Progestin pills do I really only take 15 days a month...sorry to be a pain

[whatisforteamum]

I had to stop from everol continue 50 patches due to supply issues.Now I'm prescribed utrogestan and eostrogel 2 pumps per day.
I thought the dose would be explained but reading the leaflet says 15 days of pills per cycle.I don't have periods.Have I misunderstood?
If not I will take them the first 15 days of the month.Also it's says 200 mg is this right?

It's not 15 it's 12 days - it will give you days per month on the leaflet.

What a shame your GP didn't bother to explain

If you are post menopause (no periods for 12 months or more) you can choose to take Utrogestan sequentially ( at the end of the 12 days you will have a withdrawal bleed) or take it daily and no bleed.

I thought this was on the leaflet?

If you use it daily the dose is 100mgs
If you use it for 12 days, the dose is 200mgs ( 2 capsules.)

Thanks jingle the appointment was rushed as I needed an internal examination.She did explain the gel.I'm 53 and had mirena so no periods for 12 years anyway.
So one pill daily for me then.Thank you so much.

The Mirena doesn't count when you are saying someone has no periods.

Are you still using a Mirena coil?

I have it but the hormonal effects would have run out a while back apparently.I just have it until 55 for contraception.Mum went through the meno at 51 so Baring in mind I'm 54 this year I guess I would be period free by now.Especially as my dizzy spells and nausea and anxiety started 3 years ago.

@whatisforteamum The Mirena lasts for 4 years as part of HRT and 5 years for contraception. If yours is under 4 years old you do not need anything other than estrogen at the moment.

If it's more than 4 years old then yes you need another progestogen.

Thanks.Yes it is about 6 I was told to leave it until 55 to be sure I don't get pregnant.I will check with pharmacist it is one pill per night.The GP may have said that I don't remember but leaflet says the 12 days as you correctly pointed out.Like I say I was on continuous patch so that would make sense.

COPIED AND PASTED FROM THE LEAFLET ONLINE
In women receiving estrogen replacement therapy there is an increased risk of endometrial cancer which can be countered by progesterone administration.

The recommended dose is 200 mg daily at bedtime, for twelve days in the last half of each therapeutic cycle (beginning on Day 15 of the cycle and ending on Day 26). Withdrawal bleeding may occur in the following week.

Alternatively 100 mg can be given at bedtime from Day 1 to Day 25 of each therapeutic cycle, withdrawal bleeding being less with this treatment schedule.
*
You don't have to stop after 25 days (some women do) but you can if you want take it every day.

Brilliant thanks.😊

Jinglinghellsbells. So far I have loved this regime.
One question though when I take the utrogestan at.night I take it at midnight.However I work shifts so often eat a light meal or something at 10ish is this ok as it says an empty stomach on the leaflet and I don't want hinder the pills absorption.Thanks in advance.

Hi @whatisforteamum the empty stomach advice is to make sure you absorb less rather than more. You can take it 1 hour before food. Or you can take it 2 hours after. Does that help at all?
Or you can pop the same capsule into your vagina and then not worry about food at all. (This method is unlicensed in the UK but fine/preferred in Europe)

@whatisforteamum PP is right. Taking with food actually increases what the manfacturers call it's bio-availability- meaning more is absorbed. TBH I always take mine with food- a small biscuit or something - as otherwise it seems to make my tummy windy. Howeve,r for several cycles now I've been using it vaginally which my consultant says is preferable as fewer side effects and better absoprtion.

Ah many thanks.I did try one vaginally and had cramps which may have been coincidence
.Great advice I just didn't want to eat a biscuit or something and it was not released straight into the blood stream.or the lining built up due to my error.