does HRT always mean a monthly bleed?

[Gatekeeper]

my last period was the end of Feb and since then I have terrible trouble sleeping and am having hot flushes during the night and day. I tried HRT a year ago for the same thing (whilst still having periods more or less every month) and it worked ok. Came off it for no real reason but things settled down and the flushes etc didn't seem to return until now

Trouble is that i have HORRIBLE periods- very heavy with large clots which are uncomfortable to 'pass' and they last 8 days. Have tried tranexamic acid and something else beginning with 'M' and they gave me awful nausea and cramping

I feel shite though and am considering hRt again but am dreading the return to flooding, awful periods which happened even on hrt

[Cherylene]

Glad to hear that things were better this time!

Give it 3 months, don't expect miracles and keep a diary because sometimes it is hard to remember what it was like last week, if things keep changing. Sometimes you have to try a few until it is right.

Good for you for getting educated and going back.

[Musicaltheatremum]

Hope you are getting on with the HRT. I started it on July 8th and am sleeping brilliantly. I'm a GP and was shocked at what the male GP in your practice said.
Re keeping up to date. There is nothing that is mandatory but I tend to know where I have gaps in my knowledge and look for courses on that.
In our practice we always share our notes from courses as bullet points.
I went on a woman's health update recently it was fantastic but very few men which is bad.

[Gatekeeper]

Thank you

Almost two weeks in and not feeling any different which is disappointing. Sleep wide awake hours every night and hot flushes. Will finish the pack and try another month and go back to GP

[JapanNextYear]

I so sympathise with you and your GP experience - took me 3 GPs to get one who would listen - a bloke.

HRT didn't agree with me and I went back on the pill - Qlaira - which will review in 3 years time when I'm 50. GP said we could assess risk then.

My sleep got a bit better when the flushes died down - I think the biggest contributor to that was actually buying a wool duvet. I still have the night sweats but they don't wake me up anymore - the wool regulates the heat. Soakandsleep website.

[Cherylene]

Give it a good whirl.

If it is not helping, is it worth asking for separate oestrogen and progesterone (eg oestrogel and utrogestan/micronized progesterone)? I say this because one of the side effects of the natural progesterone is that it is supposed to make you more dozy. (It is recommended you take it in the evening).