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[CarolynBurn]

Hi, I'm Carolyn, and I could do with some advice. Went to the Docs finally after several years of feeling like an alien had taken over my body (!) .... I'm sure many of you will understand what I mean...I did a lot of research and wanted Bioidentical HRT, which my Doc has prescribed. I have been given Sandrena 0.5mg gel sachets, and Utrogestan 100mg capsules. My question is, I am supposed to start the Utrogestan on day 15 of my cycle, and as I seem to be oestrogen dominant, should I start the Sandrena straight away (which I suspect will just give me even more oestrogen and worsen my symptoms) or should I wait until day 15 and start the two treatments together? I have another week until day 15. Confused!!!!

[CLKD]

 

[Hurdity]

Hi CarolynBurn

 

Great that your doc has prescribed you bio-identical HRT - good to hear positive stories of the medical profession being receptive to patient's wishes and being up to date too.

Who said you were oestrogen dominant? I'm not sure what you mean by this? Have you been skipping periods and then having heavy ones - meaning you might have had cycles without ovulation? This does happen during peri-menopause although the concept of "oestrogen dominance" is not really the best way to describe it.  There's a great article about perimenopause here which explains it all much better than I can! http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/article-perils-of-the-perimenopause.php

Regaridng starting the progesterone part of HRT - yes that's right you should start the whole HRT with oestrogen only on Day 1 of your cycle which is the first day of your proper bleed. The aim is for the added progesterone to tie in with when your body is producing its own progesterone after ovulation, and then it acts on the uterus lining. If you haven't had a bleed for several months then you can start it when you like as you won't know unless you've been counting still.

In any case it's usually best to start with oestrogen only because you will only be introducing one extra hormone at a time so you should be able to distinguish between any side effects caused by one or the other. Also progesterone converts the lining that has been built up due to oestrogen only into what is known as "secretory" lining - and then this is what is shed when you stop the progesterone. Unless your doc has advised you that your lining has built up due to anovulatory cycles and maybe you've missed a few periods - and those that you've had are heavy - I would start with the oestrogen only.

If you have a week until Day 15 then you could just start the oestrogen only now and start the utrogestan on day 15 as planned. I presume you are counting Day 15 from an actual period or have you missed periods but still been counting as if you were?

Hope that doesn't sound confusing - I think I've confused myself 

Hurdity x

[CarolynBurn]

Thank you Hurdity, that's really helpful. All the advice surrounding menopause can be so confusing, plus I'm so fuzzy minded most of the time which doesn't help. Really just hope that the treatment works, as I'm so bloody fed up.
Am also a bit concerned having read lots of posts here,am out whether being on Utrogestan will make my chronic headaches and migraines worse....ditto my ever expanding and painful boobs. I guess it's different for everyone, but after feeling so hideous for so long, I'm just desperate for something to work.

[butterfly286]

Hi , I'm a new member also I have been per-meno from age 42, I'm now 48! I ended up with severe meno episode that I ended up having 3 months of work , GP kept telling me it was viral until I insisted I had my FSh tested so commenced citalapram & everol sequi , I stopped citalapram after a yr was ok on patches until I started experiencing migraines & Brest tenderness, GP changed me to Femston, I have been on it since Feb, now all my meno symptoms are full blown! Paid to see a specialist she has suggested Sandrena Gel 1g & utogestron 200mg befour my period- problem is I'm a nurse & work nights so this could make me feel sleepy all my alternative is marina coil & Sandrena , very reluctant to have coil! Feel absolutely desperate now as to what to do any advice please!!!

[Justjules]

Hi Butterfly, welcome to the forum. You may be better starting a new thread of your own as sometimes people respond to one a few times and a new member can get lost in that thread. 

[butterfly286]

Ok will do thank you