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[Kathleen]

Hello ladies, I wonder if anyone can answer a question for me? 

I have been using Utrogestan 100 since January, orally for quite a while and then vaginally. At the same time I was prescribed  Evorel patches 25 mcg. After a while I increased these to 50 mcg and about a month ago I started using 75 mcg. In spite of all this I still feel rotten most days.
 
I was wondering if over the last eight months I have been absorbing a steady amount of progesterone but never quite enough oestrogen to make me feel better.  I looked in my diary today and I see that I was experiencing the same problems in December last year as I am today, no real improvement at all. I have the nasty feeling that all I've succeeded in doing is increase the amount of progesterone in my body, which gives me pmt, without the benefit of enough oestrogen to make me feel better, or normal even.

My question is does this make any sense and if so should I try and increase the patch to 100 mcg and expect that to make a difference? I am nearly 58, post menopausal and still struggling with this whole meno business and I would love to hear any opinions you may have.

Wishing you all well.

K.
     

[CLKD]

I don't take HRT so would suggest having a private chat with a Pharmacist.  They have rooms so that they can talk through personal problems in most Chemists shops now.  Or speak with your prescribing practitioner?

I'm sure someone will be along soon!

[honeybun]

That would be a really high dose of oestrogen. At 58, with the cut off date of 60 approaching its usually a case of using the least amount you can.

Have you considered using an oestrogen gel rather than a patch. Perhaps using twice a day would give you the effect you are looking for. It's,easy to tweak the dose by trying differing amounts.

Might be worth a thought.

I am on half a patch of Evorel conti. I never feel great but better than I do when off completely. HRT for me has never been a magic cure but it does stop the flushes.


Honeyb
x

[Dana]

My suspicion would be the Utrogestan. I do not get on well with Utro at all. I used to, but over the last year or so the symptoms got worse and worse to the point where I was suffering for about 3 weeks every month. Could you try stopping the Utro for a while and see if that helps?

I have now switched to Medroxyprogesterone (on a cycle so far, but I will try continuous in a few months time). Co-incidentally, a friend of mine who lives in the US experienced exactly the same problem I did, and she has switched continuous medroxy and is also doing much better. Her ob/gyn told her that he had seen a lot of women who just could not tolerate the bioidentical prog.

It would be nice if we could all be bioidentical all the time, but sometimes that's just not in the cards for some of us. You end up using whatever works.

[Dancinggirl]

If you are taking Utrogestan continuously I believe it can make you feel tired all the time.  I have to say I would be concerned at using such a high level of oestrogen if you are post meno.
Hopefully Hurdity will be along soon as she is on the oestrogen Patch and Utrogestan regime and takes it on a long cycle to reduce the progesterone effects. I think (but I'm not certain) she is using 50 mg patches and every 6/7 weeks she takes  200mg Utrogestan for 10-12 days to induce a withdrawal bleed. However, this is not usually available under the NHS and she has a science background and her GP trust her to do the right thing.
I think on NHS guidelines you can simply go back to using this regime sequentially by using 200mg Utrogestan for 10-12 days per month. What Dana suggests sounds a good idea.
I hope others like Hurdity will be along with advice.  DG x

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies and thank you for your responses.

In an ideal world I would be one of those women who sails through the menopause and I wouldn't have considered HRT at all. In fact I held out against it as long as possible, going through really tough times because I kept hoping the nightmare would end and I'd come out the other side.
I do not want to increase my patch from 75 mcg to 100 mcg but I am still having hot flushes and night sweats and apparantly, if nothing else, they should have stopped with this HRT.

I will take on board all that's been said and as I'm seeing my GP next week I'll chat to him and pass on any information I get.

Once again thank you for your time ladies.

K.

[Rowan]

Some ladies do better on non bioidentical HRT its not a failing if you do just something to bear in mind Kathleen.