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[Goosieloosie]

Well i've decided I cannot take being on synthetic progestins any longer, I've had Evorel conti & now on Femseven conti (only for 3 weeks on the latter) and I was so bad tempered & tetchy this morning, I even wanted to rip the radio out of the wall cos it was playing an annoying song  ,plus I've had migraine the last 2 days which had settled down on Evorel. I don't want to give the Femseven any longer as I feel so not myself, like I am walking around with a big black umbrella above my head also I've discovered I'm allergic to the Femseven patch aswell, nasty rash where the last 2 have been. My stomach is also really bloated even though I've been eating healthy & trying hard to lose weight  . So I have made an appointment with my GP for next week and would like some advice on possibly trying utrogestan?? I am a migraine sufferer& would prefer not to have a bleed. I know there are different ways of taking this and wondered what would be best for me being a migraine sufferer? And vaginally or orally? I have read it can irritate your bladder if you use it vaginally and as I have a prolapse of the bladder i would be a bit sceptical?? 
I'm also a little bit nervous of asking my Dr for it as i know some can be awkward and she isn't the most knowledgable with HRT.
Also what oestrogen only patch would you suggest I ask for? I want to go into the surgery confident with what I want.
Thank you for any advice

[Hurdity]

I use Estradot 50 - very small patches so very little to irritate. Can't remember where you are in meno but as you've been given conti HRT I presume post-meno? It's difficult to say what to do. You may well find that natural progesterone as in Utrogestan does not give you a migraine so you may be fine taking it all the time orally. Why not try this to start with? Your doc should be able to find it as micronised progesterone (generic) if not as utrogestan. Print off the info from this site http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/to_progestogens.php . If you find after a few weeks you don't settle on it then you could revert to a cycle. Yoy might get the odd migraine - either on withdrawal or while you are taking it - but on the other hand you might not and you won't know until you try!

I take Utrogestan 200 mg vaginally x 12-13 days every two months - I am 62 and have been on HRT for 9 years almost. I do have to get up in the night while taking it (vag method) - otherwise I generally sleep through now (as very tired in mornings and sleep deeper).

Hope this helps

Hurdity x

[Mary G]

Goosie, so sorry to hear about the difficult time you are having.  I hope you will not be offended but I did laugh about you wanting to pull your radio out of the wall!

It sounds as though you have the same problem as me and many others on here and that is, you are intolerant to the dreaded synthetic progestins.  If they make you feel that bad and give you migraines for that length of time, then it's definitely time to change medication.

As always for people like us, I would recommend you ask your doctor for the oestrogen gel (highly effective and more flexible because you can adjust the dose) with a separate dose of Utrogestan.  I know many women like the patches but I didn't get on with them at all and they gave me an itchy rash too.  I would suggest you try taking the Utrogestan vaginally because it works more effectively when taken in that way because most of it reaches the womb and it also has fewer side effects like breast pain.  I take 100mg vaginally for 7 days each month as prescribed by Professor Studd for those who are severely intolerant to synthetic progestins.  If you don't get on with the vaginal method, you can always take it orally.

I would not know what to recommend dose wise for the gel because everyone absorbs it differently.  I absorb it too well and need to cut down (yet again) but I did not absorb the patches well at all so everyone is different.  Your doctor will probably start you off on the usual 2 pumps per day and then you can go on from there depending on how well it works. 

Don't forget to print off the new NICE guidelines and take them with you, it might help.

[Goosieloosie]

Thank you both, Hurdity I'm 54 & post meno, my periods had stopped 14 months before beginning HRT.
I will definitely print off the info & the Nice Guidelines before seeing my GP next week. I also know I won't be given gel on that visit as i asked her about that last time and she told me she "would have to ask" if I was interested in it.
What are the chances of me having breakthrough bleeding on Utrogestan?? As I have only just stopped bleeding after almost 2 weeks on Femseven and on & off on Evorel. What I mean is when you change to another conti regime does the whole breakthrough bleeding thing start from the beginning again ie: for up to 3 to 6 months or does it carry on from say your previous regime in that 3 to 6  months time frame...if you can follow what I mean??
And how do you insert the Utro vaginally as it won't come with anything to help this will it as it's not mean't to be used this way over here? 

[Sunnydays]

Hi Goosieloosie,
Thought I would add to your post as we're a similar age and post meno etc. I tried Femseven patches (straight on to full patch which was too much) and I stopped due to migraines. A little later I tried Evorel conti cut in half - I had no breakthrough bleeding but it made me feel like doing things worse than ripping the  radio out! In October I tried oestrogen only and within 48 hours of no Evorel it was just a feeling of relief. For the progesterone I tried Provera and didn't react too badly, but with the support of ladies on here, especially Hurdity and Mary G I decided to try 100mg Utrogestan vaginally. I'm on day 8 and so far, I've not had any side effects that I'm aware of; it hasn't even made me sleepier (which is a bit of a nuisance as that's my mine problem!). I use the inserter from my ovestin cream and it works fine. I can't say what I'll feel like when I stop in a few days time in terms of discomfort for the period bit but my experience so far has been really positive.
Hope this helps

[Mary G]

Goosie, I am also 54.  I never have breakthrough bleeding unless I try to go for the long cycle which I have now given up on completely.  Chances are, you won't have any breakthrough bleeding either.  I use an old Caneston applicator I got with some thrush cream and the Utrogestan ball fits nicely into that and I can insert it right up to the cervix. 

It's a pity your doctor won't prescribe the gel but you will have to use the patches instead.  Professor Studd is an expert on hormone related migraines and he always prescribes bio identical, transdermal oestrogen and 7 days of 100mg Utrogestan every month (the minimum) for women who have migraines.  You could even try printing off his recommendations from his website and taking them with you.  It's worth a try.

[Goosieloosie]

Thank you both of you once again for your advice.

Sunnydays...did you have any trouble asking for and getting the Utrogestan from your GP? I am working myself up into a frenzy incase she won't prescribe it  If she doesn't then I don't know what I'll do.....

Unfortunately I don't have any applicators that I could use to insert the Utro so any other ideas?? That's if I'm lucky enough to have it prescribed 

[Sunnydays]

Oh um I'm afraid to say they weren't prescribed - bought in Spain  . Before I'm lambasted by anyone for 'self prescribing' l was quite happy to proceed because hrt per se has been approved by my GP and I have the usual prescriptions for all the other hrt I use/have used. Once I'm quite certain it suits me I'll then go to the doctor and request it on prescription.

I do have an email that says about Utrogestan as an option from an email consultation I had with both Dr Currie and the British Meno Society so happy to PM the contents to you for you to take to GP.

Re the applicator - don't want to spend your money for you but is it worth buying a Caneston pack just to get the applicator? That was what I thought of doing before I realised the ovestin inserted is also a perfect fit!

[Goosieloosie]

Oh um I'm afraid to say they weren't prescribed - bought in Spain  . Before I'm lambasted by anyone for 'self prescribing' l was quite happy to proceed because hrt per se has been approved by my GP and I have the usual prescriptions for all the other hrt I use/have used. Once I'm quite certain it suits me I'll then go to the doctor and request it on prescription.

I do have an email that says about Utrogestan as an option from an email consultation I had with both Dr Currie and the British Meno Society so happy to PM the contents to you for you to take to GP.

Re the applicator - don't want to spend your money for you but is it worth buying a Caneston pack just to get the applicator? That was what I thought of doing before I realised the ovestin inserted is also a perfect fit!

Ah right ok I see, oh I hope my GP will prescribe  Yes Please if you could PM me the emails that would be very much appreciated, thank you  And that is a good idea to buy a Caneston pack just to get the applicator  I hope it goes well for you Sunnydays, I'm so hoping this will work for me too, I'm fed up feeling like this   

[Sunnydays]

I'll PM to you this weekend. Just to mention re purchasing from Spain - it is thru proper pharmacies who just happen to sell this item over the counter whereas we don't in the UK.
I hope I haven't spoken too soon about feeling tickety boo on the Utrogestan - I've had a dull headache this past 24 hours and feel particularly irritable. Could be due to a couple of other things but if it persists I'll stop at day 10.

[Trufflecat]

My GP hadn't heard of Utrogestan, which I asked for after the Evorel Sequi made me very depressed after 4 months of use. She couldn't find it under Utrogestan, but did by looking up micronised progesterone. It is not an expensive drug for the NHS to prescribe, so don't be fobbed off by that as an excuse.

[Hurdity]

What's all this talk about applicators?! You're a squeamish lot!! I've never been given anything to insert it with and until recently never even knew you could - and I've been using it for 4-5 years! I just poke it up as far as I can with my finger!!  It works!!!!!

Hurdity x