HRT and periods dumb question

[vegGardener]

Hi, I'm well over 54 and still having periods regularly, which I'm rather hoping will stop anytime soon. I'm considering HRT, (which would be combined oestrogen and progesterone ). If you start with combined HRT, do you continue getting periods (due to the progesterone) even after your periods would have stopped naturally (had you not taken HRT at all) ?

I.e. if you keep taking combined HRT til you're 60, then you'll still be getting periods ? Or at some stage can you swap from combined to oestrogen only HRT , when do you know when to swap ? TIA

All woman have to use estrogen plus a progesterone unless they have had a hysterectomy. The progesterone stops the womb lining growing too much.

If you still have regular periods, you would normally start on sequential HRT (estrogen daily, progesterone 12 days a month). This gives a timed, withdrawal bleed similar to you own periods, once a month.

If you had no periods you could start off on combined continuous which is both hormones every day. This is a no-bleed sort. For the first 6 months on this sort you may get spotting, until the progesterone makes the womb lining too thin to shed, or your own natural periods may break through anyway. You'd probably be best starting on sequential for a year or so then trying continuous.

Ah, terminology issue, I meant sequential HRT then. Still, I'm unsure how you know when to move from sequential to continuous, does it just depend on your age ?

Medical guidance says women over 54 can start on combined continuous. BUT as you are still having very regular periods rather than one very few months, you might get spotting or erratic bleeding - but you could try it.
Otherwise, you'd assume by 56 your own periods had stopped for good.