WHEN will my bastarding periods stop?! (And if I'm on HRT how will I know?)

[crackofdoom]

I'm 50 and I'm SO FUCKING OVER periods. However, I'm on HRT (Evorel 100 patches and Utrogestan), and people on here say a lot that this means that you could bleed, effectively, forever. My GP says different, and that they will eventually dry up.

However, it seems to me that I can tell the difference between a progesterone withdrawal bleed and a "proper" period. This month, I feel terrible. Days 7-14 of the cycle I had bloating, horniness and ovulation pains. I 'm on about day 19 now, and from the moment I started taking progesterone on day 15, I have felt awful. I always did have bad PMT, but I feel near incapacitated now. Dizziness, nausea, extreme fatigue, slight headache, more bloating and needing to wee all the time, and an overarching feeling of doom and malaise. I strongly suspect that I will have a heavy period this cycle.

In contrast, some months I have no symptoms and a very light "period", and I suspect that I have not released an egg and this is a withdrawal bleed. Last year I went 4 months with either a very light bleed or just spotting each month, and I was starting to feel really good! Now I feel shit again, and I am SO jealous of friends the same age or even younger whose periods have already stopped!

I guess I'm looking for the experiences of fellow sufferers, especially those on HRT who have noticed marked differences in the kind of bleeds they are having.

I fucking hope so 💀
There has to be some bastarding upshot.

I was the same, started on sequential combined HRT in September, having had very erratic and irregular cycle for the previous 6 months. After 4 months I had only had 1 period so dr put me on continuous progesterone and have had spotting once.

No rhyme or reason to it.

forgot to add, I’m 52 and perimenopause since 50.

I could have written your OP. Solidarity.

@crackofdoom If you are still reading and open to suggestions.

You have to ignore (sorry!) the post by women not on sequential HRT (or any HRT) as they don't apply to you.

The post by @Christine0708 is correct.

If you are using a sequential type of HRT you will always have a withdrawal bleed. I know a friend aged 71 who still has withdrawal bleeds as they cannot tolerate continuous progesterone.

The exceptions are a small percentage of women who don't. This is because either they are not absorbing progesterone enough to give a withdrawal bleed once it's stopped (each cycle) OR the amount estrogen they absorb is not stimulating / proliferating the endometrium enough to shed. (If they never have a withdrawal bleed some specialists would probably suggest a scan to see the lining wasn't thickened/building up. If the lining was very thin, they might need more estrogen.)

After several months on any form of sequential HRT your own periods should be under control of the HRT cycle. You shouldn't be getting break-through bleeds at other times and the way to stop that is considering the dose of your HRT.

You asked why you're bleeding before the end of the Utrogestan- it's likely the dose is too low. Bleeds start once the progesterone levels fall.

You should possibly be using more Utrogestan. Have you discussed this with your dr?

The new guidance from the BMS says that for women using high doses of estrogen ( patches of 75 or 100mcgs) they should consider 300mgs Utrogestan on the days they use it.

If you are in peri still, you may have your own estrogen circulating as well as the extra from the patches.

If you don't get on with Utrogestan, you might get on much better with the Mirena coil. It acts as the progestin, constantly slowly releasing the hormone, and you should find you have no bleeds at all after 6 months.

You asked why you're bleeding before the end of the Utrogestan- it's likely the dose is too low. Bleeds start once the progesterone levels fall.

I'm 53 and on sequential HRT and just had the most awful period (with bloating, pain etc) starting on day 2 of my Utrogestan phase.....

I assume this was my natural period and I might get another withdrawal period once I finish my Utrogestan in a couple of days??

So I get you op and I'm also confused about the timing of my bleeding while on sequential hrt.

If you're doing the two weeks on and two weeks off Utrogestan, that means you are bleeding just a few days after the last bleed.

For example if you took Utrogestan from 1st-14th June, the bleed should come around the 17th.

Is that right?

If you've been on HRT for some time, (over 6-9 months) it ought to control your own cycle.
If you're newish to HRT it possibly won/t yet.

Mine had been stopped for about a year before starting hrt. Now they're bloody back thanks to the hrt. And they're awful. I'm on everol 75, and 300mcg of utrogestan for 2 weeks of the month.

I'm on the same as you. After years of sporadic periods, I had a period 13 months ago and then another 7 months ago but I feel different now, my body has changed. I think that's it for me. I don't even get HRT induced bleeds and I'm on both progesterone and oestrogen gel.

So I guess your doctor is right and periods just fizzle out.

They aren't real periods. They are withdrawal bleeds. (Assume this is what you meant?) @Whattodowithallthebooks

If you're post menopause (no period for a year) you could try combined continuous HRT which should mean no bleeds.

Did your GP have this discussion with you over the options?

The Dr isn't right.

Withdrawal bleeds carry on forever on sequential HRT. I've been on HRT for 15years and still use cyclical (out of choice.) I have a friend aged 71 who has withdrawal bleeds.
Periods either stop- post menopause- for good or carry on till they do stop (peri menopause).

If you use combined continuous HRT you may bleed erratically for the first 6 months as it takes that long for that type of HRT to control the womb lining so it doesn't shed at all.

A lot of GPs talk nonsense re. HRT and menopause.

*If you're doing the two weeks on and two weeks off Utrogestan, that means you are bleeding just a few days after the last bleed.

For example if you took Utrogestan from 1st-14th June, the bleed should come around the 17th.

Is that right?*

I start the Utrogestan on the 15th of every month, but I started bleeding on the 19th and that seemed to be a 'proper' period.

So let's see if I also get a 'withdrawal' bleed once I finish the Utrogestan in 2 days?

It's so tricky to work out what's my natural cycle and what's due to HRT..