Mixing branded Utrogestan with Gepretrix?

[Wonderbug81]

So I've now definitively realised that I can't get on with branded Utrogestan. It makes me depressed and unmotivated among other things. BUT... I sleep amazingly well on it.

Meanwhile Gepretrix gives me no side effects BUT... I don't sleep well on it.

I wondered whether anyone had tried mixing the two brands together e.g alternate days for example?

I want to give it a try but I'm about to start a big new job so might be best off sticking to the Gepretrix in the meantime.

For reference I take both orally (200mcg 12 days a month) because I use Vagifem and Blissell and I therefore prefer not to.

The ingredients are identical, other than one very small difference in the carrier oil. They are marketed as being identical products with the only difference being cost.

Gepretix
Grape seed oil
Soya bean lecithin
Capsule shell:

• Gelatin
• Glycerol
• Titanium dioxide (E171)

Utrogestan
Sunflower oil, refined
Soybean lecithin (E322)
Gelatin (E441)
Glycerol (E422)
Titanium dioxide (E171)

How would you manage to mix the two? My understanding is that the NHS is prescribing Gepretix now as it's cheaper, owing to the company trying to establish itself as another provider. Can you specify which you want?

It has a different effect. I can't explain why but there's another thread in Menopause which shows others have had the same issue especially recently with Utrogestan. There's also a lot threads on Menopause Matters where women have had similar experiences.

For me it certainly feels like Utrogestan is 'stronger'.

I'd alternate between the two during the 12 days, so halving the doses of each.

From a science point of view there should not be any difference. It wouldn't be licensed at the same dose if one was weaker or stronger. I've only ever used Utrogestan for over 10 years and can honestly say that the side effects differ every single month. Most of the time I don't sleep well on it.

How could your GP alternate your prescriptions?

BTW you can use vaginal estrogen at the same time- Vagifem can be used at any time of the day not just at night, and vaginal progesterone too.

As I said there's another thread that goes into this in detail and includes the science behind it.

I can specify which brand of Utrogestan I want with my GP (or indeed ask for different ones).

Yes I know that you can vaginally but it's not conducive to a good sex life and with the various issues I already have down there I'm wary of the irritation that some experience with Utrogestan.

I've never read anything here on the science behind the different brands so link if you ca- be interesting to read it.

My impression was that most women getting their HRT on the NHS were being given whatever was in stock (as there'd been shortages) and also the Gepretix brand is cheaper. If your GP is happy to prescribe both, that's good.

Thank you. Second page on this. www.mumsnet.com/talk/menopause/5260308-utrogestan-differences?page=2&reply=143377966

I've also seen many threads on Menopause Matters forum where some women get on much better with generic and others much better with branded.

Thanks

The only difference, which is listed in the ingredients, is one contains grapeseed oil , the other sunflower oil. Micronised progesterone is a very fine powder. It has to be bound to something so they use seed oils to make a paste which goes into the capsule shell. The efficacy of the drug should be identical.

They are both branded, by the way. The generic version would be called 'micronised progesterone'.

If your Gp is happy to prescribe both, do what suits you best.