Anyone take Dr Reddys Progesterone vaginally?

[Elefontaine]

So I’m going to ask my GP surgery first thing tmro but they can take a while to respond. I’m 42 and have been getting some perimenopause symptoms so my GP (after much begging) has put me on Oestrogel 1 pump a day on skin and Dr Reddys Progesterone 100mg.

im struggling with reflux when I take the Progesterone orally, I read online that you can maybe take these vaginally instead? I wondered if any of you do this and if it helps with side effects?

I’m also a little anxious as a newbie to the cancer/clot risks with all this. If anyone is able to e plain this to me it would be amazkng. GP did mention this but not very well. Aside from current symptoms for this (and bad globus) I dont have anything other than IC which I’ve had for 7 years and take pregablin for at night.

Bump

What is Dr Reddys?

There is no such prescribed brand of micronised progesterone, so it's a bit puzzling.

You'd be prescribed Utrogestan or Gepretix- brand names but the same thing.

Are you in the UK?

I've checked out Dr Reddy's and it's Prometrium- it's unusual as most women get Utrogestan or Gepretix.

I can't say if it's ok to use it vaginally . None of them are licensed for that in the UK, but they can be used that way off-licence and some GPs are fine with this, others aren't, but private consultants usually are as it's used that way in Europe.

It depends if the outer coating of Prometrium will dissolve when used vaginally.

Thanks so much both, yes I’m in the UK. I’ve attached a photo of them. Google says I can take them vaginally but I wanted to double check. I’ve called my GP but I’m not sure when they’ll be able to get back to me. Just don’t want to do another day with them orally if I can help it…

Your GP may say no simply because it's not licensed. It depends on how your GP feels about this.

Some GPs don't sanction it but women choose to do it anyway.

I'm confused about your dose.
If you're in peri you don't use progesterone daily.
The dose is 200mgs for 12 days a month, on a cycle.

If you feel you're not sure about other things to do with HRT, there is masses online that you can read. Breast cancer risks don't apply to women your age as you're just topping up your own level of estrogen. Micronised progesterone doesn't come with a clot risk which applies more to synthetic types of estrogen and tablet form.

Yes I’m only on it 12 days a month. The rest of the time just the estrogen gel. I’m happy to go against what the GP says if they say no provided I know this brand can be used vaginally and works just as well. Reading online it appears to be fine but always feel better if my GPs given the go ahead as they’re hormones and I don’t want to mess about with them.

@JinglingSpringbells the GP just called they’ve prescribed me Utrogestan to take off label vaginally. She said they can’t guarantee how well it will work to protect the endo lining as trials aren’t quite there yet so it’s made me a little nervous but I don’t think I have a choice unless I stop altogether. She was absolutely lovely and is going to call back in a week to see how things are going. I think I need to do some serious reading it’s all a bit of a minefield!

That's all good!

There is no research in the UK on vaginal use but it's been used that way for years and years in Europe and is supposed to be more effective.

@JinglingSpringbells I’ve just read the exact same thing! Great news. Thanks very much for your help.

I’d love to hear an update if you went on to use this brand vaginally. I’ve just started on Dr Reddy’s progesterone soft capsules and I’m finding them really difficult to swallow.
You may of discovered her yourself by now but to answer all your questions re the risks etc with HRT I’d recommend you look up Dr Louise Newson’s website. She is brilliant at keeping up with all the latest research and getting that info out via her website. I’ve found it really reassuring and supportive. For instance, the patient info leaflets still quote risk of blood clots and heart disease with progesterone but that’s now thought to only be related to older synthetic versions of it. The newer body identical versions have zero associations with any increased risks of blood clots or heart disease.

@Lokipoki hi, so I spoke to my GP and they prescribed a different micronised progesterone brand that can be taken vaginally. The tablet looks exactly the same as the Dr Reddys one this one is just for vaginal use, my GP said the Dr Reddys ones are just meant for oral use (although lots of people do take them vaginally I’ve read in other parts of the world!). I’ve done a lot of reading since this post and agree Dr Newson is wonderful. I can’t see there’s any risk in taking this sort of HRT now, infact the benefits seem to far outweigh any risks. I wish you all the luck 😊

I take my progesterone before bed. Gel in morning. Maybe try that.
I’m pretty sure you can’t use them as a suppository.

@Ritaskitchen Just updating you if you ever need this info yourself in future.

Micronised progesterone has to be taken orally at night as it's sedative.
There are many women who do use micronised Utrogestan vaginally. (My consultant suggests that way as a preference as more is absorbed.)

It's only in the UK that it is not licensed for that way but in the rest of Europe it is (same product.)
The British Menopause Society says it can be used that way if women are sensitive to it orally.

Suppository- rectal use
Pessary- vaginal use

There is a 200mgs pessary too, but it's not licensed for HRT (only fertility) though it can be prescribed off-licence (or bought privately on prescription.)

Which brand did they give you? Are you using 1 x 200mg capsule or 2 x 10mgs?

@JinglingSpringbells I use Utrogestan 200mg Vaginal capsules for 12 days of my cycle. I take it before bed as even vaginally it still gets into your system very fast and makes you sleepy. The lead GP at our Suffolk GP Surgery specialises in Menopause and had no issues prescribing it as I wasn’t tolerating the Oral progesterone well at all, I’ve got quite a sensitive stomach and it was affecting it. I’m super sensitive to everything but tolerating the vaginal option brilliantly, no issues at all.

Thanks for replying. I've used those before but now I use 2 x 100mgs.
My consultant, if this ever helps, says it's fine to use them vaginally at any time. The point of using them vaginally is that is reduces the sedative effect hugely as they aren't going through the liver/blood into the nervous system.

@JinglingSpringbells I still definitely notice half an hour or so after taking it I feel lovely and sleepy, it’s still a big difference for me compared to my Estrogen only days and I sleep much deeper. I think it depends on how sensitive you are to it I suppose. I was worried it would throw things off balance down there as I’d read some women developed yeast infections etc using it vaginally but fingers crossed I’ve had no issues like that thank fully!