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[Blue Kingfisher]

Hi everyone,

I'll try & keep this short despite it feeling very complicated!

I've been on oestrogel 5 pumps & 7 days 200mg Utrogestan (vaginally) for a couple of years now. It's always been a game of 2 half's for me. From day 5 - 15 of my cycle I feel terrible & the rest is OK.

I'm under the Studd clinic & their first thoughts were my oestrogen needs to be higher & that's why I feel so bad at that time. So I increased to 6 pumps, it made the symptoms worse (crashing fatigue after application) so today I called the clinic as now I am signed off sick & too I'll to work.

They are now suggesting I try a combi approach whereby I reduce my eostrogel to 4 pumps daily and take 100mg Utrogestan vaginally every day. They are now wondering if the reason I feel so bad on days 5-15 is because the oestrogen is unapposed to progesterone. They say this is rare with their patients & most have problems tolerating progesterone but combi dosing does work for some of their patients.

I'm torn because something has to change as I can't go on like this but also terrified the progesterone will make me feel awful I.e. I'll switch from having half a month of being operational to completely unemployable!

Has anyone else made this kind of switch?

I feel at my best in the second half of the month when typically progesterone is climbing & also when I'm on 200mg Utrogestan so the theory makes sense but I've been caught out by logical sounding theories many times & paid a high price! I'm worried being on 100mg constantly will make me feel drugged up. Having said that, I feel pretty shocking at the moment on the current 7 days pg régieme!

If this doesn't work, I think I will have to give up my job which I can't afford to do. What a nightmare!!

Any advice appreciated 

[Blue Kingfisher]

Sorry, I should probably also add that I've just turned 50, have no idea where I am in the menopause but presumably the gynaecologist thinks I'm quite far along if he's recommended continuous combined HRT.....

I guess just using progesterone for 14 days (think this is called ‘sequential' HRT?) this wouldn't address the fact I feel terrible once progesterone has left my body until it kicks in again (around day 15 of cycle).

[Blue Kingfisher]

Tuna is Stella Jane, it's nice to hear some possibly encouraging news even though it's an unknown event!

The gyne has actually recommended I use the tablet version of Utrogestan (the oral tablets) but use them vaginally. This seems strange to me & I did check that he didn't mean the pessary version but he doesn't, he was quite specific. He said they find that they seem to work better for their patients....?

Anyone any ideas on this one?

[Jasmine_2015]

I am on 4 pumps of gel and was trying to take 100mg Utro daily. I couldn't cope with that at all to be honest but made the decision myself to take it every other day vaginally and so far that definitely works better for me. It's an off license dose though. Best of luck with whatever you try!

[Blue Kingfisher]

Thanks Jasmine, that's really interesting you dose progesterone every other day.....does this give you break thru bleeding?

[Jasmine_2015]

Well I've only been doing it about two weeks so far but no break through bleeding as yet (touch wood!)

[Elmsey]

I am on 4 pumps of gel and was trying to take 100mg Utro daily. I couldn't cope with that at all to be honest but made the decision myself to take it every other day vaginally and so far that definitely works better for me. It's an off license dose though. Best of luck with whatever you try!

Following this as I am struggling on 3 pumps and 100mg daily - erratic moods and very tender breasts, water retention etc.   Do you take 200mg every other day?

[Jasmine_2015]

Elmsey, I am taking 100mg every other day, not 200. It's just what I am trialling but I haven't yet checked it with my consultant who I am seeing next month so please not it's not the usual recommended dose! Good luck in finding a regime that helps you.