Sandrena with progesterone: confusing advice

[SilboCanary]

I had the Mirena coil until recently and also apply Sandrena gel daily but have recently had the coil taken out. This was all done under a gynaecologist. Recently I spoke to my GP who got very agitated saying that I should never take Sandrena without also taking progesterone. She went on to say it might give me womb cancer now the coil has been removed which is all very alarming.

I am totally confused about who is right. Does anyone know about this?

I am in my early 40s and peri menopausal. I have recently had the Mirena could taken out and since then (well a few weeks after the coil came out) have had a period continuously for 5 weeks. Not only that but it has been dramatically heavy at times. The gp has now given me tranexamic acid to stop it but I would really like to know what my body is doing. Has anyone else experienced this?

That was meant to be two separate questions. I will post the second one again now.

It's very worrying that a gynae doesn't know basic HRT! Yes if you use estrogen gel or any estrogen you need to oppose it with progestogen.
Your GP is right.
You need another Mirena or a separate form of progestogen (one or other.)

You are bleeding because you are in peri but also because you are using estrogen only. You need HRT as a sequi regime on a cycle.

Should I stop applying the Sandrena until I can see the GP? It takes a week to get an appointment.

The risks are only with long term use of estrogen-only (so we're talking months and years...)
No need to stop unless it's months since you has the Mirena out- a week isn't going to make any difference.

Who was prescribing your HRT- Gp or gynae?
You certainly don't want to go back to the gynae if they knew you were using Sandrena and didn't offer progestogen. It's basic HRT training and against the licensing laws - women with a uterus HAVE to use a progestogen/ HRT. Could there have been some confusion?

Thankfully your GP has picked it up.

The other thing is you wouldn't suddenly get cancer. What happens is that the womb lining gets thick without progestogen to control the growth- called hyperplasia- and sometimes this can in time grow cells that are abnormal=and some abnormal cells may develop into cancer. This doesn't happen in weeks or months- it takes years usually.

Thanks. It was the gynae who prescribed the Sandrena. Looks like she just forgot about it when she took the coil out.

The coil (I assume the hormones) really messed with my head which is why I got it taken out. I really don't want to go on progesterone if it's going to do the same thing as the coil did. Looks like I may have to stop taking Sandrena as well.

You can't compare the coil with other types of progesterone. It's a bit like saying wine, gin and beer are all the same because they contain alcohol.

There are 4 types of progestogens:
MPA( for short), Dydrogesterone, Norethisterone and micronised progesterone. In the Mirena it's levonorgestrel.

I am taking Sandrena and not progesterone. My GP is a menopause specialist and I hope she does know what she is talking about as she is one of the Docs who produced the NICE Menopause guidelines.

I take it for 10 days a month to reduce crazy peri-menopausal PMT. She said because my cycles are regular she won't give me progesterone yet. That said, I am off to see her next week and my peri symptoms now seem to be getting worse and I am now having symptoms most days rather than some days when I went to see her 3 months ago. My first Q to her will be why am I not taking progesterone too?

My first Q to her will be why am I not taking progesterone too?

You've answered your own question :)

A because you are peri and still ovulating
B you are having periods so clearing yourlining each month or more or less
C you are only using Sandrena for 10 days a month not all month.

Totally different BUT never heard of this.

So I stopped taking Sandrena on 1 August but my period is still going. How long can this last for? It has been over 6 weeks now.

Presumably until all the lining has shed. You are still in peri- you're only early 40s, so your period has nothing to do with HRT (except the extra estrogen will have thickened the lining more on top of your own hormones.
How long was the Mirena in place? You need to go back to your GP and meanwhile take the tranex acid or Ibuprofen to reduce the bleeding.

The Mirena was in place for 9 months. I took one 5 day course of tranexamic acid but the period has carried on since I stopped. I forgot about ibuprofen and will try that now.

So today i seen a private gynaecologist not only because of my heavy periods but more so because of my moods that go along with them...
She prescribed me sandrena alone, i am worried now after reading up on it as i still have my womb.
I am 33yrs old and still bleed every month or so.