Hi there Annieoj
(don't think I have already?)
Quite right Stellajane - you've remembered correctly!!!
Yes I've used Cyclogest in the past. When I first went onto HRT 11 years ago I tried evorel sequi patches for 3 months but the norethisterone did not agree with me so my wonderful female gynae specialist GP prescribed me Estradot patches with Cyclogest. This was before Utrogestan was available (at least not for HRT, if at all) so there was no licensed progesterone for HRT. I used this regime for 4 years quite happily (well sort of!).
She prescribed me 400 mg ie 2 x 200 mg pessaries/suppositories for 11 days per month (28 day cycle). I don't know where the dosage came from but it was/is used for fertility so I am guessing she made a calculation based on this. As they are waxy pessaries perhaps less is absorbed than with Utrogestan hence double the amount. However after about 3 years I stopped getting a withdrawal bleed so I imagine that was probably too much for a 28 days cycle with only 50 mcg oestrogen patch.
Without going into details I later changed to Utrogestan in autumn 2011 after a brief flirtation with a low dose conti regime (with Cyclogest every other day or maybe every third day) and then nothing for 3 months - and have been on it ever since.
Quite frankly I am surprised that a GP would prefer to prescribe a medication that is unlicensed for HRT over one that is licensed - as I said my GP only prescribed Cyclogest because Utro had not been invented. If your GP is not an expert gynae GP but prefers to use this rather than Utro then go with his suggestion. After all it is used vaginally ( or rectally) whereas vaginal use of utrogestan is also unlicensed for HRT in UK ( bizarrely - even though it gives better endometrial protection used like this). I suspect he got the dosage from the same dosage of utrogestan when used sequentially although they are not comparable as they are delivered and packaged differently (Utrogestan is micronised in suspension and Cyclogest is waxy pessary).
If you are peri-menopausal but haven't had a breakthrough bleed at all - then the norethisterone is successfully controlling your bleeding so you won't know whereabouts in your cycle you are. That being the case - yes, stop the norethsiterone for a fortnight - you may get a withdrawal bleed and then start the Utrogestan later, after a fortnight. You could actually take it every calendar month but it depends when you want to bleed - I used to time mine accordingly!
Hope this helps and let us know how you get on!
Hurdity x
