Manipulating period dates on HRT?

[Psychonabike]

Wondering if it's possible to change when my period is due, if anyone knows how?

Sandrena 2mg daily for oestrogen
Utrogestan 200mg days 15 -26

In about 2 cycles I have a few things lined up when I'd really prefer not to have my period. On what would be day 1 I have an overnight 26 mile hike. My days 1 and 2 are pretty heavy. About 5 days later I go on a watersports holiday.

So, ideally, I would want to bring my period forward a few days, rather than delay it.

I was thinking that for the next couple of cycles I could start my utrogestan early, like about day 12 and still stop after 11 days...wondering if that would bring my period on a bit earlier?

Have no idea if that would work though.

Any other ideas?

Best to check with your GP or with an online doctor service via boots or Superdrug to see if you can use norethisterone while on HRT

It's pretty easy to do this @Psychonabike

For a start, the best way to use Utrogestan is to take it on the same day each month, which gives a 30-31 day cycle, rather than 28. (This is what most consultants recommend.)

This time you can either lengthen the cycle so it's 5 / 6 weeks not 4, or you could carry on taking Utrogestan for longer to delay the bleed. The risk with that is your own cycle may still break through if you have regular periods. You could do what you suggest and bring your cycle forward.

It's worth knowing that for women in late peri who have natural periods rarely, (maybe once every few months) NICE does 'allow' long cycle HRT of 3 months. So that's taking progesterone once for 12/14 days every 10th week.

Your GP is unlikely to be clued up and I wouldn't bother asking.

@AgenceGrateau definitely don't use Norethisterone as this is another progestin on top of Utrogestan.

If I stop taking the tablet I get a period three days later. If I take the tablet continuously I don't get a bleed. I manipulate mine depending on holidays, school trips etc.

I'm not sure this is the same as the OP. She takes 200mgs daily on a cycle. Are you saying that you switch between continuous combined (100mgs daily) and sequential- 200mgs x 12 days? Or that you carry on with 200mgs daily to prevent a bleed?

I was on cycle as I still have periods. The doc then told me to go to continuous as I was getting irregular cycles. I can't cope with taking the tablet everyday as I think I still ovulate so producing my own progesterone too so am feeling sick, tender boobs tired headaches etc. I then take a break from the tablet for a couple of days so a bit of a reset. If I know I've got something coming up I'll just stop the tablets so I bleed earlier and prevent periods clashing with events x

I still don't follow- sorry! If you are using it on a cycle then it's 200mgs (2 capsules) a day for 12 days, then a break for a bleed.

If you take 100mgs daily, then eventually the lining stays thin and no bleed. But this is for women who are post menopause.

Are you saying you do a 'cycle' of around 24 days. 100mgs a day, then take a break for a few days?

I am supposed to do 25 days of tablets and then a 3 day break. I very rarely take 25 tablets as I think I ovulate and produce my own progesterone too. It's so hard to talk to a doc that really understands HRT.

Longer term you need to be careful with this. There will come a point when you are not ovulating and 100mgs a day for only some of the month (when you are using estrogen) may not be enough to keep the lining under control.

It's fine to drop the 25 days to a little less (I was put on a 21 day a month regime by my consultant, for a while in late peri but I hated it- even that amount daily was hard.)

But eventually when you are post menopausal, you will need to choose one of the other- either a cyclical regime or a continuous regime.

The fact you are having a period even on 20+ days shows the lining is growing because it wouldn't be unusual to have just the tiniest bleed on that amount of Utrogestan. Can't you get on with the 12 days x 200mgs a month?

Thank you @JinglingSpringbells , I was hoping you would answer and I totally agree, my GP isn't likely to have any ideas.

So -I had thought that I could prolong the cycle with utrogestan but the problem is that I always breakthrough a bit. Spotting (and even the odd heavier bleed) in the 2nd half of my cycle has been the story of my entire experience with menstruation and continues on HRT. So I think if I tried to push it a bit I might have lighter bleeding through the hike (manageable) but then just have much heavier bleeding for the holiday 5 days later. So bringing it forward and getting it out of the way feels like the best option. Do you think I should just do that by starting the utrogestan early then? It's day 13 today, so I could start tonight instead of waiting till day 15? And then stop as usual after 11 days?

Once I've got this where I need it for these things coming up I will definitely look at using the calendar month. Though I have my smart watch set up to remind me to restart the utrogestan on day 15, so I'm ok for remembering on a 28 day cycle.

I am still technically in early menopause at 47 because I have "regular" periods (arrival timing wise, but without HRT the duration and flow wildly varies) and I even think I ovulate now and again. But I am so glad I got your advice @JinglingSpringbells a couple of years ago and started. Less joint pain, I don't feel "old" anymore, fitter, healthier...I could go on and on. What a difference it makes. I had kind of forgotten how bad things were before, then visited my sister (only 18 months older). She hasn't tried HRT but could see that she was feeling just how I was -just drained with no energy- and I remembered!

I like taking the tablet daily as it helps with sleep. I will try for 25 days this month as I think I managed 21 this month and 18 last month. So maybe my body is adjusting xx

I was prescribed norethisterone to stop my period coming and I’m on hrt. I’ve got some left and was going to use it if needed for a camping trip in the summer. Is this not ok? Sorry for hijack op

I don't understand why tbh.

Most patches and many tablets have Norethisterone in them, either getting into your system daily or half the month.

If you're on a combined patch all you would do is carry on with the combined sort of patch for another few days.

If you use Utrogestan, you'd carry on with it for extra days.

Bleeds start when progesterone is stopped, so normally you'd just carry on with whatever sort was in your HRT.

Do you think I should just do that by starting the utrogestan early then? It's day 13 today, so I could start tonight instead of waiting till day 15? And then stop as usual after 11 days?

Yes!

Ok thank you. So just keep taking the utrogestan for a bit longer should stop it then? My periods are a bit all over the place and I did start this month a couple of days before I finished the 14 days. It’s been a bit of a whopper though and I’m still bleeding 9 days later whereas the few months before that they’ve been lighter and shorter so hopefully a one off 🤞🏼

@JinglingSpringbells Thanks so much!

If you stop taking your utrogestan early (I started on day 14 of my cycle as instructed) so for example day 10, will that make my period come early? I usually get a period a few days after stopping but that’s after the full 12 days. I really would prefer to have my period earlier due to travelling and was wondering if this is likely if I stop it now?

I found, personally, that I could delay starting Utrogestan or whatever, but it made not a blind bit of difference, I would still bleed as if I'd been taking it as 'normal'. My body obviously likes to be difficult.

Bleeds start when progesterone is stopped, so normally you'd just carry on with whatever sort was in your HRT.

My period starts exactly 3 days after I stop progesterone and I'm on day 3 of oestrogen (tablets).

I often bring it forward 3 or 4 days or delay 3 or 4 days to fit social reasons.