Progesterone only pill plus HRT

[Judystilldreamsofhorses]

I’m just off a telephone consultation with a very helpful GP. I’m 49, and already on the mini pill which has stopped my periods which were becoming far too frequent.

The GP suggested a Mirena plus oestrogen gel but as a childless person I am a bit wary about the pain. I’m going to try patches for three months then review, but a bit worried re progesterone overload - is this a thing? Also how do patches stay on if you have a bath? (Sorry if that is a stupid question!)

I can recall it has to be worn around that area. I prefer to shave an area and my bumfluff sticks to it and it hurts when i take it off.

i never realised i had a hairy bum.

I am a very hairy person but my issue is water weakening the glue. I have never had to remove one! Friday’s came off and shouldn’t be changed until tomorrow so I think I am off it now until I can get the coil. Tomorrow I was due to start the combo patches.

Hi! I know this is an old thread but can I please ask you about this? I'm on HRT (2 pumps that i want to increase to 3 and I have 200mg of utrogestan 12 days per cycle).
I'm going to the GP this week and I want to try exactly what you have described above.
I'm 45 and before HRT (six months) I was having regular-ish periods, somewhat erratic, short light cycles and then longer and then a couple of skipped periods. My main issues were horrific symptoms during the first half of my cycle. I suspect I have been progesterone deficient for some time. I get on really well with the utrogestan and it's when i take it that i sleep and feel much, much better overall.
Anyway, I suppose what I'm asking is why you were put on continuous HRT? I'd like to try it but don't know if I qualify. I'm wondering if I automatically qualify if I go on the mini-pill.
Thanks :)

I’m on this continuous routine but I’m 52. I started taking the mini pill 2 years before starting HRT and am now on 100 patches with 100 Ultrogestan daily. I don’t know if my natural periods have stopped because I’m on the mini pill but GP said best routine to do as it’s not worth starting bleeds again

Try warming the patch in your hand before sticking on. It seems to make the glue stick better. I’m a bather too. I have used gel as an alternative in summer when I do a lot of sea swimming and pulling wetsuits on and off.

I have multiple autoimmune issues (Addisons, lupus, sjorgens, pituitary issues etc) and had been on the mini pill for many years (8) because I had a lot of clotting with my periods which I put down to the above issues. I really liked the fact the mini pill completely stops any bleeding whatsoever for me so when I started HRT I said one of the main issues for me was that ideally I wanted to stop any bleeding and I didn’t want to have a coil fitted - which was what they kept trying to push me to do (I had a traumatic vaginal birth many years ago and although I have no issue with smears etc I never want anything else medical going up there)! So the mini pill / oestrogel / utrogestan routine was recommended to me. And it works really well for me.

You shouldn’t need to “qualify” to have the mini pill HRT thing, there’s nothing special about it, it’s just an alternative to the usual HRT.

Sorry for the multiple posts - just thought I should also say that although for me personally the mini pill has been amazing and has completely stopped my bleeding that I do realise this isn’t the case for everyone. My own dd aged 19 tried it for a year and couldn’t get on with it at all as it just made her have endless bleeds / spotting. It’s worth keeping with it for a while as I do think often women give up with it too early - it took a few months for spotting to stop in my case and I I just kept with it - I think we’re all different and I guess it’s one of those things you have to try and see.

I meant would I qualify for continuous HRT rather than sequential. I think probably not, but if the mini pill stopped by period I wonder when/if I would be moved over to continuous.

Thank you. I think I'll give it a try but I'm slightly wary as I have been getting ok with HRT and don't really want to muddy the waters. I have a feeling it might help further but I could be wrong!

As I understand it (from Newson health and the nhs- I’ve seen consultants at both) there isn’t actually a need to move from type one to another if you’re happy with your current regime. I’ve been told I can stay on this forever if I want to - although the nhs consultant did me thom there’s a slight increase in risks of certain types of cancer after the 10 year mark (I’m 42 and been on it since 37). People used to think you had to stop taking the mini pill around 45ish but that’s no longer thought to be true. And the same with the HRT side of things- Louise Newsons mother in law (or mum can’t remember which) is on HRT in her 80s. I’m not entirely sure why there’s a difference between continuous and the other type to be honest as they’ve never discussed that with me at all. I have been told the only drawback to staying on this is that I will never officially know when I’ve gone through the menopause as I never have periods.

I'm 52 & been on mini pill for 15 years (no periods) my understanding is you can keep taking it until 55. I started HRT 2 years ago, 2 pumps of gel & utrogestone every day. It's working well for me. I don't want to risk coming off the pill yet only to discover I'm still peri menopausal & get periods back, especially the risk of them being heavier.

Slight change of chat but does anyone get severe bloating on continious utrogestan? Im trying to work out if its the Oestrogel or utrogestan 🤔🤷🏻‍♀️

I've been to the docs today.
I have been given the mini pill Desogestrel 75 mcg 1 per day.
To continue with 2 pumps of estrogel.
I'm confused though about the Utrogestan. She said I wouldn't need it if I'm taking the mini pill. I said I loved it and wanted to keep taking it 😂she said that's fine, just 1 pill. I've just had to send an e-mail in because I'm not sure what she meant - 1 per day or 1 for the usual 12 days.

I swim and bathe in my patches. You have to make sure your skin is totally dry with no body lotion before putting the patch on. You can gently warm it or your skin with a hairdryer too. Hold it on for 30 seconds. Mine never come off now- even pulling a wetsuit off after swimming. I have found top of buttock is the best.

I was the OP of this thread - I ended up with the coil and gel because I found taking progersterone on top of the mini pill made me really bloated/sore breasts, plus the patches just floated away anyway.

My GP said I couldn't take the mini pill as part of HRT, it had to be HRT on top of the mini pill.

The coil and the mini pill both provide part of the progesterone needed for the HRT. Same thing. I hope the coil suits you and you’re happy with it but I do wish GPs knew what they’re talking about when it comes to this.

(I should add I know with the mini pill you still need to take some utrogestan as well but it’s less than you’d need to if you didn’t take the mini pill).

@Xrays my GP said it wasn’t licensed for use as part of HRT, although it provided the same dose of hormones as the coil.

That is odd but I don’t know quite what that actually means in practice… I’m under an NHS menopause specialist and they were very happy to keep me on that regime.

@Xrays - I’m in Scotland so perhaps the guidelines are slightly different here? My coil was fitted by the region’s menopause specialist consultant at a dedicated clinic so I assume it’s all legit!

Oh yes I’m sure, it’s just interesting how varied it is everywhere! 💐

I'm on cerazette and Elesette Duet which has been pretty transformational. I've just had my first 4 month review and my dose is going from 1mg to 2 to try to resolve the insomnia. I'm happy with it.
Patches etc are not for me, if I can avoid them, and I have zero desire for the coil.

I spoke with my GP yesterday. She said the latest advice for our area is that it's ok to use 75mcg desogestrel as the progesterone component of HRT. She said that advice had only recently changed. She was great actually and she said she does stay up to date with meno advice and receives alerts and updates from Newson Health so I feel confident in her. However, I can add the utrogestan if I want to as it won't hurt and aids my sleep. There's not really a definitive answer it would seem - only ever-changing latest advice.