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[alibeau]

Hello folks,

It's me again, I'm just feeling so confused as to what to try next, I thought I had a plan but feel like I am going mad with all the possibilities so please forgive me for starting a new thread but I am just trying to find some clarity and form a plan.

I've been on 3 pumps Oestrogel and 200mg oral Utrogestan 12 nights out of 28 for 4 months. I'm 49, been peri since 45 ish.

Now that I consult my notes I have been feeling groggy whilst on the utro BUT my nasty chest symptoms (thuds, palps, jitters, fizzing inside my limbs and chest) are completely alleviated, so I'll take the tiredness.

I increased the utro to 14 nights this month and so this extended my anxiety free period which was great but am I really happy feeling groggy all day?

The minute I stop the utro my nasty chest symptoms gradually increase along with feeling hot in the night (not a hot flush as such).

The last time I tried to increase my Oestrogel I immediately suffered with chest symptoms and so stopped after 4 days.  However I now realise that I tired this during my 'non utro' phase and so I now realise it might not have been the gel.

This is all getting me down, I can't bare the chest symptoms, I feel like I am going to die...

My plan was to try taking the utro for 25 nights out of 28, just 100mg and see how I get on.  Heather Currie says there is no harm in trying this, see how I get on, no harm will be done but I may experience break through bleeding?

Any feedback before I take the plunge?  On my current regime I am due to start my Utro on Sunday night, if I plan to switch, would I just start with 100mg at that point? or do two weeks of 200mg and then cut down to 100mg per night?

I am due to ring my GP surgery for a HRT review but the nurse is clueless and so I would just like to have a set plan in my mind before I speak to her.

Thanks so much.

Ali x

[CLKD]

Morning.  What's 2 lose?  Do U keep a mood/food/symptom diary?  Are U able to explain the 'chest symptoms' more clearly, is this anxiety surges?

I feel groggy due to busy, involved, long dreams.  Every morning.  I take until 11.00ish to 'come round', don't ask me to do anything sensible .  If I keep to routine, where I don't have to think about stuff, I sort of get by. 

I am on an AD at night and small amount at breakfast, they are known to cause dreaming.  I've been through stuff over the years which infiltrates my dreams, but it's better than being depressed.  Are U hydrated enough?

[alibeau]

Morning CLKD and thanks for your reply.

Yes after taking your advice I have kept a note of my symptoms and so this has helped me see a pattern.

When I stop the Utro, I feel a steady increase in chest symptoms (rib aches and pains, palpitations, thuds, flutters) along with a jittery feeling inside which I do think is rising anxiety levels. (Due to 'family history' I had an ECG and heart ultrasound in May last year and all was fine)....

And so yes, I guess I don't have anything to lose trying the new plan....

Thanks again 

Ali x

[Dotty]

Hi I would try taking the Utrogestan continuously.  There is no need to have a break. You can take it every night. x

[CLKD]

We are a Mine of info on here 

[alibeau]

Thanks Dotty... any advice on when to start with the Utro? ie on what day of my 'cycle'? Just trying to keep things on track and minimize the chance of breakthrough bleeding.... my 'bleeds' for the last couple of months have been very light..... I guess there is no way of knowing if I am still peri or not whilst on HRT?

I've just made an appointment for my HRT telephone review with the HRT Nurse.  As nice as she is, it's a bit of a joke really as last time I spoke to her she had to ask a GP to call me and then I ended up 'telling' the GP which regime I wanted.  Luckily I was given brilliant advice on here as to what to ask for and I had to tell her I wanted Utro as she was telling me I had to have a coil!?!?!?  So bit of a waste of time and money really!

I used to see a lovely GP who was pretty clued up on HRT but since Covid we've not been able to request to speak to or see a specific GP, pretty poor really....

Anyways, thank the lord for this forum and all you lovely ladies who take the time to advise 

Ali x

[alibeau]

We are a Mine of info on here 

 

[Dotty]

Hi I’m not sure but I think I would do the 2 weeks on 200mg and then start 100mg every night straight after the 200mg. X

[alibeau]

Hi I’m not sure but I think I would do the 2 weeks on 200mg and then start 100mg every night straight after the 200mg. X

Yes, this is what I thought, thanks so much.

Ali x

[pepperminty]

Hi Alibeau,

how did you get on with your trial of continuous utrogestan? I hope it worked for you.

PMX

[alibeau]

Hello Pepperminty,

Thank you for asking 

Just more confusion (but in a positive way).....

So I had not reached the point where I was going to implement the change. I just started on the utro phase on Sunday night and was going to switch to continuous after the 14 nights on utro, however.....

During my Oestrogel only fortnight, my palpitations settled a little as did my anxiety. I am now a couple of days into the utro phase and am not yet feeling wiped out....

So having formed a plan, I'm now confuzzled again.....

If this fortnight continues well on the utro I guess i will stick with 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off for now and see how it pans out.

I guess my own hormones must be doing something in the background?! Regardless, I am feeling generally better so will gratefully take it while it lasts and if things take a downward turn again I will try the continuous regime at that point!!!

Thanks again and hope you are keeping well.

Ali x

[pepperminty]

Hi alibeau,

I am so pleased that it has worked out for you. I believe you were on Femosten before. I am on that and  thinking of changing to your regime as mine does not seem to be working well at all - not like it used to. So well done you for taking the plunge. Do keep us all informed and I hope it continues to improve for you. Did you start on 3 pumps of estrogel, or have you slowly increased? It is a mine field isn't it?

Fingers crossed for you!

PMX

[alibeau]

Hi alibeau,

I am so pleased that it has worked out for you. I believe you were on Femosten before. I am on that and  thinking of changing to your regime as mine does not seem to be working well at all - not like it used to. So well done you for taking the plunge. Do keep us all informed and I hope it continues to improve for you. Did you start on 3 pumps of estrogel, or have you slowly increased? It is a mine field isn't it?

Fingers crossed for you!

PMX

Hey PM,

Yes I started on Femoston 1/10 a couple of years ago, then changed to 2/10 and then this new regime in Feb… I started on 2 pumps but if I remember rightly my symptoms came back quite quickly so I increased to 3 pumps, no slow increase….

My GP wanted me to use the gel and utro from the get go but I opted for Femoston.  It’s definitely easier to take a tablet but I am now getting used to hanging around for 5 mins whilst the gel dries!!

It’s just so tricky finding the right balance and even when you do, there’s no knowing how long it will last….. no easy answers I guess…. I definitely have less headaches and migraines since switching to gel/utro…

I’ll just try to enjoy this spell while it lasts!

You take care and best of luck if you also decide to take the plunge!

Ali x

[pepperminty]

Thanks Ali,

keep us all informed as to how you go. I hope onwards and upwards.

 

PMX

[alibeau]

Just a little update from me....

Following on from me looking at changing my current regime (3 pumps Oestrogel & 200mg oral Utrogestan 14 nights out of 28)....

I didn't ever get to the point of altering it.... is it possible that just two extra nights of Utro have settled me down (as I only did 12 nights for the first 3 months)?

I don't want to tempt fate but things have really settled down for me.... Last month my anxiety felt like it started to kick in when I finished my Utro phase but it didn't really amount to anything.  This month I finished my Utro phase over a week ago and again my anxiety has not kicked in at all!

I am just keeping absolutely everything crossed that things stay this settled as I am not feeling wiped on on the Utro phase either so pretty much all fabulous at the moment - talk about jinx myself 

So in a nutshell, I've been on this new regime for almost 6 months and having felt it really wasn't working well for me at about the 4 month point, things have really settled down nicely, just praying it continues..

Hope everyone else is also doing well.

Ali x