HRT side effects and progesterone question...

[likeabigpizzapie]

Hello. It’s now been two weeks on oestrogen gel (no progesterone as the doc suggested trying oestrogen first and if I thought it beneficial putting in mirena)
Two questions:

1. Benefits have been proper sleep and a remarkable increases in energy. Even my young kids have noticed that I seem ‘brighter’ and active. But last two days I’ve had a new side effect - I can feel my ovaries on my right side ache all the way into the top of my thigh. It is exactly the same feeling I used to get mid period when ovulating. Should I worry?
2. The doctor has suggested putting in a mirena for the progesterone but I’m not that keen. If I stick with be gel, can I use progesterone in a different way with it.( I’d be on continuous cycle as I’m a year past menopause. ). What should I ask for. The GP is not clued up on anything but patches.

Thank you!

Hi, you are right, you must take progesterone or the lining of the womb will thicken over time and cause all sorts of medical problems. I was on the gel for a hear and took Utrogestan (2 tablets per night for 12 days a month) but as you would be using continiojs, you would use the utrogestan more frequently but smaller dose(you can take it orally or vaginally, it is your choice). Yes you can have the mirena coil, some women prefer it for convenience , just how you feel about it is the most important, make sure you read reviews on this site, read articles on the NICE guidelines online,
As for the 'mid cycle' pain on the side, you could have it checked with an ultra sound, you are completely entitled to ask for it under the NHS, i had a couple done due to same weird pains and it was nothing, just rush of hormones that can make the ovaries tender (they are very delicate anyway), or it could be a benign cyst which is very common but not dangerous, whatever it is, it is a good idea to have this looked at

A lot of us still prefer to have sequential HRT even well past post-meno. It's often a good idea to start any new type of regime with sequential because it shows how you react to t he progesterone. eg Utrogestan, the minimum dose would be 10 days x 200 mgs per month, although the usual dose is 12 days x 200mgs and that's how you would start. So you'd count Day 1 as the first of each month, or Day 15 of each month. You'd have a withdrawal bleed approx 2-3 days after the last tablet each cycle.

Obviously if you don't want a bleed you can use continuous as the PP has said. One of the side effects of utrogestan can be sleepiness & short term dizziness (for an hour or so) so you have to take it at night and some women find daily use (conti) is just too sedating.