Can I reduce the amount of days I take progesterone on HRT

Great! thank manuela for your reply. I will make an appointment with my gp today

Hi Manuela,  my GP has talked my out of the Utrogestan supposotories, she said that they are very messy.   I have agreed to have the Mirena Coil fitted instead. I hope I am doing the right thing.

Hi I had the coil fitted about a month ago and really suits me and a much safer way to have progesterone as the dose is so low so much more unlikely to have side effects 

Hi Wendy, thank you for the update. I am a bit dubious about having the coil as I have now discovered that I am Progesterone intolerant, it is giving me very bad anxiety and awful headaches.  Some Progesterone intolerant woman have reported having  a bad reaction to the coil.  I wanted to try the progesterone taken vaginally but it isn't licenced for menopause in the UK, I found out from my GP yesterday.

It's taken me since last July to get my HRT right and I think for lots of women it's trail and error until you get one that suits  so it maybe that you have to try a few methods before you find the one that suits !!  For me life without HRT was unbearable so I'm just relieved this method suits as the thought of not being able to take it doesn't bare thinking about. I hope this works for you 

I have been trying to get mine right for 2 years :-(

Have you read the website of prof John Studd? It is very interesting. He mentions that in some cases progesterone is only needed 7 days of the month.

This is what Pat11500 sent me from the website.....

The problem with bioidentical hormones comes with the progestogen components. The much heralded expensive progesterone cream available on the internet with exaggerated claims of increase in bone density and improvement of depression, hot flushes, sweats, etc is in fact virtually ineffective as it is hardly absorbed. My team have spent more than £100,000 studying this preparation over the last few years and it has no effect whatsoever on bone density, no effect upon mood and no effect upon the symptoms of flushes, sweats and headaches which are the common symptoms of the menopause. It might have a tranquilising and sedating effect if it is absorbed. These results have been published in Menopause International (Benster et al)

It is therefore necessary to give an effective progesterone/progestogen to protect the lining of the womb in patients receiving oestrogens. Most gynaecologists would use a synthetic progesterone such as Norethisterone or Medroyxprogesterone which certainly protects the uterus and produces regular scanty periods. Unfortunately, it often reproduces PMS symptoms in those women who are progesterone intolerant and therefore there is a move to use a more natural progesterone such as Utrogestan 100 mgs for 7 days of each calendar month. This is in contrast to the orthodox management of 14 days of progestogen a month because of the frequent problems of depression, breast discomfort and loss of energy that occurs with a longer course of progestogen in those women with PMS and progestogen intolerance.

The best method of taking bioidentical hormones would in my view be Oestrogel 2-3 measures daily with the possible addition of transdermal testosterone gel and then Utrogestan 100 mgs daily for the first 7 days of each calendar month. This would bring about a regular scanty bleed on about the 10th day of each calendar month. You will find more details of this treatment for menopausal symptoms, hormone responsive depression and osteoporosis in this web site but please remember that it is not a recent American discovery. That would be too much to bear!

.........the comments on progesterone are very interesting.

Hi Maisie,  

This is such wonderful news.  Whilst on 200mg of Utrogestan I have started suffering with constant anxiety and very painful headaches that your normal Paracetamol and Ibuprofen when taken together don't even touch!   I have reduced my Utrogestan from 200 to 100mg and this has cut the symptoms by half, which I can cope with.  I have been advised that taking Utrogestan vaginally cuts out even more symptoms, but my GP told me that it is not given for Menopause as it is not licenced in the uk, bummer!  I saw yesterday that it costs £300 to see Professor Studd.  I am toying with the thought of going to see him. x

I forgot to say, a huge thank you to you Maisie for this information x

You are very welcome, it's a pleasure to pass on information I have found useful. This forum has helped me so much so any time I feel I can help others I will do.

If the evorel conti patches I'm on don't settle soon, (I'm spotting red blood every two weeks, it trickles out of me), I too am contemplating getting in touch with Professor Studd. My female GP seems clueless on hrt. She let me chose my own! x

 

I too contacted professor Studd his secutery was very helpful and ran through all the costs with me and it was very costly by the time you have paid for blood tests and the treatment it's such a shame that our own GP seem to be so clueless on menopause and HRT and we feel we have to result to paying out to solve such a debilitating time of our life's 

Hi Wendy, I have now learned that I am Progesterone intolerant and have been all my menstrual cycle life.  I wished a doctor had told me this many years ago but even now after finding out whilst menopausal, it is nearly impossible to get the right treatment.  You are lucky the coil works for you, it will be my last port of call before paying out to see Professor Studd.  A friend has kindly sent me 2 boxes of Cyclogest Supposortories, I will try these and see how I get on. x

I received 2 boxes of Cyclogest suppositories today. Wil let you know how I get on with them.  And then, if I do get on with them, where will I get them from next time????

I feel really lucky that the coil seems to suit me after what has been an awful year after going into surgical menopause,

I really hope you find a treatment that works for you as the menopause really is an awful time for lots of us so when you find something that works it feels like a miracle .

good luck & take care x

Thank you Wendy.

I will let you know how it goes.

You take good care x

Oo that's exciting, yes let us know how you get on. Hope it's all good x