Started on estrogel, felt energised. Added in utrogestan, feel sluggish and exhausted.

[QuestionNumberOne]

Hi,

I will talk to my doctor about this of course but very interested in any thoughts here: should I up my esteogel to ‘offset’ the addition of utrogestan? Will it help?

I felt pretty zingy using just the estrogel but the utrogestan has floored me a bit. I’m on one pump daily of estrogel.

Hmm. That's a very low dose of Oestrogel. The usual dose is 2 to 4 pumps. Sorry that might not have answered your question! www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/353/smpc#gref

As imstillagel says standard dose is two pumps of oestrogen - ring your GP or HRT prescriber

Was there a reason for the low
dose of oestrogel?

Do you take the utrogestan at night?

Hey, I was advised to start with one pump and if symptoms persist move to two after a few weeks.

I do take the utrogestan at night. In general I feel more sleepy and sluggish through the day since starting them, plus I feel quite emotionally charged…

Have moved up to two pumps of Estrogel this morning, will see how that helps Thanks all!

About to start on the progesterone. Have done day 1-12 on the Lenzetto spray. This has noticeably helped my aching joints.

But, I'm now feeling really anxious & irritable. Just lost it with DH. 😢
Bit worried that the addition of progesterone might out me off entirely.

@PeriChristmas I worried that I would feel ratty on progesterone but I don't have any side effects to it at all. Just wait and see how you feel. Fingers crossed you'll be ok

@QuestionNumberOne hope you feel better on two pumps. The dose is 2-4 pumps so scope to increase more if you need to. Also you could try splitting the dose and see how that goes ie one pump in the morning and one at night. As an aside I was listening to Liz Earle's podcast and a woman had got in touch with her to say she was using Estrogel and she feels great on the first week of each new pump but then not good for the next few weeks and symptoms return. This happens with each pack. Seems strange but perhaps there is a faulty batch out there that we may hear of soon. Might be worth logging your symptoms on the Balance app to see if there's a pattern.

@PeriChristmas

About to start on the progesterone. Have done day 1-12 on the Lenzetto spray. This has noticeably helped my aching joints.

But, I'm now feeling really anxious & irritable. Just lost it with DH. 😢
Bit worried that the addition of progesterone might out me off entirely.

@PeriChristmas meaning this kindly :) Please don't over think it all. Just go ahead and stop anticipating negative outcomes. I started HRT long before meno forums were around as much and there was no one to talk to. In some ways that's better because it means you don't have negative thoughts about things that may have affected other people.
When I swapped to Utrogestan from a different type, my dr told me women love it or hate it, and if you hate it, there are other types. It's not worth worrying over! Just give it a go.

@imstilljenny2 There are no such things as faulty batches with pharmaceutical products. This is a bit of a myth going around the web with gel, especially.

In pharma production and I can assure you that drugs cannot go out without a HUGE amount of control at all stages from the delivery of the raw products to the packaged items.

I take oestrogen in tablet for and norethisterone. If I don't take the norethisterone then I have a non stop period and I mean it does not stop. I don't feel the oestrogen does much so I am going to contact the gp again soon to see if anything else can be done.

I do not do well with any form of progesterone, even my own when i was younger and definitely not any pharmaceutical ones, even the mirena which is stupid to stay local (does it heck!).
Is actually putting me off HRT, i would rather feel a bit creaky but emotionally stable, than limber but tired and moody.

Supposed not stupid

@JinglingHellsBells I do think there are faulty batches of licensed medicines. I'm a hospital pharmacist and we often have to deal with recalls of particular batches of medicines where the product is faulty for one reason or another. The recalls are usually batch specific (or multiple batches).
Agree that it's probably a myth though about Ostrogel.

Friends I have who have started this combination all report the same thing, feelings of fatigue and sluggish initially which anecdotally seem to wear off after a few weeks when the body adapts to the utrogestan. I know some people are intolerant and it doesn't wear off but as I say I know 2 or 3 people who after a rough couple of weeks then found it plateaued and resolved.

Oh that is heartening Janiie - thank you.

[quote imstilljenny2]@PeriChristmas I worried that I would feel ratty on progesterone but I don't have any side effects to it at all. Just wait and see how you feel. Fingers crossed you'll be ok[/quote]
Thank you @imstilljenny2 🤞

Sorry to hijack, I've been on HRT for 3 weeks, I'm taking progesterone for 14 days a month, I stopped taking the progesterone 8 days ago but haven't had a bleed yet? My last period was 23rd August, I'm not sure what to expect? I'd appreciate if anyone has any advice.

Hey all, still feeling fatigued on the utrogestan. Upped to two doses of estrogel…feel a bit more anxious.

Have read that it’s about how the two hormones are balanced. Do I need even more estrogel if I’m still feeling so sluggish and tired?

I'm about to start Estrogen patches and was given Evorel 25 - the lowest dose. And then the Utrogestan100. I was going to take these vaginally at night - 1x100mg as I also want the progesterone as low/local as possible. Has anyone done this from day 1? Does this sound sensible?

I am confused abut what days to take everything on. I am still having periods but last 2 have been double 60 day cycles i.e have skipped a period twice in a row.

It says change the patch twice a week - but wouldn't it make sense to change it every 3 days so that one patch is on for 3 days rather than a 3 day and a 4 day?

For the utrogestan I'm seeing various guidelines eg days 15-26 / take it for 12 days / take it the last 2 weeks / take it for the last 12-14 days. i.e some places say take it for the last 12 days, some say the last 14 days. Which would be better - 12 or 14 days? Is one more protective than the other? Is one less likely to cause side effects? Is 13 days a happy medium?

I'm similar OP. I upped my Oestrogel to 4 pumps and felt much better on the utrogeston last time. Also took it vaginally which is meant to help too.

Oh and I take the oestrogel in the morning and it seems to energise me. The utrogesten at night as its meant to be a bit of a sedative maybe. It still makes me feel shit though

Also have read though that you should give it at least 3 months to start to settle. I've only done 3 months on the Utrogesten so far so who knows?

I have a Mirena because I can’t tolerate oral progesterone. I’m not a fan of the coil, but it’s way better.

Could I just ask if it's best to put the gel on in the morning, rather than evening? I've always put mine on at night due to terrible night sweats.

Hey, I put the esteogel on in the morning as it’s energising, and take the utrogestan at night. But if it’s helping you to apply the esteogel at night then carry on I guess?

Re taking the utrogestan vaginally ItsNotDeep , do you just insert the same tablets? How long does it take to dissolve? Do you have to avoid sex just after taking it this way? So many questions!

I will up the esteogel to three pumps if I still feel exhausted in a few weeks. I read that its about how the two hormones balance with each other - a successful regimen I mean.

Sonex I take Desogestral pill for contraception so don’t have a bleed at all now, so therefore take one 100mg tablet of utrogestan in the evening every night and don’t have a break.

It's best to allow 3 months for your body to settle before changing your dose. It can therefore be a slow process to find your optimal dose, but very worth it.

Tiredness could be due to too much estrogel or too little or due to the body not having time to adapt to the dose. We are all different and need to work out what suits our own body best.