HRT dosing, doom and waiting for the bleed

[Thefamilywaster]

I hate that I feel so abandoned to perimenopause right now.

HRT worked brilliantly (evorel sequi patches) for over a year but I struggled to keep them stuck on so was switched to gel (2pumps a day) and utrogestan (2pills a day for 2 weeks) It isn’t as good. The utrogestan is great, helps me sleep but the gel I can’t stand and I have return of the symptoms I hate. The once a month rage is returning except now I can’t predict when it will be (I could pre-HRT) and the PMS is way worse.

I had a 2week period and it’s been 6 weeks since it started and I’m starting my second round of progesterone since then and while I have cramping there’s no bleed. The HRT doc isn’t available for over three week. I’ve no idea what to do.

i thought taking progesterone more or less guaranteed a regular breakthrough bleed.
I don’t want anti depressants as this is purely hormonal and goes as soon as my period starts - could my HRT dose need changing? Could HRT help with the pms or am I doomed to that forever?

Did you have any PMS symptoms using the progesterone part of your old patches?

Could it just be the progesterone? Or do you need to increase your patch dose?

@Thefamilywaster I’ve started using Evorel patches recently and I found the patches started peeling off after a couple of days.
You may have tried this but I’ve found changing the patches at night before bed on the changeover day seems to help them stay on better. One thigh seems to stick better than the other. So I use the better thigh for the four day patch and the other one for the three day patch. Also I pull the skin taut as I peel the patch on and then hold my palm over the patch.

You’ve maybe tried similar but thought I’d share.

I don’t use the patches anymore. I haven’t done for a year. I use the gel but find it less effective. I can’t get an appointment to talk about HRT so can’t change until I do.

I’ve always had pms on patches and on the utrogestan. Because my cycle is out of whack with the HRT cycle, the pms comes a week to ten days before my period regardless of whether I’m taking the Estrogel alone or with the progesterone too. One of the reasons I went on HRT was because the hormonal moods etc were starting a couple of days before ovulation and lasting until half way through my period. The HRT definitely cut that down but not completely

My cycle isn’t regular with uterogestan and oestrogel but I just carry on with them as prescribed and don’t worry too much about the bleed. Sometimes I miss the bleed altogether, my GP said I might soon be suitable for no bleed HRT (I think you take uterogestan every day rather than just for 20 days) but that does depend on your age OP - I think it’s from age 55.

Yes in early months I skipped one bleed, even now some months it’s delayed by a few more days, it takes time for your body to settle to the new regimen.
Did you have a gap between patches and gel? If so it’s possible you need to give it time to build up to therapeutic levels again? If you’re still not feeling as good as you were in say another 6 weeks I would ask to increase the gel as the different forms of oestrogen delivery don’t give an exact match for everyone