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[GJP]

I am 59 and have had a very late menopause. I have been started on Oestrogel 2 pumps in the morning and am on Utrogestan days 17-28, have just done the first round and finished  day 28 earlier this week so am off now until day 17 again. The primary reason for starting on HRT has been my insomnia, no problems with flushes or sweats. Since stopping the Utrogestan I am on 3 orally at night,( think normal dose is 1-2) haven't slept last few nights.  Can anyone tell me how long in their experience it takes to get some sleep? I have been waking nearly a year now 3-4 times per night and sometimes have no sleep at all. Usually awake by 5.30am and have tried varying bedtimes etc, I am very careful with sleep hygiene i.e no screens, tv etc. Any advice re sleeping and how long it takes for this to work would be welcomed. I felt very on the edge yesterday and am permanently exhausted.

[racjen]

Sorry GJP, I don't understand your post. You say you've stopped Utrogestan for this cycle, so what is it you're on 3 orally of now? Personally I found Utrogestan actually gave me insomnia, but we all react differently to these things. If your only symptom is insomnia and you're 59, what makes you think your insomnia is menopausal? - there could be many other causes, has your GP explored any other avenues?

[sheila99]

My insomnia took three months to go. I used to sleep like a log and now get disturbed more easily but it's possible that's age rather than meno related. If you think things are different when you're on utro it might be worth keeping a diary so you can check over time.

[Dotty]

Hi if you are post meno you can take the Utrogestan every day x

[GJP]

Sorry GJP, I don't understand your post. You say you've stopped Utrogestan for this cycle, so what is it you're on 3 orally of now? Personally I found Utrogestan actually gave me insomnia, but we all react differently to these things. If your only symptom is insomnia and you're 59, what makes you think your insomnia is menopausal? - there could be many other causes, has your GP explored any other avenues?

Thanks, to clarify I take Oestrogel 2 pumps every day and take the Utrogestan 3x100mgs on days 17-28 but then do not take days 1-17 which is what the Dr told me to do. The reason the Dr thinks it's menopausal as I had periods up until 9 months ago and was only waking once in the night before then,  I think that is why I can't take it every day at the moment as I am not a year yet without periods. I was sleeping much better when I was taking it so it may be my hormone levels adjusting, I have bloods for levels in a couple of weeks time

[GJP]

Thanks! only got another 9 weeks to go!

[Dotty]

You can take it every day even if you haven't gone a year without a period. Taking 3 a day is a huge dose which is probably making you feel exhausted .

[GJP]

You can take it every day even if you haven’t gone a year without a period. Taking 3 a day is a huge dose which is probably making you feel exhausted .

Thanks Dotty I will see my Dr next week and see if she will let me do that. I definitely slept better on it than with Oestrogel alone

[GJP]

three utrogestans is a  larger-than-standard dose for a start. I take 1 utrogestan 100 vaginally every night, continuously. I am post meno.

Progesterone is often used by the adrenal glands to make cortisol. I discovered this after suffering chronic insomnia for almost a year now.
It might be that your progesterone to oestrogen ratio is too high in favour of progesterone. I don't know but you are the only person I know who's been told to use three utrogestan pills per night.
Do you use utrogestan orally or vaginally?

Thanks Birdy, I take it orally. Are you sleeping with taking it continuously? The last 3 nights have been awful, awake so much and feeling dreadful in the day. I felt like I was running on Cortisol this morning! I am having bloods done the week after next to see what my levels of oestrogen and progesterone are. Think the Dr is planning to adjust accordingly.

My gut feel is that my Oestrogen is lots higher than my Progesterone, which means at the minute being off it is making my sleep worse.

Because I am not a year without periods and had bleeding I think that was why the Dr didn't want me to have it continuously?