Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Personal Experiences => Topic started by: KaraShannon on April 03, 2022, 09:57:21 PM
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Hi everyone
I may find myself changing from evorel sequi to continuous hrt soon. I'm a bit nervous about the utrogestan, as I can see that other than this the patch is one my body already 'knows.'
How have people found utrogestan? :)
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I think some people have to try a few different ways of accessing it but so far I have tolerated it fairly well as far as I can see. It's sort of hard to tell because the problems other people have, I might be having for different reasons - for example I am taking antibiotics at the moment and that is messing with my stomach. I have had depression since I was 13 and haven't noticed any worsening. In fact possibly a lessening!
I think I might have to wait until the second round to see how it really is. My main problem so far is making sure I have taken it on the right days, it took an awful lot of fiddling with my calendar on my phone before I got it right. I am easily confused with dates! If you're going to be taking it all month at least you won't have that headache.
I also took some comfort when I started the pills that at least the body 'knew' the substance from the combi patches I tried first. My skin had an allergic reaction to the glue (I think) else I would be on those since they were great.
Good luck!
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Hi Kara,
I found the utrogestin really hard to take at first but my consultant suggested I take it every 3 months and now I try to take it as long as possible 10 -14 days but I normally stop cause I get flu like symptoms or achey joints but I would say it is a little bit easier as time goes on.
Good luck x
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I have been on utrogestan now for about 9 months. Looking back, I had abdominal pain for probably the first 4 or 5 months but wasn’t sure if it was diet or HRT. I can now say was HRT, and most probably the utrogestan. However now I am fine with it and can generally not tell I’m taking it through the day.
That being said, I have just this week changed my timings, now taking both my sandrena (oestrogen) and utrogestan at night as this is suggested by the patient leaflet and also as my periods have still not settled into a routine. I think the result of this timing change is that I am now feeling more drowsy in the mornings.
I do however feel like I may need more oestrogen as I am starting to get hot flushes back again, and some other symptoms have not improved as much as I would like. I am on the lowest dose so do have room to manoeuvre upwards, just a bit anxious about doing so.
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I've been on Utrogestan for 2 months so far and pretty sure I'm Progestogen intolerant (tried Evorel Conti patch first).
6 weeks in I messaged my GP to ask if I could change the Utrogestan to "vaginally" and also switch from Oestrogen gel to patch..... couldn't even get a telephone appt for 3 weeks, so just did it, changed to vaginally (seen so many on here do it that I wasn't worried). My stomach is much happier, but still not right, feels a bit raw and acidy quite often. :-\
Will be speaking to the GP for my telephone appt on Thursday, so will ask for more advise and if she can't give it, I'll ask to see a specialist.
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Almost 8 months on it and it’s good for me. I bloat more on the Utrogestan days, and feel a bit tired for the first few days of that cycle but can’t say I’ve noticed any other issues. I take it for 2 weeks out of every 4.
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Hi Karashannon - I've been on it for 10 years or more. Taken on long cycle (but just shortening that a bit now temporarily)due to increase in womb lining thickness). 200 mg vaginally for 12 days per 6 week cycle (the 6 weeks includes the 12 days....)
I would never want to take it continuously and nor have I ever taken it orally. It makes me foggy headed and tired and often I get a migraine for 3 days at some point during the cycle and sometimes on withdrawal. Also I do get used to it though as well - get used to the tiredness. It often makes me need to get up in the night because it affects my bladder and gives rise to very vivid dreams.
Some women find they get return of night sweats and some low oestrogen symptoms during the days they take utro cyclically so slightly increase their dose during this time.
Any reason why you can't change to Evorel conti if you are happy on that and are just looking to change to conti hRT?
Hurdity x
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Thanks everyone, I am about to read all your responses, i forgot I'd posted this ;D
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Hi Karashannon - I've been on it for 10 years or more. Taken on long cycle (but just shortening that a bit now temporarily)due to increase in womb lining thickness). 200 mg vaginally for 12 days per 6 week cycle (the 6 weeks includes the 12 days....)
I would never want to take it continuously and nor have I ever taken it orally. It makes me foggy headed and tired and often I get a migraine for 3 days at some point during the cycle and sometimes on withdrawal. Also I do get used to it though as well - get used to the tiredness. It often makes me need to get up in the night because it affects my bladder and gives rise to very vivid dreams.
Some women find they get return of night sweats and some low oestrogen symptoms during the days they take utro cyclically so slightly increase their dose during this time.
Any reason why you can't change to Evorel conti if you are happy on that and are just looking to change to conti hRT?
Hurdity x
Thanks Hurdity. I don't really understand what Evorel Conti is?
So many different types. Is Evorel Conti a continuous HRT with both estradiol and progesterone in one patch?
I'm wondering if I need to be on continuous at all yet. I have been suffering with dizziness (but it could have been a labyrinthitis episode, it's worn off now after 9 weeks) and postural hypotension, but it's possibly worse during the progesterone phase. I'm not totally sure. So I thought I'd try continuous and didn't change to progesterone patch this week, kept on the estradiol. Seem to be feeling good on it, so tonight tried Utrogestan vaginally but half an hour afterwards I became asthmatic and bloated, like I'm retaining lots of water, etc. Weird how quickly it all happened, the asthma wore off a bit a little while ago. I'm thinking of just trying continuous estradiol for a few weeks on it's own. I know the risks but I think they are longer term and I need to work out first if the progesterone phase is causing me the dizziness and postural hypotension. Once I've worked out that, then I could tackle the Utrogestan again. I just feel like I'm muddying the waters if I'm having a reaction to the Utrogestan when I'm already trying to recover from other issues.
Sorry this is a ramble. It doesn't help that I can't seem to talk to the GP about it.
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I also took some comfort when I started the pills that at least the body 'knew' the substance from the combi patches I tried first. My skin had an allergic reaction to the glue (I think) else I would be on those since they were great.
Good luck!
Thanks Staticgirl
What combi patches did you have before?
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Hi Kara,
I found the utrogestin really hard to take at first but my consultant suggested I take it every 3 months and now I try to take it as long as possible 10 -14 days but I normally stop cause I get flu like symptoms or achey joints but I would say it is a little bit easier as time goes on.
Good luck x
Thanks, I'm beginning to wonder if progesterone in all it's forms has been the most difficult hormone for me all along, including my own for the last decade.
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Hi Kara. I may have misunderstood your post but if you got on well with Evorel Sequi then I would simply change to Evorel Conti if you are wanting to move to a continuous combined regime. Exactly the same progestogen so if you get on with that I’d stick with it!
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Hi Kara. I may have misunderstood your post but if you got on well with Evorel Sequi then I would simply change to Evorel Conti if you are wanting to move to a continuous combined regime. Exactly the same progestogen so if you get on with that I’d stick with it!
Thanks, I'll message the doctor tomorrow and ask about it. I'm not really sure why people go from cyclical to continuous (aside from preference), I was fine with cyclical but having pounding in the head on standing, (postural hypotension) and had 8 weeks of ringing in the ears and labyrinthitis, but was fine before. The doctor said it might be the progesterone phase, but why it would do that when it doesn't usually I don't know.
I might look into the conti though, perhaps that's the answer. Thanks
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I also took some comfort when I started the pills that at least the body 'knew' the substance from the combi patches I tried first. My skin had an allergic reaction to the glue (I think) else I would be on those since they were great.
Good luck!
Thanks Staticgirl
What combi patches did you have before?
Evorel Combi patches. They were great apart from the insane itching and the rash.
I've been on th epills now for a while. I got really confused taking the tablets so I started taking them from day 1 of the month to day 12 of the month after reading about that here and on the Balance app. So much more simple!
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I have been taking Utrogestan continuously (post Meno) for 7 months and have been feeling fine. I was so scared reading about possible side effects...
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Hi Stella2, that's good to hear - could I ask what type of Oestrogen you are using and how much? Sounds like it might be nicely balanced for you?
I was on Utrogestan for quite a long time (vaginally) but was feeling irritable/mood swings latterly so switched to Provera to see if any better but same thing is happening, plus tiredness. Wondering if I'm not balanced enough - currently taking 3 pumps of Oestrogel. Thanks x
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Hi CherryC,
I am on Estradot 75 + Utrogestan orally (continuous HRT). I cut a bit of the patch off so i think i am actually taking around 65. I have been on HRT for 7 months, started with 1mg Sandrena but had some night sweats so I was prescribed the patch 2 months ago. I think it is working quite well, although my breasts get tender sometimes, I thought this might be due to oestrogen so I decided to cut the patch and not to take the full amount. I think Estrodot 75 is equivalent to 3 pumps of oestrogel and 1,5 mg Sandrena.
I also feel tired at times and sometimes I feel a bit irritable and depressed but that might be because of stress, life etc...I used to get like that a lot before when I still had my periods. Generally I feel less tired than before the HRT. I don't know if HRT can help with everything... x
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Sorry CherryC, just thought to add that it seems that it takes time until things settle down after you change the prescription so it might be that these feelings and tiredness will settle down in few weeks. It is awful to feel this way but this might be just your body adjusting. It would be good to stay in touch with your menopause clinic. Xx
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Thank you Stella2, that is very helpful information. I too had been on Estradot patch 75mg but have recently switched to the gel (3 pumps currently) in case it was the Estradot causing my feelings, although more likely the Utrogestan. Nothing is perfect it seems, but I will continue on the Provera/Gel routine for a while and see if it settles down as you suggest.
One plus is I am sleeping very well!. Thanks again...x