I’m hoping someone can advise me please. I’ve looked through other posts but can’t find the answer.
I’ve been on Sandrena for over 3 years, initially at 0.5mg and Utrogestan 100mg for 10 days per month (tried both orally and vaginally). I was peri at the time. I found back then that Utrogestan made me have rages and crying episodes so I took it sporadically. My periods were becoming less frequent over time, so I’d have a light period every 3-4 months. My initial meno symptoms started to come back after a couple of years, so on the advice of a private menopause dr I gradually increased my Sandrena. I’ve been on 2mg for about a year. Last summer I was given a different progesterone (Cyclogest) to try in place of the Utrogestan due to the way it made me feel. For the first 3 weeks taking Cyclogest vaginally I felt great on it. But I made a major mistake, I decided to use it rectally because I was waking up each morning to a greasy mess taking it vaginally. I had a very severe adverse reaction to it rectally and had a rash on my face, neck and chest, was sweating profusely all the time, felt fluey, and very breathless which lasted for a couple of months after I stopped it. I immediately stopped it and then a few days later tried to go back to using it vaginally but I had the same adverse reaction. A couple of weeks later I tried again, same thing. After a few more weeks I decided to try Utrogestan again. I had the same adverse reaction to that too! I was told by the dr to stop it completely for 3 months to give my body time to readjust and try again.
My hair, lashes and brow hairs started falling out around this time which the dr linked to the adverse reaction being a severe shock to my body. After the 3 month break I was given a new progesterone try, Lutigest. I didn’t feel good on it but managed to take it for a month but it gave me such a severe cough I became incontinent, so was told to stop it. I was given an ultimatum - have a Mirena coil which I’ve never wanted, have a hysterectomy or come off HRT all together. I didn’t want a hysterectomy as I have a healthy womb and I don’t think I could cope without my HRT. So I booked in to have a Mirena fitted privately but I was very concerned about the idea of having something implanted in me that I could possibly have an adverse reaction to. In the end I got Covid a few days before my fitting and had to cancel.
Up until last November I hadn’t had a period for 360 days but then I started bleeding and since then I’ve barely stopped. I assumed it was due to unopposed oestrogen, as we were still trying to find something I could tolerate. After the Covid in February the next period I had was the period from hell. I literally bled for 2 whole weeks very heavily with big clots and severe cramps which I had to take painkillers for every few hours (totally unlike me). Fast forward to now, I had a last ditched attempt to try Utrogestan again and decided this time to try it orally instead of vaginally. And great news I am able to tolerate it with no side effects much to my surprise and delight. But I’m still bleeding, constantly. The dr I am under from the Newson Clinic recommended doubling my dose to a continuous 200mg per day which I’ve been taking for 3 weeks (5 weeks in total that I’ve been on Utrogestan). I feel surprisingly great on it but for the continuous bleeding which alternates between dark with lots of small bits of tissue, to bright red blood. It’s not what I would call heavy but gets heavier some days than others. I’m not cramping but I am feeling really sick of bleeding every day. The dr didn’t seem to be too concerned and just said it can take 3-6 months to settle. I’ve been taking an iron supplement for the past 3 months as I was feeling so lethargic, which has been helping. Btw I’ve also been on Androfeme daily for about 9 months.
I’ve tried cutting my Sandrena to 1.5mg but this has made no difference to the bleeding but I had a return of aching feet, hot flushes and night sweats. So I think it’s safe to say 2mg seems to be the correct dose for me. The dr from Newson said if after a few months on 200mg continuously I am still bleeding I should change to sequential as I’m probably not post meno yet. I’m 52 and after going 360 days period free up until last November I thought I was done with them. Should I be concerned? Do I need more progesterone than 200mg daily? Is it ever prescribed higher than that? Should I ask for some tranexamic acid to stop the bleeding? Any advice would be much appreciated.
