Am I taking. Utrogestan Properly

[Whatswrongwithmarjorie]

im really confused around when to take Utrogestan. I know i should take it on day 14 -28 of my cycle but is that 14 days from my last period or do I always take it on day 14 of a 28 day cycle regardless of my last period date?
My periods can start anywhere from day 23 to day 40. I had a period on July 15th but then didn’t have another one for almost 40 days (actually only 1 week ago). Now I’m getting the cramps that i usually get when I ovulate on day 14 and this would be day 14 if my august had been on time. So In a very long winded way , I’m asking if I should be taking Utrogestan tonight( if it’s taken on a 28 day cycle this is day 14) or do I wait for the 14th day after my last period ?
sorry for the long ramble but I’m so confused!

So have you started taking it yet or are you trying to work out when to start taking it?

I started taking it 2 months ago . I’m so confused on whether I take it on a 28 day cycle regardless of period or 14th day after my period

It's really confusing. I read somewhere you can start on the same day each month, so that's what I do. I start on the 26th of the month and I take it for 12 days. I start getting a period at around day 10. Its easy to remember this way and seems to work okay.

You take it from day 15 of your cycle for 14 days regardless of your natural cycle. The intention is to get your natural cycle to marry up with the hormones. I have a short cycle but this is the first month I’ve reverted back to a 28 day cycle.

Thank you so much! So always day 15 of a 38 day cycle, regardless of periods/bleeding?
thanks so much ladies!

@Whatswrongwithmarjorie It's no different to using a pack of HRT tablets that have 14 days of estrogen, then 14 days of estrogen+progestogen.

Women using pre-packed HRT like this just take the tablets and don't try to work the 2nd half (both hormones in 1 tablet) around a varying cycle.

I wish GPs would be more explicit as this seems to cause constant confusion on this forum!

You choose the same DATE each month.

Your HRT sets a new cycle. Ignore your current one.(That's what women do using a pack of HRT as pill-form.)

What you should be doing right from the start was 2 weeks of estrogen only, then 12 days (the leaflet says 12, not 14) of Utrogestan.

If it's easier to remember, you can take the Utrogestan on the same date each month.

My consultant suggests 1st or 15th day of the month for women using it on a 4-week cycle. So, for women new to HRT it's absolutely fine to start estrogen only and carry on with that until you get to the 1st of the next month, then start Utrogestan. If someone started estrogen on the 1st of the month, they could choose the 15th of the month as their Utrogestan day (and stick to that.)

Ignore the 28 days. It's really a monthly cycle (like we have normally)and months have 30-31 days.

As long as you take 12 days in a calendar month, that is fine.

The 14 days is a 'new' think started by Dr Louise Newson who decided it was easier for women to manage 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off Utrogestan (and she wrote a guide for GPs!)

There is no medical reason to use 14 days unless someone has heavy bleeding on 12 days and needs more.

So always day 15 of a 38 day cycle, regardless of periods/bleeding?

No, because you are then still working it around a cycle.

Choose a date on the calendar, not a day of your own cycle.

Ignore your own cycles. HRT creates a new cycle pattern.

I start utrogestan on 1st of the month for 2 weeks, but very rarely get any bleed. Before I first started hrt 3 years ago I had irregular periods that were spacing out to 40 or 50 days. They never regulated on hrt though other symptoms (esp dryness) improved.
Because of COVID I have never really had proper follow up but I assume I am just one of the 15 percent of women who don't get bleeds on hrt. My periods were always very light so maybe that's why.

Just came back to agree with the other posters. Ignore your own 'natural' cycle. With Utrogestan you have two weeks on, two weeks off, simple as that.

Thank you all so much.
It’s so hard to understand the GP’s instructions when you basically only get 10 mins with them and they just haven’t been ringing me back as I’m not a priority. It’s crystal clear now x

It also depends on how your taking your HRT. Some women use patches and pulls, some gel and pills, some use the more a coil as progesterone and use patches across the month.

i use patches and progesterone pills. I use patches twice a week continuously. Then progesterone from day 15 for 14 days. The HRT sets the cycle. Forget your own cycle now.

*mirena

My periods are all over the place, just had 3 weeks bleeding then any number of weeks off (currently two). I took my first dose on the 15th of that month and then have just counted the days and put them onto my calendar on my phone. It's around the 15th each month, give or take a day.

CAN I JUST SAY THIS ONCE AGAIN IN A REALLY LOUD SHOUTY VOICE? 😂

The dose is 12 days. THIS IN ON THE PATIENT LEAFLET.

I've used it for years and years. 12 days is enough.
There are women who (for all kinds of reasons) take even less than 12 days per month (under supervision of a consultant.) Some take it for 10 days, other take it only once every 6 weeks or every 8 weeks (Do not do this at home- it's something done with a dr.)

The 14 days is something that has only started very recently.
It's come about after one dr who wrote a 'training guide' for GPs decided that women find it 'easier' to remember 14 days (2 weeks on/ 2 weeks off.)

Also, it does make it the same system as tablet form HRT which is 14 days.

However, many women do have side effects with any kind of progestogen, and there is no need to use it for 14 days UNLESS you have heavy bleeds and then you need more.

by once I mean 12 days per cycle.

12 days is plenty for me, I've tried both 12 and 14, and 14 just made it a very long time for my period as it started on day 10 regardless.
I'm hoping my GP says I can start continuous use in after I've been on it a year.

that was meant to say 12 days is long enough

It does say in the leaflet day 15 to day 26, but my gp has prescribed it 200g per night on days 15 to 28. It also says you can take 100g day 1 to 28, which I'm glad I don't need to do as I really struggle taking them. Do you know of anything that's easier to take @JinglingHellsBells ? I've seen your name a lot on this topic and you seem to know a lot about it

I’ve just been prescribed it 100g day 1-25 of 28 day treatment cycle. Does anyone know if there is any benefit or downside of taking it the way I’ve been prescribed? It’s with the gel. Thanks

Ooh that’s interesting about the 12 days. I’m going to start doing that!

On one of Louise Newsome's videos she said to just take it every day without a break if you are on the 100mg per day continous protocol. Her youtube videos are worth watching.

Thanks I’ll have a look for them now

@Pigflewpast The more 'modern way' of using it continuously is daily, with no break. The 25 days out of 28 was originally there so women could have a tiny withdrawal bleed. As this is so unlikely in women post-menopause, using progesterone daily for 25 days a month, most drs now say take it daily. (That's how it works with continuous patches- there is no 3-day break.)

I take mine on 1st-12th of each calendar month as that’s what I was advised to do by menopause clinic. Seems to work fine for me as easy to remember.

However, for the last 2 months I have been having periods completely out of sync with that so not sure what all that is about. I’ve started again today after only have a bleed 3 weeks ago..

I’ve never heard this! So some people are using continuous oestrogen patches and one pull of progesterone every day?