Bleeding on HRT confused and worried

[Puppylucky]

Hi
I wonder if someone can help me. I am (very) post menopausal and have been on oestrogel plus utrogestan for about 20 months via the Newson clinic. After early symptoms of sore breats and irritability things have settled down well and I was starting to feel really good. However out of the blue last week I started to bleed heavily and cramp. I went to my GP who has arranged a scan under the two week cancer pathway and advised me to come off the HRT in the meantime. However he seemed a bit unsure about this and obviously had not been involved in prescribing the HRT in the first place
I also informed the Newson clinic about my bleeding and received a call back from them. The woman who spoke to me seemed a bit confused about why I had contacted them but said they normally didnt reccomend stopping the HRT. She clearly didn't seem bothered by the bleeding even when I confirmed it was heavy and longlasting ( still bleeding 6 days later). I'm now very confused as to how concerned I should be and what I should be doing re the HRT. Can anyone advise?

Sorry that should read I've been on HRT for 10 months not 20!

It's normal to be referred on the 2 week pathway for any unexpected bleeding if it's been more than 3-6 months from starting or changing HRT (don't suppose you've increased the estrogen component recently have you as this can cause it?)

I was referred for this last year and know many others who have been. A transvaginal scan is usually done and if need be a hysteroscopy. Causes might be thickened womb lining, polyps or fibroids(the latter was my issue) - or might be no cause found and decreasing the estrogen might help or doubling the Utrogestan or having a Mirena coil put in which can be effective in controlling bleeding.

Generally we shouldn't have to stop HRT or any local estrogen we're taking but some GPs are overly cautious in advising it.

Thanks for replying - that's reassuring. I haven't upped my oestrogen at all but I have forgotten to take my uestrogen a couple of times so I wonder if that can have the same effect.

@Puppylucky

Thanks for replying - that's reassuring. I haven't upped my oestrogen at all but I have forgotten to take my uestrogen a couple of times so I wonder if that can have the same effect.

If you're forgetting your Utrogestan regularly then this is possibly the cause. I'm pretty sure I've forgotten mine despite it being right next to my toothmug to take before bed and wondered if this has been the cause of mine sometimes. If you forgot yours for a few days this might have brought on a bleed.

Sometimes we can just be more prone to bleeding on HRT which can be annoying. The hysteroscopy consultant said mine was feeding my fibroid which although small and hadn't grown in a few years is just being a pain in bleeding!!