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[Kai_63]

I was on a 12 day Utrogestan cycle, 2.5 pump oestrogel and Vagifem regime.

I was also on the mini pill (desogestrel) another source of progesterone.

For the 8 months I’ve been taking all these, I had up and down moods, crying, low libido, anxiety.

I decided to stop the mini pill two weeks and within a few days felt like myself again!

I assumed it was the mini pill all along.

I’m on day three of my usual Utrogestan cycle and now my crying has ramped up, pressure in my head as well as anxiety in the morning.

Really hoping this doesn’t mean I’m progesterone intolerant. I don’t want to use Utro vaginally because I’m already on Vagifem and trying to maintain a reasonably new relationship!

Are some up and downs in symptoms usual even if you’re not intolerant?

And presumably switching to continuous and therefore a lower daily dose probably won’t help?

[Bandango42]

Hi Kai_63

I was on utro 200mg for 2 weeks of the month for 15 mths and did have a few cycles where I felt absolutely tragic. Very low mood, crying, rage, even suicidal thoughts occasionally. But on the whole I had no issues usually. I think our own hormones can play a part in how we feel, especially when they're so up and down.

So you might find every now and then you feel awful. If it happens every month then you might be intolerant.

I'm now on continuous utro, 100mg every day and feel much more stable, if that helps.

xx

[Kai_63]

Thank you, that’s very helpful. I forget that my own hormones might be playing a part as I’m not sure whether I’ve hit the menopause yet.

Maybe I should give it time to all settle down and track symptoms for a while.

Interesting that continuous worked for you. Glad things are better.

[Penguin]

Thank you, that’s very helpful. I forget that my own hormones might be playing a part as I’m not sure whether I’ve hit the menopause yet.

Maybe I should give it time to all settle down and track symptoms for a while.

Interesting that continuous worked for you. Glad things are better.

You could try it vaginally and insert after sex,  it then dissolves overnight? I have never taken orally and still had symptoms with vaginally, but I've heard a number of people on here say the side effects are less used this way.

[sheila99]

Off licence but I've been using it rectally the last 3 months. There has been some discussion using it this way for ivf but different medics have different opinions (I'm assuming if it works for ivf it will be just as effective for hrt). I had irritation vaginally but have had none this way and a big bonus is that there's no mess. Have had a decent bleed after 200mg so am trying 100mg this month.
 Using it vaginally avoids the digestive issues but often not other symptoms though worth a try imo.

[CeCe]

Hello,

Several years ago I discussed progesterone intolerance with my meno specialist who told me that women who are progesterone intolerant, would, during their fertile years, always have some level of pms from approx day 14 of their cycle. So for the 2 weeks leading up to their period they would experience pms or PMDD of some sort. There are also women (like me) who  suffer from progesterone withdrawal. The symptoms are similar but occur a day or two prior to your period starting and continue on for a few days into your period. I’ve subsequently read about this elsewhere. If I can find it again I will post a link. A good friend of mine who was under Professor Studd also said the same thing to me recently. She is definitely progesterone intolerant and struggling with HRT.

Maybe think back to your periods prior to peri menopause and work out when or if you had pms each month to get an idea if you are progesterone intolerant.

[Kai_63]

Thank you all. I’ll consider vaginally at night but would prefer to avoid it if I can. Had no idea rectally was an option either.

Bandango42 and CeCe- so interesting about cycles and PMS. I’ve only recently started tracking symptoms and will keep an eye on that. I’ve had a couple of spots on my skin this week too which I don’t normally get but was a regular pre-period symptom before peri.

Other things have settled down a little so maybe I have to see how the ups and downs go for a couple more months to work out if I’m intolerant.

[Joomelbee]

I also had horrible agitated tearful mood symptoms when I first started the sequential regime. I found that 100mg continuously was much more dealable with than the 12 day 200mg schedule - I am guessing  it was probably the lack of fluctuation and/or the body only having to process half as much at a time that wss helpful. I hadn't quite hit the full year to be classed as menopausal so it was against official advice, but I have so far had no unscheduled breakthrough  bleeding, which seems to be the main caution against using it continuously in perimenopause.