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[Cassie]

Hi ladies, I may have raised this subject before but I cannot remember, with my meno brain!
I am wondering what those ladies do that want to take  HRT into their 70's and later if they have an intact uterus and do not want to be on continous Progesterone?
My question is, apart from the inconvenience of still having monthly bleeds in your old age, is there a risk attached to this?
Is there a particular age where one is advised to go onto continuous progesterone?
I dread this as I do not enjoy the 12 days that I use the Utrogestan for various reasons.

[Cassie]

Any ladies over 60 or 70 using Progesterone cyclically still?

[Ayesha]

Hi Cassie, I can't help you with your question but a lot of members might be on holiday that could help, perhaps someone will come along later to answer your question.

[sheila99]

I intend to stay on cyclical too for the same reason. I believe you're at slightly higher risk but I prefer to take the risk than to be permenantly dopey. I think hurdity is the wrong side of 65 and still on this regime, I'm early 60s. I suppose another option would be a combined patch just as long you don't need a higher/lower dose of oestrogen (which I do).

[AlfieBo]

Hi please see my post under post meno yesterday. I started the esoril just a small bit last night. But along with dryness I've got hot flushes back along with foggy brain weepy and anxiety. Last period 9 years ago. Following traumatic widowhood 5 years ago all symptoms disappeared now they seem to be back. Any ideas what to take Gp just ox the esoril cream overctge phone but no advice re other symptoms. Feel like having 2nd menopause with no hubby to lean on

[Cassie]

Tx Sheila will hang around see if any other ladies respond.

[Hurdity]

I think hurdity is the wrong side of 65 .....

  How very dare you! 

Indeed I am...

Hi ladies, I may have raised this subject before but I cannot remember, with my meno brain!
I am wondering what those ladies do that want to take  HRT into their 70's and later if they have an intact uterus and do not want to be on continous Progesterone?
My question is, apart from the inconvenience of still having monthly bleeds in your old age, is there a risk attached to this?
Is there a particular age where one is advised to go onto continuous progesterone?
I dread this as I do not enjoy the 12 days that I use the Utrogestan for various reasons.

Well Cassie, as I often say, I am no lady but a woman through and through!

However here I am very much the "wrong side of 65" (!!!!) taking a course of Utrogestan and as usual, hating it. I do worry about the effect on my uterus and especially as I have been on a longer cycle and my womb lining was too thick post-last ( very unwelcome) bleed and I haven't been to doc to see if has thinned down.

As far as I understand it the risk of continuing with cyclical progesterone is of endometrial cancer though theoretically it is very straightforward to monitor this as there is a direct causal effect between increased, oestrogen leading to thicker lining leading to endometrial cancer - as a potential risk. Unfortunately as this is not monitored on NHS except in the case of abnormal bleeding then it does mean that women who opt to do this really should have an annual scan - privately and this costs money that not everyone can afford.

There are also risks associated with continuous progesterone - which is possibly an increased risk of breast cancer but this is by no means clear cut, and using natural progesterone (bio-identical like Utrogestan)  should help to reduce this risk.

I haven't decided if/when to stop or if/when to try continuous prog but judging by how I feel today, I don't relish the thought of Utro every day not to mention the effect on my bladder and nocturnal loo visits....

The only thing I could maybe do is gradually cut down the oestrogen dose ( currently on about 62.5 mcg) so that I can more safely increase the cycle length again - but it's not easy is it, and having a bleed at this age is the pits   

Hurdity x

[Cassie]

Aah, thankyou Hurdity. How many pumps do you use, tried to work it out according to your 62.5mcg but am hopeless.
How much Utro are you using and how often? So we will have to check in with you from time to time to hear if you are still cycling along once you hit 70.
I have a way to go still but it does worry me as I really dont want to have to stop. My gynae told me when I was last there a good while back, he has ladies well into their 70s and 80s on HRT but perhaps he was referring to a conti type dosage.

[Cassie]

Ok I have worked out that I take 1 pump of gel a day and according to the label that is delivering 0.75mcg does that make sense Hurdity? That sounds like you are taking less than 1 pump a day unless my calculations are skewed which is probably more the case 

[Hurdity]

Hi Cassie

I have always (apart from brief try at Sandrena)  used patches so difficult to make a comparison. In fact the total amount of oestrogen in the patches and gel are not comparable due to variability in absorption. So 62.5 mcg patch is classed as medium dose and I think 2 pumps are also classed as this - but it really does depend on how you absorb the oestrogen using the different methods because the dosages are averages for a population of women rather than what is the case for one individual.

So for you - depending on what you use now - if you want to use less then just try to reduce the number of pumps you apply and if you are able to do this half a pump at a time then great.

Utrogestan I was on a 6 week cycle but my lining was thickened at last scan so I have reduced to 5 weeks, and keep meaning to check in with GP to see if they will scan me as I don't want to have to pay again and should not need to. When on Utro I take 12 x 200 mg vaginally though when I did a 4 week cycle last time I stopped at 10 days as a one off. I hate the stuff!

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

Hurdity: not to mention the effect on my bladder and nocturnal loo visits..  U may have mentioned previously,  do you use VA treatment to ease those symptoms?