Erratic bleeding during perimenopause and on hrt

[willitbe]

Hi

I had erratic bleeding a few years ago, I was investigated and all was ok, started having horrible peri-menopause symptoms and so started hrt, which made a big difference. Whilst on hrt my natural cycle has gone out of sync a few times with the patches, but generally sorted out again eventually. However I just missed a bleed with one cycle, and then had a withdrawal bleed with the next cycle, but then two weeks later had another bleed!

So it seems like my natural cycle is now in complete opposition to the patches cycle. So what do I do?

I am not sure if I should go to see the gp about this (gp has always been anti-HRT).

Or if I should just ignore and hope the cycles get back into sync again.

Or if I should try to switch the patches early to try to get the cycles in sync again.

Is there any concern with irratic bleeding while on hrt?

Thank you for any advice you can give.

[PollyPerky]

It's something that happens... :(

How old are you?

How long in peri?

Looks like your own hormones are quite high still and breaking through the HRT cycle.

You could try stopping HRT for a month or two then starting again as directed- so start the patches on the first day of your own cycle if it happens. Alternatively, just bear in mind that the older you get, the more your own hormones will fall, so this isn't going to go on forever.

[willitbe]

Thank you Polly

I started having irratic periods about 4 years ago, they went from a fairly regular 26/27 day cycle to anywhere between 13 and 34 day cycles. At that point because it was not clear if it was mid-cycle bleeding (sometimes periods every two weeks) GP sent me to get endometrium checked out and this was fine.

A year later I started to get some horrible very heavy periods as well and became anemic at one point due to so much bleeding. Then started the brain fog and not being able to function on a day to day level, along with very dry skin. I realised it was definitely peri-menopause, and had to fight my gp to get put on hrt.

HRT started around 3 years ago and it was amazing, I could suddenly think etc! My cycles even seemed to become less erratic (no more two week gaps, just anywhere between 4 and 5 weeks).

It is just now that I have had an 8 week and then a 2 week gap. But I am 49 years old, so menopause is just around the corner somewhere! I can put up with erratic bleeding, as long as it does not make me anemic again.

I initially tried some oral hrt, but it gave me horrible migraines, so I will stay with patches. I am not sure I could face the brain fog coming back off the patches, so perhaps I will stay as is and I assume they will sync up again at some point!