Will HRT stop my natural periods?

[NickyNora]

Been on a couple of different HRTs for just over 6 months.

I've only ever bleed after finishing the progesterone part of the HRT. About to start Utrogestan? & dreading it).

I was still having periods when i started HRT just wondered if HRT stops them.
Google was of no help!

How will I know when I'm post menopausal? I had my last period last August. I was 43.

I think it overrides your natural cycle which can break through now and again if you're perimenopausal. You won't know for sure if you're period free without coming off HRT and seeing if your periods return. Were you skipping periods before going on HRT? I suppose because of your young age you'll be staying on HRT for a good few years so it won't really matter at the moment anyway.

i'm on cyclical HRT (literally just started). The GP wanted me to carry on having periods so they know where I am i.e when i reach menopause. So that was the HRT of choice.

(However I also ended up being put on the mini pill which i believe suppresses your period )

www.menopausematters.co.uk/hrtandperiods.php

This answers it, sequential is same as cyclical

HRT gives a withdrawal bleed rather than a normal period so that seems strange. Sequi is given if you haven't yet reached menopause.

this is the advice my old surgery gives

Consider switching from cyclical hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to continuous combined HRT when the woman is considered to be postmenopausal. However, it may be difficult to decide when the woman is postmenopausal.

Women are generally considered to be postmenopausal if:
They are more than 54 years of age (it is estimated that 80% of women will be postmenopausal by this age).

They have had previous amenorrhoea or increased levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Women who experienced 6months of amenorrhoea or had increased FSH levels in their mid-40s are likely to be postmenopausal after taking several years of cyclical HRT

if you can open this its very thorough, p 53 and 54 and also p. 51 relate to bleeding on HRT . Seems there is no one answer, depends on many factors.
sogc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/gui311CPG1409Eabstract1.pdf

My Dr said I will be put on continuous HRT after a year of HRT...

I missed 1 period before starting HRT. But they were lighter & shorter. My FSH was 126,140 & then 25 on HRT. 30 within 2 weeks of stopping HRT.

Thankyou all for your responses. I feelime my doctor has given me so little information. I won't see her til May.

I really feel like HRT isn't working for me. I really really hoped it would. I will see how I go but if by May I don't see,an improvement in symptons, I think I need to stop it.

I'm still bleeding on Hrt at 58....happens when i go onto new packet. Conti doesnt work for me.

I know women in their 60s who are still having a withdrawal bleed as they've remained on sequi HRT because they prefer it to continuous.

I'm not fussed about the bleeding just wondered about my own periods.

I would take it for the rest of my life if it made me feel better!

NickyNora, I suppose the answer then is 'after several years of cyclical HRT' as in my GP's guidebook. If you're intending to take it for the rest of your life, then it doesn't really matter when you would've hit menopause.

i think there is a real knowledge gap in GPs which makes discussion with them very difficult .

i saw 3 GPs all had different views which is frustrating. Not that GPs can be expected to know everything but it would be good if there were more menopause specialists available via the NHS and that the info could cascade down.

I see a specialist so plenty of knowledge...

I'm realising HRT is very complicated. I now am dealing with symptons of menopause plus side effects from HRT & it's literally unbearable.

I'm in a really bad place mentally. I kept hoping HRT would work but I'm deteriorating.

I'm due to start the Utrogestan on Wednesday so really worried as the last progesterone gave me severe PMT Symptons & i was like a lunatic.

Sorry going back to my original post.

I just wondered if the HRT was over riding my own cycle as 43 is young for periods to stop.

I never experienced a change in my cycle or heavy bleeding so was very shocked when my GP said I was perimenopausal.

I only had perimenopause type symptons for a few months before my last period.
The symptoms were so mild I presumed my thyroxine needed adjusting.

If you're still having regular periods with mild symptoms why are you on hrt? How many blood tests did for doctor take? You could still have periods for a long time yet, peri can last 10 years. My symptoms started at 44, with changes to cycle at 45 but I'm still not in menopause at 50.

What symptoms did you want hrt to relieve?

sorry you're feeling so rubbish. I know my GPs were being cautious because they didn't want to end up making me feel worse, so it is well known it can happen. (My issue was taking POP and HRT which is more unusual than you'd think ) .

I've read it can take a few tries before you get on the right type so fingers crossed for the new one. Something will work, but sadly for you its not happened so far

My FSH tests,came back as,126 & 141.

The symptoms now are much worse. Main ones I struggle are the hot flushes. Anxiety. Exhaustion & joint pain. Zero libido. Severe dry eyes.
I'm unrecognisable to how I was a year ago. Physically & mentally.

Last September I was just tired, joint pain & stressed.

NickyNora, sounds really rough. And all of those symptoms are just since starting HRT? What were your oestrogen levels before starting HRT?

Have you posted on menopause matters? More people are there are someone might be able to help. I can't see how your present HRT is helping anything at the moment.

My FSH was 140 before starting HRT. 20 whilst on it & 30 within 2 weeks off stopping my first HRT.

No I haven't posted on Menopause Matters, as all I can do is take this HRT for 3 months to give it a chance. I've increased the Estrogel to 3 pumps per day about a week ago so hopefully I will feel the benefit of that soon.

Yes the symptons have got much worse since being on HRT. I'm presuming that's just because I'm not on a high enough dose.

I can't see the specialist til May so at least by then i will know if its working or not.

I doubt I will continue down the HRT route if this current combination doesn't work.

Thanks for your replies & support.
Particularly bad day today.

Hi Nicky! Maybe your current hrt doesn’t suits you!
I started hrt with almost regular periods, severe symptoms and FSH 35. It takes some time for the body to adjust to hormones.
My hrt is a lifesaver for me so I cannot imagine what’s wrong with your regime.
Maybe there are other medical reasons for your symptoms, as thyroid, iron or Vitamin D deficiency or clinical depression?

Hrt doesn’t stop periods, it’s not like the pill. Hrt just add hormones our ovaries doesn’t anymore produce.

i've just accessed my patient records and seen i've been referred to the hospital gynaecologist. I'll wait for the letter but quite shocked to be honest.

Emerald13, HRT does override women's hormones and bleeds are not normal periods on sequi. The progesterone triggers the bleed, to stop the lining building up too much. If they were just normal periods they would be irregular.

If a woman is still having breakthrough periods as well it means that her own hormones aren't being suppressed.

thebluenailbrush, poor show that you weren't told you were being referred. Try not to worry, it is probably just to check you're on the correct meds.

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/resources/patient-information/gynaecology/HRT.pdf

What are the different types of HRT?

There are two different types of HRT:
 Oestrogen only (no progestogen) - when women have had a hysterectomy, they do
not need progestogen to protect the lining of the womb.
 Combined HRT (oestrogen and progestogen) - this is necessary if you still have your
womb. This can be given in two ways:
o Continuous combined HRT - oestrogen and progesterone, taken together daily
(one a day) for 28 days, this means that there will be no withdrawal bleeds.
o Sequential HRT - oestrogen only for the first 14 days then both hormones for the
second 14 days. This usually results in monthly withdrawal bleeds.
The type of HRT you take will depend on where you are in the menopause and if your periods
have stopped completely for a year.

Paris hrt doesn’t function as the pill. It causes faux periods for sure but it helps ovaries to function and thats why we have a lower FSH when we take hrt. Hrt helps our bodies not to struggle for a period. It induces it. If our ovaries still make some estrogen, then the bleeding is heavier. If our ovaries have failed, we have only a light bleed.