Oestrogel bleeds

[SurelyNot22]

I'm on day 8 of 2 pumps of gel per day and have bled constantly from day 3 onwards. No sign of stopping either.

Can anyone advise how long the bleed is supposed to be per month and when?

I thought it was meant to be during the Utrogestan phase (ie second half of the month) rather than during the gel only phase.

I get that it can take 6 months to settle but I'd like an idea of what "settling" is. I don't really want to be bleeding constantly!

Thanks

I'm wondering if I should reduce to one pump per day and see if that reduces/stops the bleeding....

How old are you? It took me a couple of months to settle down, but I started when I was 50. I'm assuming if you started earlier you are more likely to have higher levels of natural estrogen in your system. Also, could it be a normal period - how long before you started was your last period?

Are you peri or post menopausal? Any post meno bleeding should be referred to a GP.

If you're peri and this is your first month, carry on with your prescribed regime. It may be you've currently got a surge in oestrogen causing the bleeding but you need to give your body a chance to adjust. Have a review after 3 months with your GP and if the bleeding and other symptoms are not relieved, your GP can suggest adjustments.

Your HRT regime and your menstrual cycle won't always align. Stick to the HRT routine regardless and always take the right amount of progesterone - this is super important if you've still got your womb.

When you first start HRT you can have irregular bleeding during the first 3-6 months and normally this settles down as it goes on. It isn’t specifically linked to either oestrogen or progesterone but the combination of the two having an impact.

Are you in peri?

If you are, this is far more likely to be your own period.

Is there any reason to think it's not your period coming at an earlier date to normal?

If it's more than 12 months since your own periods stopped, you need to see your GP.

Oestrogen doesn't usually cause a bleed. It's the withdrawal of progesterone that promotes a break down of the lining.

Also, the 6-months to settle down applies to continuous combined, not sequential.

Thanks all. I'm 44, perimenopausal.

Defo not normal period, was on the combined pill but have just swapped to progesterone only contraceptive pill. GP put me on desogestrel despite me telling her my body doesn't tolerate it (previous lengthy gruesome experiences!) and sure enough it happened again this month so I stopped taking them.

Therefore previous comment re stopping progesterone being the reason for bleeding makes sense! Thank you.

Have another appointment next Friday for a better progesterone only contraceptive pill (I need levonogestrel) so hopefully that'll sort the bleeding.

This forum is great. Thank you to all who took the time to post.