Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Got a story to tell for the magazine? Get in touch with the editor!

media

Author Topic: Increasing my progesterone but not oestrogen  (Read 1695 times)

Emmajane950

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12
Increasing my progesterone but not oestrogen
« on: November 12, 2023, 05:42:55 PM »

Hi

Hoping someone can advise....

I am 50 and perimenopause (I think, although wondering if heading to meno )

Last month I changed from patches and progesterone to gel and progesterone (2 pumps daily and 2 pills for 14 days on/off). 

I was on gel originally from 2022 but changed to patches in Aug for convenience however they seemed to cause all sorts of issues for me; heart palps/ water infection uti/ stomach cramps etc, and i had 3 periods in 6 weeks on them. So from early October I got prescribed back to gel.   Ever since my UTI in September I have felt ill stomsch twinges, bloating and having random bleeding and brown discharge. I don't know if antibiotics have messed up my stomach as bloating seems to be from trapped wind which I have had a lot of.  But that combined with the bleeding and discharge is a worry.  I know it's only been a month since I changed back to gel but the volume was the same...only the format changed.

Anyway i was told to start taking progesterone continuously to stop the bleeding  ..so 1 pill a night.  But due to still bleeding on and off in short time frames I'm thinking to take 2 a night (but leave my gel as 2 pumps).  Do you think this would help with the spotting etc?  Or is this counter active?

Thankyou  :)
Emma
Logged

Emmajane950

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12
Re: Increasing my progesterone but not oestrogen
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2023, 05:44:26 PM »

Just to add...I am waiting on a transvaginal scan but feels like it's taking forever when symptoms are everyday  8)
Logged

sheila99

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 5906
Re: Increasing my progesterone but not oestrogen
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2023, 05:56:50 PM »

Doubling utrogeston as you suggest is a known strategy to prevent problem bleeding but if your scan is soon I'd be inclined to leave it alone until then if you can in case the results are different. Taking it continuously if you're still peri often leads to breakthrough bleeding. The scan may show a cause for the bleeding. If you still have a discharge you could ask for a swab in case you still have an infection.
Logged

Emmajane950

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12
Re: Increasing my progesterone but not oestrogen
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2023, 12:04:20 AM »

Thank you Sheila

The bleeding has decreased but the brown discharge continues. Sometimes it's on the pad but a lot of the time it only appears when I wipe.    I'm thinking to get a private scan as the NHS one feels like it's taking forever to come through although I know I'm being inpatient (Dr requested it on 10th October).

Emma  :)
Logged

joziel

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1490
Re: Increasing my progesterone but not oestrogen
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2023, 10:46:57 PM »

You have changed estrogen quite a lot recently, to patches and then back to gel - and any change can result in bleeding during the first 3 months after it....
Logged

Emmajane950

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12
Re: Increasing my progesterone but not oestrogen
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2023, 01:33:16 AM »

Hi Joziel

Thank you.

I've just started another bleed today (after  days off )!  Luckily I had my ultrasound last week that only showed up a fibroid and a cyst in one ovary.  I do appreciate I've had a couple of hrt changes but only in format not volume. Am now wondering if the fibroid or cyst could cause extra/abnormal bleeding?

Of it either of those could be impacting the digestive issues I'm having I wonder?

Thanks
Emma
Logged

joziel

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1490
Re: Increasing my progesterone but not oestrogen
« Reply #6 on: November 28, 2023, 02:11:34 PM »

Fibroids can definitely cause bleeding issues - heavy bleeding, usually. Not so sure about the digestive issues... But changing hormones can upset digestion.
Logged