Periods every two weeks for months and now…

[GallopingGina]

It’s back after a week!

So I started HRT patches about three years ago after a year of asking the GP.

Over the past eight months I have had a period of 7-10 days every two weeks. Not spotting, proper bleeding each time. Today it’s back after only a week gap.

When I discussed the two week periods with the GP around Christmas time they put me on Conti (from Sequi). But it’s still happening.

I have been down too many rabbit holes online and will contact the GP rather than scare myself too much, but I wanted to see what others might know. It seems too regular to be anything sinister. I also don’t really have many other symptoms of, for example, womb cancer.

Also, there was a couple of months where the pharmacy couldn’t get patches and the GP put me onto pills/gel and I didn’t have the two week periods then.

Anyone have any words of wisdom?

See the GP again. It’s inconvenient to keep having periods, and you could end up anaemic, so definitely worth a call.

It sounds as if you are not absorbing the hormones in the patches.

If you still have natural periods you ought to be on sequi, not conti.

Conti is known to cause bleeding at odd times for up to 6 months. It's not going to control your bleeding in a few weeks and your dr ought to know this.

Are you post menopause? If so, try another type of conti but if not you should be back on a sequi type and ideally tablets if the patches aren't working for you. What dose are you on?

No I don’t think I am post menopause but I find that a tricky question because I was under the impression that Sequi would cause a monthly bleed. So how would I know natural periods had finished?

I was on 50 Sequi and now since Christmas I am on 50 Conti plus 25 extra estrogen patch as symptoms were coming back.

I am afraid the GP while being keen to help (though not keen enough to go against the CCG and prescribe Testosterone) knows the same or less than me.

Oh and we went with patches as I am overweight (though dieting) and pills are contra-indicated.

You're adding extra estrogen to a conti patch. Why not just use a higher dose patch? ie 75mcgs?

You haven't been on conti long enough for it to control the bleeding. Have a read around online- conti can cause odd bleeding for up to 6 months as it's not controlling the estrogen/ womb lining .

I think your GP ought to refer you for a scan. It's probably all normal stuff going on but you need a scan. They will also be able to see your ovaries and if there is any function there with follicles, or if your ovaries have shrivelled up

Also, being overweight gives women more estrogen - it's produced by fat cells. It is a risk factor for hyperplasia, (thick womb lining) so if you can carry on with weight loss- great!

Pills are not contraindicated for women overweight. They are not advised for women at risk of blood clots or with high BP. if you are obese, then yes, it's far safer to have transdermal.

Well on charts I might have been classed as obese, also I have perpetually high BP. So we went with patches.

Anyway, am being referred for a scan and in the meantime GP is switching me to Estrogen patches and Bioidentical Progesterone pills (I think that’s what she said). It looks like these are OK for me to take and the pharmacist said they were a good way to do HRT.

Oh wait is it body identical? I know one is not advised. I won’t get them until tomorrow so I can’t check!