Hi all in Power-Surge!
Im from Ontario Canada.....have been experiencing lots of peri symptoms...and most recently.....have been bleeding/spotting for 20 out of 30 days of the month...for the past several months.
I mentioned that to my Dr...who quickly prescribed PROVERA....and asked me to try it for 3 months...with very little explanation ...except that it was a low dose hormone..and to see how it works for me.
I was hoping that someone may know something about the drug and how it made them feel....I havent started taking them yet.
Anyone been prescribed it?

Debbie

Hi Debbie!

Hey we're neighbours...I'm in Ontario too I was given Provera a couple of months ago for heavy bleeding and fibroids. I'm suppose to take from days 12-25 of my cycle. Was told it would be a few months before I noticed any difference. First month was o.k although I noticed alot of breast tenderness. This past month I started bleeding on day 18 again so I stopped taking them. Haven't been able to get ahold of Dr to find out what to do now. My Dr told me that I could notice moodiness from them LOL as if I need to be more moody!! And also was told to take a calcium supplement while I was on them. Good luck if you decide to give them a try and let me know how it works for you.

Cathy

Hi Cathy!! thanks so much for your response.
The problem that I have is not knowing what is a period....and what was just spotting....when I would bleed/spot at least 20 days of the month...so there was no such thing as a cycle. I've had the breast tenderness from time to time....the phantom periods as well. So...Im a little worried about adding a few more side effects ...I get moody enough...for sure.
Will you have anything done for the fibroids..or do they shrink when Menopause is over?
The Dr. said to take these pills on cycle days 1-7 each month. Try this for 3 months..and see how Im doing...that was it!! So..Im a little leary to say the least..but had had an ultra sound about 4 months ago and the gyne said that the uterus was good...normal size..no problems...so maybe in the end if I just try this I may feel better. Do you have any nausea?
Hope to talk to you again...Debbie

Debbie
Its a little hard to tell when day 1 is if your spotting all the time isn't it? Day 1 -7? not sure why your Dr wants you to take then. Its the second half of cycle that you need progesterone. Not sure Debbie whats going to happen because of the fibroids..possibly facing a hysterectomy. Thats great that you had good results from your ultrasound! Maybe give the Provera a try and see what happens? Yes I did have some nausea (sorry forgot that) but if I took with food it was fine. Good luck Debbie and hope to speak soon.

Cathy

Hi. I believe you were prescribed the Provera to "clean you out." Progesterone is what helps you shed your uterine lining. I had been spotting on and off and had a thickened uterine lining, hence I also got a prescription for progesterone. To be honest, I don't remember it helping. (This was a year or two ago)

Provera was the first thing I was prescribed when the symptoms hit me in my 30's. I had the same thing, with the spotting for weeks after a period. As I recall, I took them around days 21-28 and then stopped and got a period. They worked pretty well so my doctor then put me on the depo-provera because it lasted longer. Within 3 months I had no periods at all. Boy,was that great after dealing with the constant spotting for so long!

I went with the depo for about 9 months but had to go off when we changed insurance companies and they wouldn't cover it anymore. Of course, you know what happened. Right back to the spotting all month long again! Gee, what would we do without insurance companies that know what's best for us??

Thanks so much for your responses everyone!
Ive decided to start taking these Provera's on January 1st....for the 7 days ...and see what happens....I feel crappy enough now sometimes...the side effects I may not notice. Its worth a try if I get rid of the dreaded spotting.
I guess I am so fortunate to not have had to deal with things like this in my thirties as some of you have....I feel bad for you.
My Dr. has been good to me...but doesnt always take the time to explain a lot..I appreciate hearing from you, when you've experienced it.
Thank heaven for the internet and Power-Surge. It does make you feel like you're a normal woman!

Debbie

Hi! I have been taking Provera for 8 days now to bring on my period, but to no avail. Plus I've been having horrible symptoms like insomnia (which I had before, but this made it worse), cold sweats, etc.

My gyno told me to stop. In one week if I don't start bleeding, they want to do more "tests"....ugh. I hate this.

I thought Provera was supposed to bring on your period...I posted in another thread about this but it didn't seem like a lot of women out there had the same experience as me...I am trying to bring on my period, because I feel like I have to have one----and I can't!! I have all the symptoms of one, for weeks on end, but no bleeding. There's a section on Power Surge which talks about "phantom periods" and I think this is exactly what is happening. It s*cks! I keep thinking "oh, it's coming any second!!!!" and nothing happens.

I dont' know what the Provera did for me...it was a failed experiment, I guess.

Anyone out there every try to induce their period and fail???

RoundRobin, Provera is supposed to bring on your period, and if it doesn't it means you are pretty much done, or at least that's what I was told. As far as sleeping, it should actually help you sleep. It's supposed to have a relaxing effect on you.

Hi Meryl: I almost forgot about this post. My gyno told me there is no way I am completely done with menopause...I'm 43 and I've only totally skipped maybe 2 periods in my life, and one was 2 years ago. The other was this past April, and they induced it with the Provera.

I'm a mess right now with meno sypmtoms. The cold sweats are a 24/7 thing, and I cry at the drop of a hat. However, I don't have any vaginal dryness (good lord, I have the opposite problem...), and I just feel too young to be 'completely and totally done.' We'll see. I didn't get a lot of feedback from anyone about failing to induce your menstrual cycle, so I feel really in the dark here.

I am sleeping again, though. I know the Provera is supposed to induce sleepiness, but it had the opposite effect on me. Go figure!

Robin, you are too young to be done. Anyway, in somone my age, my doctor said it was a good sign that I didn't bleed with it, as hopefully, I am done!

Meryl: I know, I just can't understand why I can't get things going. My body wants to have a period...I can feel it...

I wish I knew of some old folk-lore type thing that I could use to induce menstruation... (eye of newt, toe of bat...something like that...)

FINALLY! I got my period! 3 days off the Provera, it came. I've got very bad cramps but I don't care...I just want the constant, never ending PMS to END...even if just for a few days.

I can't believe I may have to endure this crap for another couple of years!!!

Menopause s*cks!

Meryl: I was reading back over your posts, and I wanted to ask you about something you said a week or so ago...you said your doctor said "it was a GOOD sign" that you didn't bleed with the Provera. What did he/she mean by that? That by not bleeding on Provera, this meant you were all done?

Just curious, thanks.

Robin

Robin, I'm 56, so at my age if the progesterone doesn't bring on the period, it means my lining is probably done shedding. I don't think the same applies to you, though, because you are so young. Hope this helps.

Just popped into this thread. Interesting that when you are done your are done in spite of the drug. Didn't think of that.

Robin, so glad something started for you! I hope you feel better at least for awhile. I'm just mid-cycle.Started the progesterone part yesterday and boy do I feel it. I hate the hormone whomp of ovulation,or what is supposed to be the time cause I don't think I'm ovulating much lately!

I can't figure out what, if any, good the progesterone did for me. While I was on it, I felt like dog poopie. More than usual, anyways. Then three days after, my period started! I've heard that a drop in progesterone will bring on bleeding, but my gyno said that isn't true.

If this happens again, I don't know what I'll do. The solid month of raging PMS was awful; and very hard on my family.

I gotta do more research on this...

This hormonal stuff is so confusing. Initially, I was on bioidentical progesterone from 14 to 28 days and then stop after to see if I get a period; usually I'll get a period even before I stop. Anyway, my period have been wacky; had two in November; anyway, in December I stopped the progesterone after 28 days and no period (nervous wreck, no sleep, cryingn jag, head pressure, etc.), doctor said to wait 1 week to see if period comes, it came (lasted 6 days, mostly light spotting and light flow), only to come back again 3 days after.

I am still not feeling good and my period is still with me. Does anyone know, is the period still here due to low progesterone or low estrogen.

Plumeria

Plumeria....Im not sure either as to what brings on the period....I think its the progesterone....and if your levels are too low it wont come.....
I just took the Provera for the first tiime.....I was to take it on cycle days 1 to 7....well it just so happened that I got my period before I even took a pill.....the bleeding was done by the time I finished taking the pills. Last night I had a horrible night. Insomnia....bloatedness.....cramping....hot....nausea......I couldnt believe how bad I felt. I have to wonder if it is the provera making changes in my body. I can not believe how many changes we endure during this fabulous time of our lives...~smiles~

Debbie

Years ago I was given Provera for spotting - it didn't work very well and it caused mood swings and depression. I've since discovered this is common with Provera as it isn't bioidentical. I especially had a problem because I appear to be sensitive to even the better bioidentical forms - but since I later had a hysterectomy, progesterone is no longer needed. If you have to have it though - go for the bioidentical - not Provera! That stuff is awful!!!

Zelma

Debbie,

This hormonal stuff is all so confusing. I know that progesterone is sometimes given to regulate periods and I think both estrogen and progesterone levels drop when we have our period.

Anyway, hope you are doing okay.

Plumeria

Hi all! Well....Ive now been on the provera since January 1st.....I am to take it cycle days 1 to 7....so the first month.....on exactly cycle day 28...I got a period......ok..good so far....so I took it for the next 7 cycle days.....and now this month on Cycle day 23...I start to feel HORRIFIC....I feel nauseaus....and my headaches like never before....I am awake half the night..afraid to move...I feel so ill....and I have stomach cramps..like Im getting a period and bloated...and all I get is a faint brown spotting. Im on Day 25 and nothing.....other than feeling awful...better but awful...I am not sure this is a good thing. Has anyone else experienced this? I thought I was just going to get a period and that would be that! Help! Debbie

Hi all,

I just saw this and I haven't been here in a while. I tend to hang out at a site for women who are going through an early/premature menopause. I was post-meno in my late 30's. You can google the site if you are interested, especially for Robin. Thing is, you are NOT too young to start perimeno - not at all! Granted, at age 43 you're starting earlier than most but (don't beat me up!) peri can last for 2 to 10 years. Some women, due to inherited factors or autoimmune factors or for no known reason at all go into premature menopause/ovarian failure in their teens, 20's and 30's. My doc. said that anything under 45 is considered "early" with under 40 being "premature".

That said, as far as the progestin/progesterone..... I tried this initially too to regulate my bleeding. Your doctor said that the stopping of progesterone doesn't bring on a bleed???? Whaa??? This is exactly what it does. That's what happens even with bc pills - when you stop the pills your "period" comes. I know that Dearest doesn't like links but you can google "provera challenge" (use the word progesterone or progestin in place of Provera too as it is sometimes called different names.)

Provera = MAJOR PMS for me. I think that the same is true for many women. Those who take it continuously at the lower doses might not have this problem but after one cycle, I asked my doctor for something else. She switched me to Aygestin (another progestin which I tolerated much better.) It worked a bit for me but my bleeding kept getting worse and ultimately I ended up having an endometrial ablation. (After that, no bleeding at all since -- ever.)

You also mentioned that Provera is supposed to help you sleep? nononono.... lol Prometrium (oral progesterone) DOES make you sleepy -- really sleepy. This happens becaue of a metabolite that is created from the oral process. I'm not a doctor so am probably not explaining this part well but if you take Prometrium take it right before (no more than 1/2 hr) before bedtime for me or I'd just about fall asleep wherever I was.) It was actually a help, sleep-wise since I was having major meno symptoms, especially dreaded night sweats. Oh yes, Prometrium can also be used for the progesterone/provera challenge -- I don't remember if it was a the 200mg dose or the 100mg dose. Provera made me jumpier than a ... well, whatever jumps!

One of the best products on the market to help with bleeding is Prochieve/Crinone. They are the same thing, from different manufacturers -- a bioadhesive vaginal gel containing progesterone. It gets "up there" and stays up there and works directly on the uterus. Very little of it gets absorbed into your bloodstream. They use it a lot for fertility treatments. Unfortunately, many insurance companies (mine included) don't cover it. You can look up studies on it too. (It used to be called Crinone then a few years ago the manufacturer pulled it from the shelves because of a packaging/delivery problem. It took a while to come back and for some reason is now marketed as Prochieve and Crinone. There are two strengths, 4% and 8%. The 8% is usually used in fertility treatments/IVF.

When Crinone was off the market, some women were advised to use Prometrium vaginally. Probably a bit messy and you'd probably want to use it at night but if it works for IVF then it'll work as HRT.

Robin, has your doctor done any blood tests to see if there may be another reason for your periods to start changing? That's the first thing that my doctor did -- she ran tests on my thyroid, which is a big culprit for many (not me.) She also had me wait until the 3rd day of my next period to get an FSH, LH and estradiol test. If you are in peri, these levels will probably bounce around for a while but especially if you are having other symptoms, you should get some bloodwork. Can you see another doctor who is more open minded and knows a bit more about menopause and peri? Many know more about the baby-part than the meno part. Many women in peri end up having the best luck with the bc pill. There are now lower dose ones. They override your ovaries so that you can hopefully go back to having regularly scheduled "periods". (There are new ones that help with water weight gain and PMS. There's even a birth control vaginal ring.) A lot of this information is on sites like obgyn.net. You have to register but the information is free. There's even a progestin-containing IUD (Mirena) that is used to help control bleeding. Has your doctor suggested an ultrasound of your endometrium?

Sorry for the book here. I started this whole thing in my mid-late 30's so have probably gone through just about everything. I'm very lucky in that I have a great doctor who figured out that I was starting peri early and helped me with it. I'm now at an age when most women start perimenopause (late 40's) -- I'm very glad that I don't have to go through that again! It is rough. I'm now on regular HRT and doing fine.

I wish you luck -- find a good doctor who knows her/his stuff. The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) also has a "doctor finder" lookup -- docs who claim to know about things meno. I have some friends who've found good doctors from that site.