Mid month hell

[Fizzalltheway]

So I’ve been on Hrt for nearly a year - I’m 50 and Peri. In general felt much better. I’m on 1mg sandrema gel daily and progesterone day 15-26. Just wondered if anyone else feels terrible from about day 18 for about a week. During that time I experience a lot of the meno symptoms I had before taking hrt- low mood, anxiety, fatigue, aching joint and very little enthusiasm for anything. Rest of month seems ok but wondered if dose should somehow be increased ?

You could try increasing your gel to 2mgs to see if that offsets the effects of Utrogestan. Also have you ever tried using Utrogestan vaginally? Your GP prob won't have mentioned this (it's not licensed as such in the UK) but my consultant prefers this method as it has fewer side effects and it's the norm in Europe.

I don't feel terrible using it orally but I do feel a bit sluggish when I wake up.

To insert them you just use your finger and get them as high as possible - you need to use 2 capsules. Worth a try or even for part of the 12 days when you use them.

Thanks jinglehellsbells is it a known side effect of the progesterone to feel like this when you take it ?

It's known to have the same effects as your own progesterone when you were fertile, (cos it's exactly the same) so PMS and it's also sedating.

Thanks will ask GP about vaginal utrogestron

@Fizzalltheway Nooooo! Don't ask they will know nothing. It's not licensed in the UK to use vaginally and is the SAME capsule you have now. I have been advised to use it that way by a menopause gynae (who knows a lot more than a GP and as it's private they are not bound by NHS rules.) You simply use the same capsule and use your finger to insert.

For some weird reason the UK is the only country in Europe the doesn't license it for vaginal use but this is the way most women in France and Europe use it. In the UK it is used vaginally for fertility treatment but not for menopause. This is a 'quirk' in the system and nothing to do with safety.

So my capsule is like a little ball and I take two ? So do they dissolve “up there” !

Yes that's right :)

You might want to wear pants in bed as sometimes you can get a bit sticky ( insert at night but it's not essential- it just stops them falling out.)