3rd cycle of hrt and a missed period - is this normal?

[LittleMy77]

Have just finished my third month of cyclical HRT - 2 x pumps of estradiol gel daily and then 2x progesterone / utrogestan tablets for day 15-27 and then a break and usually a period.

Before starting HRT my periods have been very regular (every 29-30 days), and I’ve had two periods since starting HRT which have started 2 days after finishing utrogestan for that cycle. In both those scenarios I’ve had mild spotting and cramps so knew it was on its way

This month my period is late - it’s been 8 days since stopping utrogestan with no sign of anything apart from breast pain which kicked off at the start of the utrogestan cycle and occasional spotting yesterday. I’ve done 2x pregnancy test - both negative!

Is this normal? Is it likely to just appear at random any time this cycle? Do I keep taking the oestrogel - if I don’t get a period, when would I start my next round of utrogestan given the direction that both need to be taken in a cycle?

Ive a call in to the gp but no response yet and im
going in circles trying to find info!

Hi
Not all women have a withdrawal bleed. Your own cycle might still be pushing through.
you take the gel every day regardless 🙂

I'm on hrt patches but also no period this month, although I don't take the break. So watching with Intrested

Yeah, thats what I thought too re the cycle -only issue is I’m now 4 days late past where I’d normally start without HRT!

If the gp ever calls back, I’ll update with info

Your periods/ hormones/ everything will be unpredictable- this is the new peri menopause normal where nothing is the same from month to month.

How old are you op?

@BigButtons yeah I’m starting to realise that! It’s so hard to find consistent up to date info on what’s ‘Normal’ with HRT without getting sucked into a black hole of the internet

@Vintagecreamandcottagepie I’m 46 and never had issues with irregular periods / they were nowhere near stopping before i started hrt

Update from gp, as I managed to get a private apt through work this am

she said (similar to Buttons!) to expect variation after starting HRT and probably expect a few months to settle down. She said they usually have concerns if you see abnormal bleeding, rather than a lack of periods (which is hilarious to me, as peri has been months of insane periods without HRT) if i don’t have a period then to start my next cycle of utrogestan on the first day I’d normally take it - ie day 15 of the cycle

she was v insistent that I proactively get a 3 month check in with the GP / nurse to discuss how it’s going

@LittleMy77 I you are not on it already I strongly recommended you join ‘menopause matters’. It’s an amazingly supportive and knowledgeable forum. I feel I know more than my dr about my symptoms and options. All learnt from the women on there.