Many questions on starting hrt when I'm currently on Pop pill.

[thesunwillout]

Good morning I am about to embark on the HRT journey and having had a telephone consultation with my GP she suggested the patches.
I'm a bit confused though.

I have been successfully taking Cerazette for 5 or 6 years, without a break. Also in the last year Vagifem pessaries.
I began the pessaries for dryness and very uncomfortable urethra, needing to wee alot.
I settled on 4x a week.

In recent weeks the pessaries haven't been helping and the irritation is back. Have treated for thrush. My anxiety has got ridiculous in the last few months. I believe my vulva is trying to tell me something!!

GP said to finish my Pop pill course which is another 2 weeks then change to Evorel Sequi.
The way things are going this will mean another two weeks of irritation down below.

Q1 do I really have to wait? Is there a reason seeing as I've never had a bleed in yrs.

Q2 why I can't take the mini pill throughout as I have been doing? It's not for contraception, just to regulate my cycle but I would need it if I suddenly had sex! I'm concerned the drop in progesterone in the first 2 weeks of the patch will mess me up.

Q3
Would you suggest I go the oral hrt route with the other progesterone, I can't remember the name.

I've been googling like crazy and would love any response.

I know if I want to speak to a GP it will take a couple of weeks as it's not an emergency.

So that's why I'm here.

Oh

Q4 can I use the pessary every night again for a while? I'm in alot of discomfort.

Help a dried up old mumsnetter!

52, still have a womb.

Also have fibromyalgia and after effects of a brain injury.

Go me !

Bump x

Q2 why I can't take the mini pill throughout as I have been doing?

You can. I do two weeks of utrogestan (micronised progesterone), daily oestrogen gel and daily pop. My GP said this was fine - the pop prevents bleeding and provides contraception.

Q1 do I really have to wait? Is there a reason seeing as I've never had a bleed in yrs.

My GP said I could start straight away.

I take the mini pill, 4 pumps of oestrogel and utrogestan 100mg every single night. No periods or bleeding at all and works really well for me.

@ASinisterPlot

Q2 why I can't take the mini pill throughout as I have been doing?

You can. I do two weeks of utrogestan (micronised progesterone), daily oestrogen gel and daily pop. My GP said this was fine - the pop prevents bleeding and provides contraception.

I think that's the one I was thinking of, thank you. In what form is the utrogestan?

Where do you put the gel?

The next poster is doing utrogestan every day if I've understood properly.

So many questions that I didn't ask the gp.

May I ask why you chose this method, or did you try a few ways?

Thanks

@Bagelsandbrie

I take the mini pill, 4 pumps of oestrogel and utrogestan 100mg every single night. No periods or bleeding at all and works really well for me.

Hi thank you for your reply.

In what form is the utrogestan?

How did you choose this way.

I think my gp latched on to the fact I mentioned patches, and I didn't think to ask what other options there were.

It's difficult on a quick phone call esp with anxiety and not knowing what you're really asking about.

Thankyou

@Bagelsandbrie

Sorry another question you take the utrogestan daily?

Not just for 2 weeks?

Utrogestan is tablets. I take two a day for two weeks, and I take a break because I'm perimenopausal rather than postmenopausal. The PP takes it daily likely because she's postmenopausal I'd guess. So the way you take utrogestan depends on whether you're peri or post.

I put the gel on my inner thighs.

@ASinisterPlot

Utrogestan is tablets. I take two a day for two weeks, and I take a break because I'm perimenopausal rather than postmenopausal. The PP takes it daily likely because she's postmenopausal I'd guess. So the way you take utrogestan depends on whether you're peri or post.

I put the gel on my inner thighs.

Ok thank you. Have you found any side effects with the drop in progesterone in the last two weeks? Or does the pop help that?

I've only been on it a month so this might settle, but I had slight premenstrual symptoms and very light bleeding for 2 days.

I see, yes you need time for it to settle in to your system.
Was it your first choice of hrt or did your GP advise it.

[quote thesunwillout]@Bagelsandbrie

Sorry another question you take the utrogestan daily?

Not just for 2 weeks?

[/quote]
No, continuously all the time. No break. One 100mg utrogestan every night. The mini pill provides the other part of the needed progesterone.

I am 41 and peri menopausal. Not post.

Sorry meant to add - I saw someone privately at Newson Health clinic and that’s what they prescribed.

@Bagelsandbrie

I am 41 and peri menopausal. Not post.

Thanks for clarifying, I had read about doing it that way and it sounded like the person felt more evened out if that makes sense.

I think I'm going to try and speak to a GP before I start the patches.

I need more info.

@Bagelsandbrie

I am 41 and peri menopausal. Not post.

Just when I think I've got a good understanding of HRT! I didn't know this was an option for peri 😳 I'd much rather do it your way, so I'll speak to my GP! HRT can be so confusing.

@thesunwillout

I see, yes you need time for it to settle in to your system. Was it your first choice of hrt or did your GP advise it.

It was what I wanted based on what I'd researched, but my GP suggested it anyway so I didn't need to ask for it specifically IYSWIM.

I've been taking pop for years - following start of menopause symptoms GP suggested I stay on that and start Evorel patches. No bleeds (well, no regular ones) for a couple of years so started patches straight away. Absolute game changer, within 2 weeks my symptoms had lessened to virtually nothing. Realise I maybe very lucky as most friends seem to have to try several options before finding what best suits them. Good luck!

Lol I know, It's very confusing and I just happened upon it.
I've had success this morning and had a call back from a gp who has prescribed me what you're getting!

Plus yes I can take it 25/28;days (although I've seen it written by a GP that she herself takes it for 28)

Yes I can start it straight away, and I can stay on Pop.
I like my GP but very different advice.
We should compare notes lol.

@IsThisNameTaken

I've been taking pop for years - following start of menopause symptoms GP suggested I stay on that and start Evorel patches. No bleeds (well, no regular ones) for a couple of years so started patches straight away. Absolute game changer, within 2 weeks my symptoms had lessened to virtually nothing. Realise I maybe very lucky as most friends seem to have to try several options before finding what best suits them. Good luck!

Hi there, that's really good to know and I hope it'll be the same for me.

X

I did my first application of gel 2 pumps

100mg utrogestan orally last night

Hmm, I feel so out of it, spacey when I woke up and all day really.

Do I go for it again or try vaginally?

Also I can feel my uterus being periody.

It's really weird, like it's woken up.

I've read that you can do the utrogestan vaginally every other night as it gets into your system faster.

I feel very odd, I'm always reacting to meds, antibiotics (even the one's you have if your sensitive to penicillin)
Codeine etc etc.

I think you need to give it longer to be honest. I wouldn’t switch to vaginally yet personally. I’d give it a few weeks and see how you go. The initial side effects don’t last long.

@Bagelsandbrie

I think you need to give it longer to be honest. I wouldn’t switch to vaginally yet personally. I’d give it a few weeks and see how you go. The initial side effects don’t last long.

Hi there, I'm so all over the place, well I was beforehand too.

Just desperate to make the right decision. Can't believe how indecisive and little belief I have in myself.
Should I have gone patches.
I guess I do know that 200mg would have put me into a coma.
Did you have side effects @Bagelsandbrie.

I am on a lot of medication for all sorts of things - 22 per day. I have lupus, Addison’s, asthma, a pituitary tumour, hypothyroidism etc etc…! So to be really honest I’ve learnt to just accept side effects as a risks vs benefits thing, and lots of the things I take make me feel rough in other ways! It’s about finding the right balance. When I first started HRT I did feel a bit weird, slightly dizzy maybe and a bit pre period ish (which is hard for me to remember as I’ve been on the mini pill for 8 years and don’t have any periods!) and my boobs were really sore!! But I just carried on and after a week I think they all went and I started to feel better, less hot flushes, more energy etc. I don’t produce any of my own oestrogen at all due to my autoimmune issues.

Yes same here with the periods, I've not had a period for 5 or 6 yrs, so feeling some sort of feeling in my uterus has been peculiar today.

I can relate to having to work out what's best for what with regards to pain v side effects.
You certainly have many things to cope with and juggle.

I had a ruptured brain aneurysm 3 yrs ago which has had ongoing effects on energy, cognitive issues. Plus that shock to my body brought on fibromyalgia.

So that's got it's own meds, brain fog etc.

I'm just wondering if I should have thrown more Vagifem pessaries in, (joking)but maybe I should have gone back to loading my system up to combat the vaginal atrophy.

I think the worst thing to do would be for me to start a downer on myself.
Have patience like you said.

Xx