Late peri menopause

[bunty59]

Hi I'm new to the site and wonder if anyone can offer any further advise please.
I'm 59 and had regular periods up to 9 months ago. Last one was 5 months ago and as I'm unable to get a half decent nights sleep due to battling with the relentless hot sweats discussed HRT with my G.P. She seemed a little inexperienced on this matter and after consulting the BMF offered me Evorel conti . (I'd requested patches) After reading the numerous accounts of women experiencing frequent, erratic bleeds I'm having second thoughts. I later spoke to another G.P at the practice as I thought I should be 12 months free of periods before trying the cont. He just said, well considering my age it was possibly my last cycle and I might get a bleed!

I'm due to go on holiday in June and wondering whether to risk the side effects of trying this out, or boil alive in the tropics.
Anyone else this late starting the perimenopause?

You probably aren't late with perimenopause- it may have been going on for years but you've had regular periods-ish.
TBH I'd keep an eye on it all. To still be having periods at 59 is a bit Guinness Book of Records stuff- not unheard of but I think the last recorded age is 59-60. I'd hate to worry you unnecessarily but some women who think they are having periods are in fact having post menopausal bleeding which can be a sign of more serious diseases. Only you know if the bleeding you had up to 59 was really normal for you in terms of flow and timing.
The 'rule' for conti HRT is 12 months period-free or over age 54 (the age at which most women will no longer have periods.) There is often a bleed during the first 6 months of using conti HRT and at any time- lots of women report spotting. The way round it is to use sequi HRT so you follow a monthly cycle. There is no reason why you can't have sequi HRT at 59- I'm older than you and prefer to have a cycle on HRT. You could try it for 6 months to cover your hols then see how you feel.

Thanks for suggestion Polly. I've since done more research and went to GP today requesting sequi of estero dot and utrogen. She agreed but said I'd have to stay on sequi for 12. Months before switching to conti? Here goes 😧

I really don't see why that's necessary
The point of using a sequi type of HRT is so you don't get breakthrough bleeding which can happen during peri as your own cycle may override HRT. It also means that the uterine lining is being shed with a bleed , regularly, so you avoid it building. Going straight into a conti type of HRT ought to keep the lining thin, but for anyone who is possibly still in peri ( having periods or under 54) it's important to start with a thin lining.

I don't see why if you choose to, you can't switch from sequi to conti in 6 months or so when you are 60. Maybe if you want to do that, your GP could do some blood tests to see how far you are along the meno timescale? Basically, it's not so cut and dried as she says. Some of us are using sequi at 60+ even though most GPs would throw their hands up in horror at this because it's not the 'norm'!

Again thanks for the suggestion. I was thinking the same just wish I had a specialist clinic or GP who knows about this. I've also read that a full Med history should be taken before proceeding .... luckily I know there is no family history of cancer etc.
So I'll give the sequi a try and hopefully I'll soon get a cool, dry nights sleep.

If you join the Menopause Matters forum you can email the consultant gynae who runs it- she does an advice service by email for £25. It's a bit hit and miss though I think- sometimes she takes down the advert for her advice when she's really busy.