Utrogestan gel?

[PineappleDessert]

I've recently started HRT, fingers crossed it's going well. I take utrogestan continuously vaginally and oestrogel. Joint pain has gone, sleeping well, anxiety has gone.

The issue is utrogestan makes my vagina a bit sore and irritated. I don't want to take it orally though. Why does it only come as a capsule, surely a gel wouldn't be that hard to manufacture? Reading menopause boards it's very common that orally can cause nausea etc and while pv is a great alternative there's obviously a bit of discharge as well as slight irritation.

Just interested to hear if anyone knows if a gel or any other transdermal administration of utrogestan is in the pipeline?

Not on nhs

But you can get it privately? I just wasn't sure if utrogestan is available as a gel.

Don't think that's in the pipeline here but in some countries I think there is a gel form of progesterone.

If you have never used it orally, I'd not believe all you read online!

I used it orally for years and never felt sick.

I am using it vaginally now but that's for other reasons.

@PineappleDessert

But you can get it privately? I just wasn't sure if utrogestan is available as a gel.

No, it's not.

There is another product but not sure of the name (it's in some research papers) but not available in the UK. If it was I'd use it as I pay for my HRT privately.

Thanks Jingling.
Would just seem common sense to have a gel of micronised progesterone wouldn't it.
I'm always intrigued by celebrities like Kelly Hoppen who take a 'lozenge' of bio identical hrt, i understand it isn't regulated as body identical is but surely must be safe or else private meno experts would be faced with litigation. I quite fancy a lozenge!

@PineappleDessert

Thanks Jingling. Would just seem common sense to have a gel of micronised progesterone wouldn't it. I'm always intrigued by celebrities like Kelly Hoppen who take a 'lozenge' of bio identical hrt, i understand it isn't regulated as body identical is but surely must be safe or else private meno experts would be faced with litigation. I quite fancy a lozenge!

I'd not touch it with a barge pole tbh. The BMS have looked at it all and strongly say it's not safe.

I wonder if these women sign a disclaimer?
I think the gel (not the bio one) is called something like Crinone.

It's interesting isn't it, I wonder why some private meno clinicians use them.

Thanks for the crinone info, isn't that a vaginal gel though? I was thinking why no transdermal micronised progesterone when synthetics are administered this way. Perhaps it will be available one day!

@PineappleDessert

It's interesting isn't it, I wonder why some private meno clinicians use them.

Thanks for the crinone info, isn't that a vaginal gel though? I was thinking why no transdermal micronised progesterone when synthetics are administered this way. Perhaps it will be available one day!

Are we talking about the same thing?

It's not really 'private' drs who use them, but it's drs who are providing 'bio identical compounded HRT' rather than licensed HRT. It's all marketing and IF it was safe, all drs working privately would offer it, and they don't.

Their premise is that compounded bio- HRT is somehow 'better' because it's based on saliva samples. This has been dismissed by all the UK meno specialists as being false science.

There is no type of micronised progesterone that can be absorbed by the skin in a large enough amount to be safe. Even swallowing Utrogestan , it loses a lot of its efficacy.

That's why it can't be given as a patch.

'There is no type of micronised progesterone that can be absorbed by the skin in a large enough amount to be safe. Even swallowing Utrogestan , it loses a lot of its efficacy. That's why it can't be given as a patch.'

Ah right that explains it! Wonder why synthetics can be absorbed transdermally though? Must be smaller molecules perhaps.

By private Drs I mean those private Drs who some celebrities go to as it definitely isn't available on the nhs. Of course they won't all use bio hrt but as I said people like Kelly Hoppen and Ruth Langsford love their bio identical lozenges.

Anyway, as always with hrt products clearly more research and evidence is needed.

By private Drs I mean those private Drs who some celebrities go to as it definitely isn't available on the nhs

These are private clinics which work on the basis of prescribing compounded bio-identical HRT.

It is not available on the NHS OR from any reputable private consultant as it's not safe. The compounded type is made in a private lab possibly without strict quality control.

Related question here. I've just been to the GP to start HRT and have been prescribed the estrogen patches and ultrogestan miconized progesterone capsules. The GP mentioned that you can use the ultrogestan vaginally rather than orally which I had never heard of, but quite like the idea of. She was very much pushing me to get the Mirena coil instead though, which I refused. Not sure why. I am 50, still having periods, though erratic, and haven.t been on hormonal contraception for decades.

What are the pros and cons of Ultrogestan vaginally rather than orally? Will it protect my uterus enough? Mirena coil pros and cons?

Grateful to hear any experiences as this is obvioulsy all new to me.

@Sonarl

Related question here. I've just been to the GP to start HRT and have been prescribed the estrogen patches and ultrogestan miconized progesterone capsules. The GP mentioned that you can use the ultrogestan vaginally rather than orally which I had never heard of, but quite like the idea of. She was very much pushing me to get the Mirena coil instead though, which I refused. Not sure why. I am 50, still having periods, though erratic, and haven.t been on hormonal contraception for decades.

What are the pros and cons of Ultrogestan vaginally rather than orally? Will it protect my uterus enough? Mirena coil pros and cons?

Grateful to hear any experiences as this is obvioulsy all new to me.

Used it for 8 years after a different type before that. I have to say it's not perfect but nothing is. For me, it makes me very hot at night using it vaginally as it's clearly being absorbed more than orally (have done both.)

Utrogestan

Is body identical (Mirena isn't) and for 5 years the stats show no increase risk of breast cancer. Maybe safe(r) longer but more larger studies needed.

Oral v Vaginal use

Oral - can cause a muzzy head as is sedating. Can cause tummy issues (some women feel queasy at first.)

Vaginal - supposed to be more effective as it's absorbed through the cervix and goes straight to the womb.
Doesn't get digested, so no issues there.
Can be used during the day rather than bedtime but may fall out (depends on your pelvic floor.)
Disadvantages - does ooze out a bit overnight so pants/ liner might be needed. Doesn't fit well with sex, unless used before or a gap between the two.

Mirena

synthetic hormone in it, so slightly higher risks re BC but less than tablets with synthetic progestins.
Can be put in and your forget about it.
Will also reduce bleeds during periods.
Some women find they get bloating, weight gain or acne with it (but many don't.)

Thank you, that's really helpful..

I'm going to try vaginally and see how I get on. Bit of a TMO question but where do you need to put it? Do you have to shove it right up as near the cervix as possible or just in the vagina, somewhere? I thought the GP said 2 capsules for 2 weeks of the month - doe that sound right? (she was rushing me out of a 10min appointment, of course)

Do you have to shove it right up as near the cervix as possible or just in the vagina, somewhere?

as far up as you can.

2 capsules each time for 12 days per calendar month.
Start mid cycle if you have regular periods but if not, any day. Some women wait till the 1st or 15th of a month to make it easier to remember.

Thank you! I'm glad I went with my instincts and refused the Mirena coil - the GP had the appointment page open and was trying to book me in .... Are they incentivised on Mirena coils? Or are they just cheaper than Ultrogestan prescriptions I guess as a one off cost for 5 years?

Anyway, I'm feeling more cheerful than I've felt for weeks to learn that I can take both hormoness topically/locally as that sits better with me for some reason - I think maybe because I have never really been on the pill. I'm off to the pharmacy now to get them!