Ultrogestan?

[cherryblossomsfalling]

I take Ultogestan along with Oestrogel. The Oestrogel is fine but when I take the 12 days of progesterone I feel absolutely awful, low, depressed, tearful, anxious. I lost can't carry on like this.

Has anyone else experienced this and what did you do?

Yes. Me too.
I'd like to know the answer to this too.

It's evil stuff! Talk to your GP but the most usual solution is instead of taking 2 capsules you take 1 and insert vaginally - best done at night and wear knickers as can be a bit messy. Otherwise your GP would prob suggest a coil/implant depending on your suitability but of course they will likely give you the same symptoms.

Am taking one vaginally. It's still not great.
The problem is the oestrogen only phase really helps.

It's taken away all my aches and pains and made me less full of rage.
I'm beginning to think that the progesterone element is what makes people give up HRT

Could you take the progesterone at a lower dose over more days? My GP prescribed it alongside patches but said to take it every day. I’m not sure that’s right tbh! But other people have told me that they either take 2 tablets at night for two weeks (then two weeks without it) and still others take it every night except for 5 nights. So it might be that mixing up the dosage makes a difference? It’s definitely important to keep taking it if you still have periods

It's cyclical. 2 weeks on progesterone /2weeks off. Because I still have periods (peri).

The people who take it every day do so because they no longer bleed (meno).

I just had a look on the nhs website about this and it mentioned a 3 monthly cycle as a third possibility - taking prog for 14 days every 3 months. Says it was for people who had irregular periods. I would fall into that category, but it wasn't suggested to me.
I find I sleep well when I'm taking the utrogestan. It doesn't make me any madder than my regular PMT, and when the bleed comes it is pain free which is nice at least.

@cherryblossomsfalling I have scoured various sources of info about this and not found a useful solution yet.

I'm not quite at the 3 month point yet, so it could settle as it apparently seems to with some people. But I've yet to be convinced.

It's really frustrating. Please do let me know if you find a solution.

@Drunkpanda

I just had a look on the nhs website about this and it mentioned a 3 monthly cycle as a third possibility - taking prog for 14 days every 3 months. Says it was for people who had irregular periods. I would fall into that category, but it wasn't suggested to me. I find I sleep well when I'm taking the utrogestan. It doesn't make me any madder than my regular PMT, and when the bleed comes it is pain free which is nice at least.

I din't have any good effect from the progesterone sadly.

Yes. I had this on Utrogestan. I changed progesterone to Duphaston. Have had Bo problems at all since. Talk to your GP.

@EarringsandLipstick

Yes. I had this on Utrogestan. I changed progesterone to Duphaston. Have had Bo problems at all since. Talk to your GP.

Thank you so much! Will chat to my GP 🙏

My meno specialist suggested increasing oestrogen a little on progesterone nights, to offset any ill effects. I haven't needed to (so far) and wouldn't recommend this without medical consultation, but worth discussing?

@EarringsandLipstick

Yes. I had this on Utrogestan. I changed progesterone to Duphaston. Have had Bo problems at all since. Talk to your GP.

I don't think Duphaston is available in the UK it was discontinued some years ago if I recall correctly @HoliHormonalTigerlilly your GP will probably be able to confirm it is not available if you are in the UK

@TitsInAbsentia and @HoliHormonalTigerlilly PLEASE READ THIS.

The British Menopause Society published a paper recently which said that reducing the dose when used vaginally is not to be done.

I've used it for years and recently, vaginally. I was never told to half the dose by my meno consultant (who is one of the best in the UK.)

The reduced dose is something that seems to have been advertised by one private meno GP, as a result of a couple of small studies that were done and said it was safe.

BMS progestogens and endometrial protection

Based on current evidence if progesterone were considered for vaginal administration (out of license use) in women who experience side effects with oral intake, this should be given in similar doses and
durations to those applied to oral progesterone intake with HRT

It's now been shown it is NOT safe.

Sadly, many GPs are not aware of this new advice.

I don't think Duphaston is available in the UK it was discontinued some years ago if I recall correctly

I'm sorry to hear this. I'm in Ireland

When I discussed it with my GP, there were a number of options (to Utrogestan) and this was the one my GP recommended. There were others tho so I'd still recommend asking your GP for options.

It's felt that Utrogestan is the best option for progesterone being bio identical but that's not true for everyone. For me, I had exactly what OP described and while I got relief from peri menopause symptoms for half the month, it was nearly as bad for the other half. Really terrible side effects. It's been great since changing progesterone.

Good luck OP

Thanks @JinglingHellsBells
It was advised by a doctor from the Newson Clinic & my GP said it sounded ok.

I should add that my GP seems to know sweet fa about any of this but seems to just go along with my suggestions, after initially putting me off the whole hrt idea and suggesting I try black cohosh.

Feeling so unsupported by anyone on this. I am thinking of saving up to go private, but it seems even then no one can agree about everything.

Such a nightmare.

@EarringsandLipstick

I don't think Duphaston is available in the UK it was discontinued some years ago if I recall correctly

I'm sorry to hear this. I'm in Ireland

When I discussed it with my GP, there were a number of options (to Utrogestan) and this was the one my GP recommended. There were others tho so I'd still recommend asking your GP for options.

It's felt that Utrogestan is the best option for progesterone being bio identical but that's not true for everyone. For me, I had exactly what OP described and while I got relief from peri menopause symptoms for half the month, it was nearly as bad for the other half. Really terrible side effects. It's been great since changing progesterone.

Good luck OP

Thanks @EarringsandLipstick I will give it a go with trying another product. I wonder why Duphaston was discontinued here?

@HoliHormonalTigerlilly

Thanks *@JinglingHellsBells* It was advised by a doctor from the Newson Clinic & my GP said it sounded ok.

I should add that my GP seems to know sweet fa about any of this but seems to just go along with my suggestions, after initially putting me off the whole hrt idea and suggesting I try black cohosh.

Feeling so unsupported by anyone on this. I am thinking of saving up to go private, but it seems even then no one can agree about everything.

Such a nightmare.

When you say advised by a dr from the Newson Clinic I assume you mean you have watched the video about using Utrogestan? (rather than having an appt with them?)

All I can say is that in all the years I've used Utrogestan (about 8), my consultant (who Dr Newson holds in high esteem) has never suggested dropping the dose when they suggested vaginal use.

I was going to ask them about it and then someone here left that link to the BMS report.

My feeling is that perhaps in women using it daily as continuous HRT (if they are post meno) it might be okay to do it vaginally every other day, but for women using it sequentially, it's probably not.

The other point here about a 3-month cycle.
Initially when I started HRT my consultant suggested the 3-month cycle . I did this for years BUT be warned that the bleed is 3 months' worth so can be heavy! It was great though to have estrogen only for 10 weeks.

I stopped that regime in the end as I was getting some break through bleeding with such a long cycle. I was also using a much stronger type of progestogen (Norethisterone) than Utrogestan.

Utrogestan is known to be not quite so good as the stronger progestogens, so it's unlikely you could use it safely on a 3-month cycle.

Hope this helps.

@EarringsandLipstick Duphaston (?) doesn't exist in England/Uk. Never heard of it. what is it made from?

@JinglingHellsBells

Here you go: g.co/kgs/xQ4aXU

(A very quick Google yielded it). In the same search I see that it does appear to be available in the UK. Regardless there are other progesterone options.

[quote EarringsandLipstick]@JinglingHellsBells

Here you go: g.co/kgs/xQ4aXU

(A very quick Google yielded it). In the same search I see that it does appear to be available in the UK. Regardless there are other progesterone options. [/quote]
It was discontinued in 2008 :)

Here is the link www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/a6626/duphaston-discontinued-in-the-uk-march-2008/

It's dydrogesterone.

It IS the progestogen in Femoston www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/5523/smpc is a tablet form of HRT.

@JinglingHellsBells

Ok - then OP should discuss other progesterone options with her GP. This was the one recommended for me but there are others.

It's a pity it was withdrawn for commercial reasons as I see in links. It doesn't seem to have been thought of in terms of HT treatment.

Thanks everyone I'm going to have a look at all your comments and see what my GP says. I'm not expecting too much help from my GP as he doesn't seem to be up to speed!

he doesn't seem to be up to speed

That's a real pity OP & unfortunately common.

My GP had luckily completed training in the past year, but admitted when I first saw her that she really wasn't experienced in the area. There's been a lot of public discussion about menopause / perimenopause this year in Ireland, and GPs finally sat up & listened. I'm so appreciative of my GPs help, it's changed my life.

In Ireland most of us pay for GP care so it does or

Sorry posted too soon.

It does prove expensive, for example, I'd to pay €120 (plus bloods) for my first visit (even though I'd visited her about it before) then €65 for every other visit (this is the normal fee).