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Menopause

Provera and periods?

5 replies

Bluebell66 · 22/12/2015 14:38

I am on HRT and the progesterone part is Provera for 14 days every other month. I am currently having a very heavy period, sorry if TMI, and am due to start Provera in five days time. As the Provera is to induce a bleed, in order to protect the lining of my womb, do I need to take it this month as I am already having a natural bleed? TIA for any advice.

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PollyPerky · 22/12/2015 16:10

A couple of questions- are you post meno or in peri and how long have you been using this HRT regime? What are you using as the oestrogen?

If you are using it long cycle, this must mean that today you are roughly 7 weeks into the 8 week cycle. is that right?

I think you ought to go back to your dr to mention this and ask for advice, but my thoughts on it are yes, you should still take the progestogen. The reason being that if you are bleeding too soon in the cycle, then either your own hormones are overriding the HRT (if you are peri and have not used HRT for long) OR a long cycle regime is causing a big build up of lining and it's shedding early without any progestogen.

Eventually if you are in peri, the HRT may 'reset' your cycle so you bleed according to the HRT cycle. This may take a few months. But don't skip the progestogen because every time you use oestrogen the lining is stimulated and will grow, and a 'natural' period may not allow it all to shed as much as it needs to.

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Bluebell66 · 23/12/2015 07:02

Thank you for that Polly. I'm taking Elleste Solo as the oestrogen and have been for about nine months now. I'm peri still at the moment. I have never had a bleed after two weeks of Provera, just my natural periods still, but not regularly. They are not controlled by the Provera. I told my GP this, and she said its nothing to worry about and you don't always bleed after the Provera. To be honest none of the GPs I've seen seem that knowledgable about HRT and I do worry if things are ok.

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Bluebell66 · 23/12/2015 07:20

Sorry forgot to say, the Ellesete is 1mg and I am 47. I went onto HRT as my symptoms were horrendous, to the point of being unable to function, constant headache, dreadful mood swings, anger. I recently lost my husband, which has been dreadful, and trying to cope with that with menopausal symptoms was proving impossible, hence the HRT. I tried a number of different types/combinations before settling on the Elleste Solo 1mg and the Provera for two weeks every other month.

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PollyPerky · 23/12/2015 10:46

I'm sorry for your loss
TBH I'd not use a synthetic progestogen like Provera. They appear according to research to be less safe re. side effects ( cancer) than micronised progesterone ( Utrogestan.)

There is not firm research yet but many consultants are now moving towards natural progesterone in the same way that women in the UK don't use oestrogen derived from horse urine.

I know this wasn't what you asked but it may be worth thinking about changing from Provera to something else.

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Bluebell66 · 23/12/2015 11:29

Thank you Polly. I appreciate your advice. I think I may look into trying to see a specialist after Christmas as I'm really not sure I'm confident in the treatment and information I've received from the GPs.