Hi and welcome to MM AJacynM
You are young, so you need HRT. I didn't get on with Utrogestan at all well particularly on a conti basis. Many do better with a sequential regime and use the Utrogestan vaginally to reduce side effects - I hint you can get away with using only 100mg vaginally as well as it is being delivered more directly to the uterus. Unfortunately I couldn't use Utrogestan vaginally as it irritated my urogenital atrophy(burning and soreness).
You should probably ask for a referral to a specialist gynaecologist or menopause clinic so you can be monitored better and they might let you try a longer cycle to reduce the progesterone side effects - although when I tried a longer cycle I got more cramps and erratic bleeding.
Prior to trying Utrogestan, I had the Mirena with Oestrogen, which I had found really quite good, so I would suggest you consider this. The Mirena has the same progesterone was the Femseven patches you tried and found OK (if only they had stuck!) - so I'm thinking the Mirena could be the answer to you problems??? The Mirena allows you to use oestrogen as pills, patch or gel and at any dose that you need to keep flushes etc under control - so in many ways it can work really well.
I am 62 now, had a premature menopause so tried just about every HRT going over 25 years of hormonal treatment. I never got on well with conti HRTs but through my 40s I had Oestrogel with separate progesterone for 10 days each month which was also ok at the time but it did mean monthly bleeds which gave me bad cramps. I got very little cramping with the Mirena and no bleeding after the first few weeks (apart from a bit of spotting now and again) over the 4 years I had it.
Here is the info on the Mirena:
Mirena is a levonorgestrel (type of progestogen) releasing system which sits inside the womb, gradually releasing the progestogen into the womb. It is licensed in the UK and Ireland as a contraceptive agent, for treatment of heavy periods and, from August 2004, also for the progestogen component of HRT. It can be used in both the perimenopause and postmenopause and it is particularly useful for:
Persistent progestogenic side effects from systemic HRT despite changes in type and route of progestogen.
When contraception is required along with HRT in the perimenopause.
When withdrawal bleeds on sequential HRT are heavy, after investigation if indicated. (see WHEN TO BE REFERRED )
With Mirena in place, systemic estrogen alone can be taken as the Mirena provides adequate protection of the womb lining and the estrogen dose and route can be tailored to meet the individual's needs.
Progestogenic absorption throughout the body is minimal so reducing progestogenic side effects. The effect of Mirena on the womb lining can significantly reduce bleeding and when used as part of an HRT regimen, in time, 30 to 60% of women have no bleeding at all. Although Mirena used for contraception is licensed for 5 years, the license for use for the progestogen part of HRT is currently 4 years.
No HRT will be prefect. Hope my thought are helpful. Dg x
