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[Blackcat11]

Just wondering if anyone can help..
I have been using Evorel Conti patches for nearly 2 years, all this time also taking the progesterone (desogestrel) pill daily. Thinking back, the menopause nurse who first prescribed this routine possibly did say that because I was 51 at the time, I should also take the desogestrel for contraceptive reasons. However I have been looking into this routine and I am considering that I may be having too much progesterone? Generally I feel rubbish, frequent VA flare ups and bladder issues, aching joints and poor sleep. Last year as part of investigations into the bladder issues I had a transvaginal scan which showed I was post menopausal and had atrophic ovaries...so just wondering should I now be stopping the daily progesterone and just using the patches?
Can you just stop the progesterone pill ( clearly with my atrophic ovaries I don't need it for contraception!) or would this be a gradual reduction to a stop?

Any help much appreciated.

[bombsh3ll]

If using it for contraception then yes as you are over 50 and apparently more than 12m postmenopausal then I would just quit the desogestrel.

You don't need to taper.

Your symptoms are probably more likely due to being on a very low dose of estradiol - the combi patch is only 50mcg.

If you don't want or cannot access a higher dose of systemic estrogen, then I would also think about treating the urogenital symptoms with topical estrogen.

In my opinion sending a postmenopausal woman with symptoms of GSM for invasive investigation rather than prescribing local estrogen in the first instance is poor practice, however at least you got a free check of your uterus and ovaries.

[Blackcat11]

Many thanks for the reply. This is really helpful. Much appreciated.

[sheila99]

Your symptoms sound more like low oestrogen to me too. Perhaps quit the pill first and if you still have symptoms see your gp and ask for a higher dose. VA will only get worse without treatment, either topical or more systemic oestrogen.