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[racjen]

I just thought it might be useful to someone out there to hear my experience with Provera. I'd been on Utrogestan, 100mg vaginally for 10 days every month alongside Evorel 100 patches, for at least a year. But always struggled to get thru the full 10 days - I think 8 was the most I ever managed, I found the insomnia and gradually worsening depression too much to cope with. Needless to say my GP was initially sceptical about me trying anything else, but I insisted I wanted to try Provera as I'd heard good things about it. After doing a bit of  research she agreed, and I'm now on Day 11 of oral Provera (10mg) with no sleep disturbance, no additional depression or any other side effects. Aiming for 14 days but we'll see. Just goes to show that body-identical isn't always best - Provera is synthentic, but a gynaecologist told me it was the gentlest of the progestins she'd recommend (by which she meant the most 'female'). Many women seem to have terrible struggles with Utrogestan but stick with it because it's body identical so it must be best....not necessarily so. Mind you, I haven't been thru the withdrawal bit yet, but synthetic progestins have a longer half-life than Utrogestan so that should make withdrawal easier, as it takes longer to leave the body. Am I right Hurdity, or have I completely misunderstood the science?

[jillydoll]

I used to have the depo Provera many moons ago, as I couldn't go on the pill, it gave me high blood pressure, so down to the clinic I'd go every 3 months to get my injection.
If it is the same thing, then I didn't have any trouble with it back then.
In hindsight, I did think I'd put weight on, but now think that was due to having 2 kids, and it took a little time to shift the weight.
I'm so glad you've found something that shows a hint of it working for you Racjen.
Hope it continues for you.....xx

[racjen]

Well that's just one bit of the jigsaw ie being able to tolerate progesterone at all. I still have the daily anxiety and fluctuating depression to deal with - no further forward with that unfortunately 

[Lanzalover]

Hi racjen

Thanks for the update pleased to hear it appears to suit you. Good luck.

Lanzalover x

[Karen max]

Hi
I've just started provera this mirning and I feel awful !!!!
Anxiety through the roof  heart feels like it's pumping out my chest , skin is burning , body feels on fire pains in tummy almost like diarrhoea cramps , have been doing fine on the eastrol gel

Don't know if it's just the start up effects or is this my body saying it can't handle provera ??


Kaz

[racjen]

Tbh I get that kind of feeling regardless of whether I'm taking progesterone or not, just really acute anxiety for several hours every morning. Have done for around 18 months now, since the first time I took Utrogestan, and nothing (change in progesterone, change in oestrogen dose, complete break from progesterone for 3 months, various ADs and other drugs) makes any difference at all. It's like something has been switched on in my brain which is causing the fight or flight reaction automatically, with no outside stimulus. And nobody can find the off switch. IT's horrible 

[Karen max]

I never suffered anxiety in my life until post menopause
I have been on antidepressants for yrs abd they do help me but on them for depression
My anxiety levels are just unreal last few yrs abd to be honest this was one of the reasons I am back onto hrt to see if I can lower the anxiety
I've been using the gel from start of April abd was feeling pretty well until today so I'm blaming the provera on it with out knowing for a fact that's what has kicked anxiety of again
I go on hols end of the month and I was really praying I would be feeling better but at this rate don't look like it
 Just a bloody awful long journey this menopause I thought after five yrs list meno I'd be starting to get over the worse of the bloody thing

Kaz x

[Lanzalover]

Karen max Like you I had never suffered from anxiety  until  post meno but since using gel and Provera it's disappeared don't know if it's the HRT or just that I'm further into my meno journey but in my mind it's the HRT and I don't intend stopping anytime soon.
While Provera is not perfect for me it's the best of a bad bunch and I think I've tried them all !
I do however take mine early evening after I've had my dinner perhaps you could try taking it then rather than in morning and hopefully you'll sleep through any side effects it's worth a try.
Good luck.

racjen
Well done you for getting to day 11 of Provera when I first started I could only get to day 10 and that was a struggle but Igradually managed over about 6 months to get to 14 days and now use it for 14 days every time I take it as it's important I take the full course as I use it long cycle.
Good luck and do let me know how you get on.

Lanzalover x

[Karen max]

Thank you
Hopeits just a side effect which only last few few days with me , its on my box of provera to take one tab every morning so I've already taken the pill now Z, but tomorrow I will defleave it to bedtime and give it a try
I think it's the hrt helping my anxiety also as I'm much better on the gel than I was when I wasn't taking hrt so definitely a good sign it's just this bloody pill getting through into the mix has knocked me into full anxiety again
Looking back when I started birth control pill I felt awful for first few months so guess it's just my body accepting the new hormones..

Took tablet around hour ago and the sickness is creeping back again

Kaz xx

[racjen]

Lanzalover, I'm interested to know what length of cycle you're on with Provera? I've decided to stop today at day 12 because the insomnia is creeping back in and I suspect my body is reaching max toleration level...

[Karen max]

Hi racjen
If it's any help my mixture of it is 12 days of provera along side 4 pumps of gel 2 pumps in morning 2 again at night
I don't feel to bad now after today's provera so praying it's starting to level itself out in my. System

I called hrt clinic today but no doctors to speak to me theyr phoning me back tomorrow so I will let yous know if anything changes

Kaz xx

[Hurdity]

Hi racjen - so pleased to hear you are feeling better on Provera.

In fact it is not the closest to progesterone but the closest one that is available separately. Dydrogesterone (which is the progestin part of Femoston but not available separately in UK - formerly here as Duphaston) is an analogue of progesterone and structurally very close. However Provera is also derived from progesterone and is apparently fairly close. If you look at the website here this is what it says:

"Progestogens which can be used cyclically are of 3 main types:

    Testosterone derived - Norgestrel, Norethisterone acetate and Levonorgestrel.
    Less testosterone related - Medroxyprogesterone acetate(MPA).
    Least testosterone related - Dydrogesterone and Micronised progesterone (Utrogestan)."

I'm not sure about the withdrawal - it depends how much  the side effects are due to systemic levels of the progestogen (as measured in the blood) or the changes that take place at metabolic and cellular level and how quickly these respond to falls in levels in the blood? Theoretically that sounds right to me ie a more gradual withdrawal - but not really sure!

What is best biologically ( ie prgoesterone itself) is not necessarily the one with fewer side effects! The reason progesterone may not suit women is becaused we have to take it in very large doses in order for sufficient to reach the womb. The ovary would be producing low quantities continuously - starting very low, reaching a peak and then declining gradually) which have less effect on most women during mensturation - although many women do experience some effects from their own progesterone ( eg bloating or tiredness) during the second half of the natural menstrual cycle.

Twelve days may well be sufficient to protect the womb and give you a good bleed - this is the usual recommended duration for most progestogens although seems to be 14 for Provera for some reason! Hope it continues to work for you.

Hurdity x

[racjen]

Thanks Hurdity, very interesting as always. I can only guess that the gynaecologist I mentioned meant that Provera was the gentlest progestin available separately - as I need a higher dose of estrogen than most combi products that would make sense. No idea where my GP got the 14 days a month of Provera from, but I'm going to try it for 12 days for a few months and see how I get on.

[Lanzalover]

Good morning racjen

Sorry missed your question below.
My GP had suggested Tridestra which gives you a withdrawal bleed every  three months as I had never heard of it I did a little bit of research but decided against it due to a couple of things
1) It was a tablet
2) There was one placebo week of pills i.e. no oestrogen or progesterone that week and didn't fancy a week of no oestrogen
There were probably other reasons as well which I can't rember now but they were the main ones.

On doing a bit of research I discovered there were a few posters on here who did a similar thing with either gel,patch or tablet and separate progesterone plus I know one other person not on the forum who uses progesterone on a long cycle.

For me I try to have a withdrawal bleed every other month it's not an exact length of time as I try to work the bleed around holidays and family events i.e. Weddings, christenings etc. So it can sometimes be longer or shorter.

I am in my 60's and we'll post meno (sorry don't know how you are are how far into meno you are)so wouldn't suggest you try this without speaking to your gynaecologist or GP first.

My GP said to take for 14days plus the treatment bar at the top of the page also says to use it for 14 days so I just go with that dose but as I said in an earlier post it took me a good few months before I could get to 14 days. As Hurdity has said 12 days may be enough to protect your womb perhaps you could also ask your gynaecologist/ GP about this as I would be interested in the reply I just feel that as I'm using it long cycle I should take it for 14 days unfortunately my GP has just retired so can't ask her and I get the impression the other younger GP's aren't very HRT friendly so I'm not going to rock the boat. I'll just keep filling in the repeat scripts and keeping my fingers crossed they continue to be issued without any problems.

Hope this helps
Lanzalover x

[Ladybt28]

Just to throw in and confirm if we didn't already know this  that we are all so different - last year out of the 5 hrt's  I was given I did 3 months on tridestra - ok first month/2nd month not so good and by the end of it - complete mess, no improvement whatsoever and last August they gave me provera 5mg on continuous alongside Premarin and to be honest the Provera is the absolute worst stuff I have ever taken in my hrt journey!  Don't know if it was because the dose was continuous and I would be the same on utrogestan if  I were to take that continuously, but I was permanently as you describe KarenMax, pretty much from day 1 for 6 weeks until the ladies here said "stop immediately" which I did and and moved to gel & utro which now suits fine.

I really hope it settles for you Karen.  You probably have seen from my posts that it has taken a long time - it will be a year in August - to get my hrt regime to work and then to stay working.  I could have easily given up but I wasn't prepared to and I'm glad I didn't.  You may have seen a post about me being put on Sertraline on 5th April - well that's another story for another post - can't take them, side affects too awful to tolerate so after one month they are now gone but they worked quick which is unusual and I felt better in the first 2 weeks (when they should take a minimum of a month  huh how did that work?  anyway...)before the side affects took hold big time.  The most interesting one which was back (I've had it before but wasnt aware it was associated with the AD's and lack of testosterone for me!) was I couldn't find my words to talk properly - mega scary!  Jeeze - just when you think you cant learn anymore along comes something else you find out about your body!! - which I might add is going to be totally different to what everyone else finds out about their bodies Ahhhhgh!