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[Armadillo]

Lisa .. i think it was you that had concerns about how quickly theyd take mirena out f it wasnt for you.. i hope it does the trick.  For me i needed mine out asap.. phoned and was called in the next afternoon.. this was hospital gynae not GP as i need gas and air for it .. mental health issues (flashbacks to miscarriage).  So they can move fast just make sure you have the reassurance you need.

Years back when i tried the implant .. i couldnt get anyone to take it out.. as it would be wasting nhs money a si hadnt given it a chance.. grrr... we taxid to nearby city and a private gp took it out.. expensive but a good back up plan .. and it kept me alive.

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Cyclogest  - i cant remember dose.. but was one in morning and one in evening, then just bedtime, then every other day.. just not an option.. very glad to be off it now. have returned it t chemist.

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Holding everyones hand.. its so blooming hard getting it right

[Lisa_Oz]

Thank you Armadillo for sharing your ideas and experience.  It infuriates me to hear they would not remove yours when you wanted it out!

I am just today starting with a compounded cream that I am to use twice a day that will provide 50mg total of progesterone.  I have gone to a private clinic.  I know it’s controversial but I am going to see if this works. I am ok with getting frequent scans of my womb. I am NOT ok with feeling the way I have for so long.

Sending hugs to everyone out there who may need one at the moment. x

[Hurdity]

Hi Lisa_Oz

I haven't read the whole of this thread so not au fait with your situation but just seen your last post here.

I don't know what oestrogen you are on but just to say - re the compounded cream. It's not that it's controversial as such - it's that it really cannot be ganranteed to provide sufficient protection to you uterus if you re already taking oestrogen. There is no standard nor trials to show what dose etc works and this is why the British Menopause Society does not recommend nor endorse its use in any way.

Not trying to be scare-mongering but just concerned on your behalf that you could experience problems with thickening of your uterus going down this route - but also this will be affected by the dose of oestorgen you are taking and also where you are in menopause to some extent.

If you are still ovulating regularly and on a low dose of oestrogen then it would be less of a concern as you would be producing your own progesterone.

Just trying to be helpful here. All the best

Hurdity x

[Lisa_Oz]

Thanks Hurdity.  I appreciate you making sure I’m aware of the safety issues. They are valid points.

I have done so much research and feel like this is the right route for me.  The oestrogen dose equates to less than 1 pump of Oestrogel.  I think I am a very slow metaboliser of meds. I believe I am still ovulating.  My period comes about every 23 days.

I will get scans often to check my uterus lining if this regimen works. The fact that so many women cannot tolerate the recommended dose of Utrogestan, yet no studies have been done to check efficacy of lower doses of progesterone (especially when only taking low doses of oestrogen) really upsets me. I worked in pharma for 15 years and while they have many positives, profit is always the goal. And I don’t see studies like you mentioned being done simply because the profit margin would not make it attractive. 

My doctor who has prescribed the medication works for the NHS as well and has expressed her frustration that there are not suitable alternatives for lowering the progesterone dose for women with increased sensitivity.

I was researching hysterectomy as another option because my depression and anxiety can reach dangerous levels. If this compounded cream works for me and I can avoid that, I will take steps to ensure I keep myself and my uterus well.

Today is a better day…not great, but one day I may get there again.

[Mary G]

Lisa, I don't know about the clinic you use but my clinic in London insisted on regular transvaginal scans and it was a condition for prescribing progesterone ie no scan, no prescription so the safety side of it was a non issue for me.  My clinic didn't like anything more than 4mm for women on a continuous combined regime. They also insisted on regular breast scans if they prescribed oestrogen.

My gynaecologist said that generally speaking, if you are using a continuous combined regime with inadequate progesterone you will bleed most of the time.   If you use oestrogen only and never take progesterone (which is not recommended obviously) then your womb lining will either build up to a dangerous level or once it gets too thick, it will break away and cause a very heavy bleed - I know mine does this if it goes beyond 8mm.

God knows why pharmaceutical companies don't produce progesterone at a 50mg dose, it's so shortsighted.  The doctor at my clinic also worked for the NHS and lamented the lack of choice.   

It's worth pointing out that the compounded hormone route is a last resort for women who literally can't use any of the branded progesterone products and like yourself, are on the verge of a hysterectomy.  It's by no means the first port of call for most women and most of us, myself included, would rather spare ourselves the expense and use a bog standard progesterone without having to endure life ruining side effects.  For that reason alone, compounded hormones should be viewed more sympathetically. 

For many of us the choice is stark, compounded progesterone or a hysterectomy which is major surgery.

I'm still trialling Darstin but I still don't know how well it's working but I'm happy to take the risk.   

I really hope it works out for you.

[Lisa_Oz]

Thanks Mary.

I have my period now and bleeding is light. Comparable to most months. My cycle has shortened to about 23 days lately. If my cycles stay similar and I don’t bleed more than normal do you know if that indicates my lining is shedding adequately?

Scans are mandatory for me before I can get repeat prescriptions but I wasn’t told I would need a breast scan. They did ask me when I had my last one which was this month. (Came back fine…thankfully)

I hope the Darstin works for you, too.

[Birdy in disguise]

Trying HRT again on a lowered dose of estogen (Estradot 25)
The utrogestan I wondered if you could chop the 100mg capsules in half and take anally.....

My doc prescribed 100mg daily orally or 100mg every other day vaginally (i found this better than oral but it changed the flora of vagina...which was weird).

I wonder if its the large amount at once that is causing the low heavy mood....

Has anyone tried half a tab anally .....?

[Dragonflytattoo]

Hi. I know last post was long ago but can someone help me please?
I'm on oestrogel 2 pumps, and utrogestan 100mg ,  I only tried one utrogestan vaginally and ended up calling an ambulance! I had such a major bad reaction to it. Within 30 mins i became a crazy woman,  wide awake for 24 hours, heart palpitations, chronic anxiety, worse than my usual anxiety.  I can't stop my gel cause it causes chronic migraines and other symptoms, sweating,  mood..  I'm on utrogestan because of a very high breast cancer risk, but I can't tolerate it at all. I don't know what to do.
 I booked a private meno specialist who has prescribed me oral estrogen and oral progesterone,  has anybody had this kind of HRT ?
My mental health is chronic too, I'm so scared of trying antidepressants due to being very sensitive to medication and a poor metaboliser.  I tried venlafaxine,  ended up in A&E,  tried Citalopram,  couldn't see and couldn't walk, super dizzy. Fluoxetine gave me horrendous headaches.
Dr just prescribed me Mirtazapine, I'm petrified of trying it.
I have every single horrendous physical symptom you can imagine,  hospitalised many times for them. Been to crisis team who are useless as I've wanted to not carry on anymore and they just tell you it all ok, take your medication!! So easy for them to say.
I'm absolutely desperate and perimenopause I know is making my anxiety disorder so much more debilitating.

Thanks