HRT problems

[SueLou1]

Hello,

After suffering night sweats, insomnia and anxiety I went on Evorel Sequi HRT patches last October. Three months in I suffered torrential bleeding and terrible cramps. I switched to femseven conti and had 6 glorious weeks then light bleeding and low level cramps kicked in which has continued for 6 weeks. Patches are changed weekly - I feel brilliant on the 5th to 7th day of each patch then it all starts all over again with the new patch. I have fibroids which were no longer causing problems before HRT. I'm waiting fir a scan but not sure if I should continue to tough it out. Had anyone else had similar experiences ?

@SueLou1It really depends on where you are in peri or post menopause. if you were put on sequi does that mean you still had periods (or were less than a year without)? Jumping straight to continuous combined (Femseven conti) might not be a great move because erratic bleeding happens more with conti for the first 6 months (and conti is only for women aged 54+ or without a natural period for 12 months.)

In principle, too much bleeding is caused by too much estrogen in ratio to the amount of progesterone used. The level of estrogen will include your own too, regardless of hrt.

You just need a dr who is willing to work with you to get the type and dose correct. Easier said than done perhaps!
A lot of consultants now are offering estrogen gel as the first choice because unlike the patch you can adjust the dose yourself. That means enough to control symptoms, but not so much it causes too much bleeding. You add progesterone each month- called Utrogestan- for 12 days.

Worth trying?

Thank you for your response. I am in perimenopause and am 54. Consultations are over the phone at the moment and they always seem to be in a rush and not really listening. I shall try again with them and talk to them about the gel. Thank you for the advice.

Has no one suggested the Mirena coil? It's often the perfect solution to odd bleeding. Then all you need is estrogen - gel or patch.

I had one for years and it was brilliant but it came out on its own and when it was replaced it was so uncomfortable it was unliveable so I had it removed :-( I feel terrible today, sore tummy, exhausted really want to just take this patch off but don't know if it's safe to do that

Hi, can anyone please give advice. I'm 56 and I've been on hrt 6 years on Sequential that long with no irregular unexpected bleeds, however straight after I finished my last bleed after the 2weeks of sandrena and the Utrogestan progesterone part, I went on to continuous because I felt pressured from my gp. So I took the usual 1&half sachets of sandrena oestradiol gel, 0.5mg & 1.00mg but I tried100 mg of Utrogestan vaginally every other night continuously because I don't like Progesterone really, makes me moody😏 however by day 14 I started to bleed, and bled by day 7 it was not stopping, it was a not heavy but moderate bleed. I was worried and feeling tierd so I stopped the sandrena gel and I used 200 mg of Utrogestan vaginally from day 7 of the bleed for 12 days and it stopped. I stopped the next 2 weeks of hrt, feeling absolutely miserable and boiling hot inside day and night. I thought I'd turn into gollum.
Anyway I thought it was just that I went and changed my hrt regime but asked my gp for a scan as it had been since November 2019 and I knew my endometrial lining was 6mm but gp said it was fine and it was just the hrt and I had no bleeds so was fine. They allow up to 8 mm if no bleeding.
Well this gp I saw said no you've had a bleed your post Meno so you need a scan within the 2 week referral. I didn't think it was an emergency at all. I said it's because I changed to continuous. She said it could be cancer, I thought no.
I went to get this vaginal scan and this lady gynaecologist said your 6.4 mm thick from the prob vaginal scan and right there and then she slipped in the clamp attempted to do a biopsy that quick, I just clamped up and she couldn't get through my cervix. I just had flash backs of a termination I was broken hearted over years before.
She wasn't a nice gynaecologist. I felt rushed and I said I am going back on my hrt and she replied ok if it's cancer 3 more weeks wait won't make a difference waiting for a hysteroscopy appointment. I thought cancer hang on, I felt so upset. However she said my uterus looks normal size, nothing bad and no fibroids or cysts and maybe it's just the hrt but said you'll hear from us in 4 weeks. I said nothing and left. I just felt like she presumed I had cancer.
So now I'm terrified of a painful hysteroscopy and flash backs of an abortion that the numbing gel they used back then didn't work and put me out my mind back then. I felt everything, it was hell and I was just so depressed and heart broken at that time. And worried I've cancer.
After all this I've said I don't believe I have cancer and I don't want this procedure but it's in my head now and what if I do have something bad and I don't go it could be my fault then.

Is it likely it was just the fact I changed from sequential to continuous or is it classed as a questionable bleed that could be something bad. I know my endometrium is 6.4 mm and they want a thinner lining but maybe that's just how I am or I needed more Progesterone. I'm worried sick. Sorry to go on.
Help 😒

Thank you for reading
I appreciate your thoughts.