one week off or continuous vivelle dot?

[Guest guest]

Hi Ladies,

Well I am nearing the end of my second month of cycling with

vivelle dot 0.05mg daily and prometrium 10-20mg vaginally days 18-27. Do I go

off everything have a period/bleed then start vivelle dot on day 8 or what?

Last month I took vivelle dot every day and used the awful progesterone troches

days 18-25 because I started to bleed with cramps but not much flow . At that

point I took off the " dot " and figured I would give my body this break everyone

talks about. I thought about cutting the vivelle dot in half while having the

bleed ...just so I'm getting a bit of estrogen

I do best when I have a moderate bleed. so how do I achieve that?

Thanks, Caroline

[Guest guest]

Dr. Larrian Gillespie always said to NOT stop estrogen when cycling with progesterone. I think Dr. Swarzbein also doesn't want the estrogen stopped.

Gael

Hi Ladies,Well I am nearing the end of my second month of cycling with vivelle dot 0.05mg daily and prometrium 10-20mg vaginally days 18-27. Do I go off everything have a period/bleed then start vivelle dot on day 8 or what? Last month I took vivelle dot every day and used the awful progesterone troches days 18-25 because I started to bleed with cramps but not much flow . At that point I took off the "dot" and figured I would give my body this break everyone talks about. I thought about cutting the vivelle dot in half while having the bleed ...just so I'm getting a bit of estrogenI do best when I have a moderate bleed. so how do I achieve that? Thanks, Caroline

[Guest guest]

Thanks Gael, do you think I should stay on the .05 vivelle for the period or maybe go to half that like in a normal menstrual cycle? Also someone said the scanty bleed(last month) was due to being my first month on this regime after going 5 months with no period.Caroline

[Guest guest]

Hi Caroline, I just don't know, as we are all so different. I know that when I was cycling with progesterone (I now don't have to use it at all, as I don't have a uterus, and am so thankful to be done with P), I couldn't be off E without significant symptoms -hot flashes, dizziness, headaches, bones aching, etc. I seemed to need E in order to function at all.

I hope you find out what works best for you. I know the consensus is that P is not needed at all after menopause, and only those who still have a uterus need to use it, and ONLY those who are building a lining. At some E doses no lining is built and there is no need to cycle. This is the best information I have been able to get.

Gael, who knows others may not agree with this and knows we are all different chemically and hormonally and every other way!

Thanks Gael, do you think I should stay on the .05 vivelle for the period or maybe go to half that like in a normal menstrual cycle? Also someone said the scanty bleed(last month) was due to being my first month on this regime after going 5 months with no period. Caroline

[Guest guest]

I thought Dr. G said to stop E while on a shed or you'd bleed to death?  We may have heard differently.  I get off Estrogel for about for about five days. Val From: rhythmicliving [mailto:rhythmicliving ] On Behalf Of gaelgreen@...Dr. Larrian Gillespie always said to NOT stop estrogen when cycling with progesterone. I think Dr. Swarzbein also doesn't want the estrogen stopped. Gael Hi Ladies,Well I am nearing the end of my second month of cycling with vivelle dot 0.05mg daily and prometrium 10-20mg vaginally days 18-27. Do I go off everything have a period/bleed then start vivelle dot on day 8 or what? Last month I took vivelle dot every day and used the awful progesterone troches days 18-25 because I started to bleed with cramps but not much flow . At that point I took off the " dot " and figured I would give my body this break everyone talks about. I thought about cutting the vivelle dot in half while having the bleed ...just so I'm getting a bit of estrogenI do best when I have a moderate bleed. so how do I achieve that? Thanks, Caroline

[Guest guest]

Caroline,You never stop the estradiol. Day 1 is the day after you stop taking the progesterone. Then you start it again on Day 18 for 11 days. As far as a bleed goes, you may need more estrogen or more progesterone or less progesterone or both (?!). If you can purchase Dr. Schwarzbein's "Menopause Power" booklet, you'll find answers to all your questions. You can purchase it by going on-line to Menopause Power.com. Remember - don't stop taking the estradiol. You usually change the patch every 3-5 days depending on the prescription. It works best if you don't remove the old patch for 5-7 hours after applying the new one so you aren't ever without adequate

estrogen.Blessings,ShereeTo: rhythmicliving Sent: Sun, June 10, 2012 3:14:58 PMSubject: one week off or continuous vivelle dot?

Hi Ladies,

Well I am nearing the end of my second month of cycling with vivelle dot 0.05mg daily and prometrium 10-20mg vaginally days 18-27. Do I go off everything have a period/bleed then start vivelle dot on day 8 or what? Last month I took vivelle dot every day and used the awful progesterone troches days 18-25 because I started to bleed with cramps but not much flow . At that point I took off the "dot" and figured I would give my body this break everyone talks about. I thought about cutting the vivelle dot in half while having the bleed ...just so I'm getting a bit of estrogen

I do best when I have a moderate bleed. so how do I achieve that?

Thanks, Caroline

[Guest guest]

Caroline,Staying on estradiol at the same dosage is like "a normal menstrual cycle." Estrogen builds on itself day by day. When you add the progesterone it counteracts the estrogen so that you get a bleed. The right combination of E2 to P4 for you personally will give you a "normal bleed". That takesfine tuning. ShereeFrom: carolyn york

To: rhythmicliving Sent: Sun, June 10, 2012 3:36:45 PMSubject: Re: one week off or continuous vivelle dot?

Thanks Gael, do you think I should stay on the .05 vivelle for the period or maybe go to half that like in a normal menstrual cycle? Also someone said the scanty bleed(last month) was due to being my first month on this regime after going 5 months with no period.Caroline

[Guest guest]

No, she told me NOT to stop E ever. This was well over five years ago, before I had a hysterectomy for very thickened lining. It surprised me because I know that other doctors say to stop for a few days. It never increased the bleeding, which had always been bad anyway, even before I was on E.

Gael

I thought Dr. G said to stop E while on a shed or you'd bleed to death? We may have heard differently. I get off Estrogel for about for about five days.

Val

From: rhythmicliving [mailto:rhythmicliving ] On Behalf Of gaelgreen@...

Dr. Larrian Gillespie always said to NOT stop estrogen when cycling with progesterone. I think Dr. Swarzbein also doesn't want the estrogen stopped.

Gael

Hi Ladies,Well I am nearing the end of my second month of cycling with vivelle dot 0.05mg daily and prometrium 10-20mg vaginally days 18-27. Do I go off everything have a period/bleed then start vivelle dot on day 8 or what? Last month I took vivelle dot every day and used the awful progesterone troches days 18-25 because I started to bleed with cramps but not much flow . At that point I took off the "dot" and figured I would give my body this break everyone talks about. I thought about cutting the vivelle dot in half while having the bleed ...just so I'm getting a bit of estrogenI do best when I have a moderate bleed. so how do I achieve that? Thanks, Caroline