changing from Evorel Sequi to Estrogel and Utrogestan - when to start?

[Pellets]

I am desperate! the Menopause Matters website has gone down so I can't see if my question has been answered, my GPs don't seem to know anything and my appointment with HRT specialist at the local Sexual Health Clinic isn't until August.

I have been on Evorel Sequi for about 10 months now and all was fine until about three packets ago when I noticed that I was getting proper regular periods and hideous side effects so the long ans short of it is that I am now going to try Estrogel and Utrogestan taken vaginally, the only problem is I don't know when to start or how and of course no one at the surgery seems to know either.
as I see it my options are:
Don't put the last patch on tonight (yes tonight so running out of time) and wait for a period but if I stop then I won't be getting the period inducing progestrogen so it could be ages before I get a period. OR I could not put the patch on but start the Utrogestan to replace the progest from the patch and I suppose I could take it until the day I would have started thenext pack of Sequi, then stop for the 14 days as per the video I have seen about how to ake Utrogestan. OR I could stop everything and wait for a period (again could be ages) OR I could carry on with the patches until finished, or until I have a bleed which will be a struggle as the symptoms I am having are not mild. Not sure I can handle it for another week...

If you are using a sequi patch, can't you just go through the cycle with it, as normal and get the withdrawal bleed? It's normal to get a monthly bleed with sequi- it's not a real period.

Why do you think it will change with the new type?

If you are doing a sequi regime, you will still get a monthly withdrawal bleed.
Once you get to the end of the cycle with patches you ought to bleed. If not, then there isn't enough lining to shed.

I think you ought to continue with your patches to the end of the cycle.

Then, start the new regime. You can do estrogen every day and add Utrogestan in for 12 days, after a couple of weeks.

I hate to say this, but there is no guarantee that things will change for the better with Utrogestan, used orally or vaginally. It may mean fewer side effects but may not. It does avoid less 'brain fog' and tiredness used vaginally, but it depends what side effects you had.

Anyway- fingers crossed that you will feel better on it!

Hi there - thanks so much for your quick replies! OK - so I have never had any perimoenopause symptoms or PMT/PMS when I was younger. I was originally started on HRT for migraines. I knew it was a waste of time as my migraines and cluster headaches were never associated with my cycle but becasue they had got worse over the last few years it was thought that perhaps hormones may be a factor. I was desperate and at the time I had yet to be refered to a migraine clinic in order to be prescribed CGRP injections. 2 years on and I do now have the injections and so far they are working. The HRT did nothing for migraines HOWEVER I noticed after just a couple of weeks that my mood had lifted, quite a lot. I hadn't realised that it was perhaps my one perimenopasue symptom, it had crept up on me and I had put it down to the migraines and uncontrolled pain from Inflammatory Arthritis. After another couple of months I noticed that in combination with restarting disease Modyfying Drugs for that, that my pain was a lot better too, so for this reason I am really keen to stay on it.

My periods have always been variable from after ovulation, ovulation always spot on, but also never knew when I was going to come on as I never had any sore boobs, bad mood, never understood what people were on about with 'bloating', or headaches etc. Now however, I've got the lot. My boobs are so sore it stretches all the way up to my collar bone, my midriff is so bloated at times I look pregnant and I am angry an irritable all the time. And then there's the itching - last month I scratched myself to pieces at night, it was hideous. I just want to rip off the patch I've got on and feel very reluctant to put the next one on as I know all of this is going to get worse. I'm so miserable. Judging by the calendar and the last 3 bleeds, the next one could be another 2 weeks.
After doing some research, I figure that taking the Utrogestan vaginally may mean an improvement of the progestrogen side effects. I watched the video on YouTube about it.

In that case, you could either start gel immediately and add utro in place of the progestin in the patches OR just add gel and wait until 1st June and start Utro then, and continue with it for 12 days, then start it again on 1st July for another 12 days.

Ignore the 2-weeks on, 2-weeks off for Utro- that's something very recent by 1 dr to try to make it simpler for women to remember , but the actual dose is 12 days.

Thanks - I forgot to say that for about 2 years and before I started HRT although I was still having periods, they has been very irregular; sometimes very heavy, sometimes really short and very, very light, sometimes 3 months apart, in other words a change and only niticeable perimenopause symptom, not bothersome, just the natural grinding to halt, I suppose. Anyway, they couldn't be described as 'regular' and I had a feeling it wouldn't have been long before they stoppped altogether, but of course since starting the patches they have been regular and I have no depserate need or desire for them to be.
thanks so much for the advice, I think I need a rest from progest. so will go with your second suggestion of starting with the gel now and then Utrogestan 1st of June.
Off to rip my patch off now!!