Hi sheila99
You didn't get a response here but however....yes it is body identical but the reason many women react to it when taken (exogenously) as part of HRT as opposed to their own (endogenous) ovarian production is that the ovaries pump it out steadily and slowly at the amount needed and gradually builds up to the maximum whereas with HRT you have to take it all at once once a day. It is broken down very quickly in the body so you have to take it in large enough quantities to ensure there is always enough to get to where it is needed ie the uterus. Taken vaginally although it is more effective at protecting the uterus lining, women actually achieve (on average) a higher systemic (ie blood serum) level than when taken orally when much gets lost to digestion and metabolism by the liver.
I used to use the 200 mg capsules when they were produced for HRT ( exactly the same as the infertility vag ones!) and when I changed to the 100 mg ones I haven't noticed much of a difference - although, as I am on a 6-8 week cycle I can never remember exactly and also my response to the stuff does seem to vary - I have no idea why - but I think others find this too - just like with any HRT. After all we are not machines working exactly the same all the time...
I never split the doses - I would worry about the tiny balls falling out - after all there is nothing to keep them in place unlike vagifem and if you had a few children - well you're not excatly tight up there
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In a way I do take a lower dose on a sequi cycle- because I take the same amount vaginally (200 mg x 12 days) which is normal for a 4 week cycle when taken orally - because there is research (somewhere!) which showed you could take on average half the amount vaginally to give the same effect as an oral dose ie 200 mg orally = 100 mg vaginally - on average - this may not be exactly like this for you! This must be done under medical supervision though to monitor the womb lining. Mine has been thickened but I think that is because of the timing of the scan - my last scan was 10 days after start of bleed and was 7. something - if I'd had it done a few days earlier - the best time - it would have been better and would have shown if the utro was doing its job.
My (NHS) GP gives me norethisterone every now and again (supposedly once a year) to "strip" the lining just in case. I haven't taken this for a few years but will try to do so next cycle!
Bleeding on Day 11? Either your lining has thickened or as you say because you are in peri you ovulated at a different time so had an early bleed and you are producing a lot of prog too.
Hope this helps and it sorts itself out!
Hurdity x
