Little 'survey' on Utrogestan

[JinglingSpringbells]

With all the shortages of this I'm really curious.

Is everyone being offered Utrogestan now as the default progesterone?
Are you asking for it or being given it with no discussion?

If so, I think it's happened because of a training manual for GPs written by a meno dr, to help make prescribing easier and they don't have to think about it.

It's a bit odd because almost daily, this forum is full of women asking for support with it and not liking it.

I moved onto it after 6 years on Norethisterone because it's supposed to be safer for long term use. I was warned I'd love it or hate it!

But for women using HRT for 5 years or less, the other options are safe and it always used to be accepted that up to 5 years had negligible risks.

The other options are
Mirena coil

Dydrogesterone (only as part of Femoston except in Ireland where it can be prescribed on its own along with gel/ ptaches.)

Norethisterone (in all patches and most tablets) but can be prescribed alone to use with gel or estrogen patches.

MPA - in many patches and tablets

Provera (same as MPA but can be prescribed as a tablet rather than as part of a combined estrogen+progestogen pack of tablets.)

I couldn’t tolerate Utrogestan in any form or any regime. I’m ok on the patches but still would prefer an oral HRT as that worked far better for me.

This is interesting. I’m currently on Evorel 75 patches and have in the last couple of months been prescribed utrogestan.

I was also told to take the progesterone pills 14 days after first day of a bleed.

I’ve currently completed one cycle and I’m a couple of days off starting the utrogestan.

Am I doing it wrong?

At least I’m feeling better than when the pharmacist fucked up and only delivered the oestrogen patches which i used consistently without any progesterone. My mood dip was shocking and I would cry very easily. It was only when I rang ten pharmacist at the surgery (not the dispensary) that I discovered I was supposed to be receiving the utrogestan as well. The dispensing pharmacist had assured me that my correct prescriptions were all delivered but they messed up.

Due to prolapse and overactive bladder I have had issues with getting to the loo in time when waking in the night. The last few weeks have been dreadful in that I will wake every couple of hours bursting for a pee, despite only consuming sensible amounts of appropriate liquids before bed.

Could this be linked to the utrogestan?

Thanks for starting this thread @JinglingSpringbells I have a number of medical issues (ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarthritis, sciatica etc) and I’m always on the ball, medication wise). However, the menopause has absolutely wrecked my ability to be on top of this and I don’t really know what I’m supposed to be taking and when. It’s horrible to feel so pathetic and useless but I’m trying hard to overcome that mindset.

I should probably book an appointment with someone like you Op, to get a handle on all of this.

Sorry for the essay!

Hi Yes, you are doing it wrongly as it's not sustainable once you start having longer cycles (missing periods.)

It's a shame so many GPs are just not aware of the correct prescribing.

I've copied this from the Patient Leaflet online
The recommended dose is 200 mg daily at bedtime, for twelve days in the last half of each therapeutic cycle (beginning on Day 15 of the cycle and ending on Day 26).

As before- therapeutic means it's an HRT-created cycle, not your own cycle.

If you compare it to patches or tablet HRT, women are not being asked to 'count the days and start on day 14' of their cycle. The estrogen and progesterone in patches and tablets is already there. 14 days of only estrogen then 14 days or estrogen +progesterone. There is no instruction to wait till day 14 of your own cycle before using patches or tablets with added progesterone.

Many specialists have now advised on a simpler way and that is to choose one day per month (eg 1st or the 15th - makes zero difference) and stick to that. It also makes zero difference to work it over a calendar month of 30 days, rather than 28 days.

Doing it his way MAY mean your natural period pops up early at first, as well as the withdrawal bleed from HRT, but it will settle down in a few months.

I absolutely love it. Im on cyclical hrt and the 10 days I'm on progesterone I have the BEST sleep. I hadn't slept this well since I was a teenager!

@JinglingSpringbells
thank you so much for your reply. I’ve also been taking it in the morning as prescribed. Sigh. I’ll start taking it at bedtime instead.

Thanks again

I take Utrogestant tablets and use Oestrogel gel after a gp consultation.
She went through various options.
I didn't want a coil or similar and preferred tablets to patches wherever possible.
We decided in this combination to start with after discussion.

I was prescribed Evorel patches by a practice nurse and then had Utrogestan added to my prescription afterwards only because I had questioned her on whether a progesterone was needed too for womb protection (she didn’t know and needed to ask a GP). I was never told how often to take them so just assumed daily.

Utrogestan affected my mood terribly - to the point of becoming suicidal. I eventually got to speak to a GP who moved me to Everol Conti (low mood persisted on this) and then told me to stop taking the mini-pill too as I was ‘double-dosing’ progesterone and this may be the cause of the mood issues. I felt better within days of stopping the mini-pill.

Problem is I now have no contraception so it’s causing other problems.

I started hrt with oestrogen patches and a mirena. The oestrogen was increased over time up to a 100 patch. I was still having sleep issues as well as panic attacks (meno related, started in peri) so my specialist added in continuous Utrogestan 100.

I have had no negative side effects at all, and it has made a huge difference to both sleep and panic attacks - massive improvement to my quality of life. I am also on testosterone and Vagifem so a pretty full on hrt regime!

I started with Utrogestan but really couldn't tolerate it (felt like a return of all peri symptoms for 10 days at a time).

Switched to Duphaston (Dydrogesterone) as I'm in Ireland - no problems at all, works well. I do find I need to take it very consistently ie within an hour or so of the same time each day to avoid breakthrough bleeding.

I'm a bit shocked some posters got given poor advice re taking progesterone.

I'm a bit shocked some posters got given poor advice re taking progesterone.

By their GPs I mean - not on this thread!

I’m the same and came on this thread to say I’m on Duphaston and it has transformed me! I thought I would never tolerate any progesterone after failing with the Mirena and Utogesterone.

I go to a specialist here in Ireland.

My periods have always been regular 28 days apart until recently when they are getting close and close 19 days this time. I haven't used contraceptive for 10 years as partner has a vasectomy. So would you suggest I start taking utrogestan on 1st June for 14 days then again on 1july? And so on? That would be eSIER to remember

This is exactly how I take utrogestan - on the 1st of each month for 14 days.

Could you set a recurring monthly reminder in your calendar to remind you to take it?

I've been subjected to Norethisterone and Provera as birth control most of my adult life and they both made me fat, miserable and suicidal and if I knew then what I know now I would sue the doctors who made me take them and quite frankly ruined decades of my life! Was given the Mirena coil along with estrogel for the menopause and had to literally beg my GP to remove it. I'm now on 200mg Cyclogest taken vaginally for the first 7 days of each calendar month and those days are not great, but at least I'm only raging and miserable for 7 days each month!

I’m on utrogestan because I asked for it. Because I have done my research.

Stop suggesting doctors and women are foolish and just do what the manual tells them to. We all have brains.

Daisy- the countless threads here on side effects show that many women were not offered anything else, and it is in the guidance for GPs.

@Daisypain I don’t think anyone is suggesting women are stupid. But there is a very clear lack of knowledge or interest among some GPs as you can see from the incorrect advice PPs have been given, some of which could be dangerous to our heath. It is not unreasonable for us to be able to visit a doctor and be given up to date and correct advice. We shouldn’t really have to be the expert in the room.

@EarringsandLipstick and @Annasgirl It's not available in the UK. (It's dydrogesterone which is only available here in a pack of Femoston. IF it was available I'd ask my (private) consultant for it as Utrogestan does have a downside for me , but it's just not available.

No it's definitely Day 14 of taking the Oestrogel. This is my second month but I didn't have a bleed at all in the first month, probably because I'm already on the POP and don't have periods. But I still took the Utrogestan for 14 days, then stopped for 14, then started again.

I was given evorel sequi but after a while asked to change to 75/evorel and utrogestan on a 2 week cycle. I wouldn't have minded sequi patches but they don't do that at those levels

I'm not having a mirena, thank you.

I like the utrogestan better than noresthisterone. I sleep really well on it.

Finally my periods are perhaps easing off as well as I have never had a point where, like on the pill, I would just have a withdrawal bleed. last few months though it has been more like that

@JinglingSpringbells , that is such a pity. Isn’t it odd the way the rules for HRT are so different in the 2 countries? My specialist said you can use the Mini Pill as the progesterone component in the UK but not here, and of course we are told we can take Utrogesterone vaginally whereas you are not.

Yes I know? I'm in Ireland, I'm aware it's not available in the UK, as posted & you had it in your OP too.

That's a pity you can't avail of it in the form you want Jingling. My GP describes it as a 'benign' medication & I've certainly had no issues with it, whereas it was pretty awful with Utrogestan (tho I was still willing to put up with it for the 2 'good' weeks I got 😀 )

I was offered mirena or utrogestan.

I’ve used both, and prefer the mirena. And you can usually have it fitted for free.

Sadly neither the mirena or utrogestan stop my endometrium developing hyperplasia, it’s been decided after three years of hysteroscopies. So I will probably have a hysterectomy, thus removing the need to worry about progesterone.

Why are people saying to take the utrogestan for 14 days? My pack says to take from days 15-26, which is a total of 12 days...?