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[Diana]

Hi.I have been on Utro and 50mcg patch for sometime now and it suits me fine.I use a patch for 10 weeks then 200mg
Utro for 12 nights..

My daughter has been diagnosed with an early meno at 37 (same as me) she is on Utro 100 mg and 50mcg patch.She takes the Utro for 25 days .She has very bad anxieties and in my opinion, quite depressed.Does anyone know if Utro causes these symptoms please?
She has never felt depressed before.She suffered all symptoms of the meno for quite a while including cysts and heavy bleeding.
Would be grateful for any info.

Also,as she still had natural bleeds is it possible she could take Utro 200mg for 12 nights bi monthly?

Regards
Diana

[Hurdity]

Hi Diana

Sorry to hear about your daughter.

Several things - firstly in sensitive women Utrogestan is known to have a depressive effect - and this would be more likely to occur if she had bad pms for the whole of the second half of her menstrual cycle (suggesting progesterone intolerance) rather than just the usual pmt as the hormone levels drop.

Also our bodies are not designed to have high levels of progesterone continuously except when we are pregnant and at that young age I would want a reprieve from this. I have read that some of the beneficial effects of oestrogen are reduced in the presence of continuous progesterone. Maybe she was given utrogestan for that length of the cycle because of her heavy bleeds?

Also at that age that dose of oestrogen is very small! I am on that dose at 61! At her age I would want to be on the highest dose I could be, whilst acknowledging that progesterone is needed to keep the uterus lining thin.  Low oestrogen most definitely can and does cause low mood and depression in many women. However if she is still peri-menopausal and has some of her own oestrogen then the 50 mcg could just be a top-up.

Does she get a normal bleed on this regime? Personally I would look to increasing the oestrogen dose - initially up to 75 mcg and then trying to shorten the length of time she takes the Utrogestan, and then up to 100 mcg if she has none of her own r as she becomes post-menopausal. It is not possible to say if it's OK to take 200 mg Utrogestan on a bi-monthly cycle as this will depend on her own hormonal state and her body. Is she under a specialist gynae? Once you start tinkering with the dose and duration of utrogestan it is best to be under a specialist because the womb lining would need to be monitored regularly to guard against thickening.

I'm also interested to hear your long cycle regime and how long you've been on it/how far into menopause? I've had to shorten my cycle recently (from 2 months) sometimes as my bleeds are getting a bit heavier and I am a bit worried about enlarging the small fribroid that was found a couple of years ago. I am on same oestrogen dose as you and use utrogestan vaginally.

Hope this helps a little and sorry I can't help further

Hurdity x

[Diana]

Hi.So sorry have taken sooo long to reply..Internet
been down.
Thanks for reply...Daughter had heavy bleeds but much
better on hrt.I will let her know your suggestions and
see what Doc can do.

I had early meno at 38 and came off hrt because of all
the cancer scares...Had to go back on it a few years
ago because of the dreadful anxiety attacks as well as
the normal although severe symptoms of meno.
I have a patch only for 10 weeks then take 200mg
of Utro for 12 days.I bleed as regular as clockwork for
5 days but not heavy.I have felt so well and happy
on this regime,it suits me perfectly.
Hope this helps a little.

[SueRoe]

Hurdity - your comment about the beneficial effects of oestrogen being reduced by continuous progesterone strikes a chord with me - I've just stopped continuous utrogestan for an experimental fortnight but kept on with the 50mcg Evorel to see how I feel and the answer is much better mood, energy and sleep. It makes sense that if the progesterone acts in a "feedback" way then the level of oestrogen will drop continuously if progesterone is also taken continuously, doesn't it? - with all the attendant symptoms of low oestrogen. Maybe the best approach is either that of Diana, described earlier, unless the woman concerned is affected by oestrogen dominance/overload, or the traditional 2 weeks on/2 weeks off progesterone mimicking the natural cycle... I suspect GPs are learning about this as they go along just as we are.

[Kittyjay]

Hi - I read this with interest as I'm the opposite Freda- I started continuous utrogestan at the beginning of the year as I always felt so much better in the progesterone phase. I have personally found on continuous utrogestan my anxiety had diminished and i no longer suffer panic attacks- my mood is 100% lifted!
I guess this does prove that we are all different! X