Hrt dose

[Nickie1]

Hi I was just wondering about people's hrt dose. I've been taking the oestrogen gel and progesterone tablet but I've recently discovered my dose is different to many of my friends. I only am prescribed to take 1 tablet of the 100mg progesterone on day 14-28 of my cycle. Looking online and talking to others, they take 1 100mg everyday or 2 on days 14-28 of cycle. Is mine too low? What are other people's doses?
Thanks!

You are right; 2oomg (2x100mg) for 2 weeks of the month.

I think it's two per day for two weeks per month if you still have periods (I do) but one per day everyday if you've stopped having periods. The dose of estrogen can obviously vary too - I am on a fairly high dose as young and my born health is poor.

If you are using it on a cycle, it's " x 100 capsules, for 12 days.

The 100mg dose is for women (mainly post menopause) who use it daily.

This is all on the leaflet in the pack of tablets- the 2 ways of using it.
Has your GP told you incorrectly?

2 x 100mgs a day for 12 days (silly typo!)

I'm thinking my gp has!
My prescription definitely says
One capsule taken daily on day 14-28 of cycle

I'll give them a ring tomo !

@Nickie1

I'll give them a ring tomo !

Have you got the box with the leaflet?

If so, refer to that when you call your GP.

It is definitely the wrong dose (I've been using Utrogestan for years, by the way.)

The only thing I can think of is that I had a really bad reaction to the mirena coil a few years before (severe head aches) and had it removed. Perhaps they've adjusted my progesterone dose due to that. Why do all these questions come in your mind Friday night?!

@Nickie1

The only thing I can think of is that I had a really bad reaction to the mirena coil a few years before (severe head aches) and had it removed. Perhaps they've adjusted my progesterone dose due to that. Why do all these questions come in your mind Friday night?!

No.

There is no adjustment to the dose, like you might think.

The ratio of progesterone to estrogen needed per cycle is very carefully established, so it's safe.

Some variation on how many day per cycle might be changed under a specialist/consultant, but there is no variation on the amount per day.

The Mirena is totally different to what you have now.

It's 100 if you take it vaginally? Orally supposed to be two capsules. I'm very sensitive to it. All sorts of side effects. At the moment I'm actually splitting a capsule and using half a capsule Vaginally. Just so I can stay on the gel. I build up over 14 days to a whole capsule. Consultant has said this is ok if I bleed. I am doing. To be fair when I started hrt a few months ago I had only had 4 periods in a year... very scant now so in other countries/other consultants they would Let you take 2 weeks of progesterone every 3 months rather than every month before moving to everyday low dose after a year. I'm probably going to do this as the side effects are so hellish for me. I understand once it's daily they tend to improve. My side effects are very much in the first few days of taking the progesterone so due to the hormonal fluctuation I suspect.

@frizzo9 I don't think what your consultant told you to do off-label is advice for others.

Also, what you have been advised to do is now considered incorrect. The expert advice now, is to use the same dose (200mgs) orally or vaginally.

I posted a link to the British Menopause Society report on progesterone, a few weeks ago, as a new thread.

Their advice is because the 'trend' to reduce the dose vaginally, was based on very limited research. This has now been showed to be incorrect and more women are/ were getting hyperplasia when reducing the dose, (vaginally.)

If you are using only 25% of the prescribed dose ( 50mcg) that is a tiny amount.

Yes, the long cycle of progesterone every 3 months is still sometimes used (I'm on a variation of that and used the 3-month regime for a few years) but this is only done with specialist advice and usually access to scans (not NHS.)

I’m not suggesting it’s advice for others. Just recounting what my consultant is ok with. And they are fine with me doing this for now. 100mg gives me the most awful side effects. Can’t even imagine what 200 would do - to me. I’m assuming in a few months I will try the continual 100mg, that might be ok for me, as it’s obviously the fluctuation that effects me.

Is there a specific reason @frizzo9 why you need to use utrogestan?
There are many other options, such as the Mirena coil, or Femoston (tablets) and Femoston contains a progestin that is similar to utrogestan in terms of safety.
It seems a bit odd to persevere with something that clearly doesn't suit you.

@JinglingHellsBells

Is there a specific reason *@frizzo9* why you need to use utrogestan? There are many other options, such as the Mirena coil, or Femoston (tablets) and Femoston contains a progestin that is similar to utrogestan in terms of safety. It seems a bit odd to persevere with something that clearly doesn't suit you.

Just wrote a long reply and deleted it.

To paraphrase. Only on month 3 so seeing if it improves.

Had issues at 30 with mini pill and had to come off. Similar peripheral tingles.

Don't want the coil for couple of reasons. Had one previously.

Might try an alternative as she did mention that if in a couple of months it doesn't improve.

The gel has saved my life. I will do what I can to stay on hrt.

@JinglingHellsBells

Is there a specific reason *@frizzo9* why you need to use utrogestan? There are many other options, such as the Mirena coil, or Femoston (tablets) and Femoston contains a progestin that is similar to utrogestan in terms of safety. It seems a bit odd to persevere with something that clearly doesn't suit you.

I get peripheral neuropathy in both arms and a bit in both feet. Had it on progesterone pill. Came off. I have done research and tho rare I understand they consider it's fluctuations rather than hormone per se. Makes sense. By day 7 it's mostly gone. Mind you from day 7-14 I'm murderous if not tingling.

@JinglingHellsBells

Is there a specific reason *@frizzo9* why you need to use utrogestan? There are many other options, such as the Mirena coil, or Femoston (tablets) and Femoston contains a progestin that is similar to utrogestan in terms of safety. It seems a bit odd to persevere with something that clearly doesn't suit you.

Because of my experience at 30 With progesterone this is why they went straight to low dose vaginal. To see if I could manage it.

@JinglingHellsBells

Is there a specific reason *@frizzo9* why you need to use utrogestan? There are many other options, such as the Mirena coil, or Femoston (tablets) and Femoston contains a progestin that is similar to utrogestan in terms of safety. It seems a bit odd to persevere with something that clearly doesn't suit you.

Never had this as a meno symptom. Don't get it apart from on days taking progesterone. Starts within about 2 hours of first insertion and is awful. Bit in my face too. I understand it's not necessarily serious but more signals going awry due to hormone receptors response to (rapid- ie sudden influx of progesterone) changes.

Your situation is more complicated than it seemed @frizzo9
As a by the way, the progestins in most HRT- even tablets- are not the same as the mini pill. The tablet form of Femoston contains a progestin very similar to micronised progesterone.

How are you getting on with cutting the utrogestan capsule in half? That must be really tricky as it's gooey and tiny! I'd find it impossible it insert ! :)

Yes I think it’s (artificial) hormonal fluctuations as opposed to the type of progesterone (that’s my sense of it) … although the gel doesn’t do that, even in day 1/2 of starting which is odd. So maybe it something to do with how progesterone of any type affects my messaging.

I manage, a sort of split in my palm and a… ahem, dab it up! Started this month on half a capsule, then maybe 3/4 and onto a full one for say 5 days. It was a bit better. By day 7/8 the feelings had gone. Also started in morning rather than at night so the main side effects - from say 2-12 hours afterwards which fits with the half life etc were in the daytime. I was waking up with with jo feeling in my arms which was freaky. This was I can sort of tackle it by waving my arms around to get the feeling back a bit.

All very odd, but interesting it passes once the body reaches more of a steady (ish) state. Makes me think being on every day may not be such as issue! I’m having my first period since July now- started hrt in dec. So the progesterone I guess is working!

My menopause symptoms were horrid! I had continuous heavy bleeding for about 2+ weeks of every month, to the point where I got severely anaemic. They tried fitting the mirena coil to see if that would help, but 4 days in I was in such agony with headaches all around my head like a tight band. Persevered for a month, but nothing touched the pain so asked them to take it out. Literally the day after they were gone. In the end I had a uterine ablation which was brilliant for the bleeding, but didn't stop the itchy skin and the low mood.
I've got an appt next month to speak to my gp about my dose so hopefully she'll give some more clarity.
Mammogram recall tomo, it was my first one. She did explain at the time there was a high chance of 1st ones being recalled but I'm still panicky 😬😂😩

@Nickie1

My menopause symptoms were horrid! I had continuous heavy bleeding for about 2+ weeks of every month, to the point where I got severely anaemic. They tried fitting the mirena coil to see if that would help, but 4 days in I was in such agony with headaches all around my head like a tight band. Persevered for a month, but nothing touched the pain so asked them to take it out. Literally the day after they were gone. In the end I had a uterine ablation which was brilliant for the bleeding, but didn't stop the itchy skin and the low mood. I've got an appt next month to speak to my gp about my dose so hopefully she'll give some more clarity. Mammogram recall tomo, it was my first one. She did explain at the time there was a high chance of 1st ones being recalled but I'm still panicky 😬😂😩

Oh gosh. Hope all will be ok.

I'm 52 and not had mine yet. Due this year they say! Not happy as I'm now on hrt so feel it's late!

Sounds like you had a bad reaction. I think the coil is miraculous for many but once it's in it's not exactly easy to manipulate if you're that sensitive. I'm amazed they seem to recommend this as the norm.

I did have a copper coil for about 4 years years ago. I couldn't take the pill so it was an approach that worked but I had issues. Could feel it during yoga (was teeny tiny though, amazing method really), got lots of pain, not keen to move to a coil again after that really.

Hope you are ok. I've just gone on hrt and before the hrt my periods had moved to seasonal... 4 in the last 12 months. Before this I'd had 2 years of missing odd ones. And after I'd missed having flooding periods. My first missed period led to 12 weeks heavy bleeding afterwards at 48! 12 weeks! Awful and was going to have an ablation but it stopped. Had scans etc and all fine. At the time my doctor told me- after useless blood tests of course - that I wasn't perimenopausal. I can't believe the lack of knowledge. This was a woman too. 48, missing periods, flooding. Nope, you're not peri menopausal because of a blood test. I'm under a clinic now as I have no faith in my GP.

Luckily she didn't do a blood test for me, just took me at my word on my symptoms.
I'm 52 as well, been asking for the past couple of years when my screening was going to be too.
Bloody sucks being a woman sometimes doesn't it 😂