choose between one or the other!

[Gnatty]

If you can push through the tiredness it does usually improve. Can take a few weeks though!

[Annabel1979]

Thank you...!!!! I will keep going. I'm only taking it for 12 days and now I'm doing it vaginally can do it every other day (yeah!). So only 6 days a month of being useless. Hopefully my body will get used to it this way! keep you posted, and thanks again

[Annabel1979]

Annabel, what is it about the synthetic progesterone?  Or is it because it's synthetic? 

I'm not keen on that but for the moment I've got to get my oestrogen levels right before I concern myself with it, I'm imagining it's not great long term

I would love to not have to take it. Progesterone is not my friend, but think you have to because of thickening of uterine lining. but i'm loving the estrogen!

[Tribbins]

Annabel1979 - I'm having the same issue with Cyclogest, just feel so dopey all day, nowhere near as bad as I felt with Utrogestan though. I'm also hoping I get used to it, along with all those other things that remind me of being a teenager again ie period pains, spots. I'm 5 days in on continuous so if it doesn't improve I'll have to try something else as I can't be in this state of dopiness every day.

[Annabel1979]

Hello Tribbins, thanks this is really interesting, thank you.. I will def ask my doc re Cyclogest when I have my review, after giving Utro a bit of a chance (although not holding up most hope).

I'm sure I was prescribed this in the first month of my pregnancy, can't remember them making me feel tired then - or maybe they did and I just thought it was the pregnancy!

I can't believe the standard dose for Utrogestan is 200mg orally per night.. i'm struggling on 100mg vaginally every other night. Ha with the proper dose I wouldn't get out out of bed all day!

How long have you been taking Cyclogest btw?

[Annabel1979]

Interesting I just read this on an IVF website... not sure why they are not thinking about this for it's treatment of meno/ peri women? ..Cut and paste here:

Oral pills (e.g. Utrogestan) are okay, but they can cause sedative and nauseous side effects. Most clinics warn against oral use. Best to take your Utrogestan vaginally. They’re less messy than gels and pessaries, and even if your product information is silent on vaginal application, you can still take them that way. Utrogestan is also the easiest form of progesterone to adjust dosage.

[WishIdknownsooner]

Hi Annabel
I’m 43 and on cyclogest 14 days in second half of cycle, and also slept 13 hours at first. For me, taking it slightly earlier in the evening helped. If I take it around 8pm, I’m drowsy by 10pm and wake up at 6ish, more or less ready for the day.  For me, this is an improvement as I used to wake at 5am before HRT.  However, if I take the cyclogest at 10pm, I was waking in the middle of the night feeling a bit wired and then felt dopey all morning.  I think trying to time it with your circadian rhythm is important. Maybe try taking it as the sun goes down?
It does make me tearful towards the end of the fortnight, but it’s the best tolerated progesterone I’ve taken, so I put up with it.  Regular periods, decent sleep, glowing skin and happier nether regions are enough to make me stay on this HRT rollercoaster! X

[Tribbins]

Hi Annabel1979, Cyclogest is prescribed for women in early pregnancy when there's a history of miscarriage, so chances are you may have been prescribed it. I remember feeling a bit tired and sedated when I was pregnant even without extra progesterone, I had a blood test to check for anaemia but all was fine, so guess just sensitive to my own hormones. I hope the tiredness is wearing off for you? I'm definitely less dopey today, took Cyclogest earlier yesterday so not sure if that's made a difference, got a banging headache and woke at 5am though! I'm 8 years post meno - went without HRT as I was told I couldn't have it due to very frequent migraines, reached a point where I was more or less non-functioning earlier this year and started very slowly on oestrogen only. Migraines much reduced once I reached 37mcg, but sadly had to introduce progesterone. 

Really interesting WishIdknownsooner, about circadian rhythms - I would never have thought of that but it does make sense. I'm going to google circadian rhythm now and find out about it. Thank you!

[KaraShannon]

thanks, the synthetic progesterone just has more side effects - anxiety, mood swings etc - although not the tiredness. have to choose between one or the other!

Oh that's interesting.  I don't think it's giving me mood swings, but have had a lot of anxiety.  So I'll keep an eye on that if I change to utrogestan at some point.