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[Mogster71]

Morning

This is my first cycle on Estraderm patches (MX50) with Utrogestan for last 12 days of the month. I was previously on Femiston 1/10 for 3 months, but although the first couple of months seemed to make me feel better, the 3rd month was awful in terms of headaches (my main symptom anyway) and so when I changed doctors in January he suggested I move over to patches. Due to the shortage there was nothing suitable in a combined format, as I don't tolerate norethisterone very well.

Whilst it is lovely not having to remember to take a tablet, even though its no big deal, I'm feeling drier again downstairs and my headaches aren't improving. My last period, from the Femiston phase and for the first week of my patches, was shorter but my goodness, the mood and headache was awful. Talk about road rage!! The narky phase lasted about 2 days.

I'm now about a week and a half into the patches, so the end of the coming week will be going on to the Utrogestan and I'm frankly dreading it. If I take it orally I will have to have it in the mornings as there's no other time I've got an empty stomach, and if I take it vaginally I'm worried it will kill any spontaneity!!

Last night I was watching TV with OH and all of a sudden the old chest palpitations and flutters started. I haven't had those for months, before the Femiston. Do you think it's possibly a dosage issue? I had in my head that maybe the 1mg of Femiston wasn't strong enough the last month, but when I read the leaflet for the Estraderm it has 1.5mg of oestrodial in it, so I'm taking more than I was in the tablet? Is it different transdermally?

Hoping someone can advise that's maybe moved from pills to patches - I only really moved to try and get rid of the headaches but I'm prepared to go back to the sequi pills if it isn't doing me any favours. I know it's early doors yet but you tend to know how you feel..

Sad Mogster 

[Hurdity]

Sorry I can't advise on the pills to patches as I've never takne pills but just to say there is aqute a difference in how women absorb oestrogen from the differetn methods and equivalnets are only approximate. Stricly speaking Femoston 1 mg is low dose and 50 mcg patch is medium - but doesn't necessarily mean that it will be like this for you. Also the total amount of estradiol on a patch is just that. The dose is given by the release amount per day wso 50 mcg patch means 50 mcg per day of estradiol goes into your bloodstream. With tablets much is lost in digestion and metabolism by the liver.

Give it a little while yet... but if you continue to get sdie effects which don;t settle then maybe you need a higher ( or lower!) dose?? Tricky eh?

Re the utrogestan - I wouldn't worry about an empty stomach - it doesn't say that. It just says don;t take with food. The product info says this: 

"Method of Administration:

Oral

Utrogestan 100mg Capsules should not be taken with food and should be taken at bedtime.

Concomitant food ingestion increases the bioavailability of micronized progesterone."

The side effects will be less if taken at bedtime because peak levels will occur while you are asleep.

Good luck and hope it all settles down for you

Hurdity x

[Mogster71]

Hello Hurdity

Thank you for stopping by, I hoped someone with loads of knowledge would be about early!!  I'm definitely feeling different with the patches than I was with the pills, and not in a good way. I have also had poor sleep and been more anxious this time too. I thought with the dryness and the palpitations that it may have meant not enough oestrogen but perhaps it's too much instead? The first time I had Femiston they prescribed 2mg which was too strong.

Thanks again, I'll talk to the doctor. You're right, it is very tricky!!x

[Sammiejane]

utrogestan should be taken 2 hours after food or 60 mins before food

[Hurdity]

Hello Hurdity

Thank you for stopping by, I hoped someone with loads of knowledge would be about early!!  I'm definitely feeling different with the patches than I was with the pills, and not in a good way. I have also had poor sleep and been more anxious this time too. I thought with the dryness and the palpitations that it may have meant not enough oestrogen but perhaps it's too much instead? The first time I had Femiston they prescribed 2mg which was too strong.

Thanks again, I'll talk to the doctor. You're right, it is very tricky!!x

Yes sorry - I'm posting in way too much of a hurry these days! Yes if you have vaginal dryness especially that points to insufficient oestrogen - although strange that for you this follows going from on average a low to a medium dose - but do give it time. Also if you have  any dryness do use some local oestrogen too eg vagifem or estriol cream...

I posted the product info about utrogestan in my previous post below - so you will be fine at bedtime whether or not your stomach is empty - because it is unlikely to be (empty!) whatever time you eat in the evening - like it says - absorption may be interested if your stomach is fuller so potentially more side effects from systemic absorption. Conversely some women (on here) have reported more gastric problems from oral ingestion when stomach is actually empty (eg like when taking ibuprofen on an empty stomach).

I do hope someone comes along who has made this transition - to reassure you - but of course we are very individual in how we respond!

All the best

Hurdity x

[Mogster71]

Morning Hurdity

Thank you for coming back to me again. I am close to tears as I type this as I feel totally and utterly crap today

Really restless in the night, palpitations, my head is fizzing, my foof is dry. Regular doc appointment not available until 25 Feb, which will be when I would need to start a new cycle of something. I phoned today and have a phone appointment tomorrow morning thankfully. How I feel today is like jacking the whole lot in, to be honest, bizarrely my symptoms now are how I felt before I went on to HRT (other than the palpitations which I got for the first time with norethisterone). Would it be reasonable to assume that some people don't get on with patches? I know they seem to be the holy grail in terms of stability and accurate dosing. Am going to ask him to check my thyroid levels too, as these were questionable about 18 months ago. My last bloods were May 2019. In September 2018 they were considering thyroxine.

Sorry for whinging, it's really thrown me off kilter after feeling relatively balanced for a few months. Am now wondering whether I actually want this, or whether I'm just scared that if I don't have it now I will suffer later on, if that makes sense! I know the earlier you start it, the better the benefits.

Mog x

[Mogster71]

I spoke to my new GP this morning, he's so helpful. He is happy for me to drop the dose down from an Estraderm MX50 to a MX25 and they are on order with the dispensary to arrive tomorrow

His advice in the meantime as it's patch change day tomorrow, is to cut one of the 50's in half. If this doesn't remedy things then we will look again, hopefully there will be a few more options come the end of Feb when things start coming back into stock, but I expect it will be a while yet.

It's just nice to have someone on your side for a change!