Evorel Conti patches - virtually continuous bleeding

[Cantthinkofanother]

Hi, I hope someone can give me some advice

I am 57 and I have been using HRT for about 4 years. I was on Evorel Sequi for three and a half years, but then my GP decided that I shouldn’t be having bleeds once a fortnight, so changed me to Conti patches.

I’ve been on them for 6 months and am bleeding virtually constantly.

My symptoms have come back with a vengeance- palpitations, very low mood, anxiety, brain fog and so tired. Terrible itching vulva.

I have a phone appointment with the GP on Friday (at work, in the office - I’ll have to find a quiet corner) - what should I be asking for?

Do I need a higher dose, or something totally different? Unfortunately it’s pot luck which GP phones and most of them are clueless about HRT.

Thanks in advance

It seems obvious that this type of HRT just isn't right for you OP. Bleeding continuously for six months when you are, presumably, post menopause? That isn't right at all. I think, if it were me, I'd ring the surgery back and say that you need an appointment (phone or in person), with whoever in the practice is most knowledgable about menopause/HRT. You need the advice of someone who knows their stuff.

Why were you bleeding on conti every 2 weeks?
Did it not settle down to a monthly bleed?
Did your GP not investigate this with a scan?

It's normal on sequi to bleed for 6 months, but it tends to be spotting rather than full-on 'periods'.

I think you need to insist on a pelvic scan of your womb lining and take it from there.

It sounds as if you are not getting enough progesterone from the patch, so need a different type of hrt.

sorry- that should why were you bleeding on sequi every two weeks.

@jinglingHellsBell - I questioned this with the GP - and he said it was “just one of those things”, never mentioned having any kind of investigations at all

I don’t hold out much hope for this appointment on Friday - I probably will have to pay for a private consultation with a specialist, just to get things sorted once and for all

@zafferana - I’ve just emailed the GP and said I need to talk to someone experienced in HRT, and that I would like to be referred to a specialist (if such a thing exists),

Sorry @Cantthinkofanother I think I must have got up today and left my brain in bed!

I meant that

you would not normally bleed on sequi except at the end of each month - a withdrawal bleed, regularly. Your GP ought to have acted if you were bleeding so often. That's not normal.

It IS normal to bleed for 6 months on conti but it really is more like spotting.

This is written by Dr Currie, an NHS menopause gynae and it tells you what is normal and what is not.

www.menopausematters.co.uk/postmeno.php

You need a scan to see if this is caused by fibroids or maybe your lining has got too thick or you just aren't absorbing the progesterone.

@JinglingHellsBells thanks for that link - I think I’ll have to insist on a scan or other investigations as well as a change of HRT, as there is obviously something not quite right

hi i am on everol conti,im in my 7th week of wearing the patches and im into ny 5th week of bleeding. My gp sent me for an ultrasound and internal and the nurse said all looked normal but im waiting for gp to ring me. Ive not had a period fir 8 years im 57 ,so it came as a surprise.