Hrt and Utrogeston

[Duckface123]

Good evening everyone, just looking for opinins, I am currently taking Estrodet patches 75mg and Utrogeston 200mg for 21 days per month. I have been on Hrt patches for almost 2yrs. I was diagnosed with early menopause at the age of 33, started on Hrt patches etc at 45 yrs. Since September I have been getting two bleeds within the month, one starts about 3 or 4 days into the month and lasts about 5 days it's very light and you would barely know it was there, the next bleed will start a few days after starting the Utrogeston and can last 7/8 days, I take my first Utrogeston tablet on day 10 of the month....this bleed is heavy, very heavy, painful and can be very clotty, I am planning on going to the G.P and have not done so yet as I was tracking these cycles so I would have something to tell the doctor. Should I be worried or is this perfectly normal.

I'm puzzled by the way you're taking Utrogestan.

Has your GP suggested this? 21 days is not the dose.
It's either 200mgs for12 days per calendar month, or 100mgs daily.

The first is for women who are in peri or prefer to keep to a cycle, even post menopause, and the 2nd is for women who are post menopause and prefer no-bleed HRT.

There are 2 possible things going on here.

The first is that you are still having a cycle (even though you had a early menopause- not clear if your periods stopped at 33 - or why you didn't use HRT till 45.)

Early menopause is periods stopping before age 40. Medical guidance is that HRT should be used straight away .

If you were to use it on a cycle, you would start Utrogestan on the same day each month- any day you choose but often it's the 1st to make it easy.
This sets an HRT cycle.

Can you describe why you're doing what you are?

My dr prescribed this regime. 25 days of tablet and then 3 days no tablet. I have irregular cycles.

@mrsnjw The 25 days out of 28 is a little dated now. It was shelved a few years ago. It was a compromise between using it every day (no bleed) and allowing 3 days out of 28 for a withdrawal bleed.

Most drs now suggest using progesterone every day for women post menopause (this brings it into line with the packets of pills or patches.)
For women in peri or with very few cycles, the dose is 12 days per month, or every 12 weeks , as a long cycle.

hi, sorry for the delay in replying to answer some of your questions @JinglingSpringbells for the years between 33 and 45 I was taking the pill however my menopausal symptoms got to much ie Hot flushes, anxiety etc etc the doctor agreed to put me on Hrt, I have gone back to look at my prescription and yes I am on 200mg of Utrogeston for 21 days.

When I was 33 and trying for baby no2 and upon struggling with trying to concieve, it was found that my egg reserve was non existent and hence further test to diagnose with early menopause.

@Duckface123
If you google the patient information leaflet - or read the one in the packet - it gives the 2 variations on the dose. One is a cycle for women in peri or not wanting to use continuous.

200mgs x 12/14 days per cycle ( a month)

100mgs daily for post menopause.

The leaflet possibly still says 25 days a month but most drs have changed this now to daily without the 3 day break.)

If you have no egg reserve, you wouldn't bleed or have periods.

It is possible for women with POI to resume fertility.

I think you should ask to be referred to a specialist.

Thank you for all the information @JinglingSpringbells, I will go back and read the information leaflet, after getting the diagnosis of my diminished eggs, one doctor at the time told me that my ovaries were no longer alive 😔 any how I will go back and chat to my doctor and hopefully find a resolution to this issue. Thanks again.