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[Dancinggirl]

Hi everyone - there is so much discussion about Utrogestan that I thought it would be beneficial if we shared our experiences of using this type progesterone.
Hailed by many as the wonder progesterone, it does bring it's side effects and down sides.
We must not ignore the growing evidence that Utrogestan is possibly the safest form of progesterone - often described as 'breast friendly' - but it clearly does not suit everyone.

Examples of the various aspects that I feel we should discuss are:

Some find it can give a strong sedative effect.
Some feel very chilled and calm.
Others get real depressive episodes and bad PMT.
Some use it vaginally while others, like me, find it gives more side effects using it that way.
Problematic/erratic spotting and bleeding are quite common when using Utrogestan.

Do share how you use Utrogestan -  what do you feel are the benefits and downsides?
What side effects do you get - be they good or bad?
Have you tried Utrogestan and simply had to change to a different type of progesterone - if so why?
DG xxx

[Tinkerbell]

I was prescribed Utrogestan 100mg every night, I chose to use it vaginally.
First 3 days in the morning I felt , not spaced out, but a bit like I wasn't quite with it. It also made me feel bloated but that went by day four.

But the nights were awful, I felt wired up and when I did sleep I had several very vivid frightening bright coloured dreams that woke me up every time. I also had terrible night sweats and felt like I had a temperature.
It also made me need to get up for a wee at least twice a night, this disappeard as soon as I stopped the Utrogestan and I sleep right through the night again.
After so little sleep that I found it difficult and dangerous to function during the day I gave up after 8 days.

I am having a Mirena fitted today, but am worried I may have side effects with that!

[Dancinggirl]

Thank you Tinkerbell - the Mirena is a good option - so much less hassle and a good likelihood of no bleeds at all after the first few weeks.  I had a Mirena in my mid 50s and did quite well with it - I did feel a bit sedated at first as I think there was an initial boost of progesterone but this wasn't as bad as the sleepiness one gets with Utro - this slight sedative effect from the Mirena settled down and seemed better once the spotting had stopped.
I am persevering with the Utro regime because of my age - I'm 60 now - but I wouldn't rule out having another Mirena. Keep us posted.  Dg x

[Tinkerbell]

Thank you for posting that, I have read so many negative reviews on the Mirena that I am worried if I have made the right decision. But I so want to restart my Estradot patch as it stopped the awful palpitations I get at night.

[peri]

I can't take utrogestan orally it makes me feel awful. Vaginally it is fine, it makes me feel really chilled, in fact it's often the best part of the cycle for me,  I can tolerate approx 10/12 days and then suddenly I feel terrible and have to stop.  Then it takes a couple/3 days to come out of my system which are my worst days.  So it's about finding a balance that works for each of us individually.  Only other downsides are it makes my bladder sensitive so have to wee a lot when I'm taking it.  Hope this helps x

[Niamh]

I am severely intolerant to progesterone and lasted 48 hours with a mirena in. I see Studd so  I use it for 7 days vaginally 100 mg I can't tolerate it orally it instantly brings back horrific pmt, insomnia etc if I use vaginally it's bearable until day 5 then the rot sets in and 6 and 7 are awful, can't sleep, anxiety, depression etc pretty much as soon as I stop taking it I feel better. I never sleep that well on it lots of waking and exhausting dreams and I feel pretty low from day 1, very tired and often nauseous on day 1 and 2. I bleed about 4 days later for 3/4 days and it's a good bleed. No other issues after this. For me it's the best of a bad bunch and far better than all my previous issues

[Kate50]

I dont know what to think of it. Thought it was ok at first, good sleep  calmer nicer to husband!  But as it built up just felt sluggish bloated sleep not as good and ready to stop it. Very bad headaches on it which I've not recovered from.  Today am having third day of migraine with numbness and aura!  Hardly bled. The biggest plus for me was the VA it disappeared while taking it and now its back? ?
It has knocked my oestrogen off and it has took nearly 3 week's to build up again, so had rubbish sleep.   When I Tried other progesterones I only had then for a couple days cos I couldn't take them but they made me bleed for a week heavily.  So not sure what I'm gonna do next time.  I certainly won't be doing it this month!  Took it orally tried vaginally cos of headache and I just peed all day.

[Dancinggirl]

Good feedback on your experiences with Utro so far - so thank you ladies.
It is really highlighting who different we all are and respond differently to the various HRTs and particularly progesterone.

I find the oral route best - when I use Utro vaginally I get terrible burning around my vaginal area and urethra.  My bladder is also effected and I get lower stomach cramps. I wake several times to pee in the night and about 4 am feel very odd, dizzy etc. so my sleep is really disturbed.  If I take it orally I sleep better, sometimes feel a bit tired first thing but the big difference for me is the feeling of wellbeing I get when I take Utro orally - I feel almost euphoric.  When I use it vaginally I feel really 'out of sorts' and uncomfortable!!!

I'm trying the standard sequential regime with just one pump of oestrogel daily with 200mg of Utro for 12 days each month to see if this works for me.  Previously I tried gel+Utro as a long sequi cycle and then continuously and both these regimes gave me problematic bleeding and spotting.  Dg x

[Clovie]

I'm 52, peri and  use utrogestan 200mg, orally.
I'm badly progesterone intolerant and was put on utrogestan after being prescribed several synthetic progs - which all caused me horrific PMS type symptoms.

I've recently changed my HRT regimen but I had been on it for about 2 years and the effects it had on me were a mixture - the first few days it made me feel calm and serene, and I slept well on it, but after about 5/6 days I started to get PMS symptoms, but not as bad as the synthetics by a long way, but still awful...so much so I only used it every 2 or 3 months instead of monthly, it was that dreaded and unbearable! It was necessary for my quality of life.

I've recently changed and upped my oestrogen element of HRT to estrogel from tablet form, as I was in a real state mood wise , with awful anxiety and moods. I now use 3 pumps of estrogel and I feel fine!!
I was obviously needing more oestrogen.
The even better news is that (so far!) when I use the utrogestan I don't get the horrible mood dips! I still get the chilled out feeling but the mood dip is barely perceivable!

Early days but so far, so good.... *crosses fingers*

[andius]

I have never taken it vaginally and am afraid to try due to ongoing VA/bladder issues. From what I have read, the blood levels obtained vaginally are higher than those when taken orally because you are bypassing the liver (which breaks it down much faster if you take it orally). During the breakdown of progesterone a metabolite is made which causes the sedative effect obtained more commonly during oral dosing. I currently use 50mg patch.

With 100 orally every night since last August, I feel relaxed most of the time, can sleep all night with no waking, it opposes some of the estrogen side effects and makes my urine somewhat concentrated. I do not seem to have withdrawal symptoms but it does seem to build up at the end of the month causing headaches and more VA symptoms, so I stop using it for 4 days at the end of the month which relieves symptoms. After starting back on it, I using get a nasty deep seated pimple somewhere on my face. Trace blood in urine which only shows up on tests. No withdrawal bleed. Itching all over (mild) when exposure to heat or anything that makes me sweat towards the end of the month before the 4 day break. Some carb cravings. Last 3 mo have not needed local estrogen.

With 200 orally every night, I have headaches all the time, dizziness, feel bloated and gain weight with carb cravings, breasts hurt, still no sleep problems, my bladder burns all the time and my vaginal/vulvar skin burns after urinating every time despite systemic AND local estrogen. My urine turns very dark and I have blood in my urine. I have terrific heartburn and feel out of sorts all the time. No withdrawal bleed. Bad acne on bum (mostly) and face. Terrible itching all over body anytime I get upset, get exposed to sun, sweat for any reason including exercise or take a hot shower. This doesn't go away until I flush with cold water or sit in front of a fan and cool down. Elevation of testosterone level which baffles my doctors as they don't know why, but my research has shown that it seems possible through the body's manufacture of steroids pathway.

I really wish they made it in a smaller dose than 100mg. I really think that is the answer for postmeno women using lower estrogen doses. I would like to take low dose estrogen without it, but doc won't let me. My doc says cycling can slightly increase endometrial cancer risk vs. continuous dose due to constant restimulation and sloughing and would prefer I don't do it at my age/post meno status. I don't know if that is correct as so many of you use it that way. But, who wants to be having periods in 70's/80s? I am not worried about breast cancer for some reason but just have never been concerned.

I might consider asking the doc about the low dose estrogen patch of 14 mg (menostar) used only for osteoporosis that doesn't require taking a progesterone derivative. Anyone tried it?? Of course I would still need local estrogen then probably. Maybe another option would be Osphena???  I don't have the hot flashes anymore and retired in December so don't have to have the estrogen for foggy brain at work anymore, thank goodness!

[Spangles]

Hi
I've used it for a couple of years now. It's not perfect but it is the best I've used so I'll stick with it.
I used to take it orally but it made me so nauseous that I couldn't eat, then I started to use it vaginally. This has got rid of the nausea but I'm never off the toilet as it makes my bladder overactive. So it's dependent on the individual I think.
I do get more pain using it and the PMT is awful too, I've always had a bad PMT so I can't blame it on the utrogestan completely. I just could not tolerate other synthetic progesterones, I was ripping my hair oh with the way they made me feel. So like I said before it's not perfect but it is better.
Shellb
xXx

[englishrose]

I am on two pumps oetrogel and 100 utro for 7 days. I have had 2 cycles and have not had a bleed.  going for a scan today.  I dont feel any different on utro

[Night_Owl]

Something I read recently which others may or may not be aware of - and that is progesterone acts as a DIURETIC - hence the increased urination.

[Dancinggirl]

Night-Owl - that actually makes sense re progesterone being a diuretic.   A common symptom in early pregnancy  is frequent urination and I think this is due to the big burst of progesterone one gets in the first trimester. DG x

[Meeka]

I am on two pumps oetrogel and 100 utro for 7 days. I have had 2 cycles and have not had a bleed.  going for a scan today.  I dont feel any different on utro

Hope everything goes well with the scan......do you mind me asking where you had it done?
Many thanks.