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[Blue Kingfisher]

Hi everyone,

I'm new 

Through a very helpful response I received on my first post of yesterday, I now realise that I should be able to get what I need in terms of medication from the NHS. I'm 47 & perimenopausal.

This now leaves me wondering if Prof. Studd follows the same treatment routine (type of medication, application frequency, dose etc) for everyone (or at least in the first instance) or whether he offers tailored advice in accordance with medical history, age/stage, symptoms etc.

I can't help noticing that a fact sheet on this website suggests Utrogestan should be taken 15 - 26 days of your cycle whereas Prof Studd's website he mentions it might be best to take it for the first seven days of each calendar month....?

I'm just trying to decide if I should just try the patches & Utrogestan via my GP first ( I did not get on with the tablets at all, not least because I'm lactose intolerant!) & only be referred if things don't go very well OR whether to skip this part altogether & fast track to see Prof. Studd in the first instance. I'm obviously keen not to throw money away but I've been through a very tough time for the past 7 years with an awful, awful pregnancy followed by onset of Hashimotos Disease & multiple food intolerances, followed by perimenopause. It took my body many years to accept the thyroid medication so I became extremely ill when I was diagnosed.

I'd love to hear from anyone who has seen Prof. Studd so I can try & understand what the potential value/benefits might be.

Thanks everyone & all comments very welcome as I'm pretty clueless at this stage 

[dazned]

Its horses for courses on this one I think.

Some think hes great ,others find him abrupt to the point of rudeness.
As you said you can get what he perscribes from your gp anyway. I saw a local gyna who was great but hes now retired. But I still got my utrogeston and estrogen from the gp nhs.

[Mary G]

Welcome Blue Kingfisher, I am one of his patients and I would say that if you can afford it, then it would be worth ringing his office and booking an appointment - you can speak to one of his secretaries first to sound them out about cost etc and I think he sometimes does telephone consultations.  He specialises in PND, PMS and menopause so he may well be able to help you.  Of course you can get his preferred prescription of Oestrogel, Utrogestan and Testosterone from your GP on the NHS but the key to his success is the way be prescribes this regime.  Progesterone intolerant/sensitive women like myself cannot take large quantities of progesterone as prescribed by the NHS and he usually prescribes 100mg Utrogestan (used vaginally) for 7 days each month which is the only thing that makes it viable for me but you may well be different.  On a personal level, I have only met him a few times but I find him rather charming. 

I am sure that other members will be along shortly with names and details of other gynaecologists and hormone specialists that they have used who offer the same treatment. 

[Blue Kingfisher]

Thank you for your responses Dazned & Mary G.

Dazned - Thank you for the tip-off that some patients find him abrupt. I don't feel phased by this IF his treatment regime is potentially more 'gentle' or tailored than what I'd get on the NHS. I might change my mind about this of course if a few other members have any horror stories! 

Mary G - I think sounding things out via his secretaries would be a good idea. I presume he treats perimenopausal women as well as those in full menopause. I'm terrified of trying any other HRT to be honest as I'm one of those annoying people who are sensitive to a lot of things!  I can't tolerate the tablets due to the lactose & whatever else goes in them, I got on TERRIBLY with a bio-identical cream doctor who insisted I was oestrogen dominant & to stop being so silly & increase the cream. I felt so ill that in hind sight she was INCREDIBLY irresponsible at great cost to my health. It took MONTHS of misery to get the damn stuff out of my system! 

As I understand it now, those progesterone creams aren't the same as what I'd get on the NHS or via Prof. Studd but I'm now irrationally terrified of trying any progesterone as I know how bad it feels to have elevated levels of it in your blood stream. I never want to feel that ill again!

Mary G - do you mind me asking what stage you are at with regards to the menopause? You also say you've only seen him a few times which indicates to me his treatment plan is working for you. Do you feel the treatment has been tailored for you? Also, are you now getting the prescriptions on the NHS or obtaining them privately?

Sorry for so many questions Mary G, I'm just trying to get a handle on how it works in reality 

Thank you both again for responding, it is MASSIVELY appreciated & gives me hope. My symptoms are debilitating so I am unable to work but to my mind, IF (& IF remains the question) Prof. Studd was able to get me back on my feet more swiftly than the NHS then it would be money well spent. 

[Mary G]

Blue Kingfisher, no problem at all, I'm happy to answer questions!  Utrogestan is not the same as the progesterone cream you mentioned, it is micronized progesterone and is thought to be one of the better tolerated forms of progesterone especially when used vaginally which usually means fewer side effects because it is mostly localised.  I completely understand why you are nervous about trying different forms of progesterone, I was exactly the same having had so many problems in the past but this is something you can discuss with Professor Studd.  Some of the synthetic progesterone has a very long half life and you can feel the effects of it a long time after you stop taking it which is another plus with the Utrogestan but if you are intolerant, you still have to limit its use and this is something he will go through with you. 

If you are severely progesterone intolerant like me, you need to have maximum flexibility with a tailormade regime and Professor Studd can sit down with you and discuss your precise needs and run through various options.  He likes to work with Oestrogel because it is so flexible and you can easily adjust the dose e.g. you might need more at different times of the month and you can easily give yourself a booster if necessary.  You probably already know this but you simply rub it on your skin - I use 1 pump every 12 hours because I have to keep my oestrogen levels constant. 

Off the top of my head, several other MM members are patients, one is peri menopause and doing well now, another fairly new member managed to get her prescription on the NHS after Professor Studd wrote to her doctor which was really helpful and a third member recently had a successful telephone consultation with him. 

I have been a patient for about 3 years and had an initial consultation, then just follow up appointments but I have also liaised with him by phone and email when necessary.  I am 55 and post menopause and went to him out of sheer desperation after all else had failed!  I was plagued with silent migraines (migraine aura without headache) caused by synthetic progesterone and after 5 attacks in one day, I phoned his office while in the depths of despair and this voice at the other end of the phone finally helped me.  I had an emergency prescription because I was in such a bad way and the rest, as they say, is history.  I am now on Oestrogel/Utrogestan/Testosterone and apart from having to make several adjustments, it's all going well and I feel great.

I do hope this helps and please let us know how you get on. 

[Maryjane]

There is also Dr Tina Peers and Mr Nock Panay who follow Studds regime , both of these have excellent bad side manners.

I was seeing Dr Annie Evans who has now retired , so I am seeing Nick Panay in November a 6 month wait for a private appointment ( he is very popular) he was part of the 2015 NICE guidelines.

Peers and Panay work together at the Chelsea and Westminster menopause clinic 3 days a month, but the wait for there is about 12 months.

I have had to go private , as I am progesterone intolerant and only use utrogestin 7 days a month , and my GP / local NHS gynae just stay in there little box of prescribing , one size does not fit all.

I am 49 , and still peri.

From what I here Studd is like marmite.

[Freckles]

Hi Blue Kingfisher
I'm a new patient of Professor Studd's- saw him three months ago for the first time as I was badly neglected/ignored by my GP, who refused to prescribe me ANY HRT, saying that at 55 years old, I should be weaned off it and given antidepressants!
I wasn't prepared to spend the last third of my life feeling like a walking anxious zombie.
So there is no guarantee your GP will prescribe Studd's regime or in the right amounts and many won't prescribe Testim (testosterone gel) as it's not licensed for women in the UK.
I'd been so feeling awful on Femoston1/10 for years and had really low oestrogen levels and all the accompanying symptoms.
Saw Studd and I can honestly say it was the  best £300 I've ever spent. He was very charming and helpful and provides tailor made prescriptions, following obtaining your medical history. Like you, I have Hashimoto's disease.
I'm on the same regime as Mary G, and it's changed my life.
I was fortunate to get all of the regime prescribed by my rubbish GP on the NHS after Studd wrote to her
My symptoms of anxiety, low mood, etc have gone and I feel better now than I have for years.
The Utrogestan (progesterone) tablet regime (100mg for 7 days each month) works well for me and I have minimal side
effects as I take it vaginally. Certainly nowhere near the horrible symptoms I had when I was menstruating and I had PMS.
I'm due to see Studd in a couple of weeks for a routine 3 month check up following the initial assessment, then I think it's yearly after that. I got my first appointment three weeks after telephoning.
I endorse all Mary G has posted. I'd also suggest telephoning his clinic and speaking with his secretaries/nurses.
Good luck and let us know how you got on?

[Freckles]

I forgot to add that for the last few years I had recurrent aches and pain in my left hip.
My GP wasn't interested and just told me to find a osteopath via Yellow Pages (!)
I had a bone density scan at Studd's clinic  and I had osteopenia in my left hip (low bone density, a precursor to osteoporosis).
I'm now on prescribed Vit D and the Estrogel should help in the long term.
Point is I wouldn't have known about this on the NHS, nearly 100% certain I wouldn't have been given a bone scan.
The aches and pains are now gone, I'm pleased to report.
 

[Blue Kingfisher]

Thanks for all the helpful comments everyone. Nick Panay sounds great but with an energetic 6 year old at my heels & a seven month old doggie.....I really can't wait six months 

I will call Prof Studd's secretary tomorrow. Will start a new thread to let you all know how I get on! X

[Niamh]

I've posted on your other thread but I'm a big Studd fan and peri. I think he has a long wait too I saw him for a follow up a few weeks ago and he was booked until October/November I think. Call though and check, he is a bit marmite 😂but I've never found him rude. Hope my other reply helps X

[clare663]

Mary G I noticed that you said you are post meno and only use utrogestan for 7 days with the ostragel everyday. Do you get a bleed with this and do you have to have a scan to check the lining of your womb?

[Mary G]

clare663, yes, I am 55, post menopause and I do get a bleed with this regime but thankfully it is bearable bleed!  I always use Utrogestan vaginally and find it works much better at lining clearance when used in this way and it also has fewer side effects - when I took it orally I had breast pain.  I have a uterine scan at least once a year and my post bleed lining measurement was 2mm last time but it never goes much higher than 6mm and that is when I am just about to have a period. 

Obviously I can only give you my personal experience and I can't guarantee everyone will be the same but I really do think Utrogestan is far more effective when used vaginally. 

If you intend to take HRT for the long term, there is no point in taking too much Utrogestan for years on end so I would always advise women to do the 7 day regime and then have a scan to make sure it is working properly, it is the only way you will ever get your dose right, you can't guess and everyone is different. 

Hope that helps. 

[Blue Kingfisher]

Ok, I'm now desperate. I'm on day 6 of my period & I haven't been able to stay awake for more than a few hours at a time since day 4. I had my bloods done yesterday so will be interesting to see what those are - should have the results Thurs/Fri.

This is a question for anyone who has attended the Prof Studd clinic - how quickly can I get the creams prescribed following my appointment? My appointment is 2:30pm on 19 Aug which is a Friday......so will I come away with the creams from that appointment or will I need to put the prescription in to the chemist? If it's the chemist.....do they always have them in stock?

I'm panicking because we go away on holiday on 25th August & I may well have a period whilst we're away. This will basically mean I will spend the majority of our holiday in a hotel room asleep unless I can get something to prevent the bleed. I desperately don't want to have a period whilst we're away because I will ruin everything & feel extremely depressed as a result.

Any advice on obtaining the prescription?

[Freckles]

Don't worry Blue Kingfisher!
He will give you a private prescription for 3 months worth of HRT. There are a couple of dispensing chemists near to Studd's clinic who will dispense private prescriptions, about 5 /10 minutes walk away.
I got mine dispensed at Madesil Pharmacy 20 Marylebone High Street W1 , cost me about £70.00 from memory, and about a five minute walk from Wimpole Street.
Think the nurses at the clinic had recommended another pharmacy nearby  and said it would cost me about £90.00, but I couldn't find it and seemed to have a cheaper deal at the pharmacy I found.
Hope that helps.

[Niamh]

Yes agree don't worry he'll give you a prescription and you can get immediately. I go to the Welbeck pharmacy round the corner and they always have everything in. Good luck X