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Original poster

Withdrawal bleeds and taking Utrogestan on a full or empty stomach

10 replies

Saffie2 · 11/02/2023 14:10

I've posted before about never getting to the 12th day of Utrogestan before TOTM starts.

This month, I realised we were supposed to take Utrogestan on an empty stomach. I've done that from the 1st of Feb and for the first time ever on HRT TOTM hasn't started early.

Now if I can work out why my moods are so affected, I may actually not go crazy during perimenopause

  • [Title edited at OP's request]
OP posts:
WarriorNun · 12/02/2023 07:54

The reason for taking on an empty stomach is that many women experience side effects. For some though these are welcome as it includes sleepiness. A colleague ignores the advice and finds the sleep fantastic! She has no other side effects.

Taking with food doubles the impact of Utrogestan; I've read on other forums of women being told to take with food to increase the utrogestan's impact, usually if on higher levels of oestrogen and if bleeding more, others are just prescribed double.

From my own experience it can take 3-4 months for hrt regimes to impact and settle so do continue to monitor and track.

I couldn't handle the ups and downs and bleeds were very inconsistent and light so moved to continuous (well, 25/28) after a year on hrt which I do think helped moods. But everyone is different.

JinglingSpringbells · 12/02/2023 08:37

As @WarriorNun says, @Saffie2 Your experience is a bit 'back to front'!
Usually taking it on a full stomach or with food, will enhance its efficacy so the bleed would be when expected, after you'd finished the cycle.

Out of interest, when you say 'time of the month' you realise the bleed is a withdrawal bleed, which happens once Utrogestan is stopped, and not a natural period?

Original poster
Saffie2 · 13/02/2023 12:47

I'm a bit embarrassed about how back-to-front my knowledge about effectiveness is. I'm going to request my subject be changed too.

My withdrawal bleed as I now know its called, always used to start by day 7/8 when I took utrogestan with breakfast. I could only put this down to having a bit of a funny stomach sometimes after eating in the mornings and so thought I wasn't digesting the medication properly.

OP posts:
Original poster
Saffie2 · 13/02/2023 12:52

As I was writing the last message, my pharmacist called. I asked him when I should take it. He told me that the instructions say Utrogestan shouldn't be taken with food. I'm so confused.

I can't take Utrogestan at bed time because Utrogestan wakes me up. I am neurodiverse, so it's not uncommon for drugs to affect me in the opposite way to most women.....

OP posts:
JinglingSpringbells · 13/02/2023 13:01

Saffie2 · 13/02/2023 12:52

As I was writing the last message, my pharmacist called. I asked him when I should take it. He told me that the instructions say Utrogestan shouldn't be taken with food. I'm so confused.

I can't take Utrogestan at bed time because Utrogestan wakes me up. I am neurodiverse, so it's not uncommon for drugs to affect me in the opposite way to most women.....

Your pharmacist is telling you what is says on the leaflet. All the information is there.

HOWEVER, what we are telling you is the reason why it's taken on an empty stomach.

It also says on the leaflet what taking it with food increases the bio-availability= means more is absorbed.

This can increase some side effects in some women, but in others, it doesn't.

I'm surprised you are taking it in the morning as one of the most obvious side effects is dizziness and this can be a real problem especially if you are driving or working with machinery.

Yes, it can affect sleep, either way- either making women drowsy or more awake. It makes me more awake, but TBH I just put up with it. I do go back to sleep.

Original poster
Saffie2 · 13/02/2023 14:01

I don't drive or work with machinery. I've never had any dizziness at all. :-/

OP posts:
WarriorNun · 13/02/2023 14:38

Do you sleep better if you take it in the morning? I did see a post on another forum where a woman was told to do this as it kept her awake.

If you're not getting bad side effects from it taking in the morning with food I wouldn't be concerned. Some women find it lowers mood. Some find it makes them sleepy hence at night.

Any effect from it (positive: as in will help to thin your uterus lining, help sleep, or negative such as dizziness, sickness or sleepiness) will increase with food.

Some women welcome the increased absorption, others don't.

Breakthrough bleeding can be normal when you first start hrt, one way to help it is to increase the progesterone (which could be done by taking with food but they usually prescribe more.)

Original poster
Saffie2 · 13/02/2023 15:19

Thanks @WarriorNun I think I slept better when I was taking Utrogestan with food, but without fail, the withdrawal bleed always started earlier than it did when I took Utrogestan on an empty stomach.

I think next month I'll have to try taking it vaginally and see how I get on with that.

OP posts:
Original poster
Saffie2 · 13/02/2023 15:20

I'm sorry I didn't answer your question properly. If I take Utrogestan at night, I am wide awake for hours.

OP posts:
WarriorNun · 13/02/2023 16:14

Very odd! Everyone is different.

I've never bled till about 7-10 days after I've stopped Utrogestan. Then it started going to 14 days and barely anything so I went to higher patches and moved to continuous (or 25/28.) it's still 7-10 days after a break at the moment!

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