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

Women's health
1

Hi all, 

I am 52 and perimenopausal. I have been on HRT for the last year.  I do not get on with Progesterone. I have tried Provera and am now on my first month of Utrogestan 100.  I take this alongside Oestrodose which I am currently on 3 pumps.  Both Progesterone supplements make me suffer with fatigue, not good when I run a dog business on my own.  Any advice would be kindly welcome.

2

hi maxine, I am waiting to have a merina coil fitted as this gives progesterone to the uterus only where it's needed and doesn't go through your system.  Then you have have whatever form of oestrogen you prefer.  This might be the answer for you

3

Great thank you. I will look into that.

4

There is a new (to my country) 'body identical ' ( not bio identical like from compounding pharmacists) progesterone pessary....you stick in your woohoo or swallow it apparently....maybe you wouldn't react to that as much?? (As compared to synthetic progestin?)

Also what about splitting the dose up, instead of one big hit???

5

hi.  Do you know the name of this, this sounds interesting.  could you private message the name of it because they won't let you do it on the forum.  sounds better than Mirena coil?!  thnks

6

You can use the Utrogestan vaginally also wink they're soft gelatin capsules. I only use it vaginally as orally I fall a sleep pretty much straight away and I get mood swings

7

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

8

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.

9

Hi Metamorphed,  my gp has talked me into having the Mirena Coil too.  How are you getting on with it?

10

Hi maxine,  I have not had it fitted yet.  I had to wait to see if I had a period as it is easily to fit during.  Looks like this is happening shortly, as I have all the feelings that it's about to start, so they'll do it next week.  So, not looking forward to the fitting but from talking to other ladies, it seems to do the trick for the progesterone part.  I will get the gel or a patch for estradiol and start that a week later.  I am feeling positive about it.  What did your GP say about it?

11

Thanks for your reply.  I wanted to go for the Utrogestan pessaries but my GP said that they are very oily and messy and recommended the Mirena coil.  I was sold instantly.  I have had coils before and am not looking forward to the fitting but it has been arranged on the day my period is due,  I may stop the Utrogestan capsules a few days early to make sure I am on a period. My GP also advised me to take 2 Ibuprofen tables before the fitting to help with the cramps.

12

1 hour before that is :-)

13

i will reply back here when it is fitted and let you know how it goes.  Maybe you could update on here also, it's nice to know others are having the same and see how it works out for us.  I'll be taking painkillers beforehand.  I have spoken to a few women I know that have the mirena and they say it worked great for them, mood swings gone and feeling overall better than when using other types of progesterone, so hoping I get the same results.

14

That all sounds very positive!  I will repy too once I have had the Mirena coil fitted.

15

Hi M, 

Did you have the coil fitted and if yes, how are you getting on with it.   I still haven't had mine fitted. x

16

Hi Lisk,  thank you for your reply.   I take the progesterone at bedtime as it makes me very tired so I don't think splitting the dose up would work.  

I think I will try the Pessary x

17

Hi I had the coil fitted 4 weeks ago and use estrogen patches it's working really well for me much better than the oral HRT and my gynocologist tells me it's the safest way to use HRT 

18

Thank you for your reply Wendy. May I ask, what progesterone was you on before the coil and how did it effect you? Also, did you suffer with bad pms before menopause?

19

Hi I was taking Kliofem with is a combined estrogen and progesterone, I bleed constantly for months and had period like pains since the coil was fitted that has all stopped.

20

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