Increased frequency of bleeding since switching to continuous utrogestan

[RachyLou2022]

Doc switched me from cyclical 12 nights of 200, to 100 per night without break a few months ago. Reason? Heavy heavy periods. Since then I’ve bled every 2 weeks. It’s definitely lighter but every 2 week!! Come on. I had hoped it would settle but this is month 4 now. I’m about 2 years into HRT and aside from the horrendous periods it’s helped my other symptoms.
Anyone else in the same boat? I’m peri and this almost continuous period is really getting me down. I get cramp and bloat and PMT and just feel deflated.
Switching to coil, just waiting on appointment date but been told the wait is anything up to 6 months in my area.

Yes. I got put up to 200 per night continuous which has given me spotting every 2 weeks instead of an actual bleed. I was also on slightly over the max recommended oestrogen dose and have come down to max which seems possibly to be doing the trick. Had to have pelvic scan to make sure nothing untoward was happening.

I wonder if your GP knows that irregular bleeding is 'to be expected' for up to 6 months? They should have told you that.

It can take 6 months for the 2 hormones to work together, to thin the lining enough so it doesn't bleed.

As PP says your option is to try 200mgs a day or maybe the Mirena coil.

Yeah I’m waiting on getting the coil.
My doc told me it can take time to settle but didn’t specify how long I just hoped it would have done so by now. I’m on the 75 Estradot patch, increased at the same time as changing to continuous utrogestan from the 50 Estradot. To be honest whenever I speak to the docs at my surgery they never seem to know much about HRT and google things infront of me. Not filled with confidence to be honest. Had a TV scan at the beginning of the year which was fine, nothing u toward found at that point. I’m getting to the point I just want to come off HRT and let my body do its thing naturally but scared of how I’ll cope and react and potentially make things worse. Stuck between a rock and hard place.
Im not sure about doubling up the utrogestan cos I am not sure I should even be taking it continuously as I’m peri not post menopause.

The mirena coil might be the best option. There was a 6 month wait at my surgery, I got it done very quickly at a sexual health clinic instead (and on reflection was the best choice, they were super efficient at it).

This happened to me also but it settled down after a few months and I do not know myself as went through hell on the 2 weeks on off utrogestron as sensitive to progesterone and hormones more in balance now and great not having a bleed at all. I am taking 2-3 pumps of oestrogel also and seems to be a good balance. Wish had changed to continuous sooner and I was also shocked the first few months on continuous as bleed and had spotting every 2 weeks but it will settle down. The coil suits some people great so hope it does you but for me I cannot handle pain as have sensory issues so would be in bits getting it put in and also I have read that lots of people bleed for the first 6 mths on the coil until that settles down. I would see how you go for the next 2 months and if still bleeding talk to doctor. Hope things settle for you soon.

Yes you can take hrt continuously if on hrt for over a year so that is fine.
Also how much oestrogel are you taking, if you are taking too much that is why you may be bleeding as you need a balance between that and the utrogesterone you are taking. Say if you were taking 4 pumps oestrogel, that would be too much with the one tablet so I would reduce that to between 2-3 daily. It is a minefield and takes so much chopping and changing and just when things settle then something happens but for me not having that massive hormonal surge of the 2 weeks of high utrogesterone that made me feel crazy, unbelievably low, bloated, heavy periods, spotty which never got in my life, was just awful, it was a pharmacist who suggested to me to switch to continuous as would balance out the hormones more and it has worked. Wishing you well.

I was bleeding pretty much continuously and I had a mirena coil put in and it's completely stopped! I'm so pleased as I'd been bleeding for about 2 flipping years.

I’m not on the gel I’m on the Estradot 75 patch which I change on a Mon and Thur.
finished bleeding 2 weeks ago and back on yesterday, today is really heavy and lots of clots and I’m just exhausted. I really just want to come off this HRT wish I hadn’t started it.

Hi Rachel can you ask for Oestrogel pump and try that as I found when I started that it was great as was on Sandrina gel beforehand but it was not great. It is easy to apply, dries really quickly and is good.
Please go to your doctor and try this and know how hard it is as went through hell myself felt just rotten.
Also go get your bloods done as I was bleeding so much and so heavy, and asked for full bloods to include thyroid check/antibiodies and have underactive thyroid and that can also play havoc with periods and since I started on low dose of meds for that periods stopped. So worth checking out to make sure no other underlying cause. Hope that helps.

I’m definitely going to go back to docs, the bleeding is heavier again today and to say I feel washed out is an understatement.

Hi Rachy did you get a doctor's appointment. There was me thinking I was all sorted and no bleeding for a few months and now bleeding few days. Awful lower backpain and feel like crap. Doctor rang me after my bloods for thyroid and is upping my meds so hoping this will help with my exhaustion. Bleeding excessively can be down to the thyroid as hormones all related so please ask for thyroid bloods check and antibodies, you have to be persistent as doctors like to fob us off as if we are mental. I hope you get some answers and start to feel better soon as it just drains you losing all this blood. Mind yourself and keep us updated.

I’ve got an appt on Friday afternoon so fingers crossed. Thanks

I've just switched to continous and having a horrible heavy bleed, I'm hoping this settles down. I tried to do it 9 months ago and gave up, but I'm determined to give it 6 months now as I want to stop having periods now as I'm 52 and so over them! Before HRT I was only having one every 3 or 4 months so the monthly HRT bleed for the last 2 years has been annoying.