Progesterone generally and specifically in the form of Utogesteron

[camdenish]

I’ve never got on with progesterone but it took me years to realise this was my problem.

My symptoms were massive bloating and weight gain. I was diagnosed with IBS and good intolerances but nothing could stop the awful pain of distension. Coming off the progesterone birth control always made me better. This has happened with hormone birth control in the form of pills, injections and coil.

Going onto HRT I was concerned about the Utogesteron part of my treatment. I’m on oeastrogel with 12 days of two tablets of Utogesteron. The bloating has been manageable for the first year of HRT but now I’m getting the Utogesteron side effects again. I’ve got to the stag where I’m not going to take the Utogesteron next month. I’ve got an appointment with my doctor at the menopause clinic and I’ll discuss with them, but in the meantime I can’t put my body through it again.

Im not having the Mirena fitted as I had awful symptoms and was treated like a child when I wanted it out. Apparently it’s expensive so I should have persevered. I had to fight to get it removed.

I live HRT but I have a womb. Am I mad to consider having a hysterectomy so I don’t have to deal with progesterone?

@Tatapie Please can I ask how old you are or how long you have been experiencing perimenopausal symptoms? I would like to try continuous, I have been on sequential for about 4 months. I think I really need the progesterone, during that part of my regime I sleep better, am calmer and my eczema clears up. I'm still very up and down though. I experience bloating, exhaustion and general debilitating 'ick' here and there which usually occurs in the follicular phase and when I am taking estrogen (gel) only which I am guessing may be an estrogen surge? I had this follicular phase symptom badly for a long while, now less so on HRT but still happens. My current thinking is I have had low progesterone for a long time.

Hi yes I'm 50, symptoms came on Oct 2020.

I continue to feel better on this regime, haven't had a period or any other symptoms appear. I am heavier and find weight hard to shift but I think that's just age. Hope that helps.

What are the tablets you are taking & do they still help?

@Tatapie shops d SD sorry should've read the whole thread!

I've also really struggled with progesterone and came off HRT because of it. This is an old thread - @camdenish did you find an answer?

@Tatapie what's the name of your HRT please? I'm going to go back to the dr afer Christmas I think.

I had a hysterectomy, bloody fantastic.

I'm also interested in this - I'm on the same regime and while I find the progesterone is very helpful for sleep, I also experience bloating and sore boobs during those first 12 days.

I'm aware that sequential is recommended for women who are peri-menopausal to prevent womb cancer, but what would the harm be in taking ONE utrogestan tablet over the whole month, rather than taking two for 12 days? Surely this means one's body is absorbing the amount of progesterone that is necessary?!

@superette I believe that it's over 12 days so that the withdrawal from progesterone causes a bleed. Taken every day means no bleed. If we are peri and our womb linings are thickening each month then the lining needs to shed each month too. It's the lack of shedding that could cause problems and build an unhealthy thick lining.
However, I also understand that taking TWO for the twelve days might be unnecessary and is a 'catch all' scenario. One tablet for 12 days is probably enough for most peri women to cause withdrawal and a bleed (but halve the symptoms) but a GP will prescribe two. Otherwise we'd need regular scans to check the uterine lining is healthy and extra scans = cost.

Ah okay. I’ve posted about this before but I’ve barely bled at all since starting hrt - some months a very small amount during the progesterone withdrawal part of the month, but otherwise nothing.

I was told this was normal for 15/20 percent of women and not a concern, but should I be pushing for regular scans in this case?

I don't think you will get a 'regular' scan but you can push for one, to start with.
I know my consultant would want to scan anyone who doesn't bleed.

Is your estrogen dose very low?
Or your progesterone high?

Sometimes if you are using a low dose of estrogen and 14 days of progesterone, there simply isn't much lining to come away.

Everyone has different estrogen receptors in their womb. I seem to have a lot as I bleed heavily on hrt, far more than pre-meno.

@JinglingXmasbells - interesting, thank you! I'm on 2 pumps of oestrogel daily, and 2 utrogestan tablets for the first half of the month - quite a standard starting dose I think? I'm almost 47 and prior to going on HRT, my periods were still regular, although becoming heavier and more frequent - one of the reasons I went on HRT in the first place.

In another thread, someone suggested that perhaps I wasn't bleeding because my oestrogen levels were too low and that needed to be increased - however, I'm curious about this, given I was still having periods before? Surely if I was really declining in oestrogen my 'normal' periods would have become more erratic?

All so confusing! If anyone has further insight, I'd love to hear it x

Hi, @HelenHywater

i spoke to the consultant who basically said there’s no point taking it internally and if I really can’t take it I’ll have to come off HRT.

I persevered for another month and it was t too bad. So I did another month… however many months later and my periods/break through bleeding has stopped and I barely notice I’m on Utogesteron.

I did play around with the oestrogel so I wonder if I just needed the correct mix. I was on 4 when I had all the issues and now am on two pumps.

all the best!

Utrogestan 100mg capsules
&
Estradiol 0.06% gel

Gp said I could go to continuous after about 8 months on hrt in July. I'm 45 and still had periods. Though they'd become v light. I also upped patches to 100 at the same appt.

I'd been taking x2 utro vaginally 12/28 as I'd found it made me too groggy.

I tried orally in July but still the same issue and then back to went vaginally. Then had so much ongoing spotting and slight bleeding (4 weeks) that i decided to try back to cyclical - but I've decided I really need the Utrogestan. This month I've really noticed my 2 weeks off it despite taking it vaginally.

So I'm trying again. And already feel better, no grogginess. And my feet don't hurt in the morning. Possibly as on more oestrogen?

Some women are on 25 with a 3 day break.

I saw the leaflet says the spotting could last 3 months so I don't think I persevered.

I've an appointment in jan. A friend who is a Gp who did some recent meno training did say they're starting to say x2 continuously if on higher patches; so I may need to do this.

This link does have a table regarding progesterone intolerance which may be worth looking at.

https://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/professionals/gp-advice-and-troubleshooting-guide-for-hrt-in-primary-care?fbclid=IwAR0wAeTf4wLWZaEAHenfJelQ8i1PVRfNinms4RcXsjWE8r8L9-_3JHZZ3JQ

i spoke to the consultant who basically said there’s no point taking it internally and if I really can’t take it I’ll have to come off HRT.

My Gp said it was better for bleeding and was positively enthusiastic about trying this way despite not being licensed. But as I say I have noticed a missing benefit recently so it's still possible it could affect you this way. Side effects were definitely better for me though previously.