Any ideas? I tried the procheive and that worked well for me but now my new insurance doesn't cover it and it's $50-$75. I'd rather not pay that if I can find something cheaper.

My insurance doesn't cover crinome either. Any generics or other vaginal progesterone that anyone know of?

prometrium makes me crazy.

Carol,

This is totally off topic, sorry! But can you tell me what the dosage was on those progesterones? I ask because I am struggling with prometrium as well, it gives me daily migraines, regardless of whether I use it orally or vaginally. But perhaps the vaginal dose is way too high....this is what I suspect. Thanking you in advance for the info...and again, sorry to go off topic on you!!

Maybe try vag Endometrin. Other options might be: a combo patch (combipatch, climarapro, etc) or oral mpa. If you use the combi patches then you need only to cycle them in for the appropriate amount of time. And if the combi doesn't contain enough estradiol than you can "top off" with whatever you've been using inorder to get the dosing correct.

I would really suggest filing an appeal with your insurance company saying that its "medically necessary". Doc can help with it and provide necessary medical records. You may have to go thru several levels of ins company appeals process (and is time consuming) But it no tolerable equal drug is adequate for your body chemistry they will have to cover the Procheive. Don't give up. I've done this several times with my eye meds and always have prevailed. Good luck, JZZ

The prochieve & Crinone come in 4% & 8%. For us in peri or menopause we want the 4%. I used it every other day for 5 doses or 10 days every other month. I had NO problems at all, in fact I think it increased my libido, and I felt more energetic. It did cause me to bleed which I hadn't been for the past two years but that could be due to my increase in estradiol. The more I think about it, I think I may need to fork over the money. It's not that much when you consider it's only every other month.

Wow, JZZ, thanks for the tip. I didn't know I had that option. I'm going to do it! I have a great doctor and I'm sure she would help me with it. Thanks! you've made my day.

Carol you are having a bleed due to the addition and subsequent withdrawal of Progeterone that you cycle. Not from the estradiol. Hope that helps. Regards, JZZ pm me if I can help more.

Heading off topic here again....;-) I'm following this post because I am thinking of trying Crinone or Prochieve. I'm post and would prefer to NOT resurrect my periods so my question is; why did you not use the vaginal P on a daily basis? And, did you bleed every time you stopped using it?

Thanks a bunch...


c

Hi,

Many woman choose to take continuos P inorder to avoid any type of withdrawal bleed (ie - fake period) when taking b/hrt. Docs also seem to like to prescribe continuous e/p combination because its easier to dose. BUT, the further post a woman becomes the more her uterus will have atrophied (including the lining even with supplemental E). So, for most post meno women the bleed will be a very tiny amount (if any). Most important thing is to get enough P onboard to help keep the lining "thin" (from building up). Also, many women don't take continuous P because they can not tolerate the side effects. Regards, JZZ

JZZ, I am not, repeat, NOT trying to pick nits here. I wish to get some clarification. My MD insists that, because estradiol 'builds' endometrium, a progesterone-induced bleed, however slight, is to be desired to clean house as it were. She tells me that I wouldn't need to induce a bleed if I weren't using estradiol. Does this make sense? (and btw, I've used mostly unopposed estrogen for most of my six-plus post meno years and have yet to induce a bleed, so this whole thing is of concern to me.)
Cheers

GK

GK,

Have you had an ultrasound to see how your lining is doing recently? That could put your mind at ease, no?

I'm also wondering about the vaginal P and how it or even if it does, protect the breast against E. There is so much talk about the concern over below the belt cancers and not much at all about supplementing hormones and breast cancer. Thoughts?

My recent ultrasound was very, very reassuring. A few dinky fibroids and .6 cm thickness. I still want the benefits of progesterone, though, and am trying to find a way to supplement. In all these years, only one progesterone form (OTC) has agreed with me, but not at present. I'm following here in hopes of seeing something I haven't tried. I'm working on a couple of other fronts and will post my experiences, if successful.

GK

GK, absolutely good questions and concerns (no nit picking taken lol)

Yes, estradiol "builds" endometrium.

However, most docs give women way too much progesterone to induce (even a slight) bleed. The ONLY GOAL of progesterone is to keep the uterine lining from building up. Soooooo, a periodic ultrasound is the ONLY way to know (for each womans own particular anatomy/physiology), and see how thin the uterine lining measures. I currently have 2 gyns (one is also a fertility endocrinologist ob/gyn), also had 3 other gyn consults and ALL agree that the bleed is NOT the goal. Please be reassured by having an ultrasound.

Have you had any ultrasounds during your six post years AND been on unopposed estradiol the entire time? My docs recommendation is to do ultrasounds every 6 months for any patient that cannot tolerate progesterone (or take less than the current FACOG/AMA dosing recomendations).

My original gyn almost destroyed me with 2 rounds of Prometrium trying to "force" a bleeed. (And I never did bleed btw) All subsequent consults and gyn's were furious about this. Hope this helps. Keep asking the questions and love to help clarify. Going away tomorrow for several days but will check the board next Wednesday if you need anything else. Best Regards, JZZ

My own opionion is that the jury is still on on all this hormone stuff and what protects the breast etc. Yes, we do need some periodic P to protect the uterine lining (that has been proven).

But in regard to protecting the breast tissue from E I tend to disagree. Breast cancers can test positive for E, Progesterone or HER2 receptive (or a combination). Many women never take b/hrt and still end up with cancer in breast, uterus, etc. And only 20 percent of women who develop breast cancer have a family history of it.

My own feeling is that one needs to work with their doc and listen to their bodies. If you are intolerate for example, of bio P, then try something else (synthetic or another bio P). Why force the issue of one being "better" than the other just because of current marketing? Ok I must stop now. I could write volumes. lol Anyway going on vaca for long weekend but will check in on Weds. Have a great weekend. Regards, JZZ

JZZ, I did use the P continuously to begin with and felt horrible. I was using a compound at the time. I then went to a 2nd doctor and asked for the Procheive and she said I only needed it every other month for a 10-14 day period. She didn't want me to bleed. She told me if I did bleed to use only a partial dose of the P. I however had not taken any P for about 3 months so I was personally pleased to see the bleed, thinking that it had shed the lining and therefore I was safe. Once again, it's been about 3 months because I'm out of the Procheive and dreaded taking the prometrium and last week I took 100 mg for 4 days and that's all I could tolerate. This conversation has helped me to feel better thinking that I don't need to worry about it for awhile yet.

GK, thanks for the answer on what is causing the bleed. I feel like I'd like to take a biology class all over again. This time I'd listen.

You have a great weekend too JZZ....
Just wanted to post this before I get busy with sending one son off to his 3rd year at University and getting the other two ready for high school on Tuesday morning.....(so much to do).
I don't believe that any one particular hormone replacement form is better than another. I've taken Provera, Prometrium and compounded transdermal P and I don't like any of them and am thinking that my last resort may be Prochieve or Crinone. I am hoping that one of these will not bother me like the others do.
I am willing to give cycling it in a try also. If I bleed slightly after stopping a cycle I can handle that.

Really, all I want is to stop some of the less annoying symptoms (hot flashes, insomnia, incontinence, slight anxiety) by using a small amount of E. I'd be really happy if I didn't need to take any P at all, but I'll try anything once.....;-)