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!

*pill

Interesting, I haven’t had a period for over a year so wasn’t looking forward to going back to bleeding.

Is that progesterone pill the 200mg or the 100mg strength?
vaginally or orally?

I take 15 days 100mg vaginally every month, and have a withdrawal bleed. I still ovulate

I have endometrial scans every year... though haven’t had one in two years because of covid etc.

I didn’t like the synthetic progesterone in the pop or the combined birth control pill back in the day, and used to have a bit of pms, so I don’t think I tolerate progesterone well.

ive no problem with the micronised progesterone vaginally. seems to be working ok. I use two pumps gel everyday.
Didn’t get on with the glue in the patches (atopic dermatitis)

now I’m wondering should I be on 200mg X 15 days instead of 100 mg.
Does anyone have any ideas about that?

@LaJoconde On the NHS most women will be getting the 100mgs capsules but will use two for 12 days per cycle.

They stopped dispensing the 200mgs sort a few years ago (although it is available privately and for fertility.)

If you are using less, has this been prescribed by a dr?

And are you being referred for a private scan annually? If so, why?

The British Menopause Society issued a report in Jan 2022 saying that because of the increase in cases of endometrial hyperplasia, which they put down to women using half the prescribed dose, the full dose should be taken. This info is available online (from the BMS if you put the words into a google search.)

This was partly in response to some private drs saying half the dose was ok if used vaginally. They say now the dose has to be the same whether used vaginally or orally.

I'm just about to start Utrogestan tabs and Estradiol gel.

Utrogestan tabs say take 2 daily for day 1-12 of every 28 day cycle.

I'm on day 7 of my cycle so I'm assuming I can start the oestrogen gel tomorrow and then start the utrogestan when my period arrives (day 1)?

For someone who's brain fogged by peri it's all a bit of a challenge 😅

So it looks like I messed up. Took Utrogestan for first 12 days of my cycle. But just been reading today it should be 12 days in second half. So what the bloody hell do I do now?!

Just keep going on the cycle you’ve now established @colouringindoors. Ie start the next lot of utrogestan on the same date next month.

This is exactly what’s happened to me @HelloDaisy! I’m on month 3. First two months I bled around day 7 of taking the utrogestan. This month my bleed started 2 days before I started taking utrogestan! It’s a bit shit as I hadn’t had a period for 7 months prior to starting HRT and I’m not enjoying their return! Especially not having one 3 weeks after my last one…

Did yours settle down?

I spoke to the pharmacist and she advised me to start taking it again on the 12th day before my period is due. Utrogestan should be taken in the second half of the cycle.

Also me! 😬🫣

I’ve been on hrt for about 18 months now and definitely feel so much better and more like “me” than I did before!
It took a few months to settle down into a routine but since then has been fine. For some unknown reason my periods have gone a bit scatty over the last month or so but were fine until then.

Spoke to clinical pharmacist attached to my GP today.

He told me the opposite of the Boots pharmacist. He said don't take it for the second half of this cycle, have your period then take it for the second half of that cycle. So I'm going to do that.

Still haven't ovulated, my body is totally confused.

I got I a lot of pickles on this.

You ignore bleeding and stick to a routine.

Just got this and pump today, I'm a bit confused should this say 14-27 and not 14-28?? See photo. Pharmacist said to start taking on day 1 of period, 1st day of bleeding , so will have to wait until next period as gone past day 14??

Mine says 14-28 as well.
i have another question now. After finally getting my head round it all and enjoying a much less heavy 28 day cycle, I have bled for 5 days every 23 days for the last 2 months: does this mean my dosage isn’t right or at I doing it wrong? Should I stop taking my progesterone if I get a bleed?

I was told to start taking it on day 15 of my cycle, day 1 being first day of bleeding. Everything seems to be in sync, no breakthrough bleeding etc, so I’m sticking to that.

The patient leaflet gives the option of 12 or 14 days.
It's your choice. A lot depends on how well you tolerate progesterone and how much estrogen you use (higher doses may warrant 14 days because more days = less bleeding- usually.)

No one ( or rarely) has a 28 day cycle, especially in peri menopause.

You are better off trying to re-set a new HRT cycle on a monthly (30-31 day basis.)

If you start Utrogestan mid-cycle, you may carry on having a regular bleed each month.

BUT your period may also come early because your own estrogen levels PLUS HRT estrogen, aren't being controlled by that amount of Utrogestan.

It's not possible to keep taking Utrogestan mid-cycle when your periods are irregular.

The way to keep it very simple (my consultant tells women this) is to start Utrogestan on the same day every month. can be the 1st or any other day you choose. If your periods are regular at the moment, choose a mid-point, but if they aren't choose any day.

If your period comes early, keep taking the rest of the dose, and then start again on the same day next month.

Eventually, it will become an established cycle, using HRT.

There are many variations on this which GPs aren't necessarily aware of.
Until recently, the established dose was always 12 days. More recently, it was (I think) Dr Newson who produced a guidance for GPs and said make it 14 days as women find it 'easier' to remember 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off.

This doesn't account however for side effects that some women have and of course we are all able to count to 12!

The only thing I've noticed after I got completely out of sync (tried continuous breifly) is that timing it to the latter part of your cycle seems to help pmt with me.

I've stuck to a firm routine trying to reset but it's looking like I'll either start utro on day 1, 2 or 3 again or I may skip this month (had the pmt though!) as I'm a few days off starting it again and still no period. Unfortunately taking it timed to the start of my cycle this month.

It has reset itself before, and I naturally seemed to fall into a cycle of utro being timed to days 9-21. It's always taken a week or more for a period to arrive after stopping.

(I'm basically sticking to the routine though going forward and I know it will eventually reset.)

I was 12 / 28. Have considered the two weeks on two weeks of as described below as am on a higher dose.

help.. I’m still confused. I was taking it from day 15 counting from day 1 of my period. So counting day 1 of my period as day 1 of my cycle. And taking it from day 15 to 26.
however, im having periods every 15 days now, so only about 6 or 7 days in between bleeds :( how do i take the progesterone? I could be taking it permanently if taking on day 15 to 26 now lol
can i choose 1st to 15th of the month and stick to that regardless of having two bleeds a month? 🙈

EmClev, I’m not a menopause specialist but I was having very irregular periods and the doctor advised me to take them on days 1-12 every month regardless of when I bleed.
I’ve been on it for a while now and it seems to helps in that my periods seem to fit into the utrogestan pattern most of the time. hope that helps.

@EmClev Do as @HelloDaisy says.

You can't stick to mid cycle in peri as it changes all the time, as you've found!

The leaflet is a bit confusing in some ways.

Start on the same day each month (choose any date you like) and this will create a 'HRT cycle' which should override your natural cycle.

Is it okay that I don't bleed please? As am on the gel, the utrogestan for 2 weeks out of 4, and cerazette which stops my periods. Or should I see the GP does anyone know please?

Thank you so much hellodaisy x

I did the same as you and started the gel and utrogestan on the 5th of the month.

I wasn’t aware of this!
“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”

My period hasn’t aligned to the new hrt cycle and it cane on the day it should have. I’m on month 3 now and my period started 3 days after taking utrogestan.

Im wondering whether to start a different day on month 4. I find it confusing.