Moving from sequential to continuous utrogestan

[Bellini12]

Have been on oestrogel (2 pumps) and 2 x utrogestan for just under 2 years now. I have a monthly bleed which I assume is like a withdrawal bleed? I was still having regular periods when I went on HRT. Am nearly 53.

I have been a dreadful sleeper for most of my adult life but have found that the 14 nights I take progesterone I sleep better.

I had a recent appointment with the gp who was happy to move me over to continuous however she said it can mess with my cycle and I may get more bleeding. Due to the summer hols I have held off. But there is a marked difference in my lack of sleep when I don’t take utrogestan. I’m also getting a few night sweats again and feel hot which is part of the reason I wake up in the night. I also suffer with headaches before the period.

By moving to one progesterone tablet a day, could this help my sleep? The night sweats are only just before/during the bleed. I’m fed up with having dreadful sleep, still getting monthly periods and headaches. But I don’t know how it’s all related to which hormone.

Just experiment. That's all you can do.
You might find moving to daily Utrogestan works, or not.
It IS sedating and some women find it too much so.

If you're not yet post meno, you may get odd bleeding as it's not enough (100mgs) to override your own cycle.

Thanks. I will give it a go after the summer hols. The thought of more bleeding/side effects fills me with dread but I do need to change something.
If only I could take 2 a night every night then I know it would help my sleep (my sister does this as saw a specialist but I know this isn’t routine and she’s further along her menopause than me). She was a terrible sleeper and she now sleeps better.

You might like to try increasing your gel.
I was on only estrogen for 3 months when I started HRT (more than 15 years ago- a top consultant.) I was advised to use only gel to get the symptoms under control and was on a 3-monthly cycle. I saw a big change in sleep when I upped the gel to 2 pumps from w1. You might try 3 pumps.

The headaches etc are progesterone withdrawal signs.
So going onto continuous may suit you but also think about increasing the estrogen.
The role of progesterone is to protect the womb, not as a sedative - that's a side effect.

Thanks @JinglingSpringbells that’s really interesting about upping the gel to 3 pumps. The GP didn’t mention this but it makes sense that you change and need adaptations as you get older. Will defo bring it up.

I also didn’t know that the headaches were progesterone related. I always get them 1-3 days before I bleed so this makes sense. I had them before HRT and was told it should help but I still get them.

Always good to get other people’s experiences.

I've been on HRT for ages and often get a headache when I come to the end of the progesterone phase, though not every single time. As does a friend of mine aged 70+. TBH I just manage it with paracetamol.