Can HRT ease heavy periods?

[RedPandaWanda]

I’m 49 soon and I believe that I have been in perimenopause for a few years.
Symptoms are getting worse including very heavy periods. I keep getting uterine polyps which I have removed but they grow back. Gynae says I am probably low on progesterone and suggested the Mirena.
I am not too keen on having the coil but have been thinking of getting hrt for all my peri symptoms and wonder if the progesterone (am looking to take body identical hrt) would act like the Mirena and reduce my periods/shrink the lining of my uterus?
My gp won’t even acknowledge that I am in peri (just offers me antidepressants for the awful anxiety I am suffering from), so won’t answer this question and I can’t find much online.
Does anyone know if hrt reduces heavy periods?

I had a couple of years of flooding with peri. It took a few cycles on HRT for my body to switch to HRT cycles instead of my own but since then they have been much better.

I've had several Mirenas and no ill effects, no periods for years, had it out in Oct aged 55 and if I last year no bleeds I'm officially done. You only usually hear the negatives. Your other symptoms could benefit from HRT

I know you've said you're not keen on getting a mirena but mine has totally sorted out my heavy, painful periods.

Thanks everyone, maybe I should look into the Mirena a little further.

@RedPandaWanda You can't rely on HRT to stop heavy periods as it doesn't work like that:)
Taking body identical just means the hormones are, chemically, the same as yours. It might well give you a regular bleed (reset an erratic cycle) but not reduce the flow.

The Mirena is offered as the hormone is released directly into the womb and it stops the lining growing.

With other types of HRT it's all about getting the right amount of progesterone to control the growth of the lining.

I've been on HRT for years and the bleeds are heavier than my own normal periods were.

It definitely sorted my heavy periods out.

I have a mirena as part of my HRT and have been impressed. I should have it 12 or so years ago when my periods became frequent and heavy.

After 2 years of menopausal misery I was given the Mirena, it was a real life changer for me, sorted out heavy periods and all the associated problems virtually instantly.

I had a Mirena coil fitted in early December due to heavy periods caused by adenomyosis. I have had 3 periods since - first was still very heavy and painful (needed tranexamic acid), second was heavy (no tranexamic acid needed) but no pain and third was light and no pain. It has only been less than 2 months but I am seeing a big improvement.

Mirena was also great for me. No periods, no side effects, no menopause symptoms. I had it taken out last year at the age of 55 and have been fine since and don't feel the need for HRT.

Following with interest. I have been s suffering from heavy clotty periods for the last 4 years. I have a 26-27 day cycle and initially the heavy flow day was just one day, now it's 3 days, it's debilitating.

I also am so easily irritated and very anxious, when I never had been anxious until my early 40s. I'm 49 now.

Where is best to get the Mirena coil fitted? I worry about it being painful as I am a huge wuss when it comes to medical procedures

So do some people have the Mirena as well as patches or gel to deal with peri?

@WasItASealOrWasItADolphin yes you can use mirena with estrogen patches or gel. Talk to your GP about it but you're probably better off getting it fitted at a sexual health clinic because they have a lot of practice so they really know what they're doing.

Have you discussed tranexamic acid with your GP?
Stops my heavy bleeding completely

JinglingHellsBells Ah! I did wonder especially as they say HRT just tops up the hormones you are losing and I’ve had heavy periods since they began.
LadySlipper That’s good to know, thanks
Abr1d1 Theteapotsbrokensprout canyon2000 bichette thanks, I will ask my gp about the Mirena next week.
WasItASealOrWasItADolphin I am experiencing exactly the same as you. I was offered the Mirena insertion at my local hospital, they have a Mirena clinic run by gynaecologist nurses, maybe your local hospital runs something similar?

HumourReplacementTherapy Sadly tranexamic acid gives me a bad tummy as I have IBS.