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[mummymouse]

Hello everybody,can you take just one utrogestan tablet for 12 days instead of 200mg as I am only been told to use one pump of estrogel.

[Hurdity]

Hi mummymouse

 

Your post got missed....

It is better always to start with the licensed dose of progesterone until you know how your womb lining responds both to the addition of oestrgoen as well as the progesterone and to see what bleeds you get.

Could you maybe tell us a little more about yourself ie how old you are, where you are in menopause re natural periods etc and what symptoms led you to want to start HRT ands then we might be able to help further?

Hurdity x

[mummymouse]

Hello, Thank you for your reply.
I started hrt on 28th january and am not sure why I have only been started on 1 pump of estrogel.
I am 49, last period was january 2018 (4 years). I have one gene for factor lieden v (my Mum has it too and had blood clots) I have been told by my gp for years that I can't have any hrt due to risk but recently they went to a training session and now said i can try it.
I was having very bad aches pains, sore lady bits, no good sleep, migranes, anxiety etc. I have been having a great night sleep over the last 12 days due to the utrogestan, my day flushes are less but still wake up all damp. I use the pessary estrodiol too as I was in so much pain I couldn't sit in comfort!

[Halls1973]

Hello mummymouse I’m 48 & a few months back I had a slight bleed after 17 months without a period. Thankfully after a small procedure everything came back clear but advised to take HRT. I have been taking 100mg of Utrogestan continuously for about 3 weeks & low dose vagirux as a pessary now twice weekly…..my symptoms are horrendous. I don’t know how much longer I can put up with the symptoms as I’m struggling at work. I’m not sure if the low dose would make you feel any better but would love to hear reviews from other post menopause ladies 😊

[mummymouse]

Hello Halls1973 Its so confusing, I wish I understood hrt better. I saw my gp today and said the utrogestan was helping me sleep  better as without it I only sleep about 4 hours. The gp said that was rubbish and its all in my mind. I am not allowed it continously as I am ''too young!'' but I have had no periods for over 4 years. I have osteopenina due to coeliacs and vitamin d deficiency and 2 pumps of estrogel is the best for bones but I am only allowed 1. So fustrating....

[Halls1973]

I too find I am sleeping slightly better with Utrogestan so it’s definitely not all on your mind 🙄 I believe it does have a sedative effect hence why best taken at night. Oh really interesting to hear you’re too young to take continuously I must enquire about that. I hope it all works out for you, it would just be lovely to feel some sort of normal again….good luck 😊

[mummymouse]

Good luck to you too x I am not why age has anything to do with continuous hrt, I think she was just fobbing me off! She will see me in 6 months time to review, then I will be 50 so maybe I will be old enough!

[Hurdity]

Hi mummymouse again

Your Gp is talking absolute rubbish and knows little about menopause!  Continuous combined HRT is for women who are at least 12 months following last natural period though if under 50 sometimes periods can resume if there has been ovarian failure early. Some women prefer to stay with a cycle ( at any age even when post-meno) so as to avoid being on progesterone continuously.

Yes if you have osteopenia you should at least be at the minimum dose to protect against osteoporosis especially as you experienced an early menopause at 45, which is two pumps. You could ask for blood tests to see what your oestrogen levels are - in relation to your osteopenia but in your position I would try another doc in the practice who has more knowledge of HRT. You should not need to have oestrogen levels measured in order to take the licensed osteo prevention dose.

If you increase the oestrogen dose then all the more reason to keep to the licensed progesterone dose too which would be 100 mg daily.

Another option is to write to Dr Currie ( founder/manager of this website) at a cost of £30 outlining your case and then take her response to your doc?

Do not wait 6 months! You are being failed here..... You need to catch up with strengthening your bones asap in my view....

All the best

Hurdity x

[mummymouse]

Thank you Hurdity for your great advice x
My gp is the one at my practice who is the 'specialist' in womens health and all the other doctors refer to her for advice! I asked for another pump of gel yesterday but she said due to my family history of blood clots (personally I have not had one) it was too risky. I said I had found out that the risk of clotting is low with transdermal estrogen but she does not like anyone contradicting her and was adamant. She has put my estrogel and utrogestan on repeat prescription with 1 bottle of estrogel (64 doses) and 60 utrogestan tablets to be prescribed every 2 months. I may try and request the meds more frequently and increase my own dose by upping to 2 pumps and carry on with the cyclical utrogestan for a while. I really wanted to take it daily as it just made me feel all dopey and I went straight off to sleep and I slept through for a solid 9 hours which is unheard of for me as I have been awake most of the night for the past 4 years! Infact 2 days after stopping the utrogestan I am back to not sleeping! She just said it was the estrogen that was the sleep helper not progesterone and it was ''all in my head''. There is no other gp practice in my area I can try so I am stuck there.  If I do get a letter from Dr Currie I fear this would put her back up further as she does not being contradicted. 

[Hurdity]

Hi there

Progesterone is known for its sedative effect! That is one of its properties. Some women find this beneficial although many find the other side effects detrimental ie brainfog, exhaustion, headache, lethargy etc.  Oestrogen does help sleep if it prevents flushes and sweats from causing women to wake.

Some women find they wake more with progesterone because it affects the bladder and also for some reason sometimes leads to vivid dreams!

This is so frustrating when GPs are not open to patients doing ther own research.....if you haven't had a blood clot yourself then I'm not sure why this is being used as a reason not to increase. Do you yourself have any high risk factors eg weight, BP, cardivascular problems etc? Do you know anything about your family history eg the age the fmily member had blood clots and anything about their own medical history and lifestyle ( I realise this may be sensitive so no need to reply - and apologies if so)?

Yes good idea to try to increase yourself - but do this grasudally if you can, to start with  if possible eg half a pump extra over a few weeks, and see how you feel.

Sorry I can't be of any further help but all the best anyway

Hurdity x

[mummymouse]

Hi again, sorry for late reply as not seen your message.
A bit more background...
I am 49 last period age 45. I have one gene (heterozgous) for factor leiden v & varicose veins (which started after pregnancy) so I wear compression stockings daily. I have a bmi bang in the middle of healthy range, non smoker. 3 units of alcohol a week. Migranes with aura that started in perimenopause age 41 (but not had any since started hrt though) I am a coeliac on gf diet, dairy intolerant with low vitamin d. I also have autoimmune thyroid disease and take 75mg of levothyroxine daily. I take vitamin d, magnesium and vitamin k2 for bone support as I have osteopenina. I try to consume plenty of calcium rich foods. I have low to normal blood pressure 105/59. My recent cholesterol test was normal.
My Mum had fvl too and had dvt's and pe's was over 60, overweight had had kidney cancer (which may have increased risk of clotting)
Her brother also had dvt's and pe was 50 very overweight, heavy drinking smoker.
My gp originally was going to put me on evorel sequi 50 but I asked for estrogel and utrogestan instead as it was gold standard for those with blood clotting risk. I think 1 pump of 0.06 estrogel daily is less than what is in evorel sequi so I am confused why I am only allowed one pump. I have today request a repeat prescription and asked if I can have 2 pumps for my bone health. If she says no then I will ask to be referred to a menopause clinic.
I understand that the gp is worried about the clotting risk but I have already been on the pill in my youth, lots of long flights and had 2 pregnancies and a serious road traffic accident that left me bed bound for weeks without any clotting...