Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Menopause

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Utrogestan every day and now bleeding

31 replies

FastAbsorbingPrimerGiftBagAndTag · 09/09/2024 19:49

I am 55. I have not had a period for many months, possibly a year but I can't be sure. I have been on HRT for 3 years or so. The thing is, I have been taking Utrogestan every single day without pausing for breakthrough. I am also on Evorel patches and vaginal estradiol.
I felt all was good until 16 days ago I started bleeding, and it hasn't stopped. I have booked an appointment with my GP for 10 days time, that's the earliest they can see me.
I have made the mistake of googling and now I am worried sick that I have cancer, but I can't find any info on the consequences of taking Utrogestan every single day. Just wondering if anyone's gone through similar?

OP posts:
NyeRobey · 09/09/2024 22:52

You do need to see your GP and probably have a scan to measure endometrial thickness.

Are they aware of the issue? Could you request an urgent appointment? I had a same day callback and referral from my GP for this same issue.

FastAbsorbingPrimerGiftBagAndTag · 10/09/2024 06:36

What was the outcome @NyeRobey?

OP posts:
NyeRobey · 10/09/2024 06:48

No outcome yet....

fortyfifty · 10/09/2024 06:52

Even when taking a break, are you supposed to bleed each time? I take a break each month but only have a bleed about every 4 months. What is supposed to be normal when taking utrogestan?

Bohemond23 · 10/09/2024 07:00

Who advised you to take it every day? I am now but only after having an additional consultation with a specialist nurse and having not had a bleed for a year. She said any bleeding should be investigated.

Neversaygoodbye · 10/09/2024 07:02

Don't panic (easy to say I know). I'm on continuous HRT (was 2 pumps of gel and one utrogestan tablet) and went through this last year and after having a hysteroscopy all was well and the GP doubled my dose of utrogestan to 200mg. Bleeding stopped almost immediately and nothing since. Hopefully it's just a case of adjusting your dosage.

Jewel1968 · 10/09/2024 07:24

I had similar and turned out to be a polyp which was removed. Progesterone was doubled but every so often I still get a bleed. When I last saw a doc they suggested coil but I am a bit reluctant to get but think I will have to get coil if I want to stay on hrt. I would prefer increasing oral dose or reducing the gel.

jimloop · 10/09/2024 07:26

I’m on daily utrogestan capsules and Evorel patches, I was bleeding, sent for scan and I have a bulky uterus and fibroids. Nobody seemed concerned but they told me to double up on the capsules, which I have done for the last year, and no more bleeding 🤷🏻‍♀️

JinglingSpringbells · 10/09/2024 08:19

It could be a final last and natural period. This can happen even in women aged 55.

It's very unlikely to be cancer so try not to worry but you need a scan.

FastAbsorbingPrimerGiftBagAndTag · 10/09/2024 08:22

Thank you everyone.
I guess taking the Utrogestan daily without break has been a mistake because now I truly don't know if my periods have stopped.

OP posts:
Recycledblonde · 10/09/2024 08:29

I'm on evorel patches and daily urtrogestan and have had intermittent bleeding (probably every coupld of weeks) for about 6 months, each time after a change in doseage of evorel. GP said that some women take longer to adjust than others but sent me for an internal scan. Uterus is a normal thickness and nothing else of concern found.
The bleeding carried on which is annoying as I'm 59 so after discussion with the GP and menopause specialist nurse we decided to try cutting the dose of evorel to 75mcg once a week instead of twice, result the bleeding has stopped. Apparently some women are react more to oestrogen than others.

JinglingSpringbells · 10/09/2024 10:15

Recycledblonde · 10/09/2024 08:29

I'm on evorel patches and daily urtrogestan and have had intermittent bleeding (probably every coupld of weeks) for about 6 months, each time after a change in doseage of evorel. GP said that some women take longer to adjust than others but sent me for an internal scan. Uterus is a normal thickness and nothing else of concern found.
The bleeding carried on which is annoying as I'm 59 so after discussion with the GP and menopause specialist nurse we decided to try cutting the dose of evorel to 75mcg once a week instead of twice, result the bleeding has stopped. Apparently some women are react more to oestrogen than others.

The more usual way is to increase the amount of Utrogestan.
I left a link in another thread today about the BMS advice.

https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/14-BMS-TfC-Progestogens-and-endometrial-protection-01H.pdf

See page 6

If you use a 75mcg patch this is on the higher side and you could increase Utrogestan.

Or you could change to a 50mcg patch. Dropping a patch means your estrogen levels with be up and down which in reality may actually cause bleeding (sometimes.)

It's far better to have a constant steady supply with a lower dose.

https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/14-BMS-TfC-Progestogens-and-endometrial-protection-01H.pdf

Recycledblonde · 10/09/2024 13:24

I did try upping the urtrogestan for a few weeks and the bleeding got worse. So far one patch a week seems to be working brilliantly, all the good effects are still there and no bleeding.I must be one of the outliers or just odd. 😀

PepperSauce · 10/09/2024 16:18

JinglingSpringbells · 10/09/2024 10:15

The more usual way is to increase the amount of Utrogestan.
I left a link in another thread today about the BMS advice.

https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/14-BMS-TfC-Progestogens-and-endometrial-protection-01H.pdf

See page 6

If you use a 75mcg patch this is on the higher side and you could increase Utrogestan.

Or you could change to a 50mcg patch. Dropping a patch means your estrogen levels with be up and down which in reality may actually cause bleeding (sometimes.)

It's far better to have a constant steady supply with a lower dose.

Thanks for posting that’s really interesting. I’ve just had a hysteroscopy today for post menopausal bleeding on HRT - the doctor today suggested increasing my progesterone to 200mg alongside my 2 pumps of oestrogel.

FastAbsorbingPrimerGiftBagAndTag · 11/09/2024 13:44

The bleeding seems to have pretty much stopped now. It was brown mostly for the second week. Sorry if ITMI. All I'm left with is the constant sensation of an impending period. I can't call it pain, I mean, it's pain, but on a scale to 10 is just a 1.

OP posts:
FastAbsorbingPrimerGiftBagAndTag · 19/09/2024 05:02

So I am being sent for this, and now this is on the news. I am terrified!!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7498yvvjvgo
Any of you had this done to you? Was it as bad?

woman stands in front of bushes

Like ripping my insides - fears hysteroscopy guidelines not enough

Women who experienced traumatic pain from hysteroscopies reveal fears new clinical guidelines may not help.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7498yvvjvgo

OP posts:
omega4ever · 19/09/2024 17:56

I needed a hysterescopy earlier this year due to post meno bleeding.

I requested a general anesthetic .... they tried to persuade me to have a try under local but I refused. I felt like they didn't want to offer a gA ... and told me how it would be fine etc under local.... I still refused and a GA was booked .

No problems afterwards. They did also try to persuade me to have a mirena coil fitted at the same time... which I also declined.

I would never agree to having a hysteroscopy under local .... I find normal smears or examinations very very painful.

Good luck and don't agree to what you don't want.

margegunderson · 19/09/2024 18:40

I had a hysteroscopy with a local painkilling injection and it was fine. I opted for that as I thought it would be quicker and if the pain was too much I'd just ask to stop and have the GA at a later date. It's fine for lots of women but also not fine for lots - do ask for local pain relief if you go the non- GA route (I also had a biopsy in a&e where they swore they had no pain relief and I was so fed up I just agreed - that was less fun).

FastAbsorbingPrimerGiftBagAndTag · 20/09/2024 14:30

Thank you all. I've received my letter and it's called ultrasound scan. That's less scary, right?

OP posts:
FastAbsorbingPrimerGiftBagAndTag · 20/09/2024 17:25

is not?

OP posts:
PepperSauce · 20/09/2024 22:11

I had an ultrasound and was then referred for the hysteroscopy.

PepperSauce · 20/09/2024 22:11

You can insist on a general anaesthetic for the hysteroscopy if you eventually need one

FastAbsorbingPrimerGiftBagAndTag · 21/09/2024 06:26

@PepperSauce and what happened then? are you okay now?

OP posts:
MingingTiles · 21/09/2024 06:33

I had a scan for unexplained bleeding on utrogestan. It’s not painful at all- just a plastic wand in your vagina. They have to move it around to see everything which can be uncomfortable but definitely not painful. You’ll only have a hysteroscopy if they think you need it after the scan.

There are lots of reasons to bleed on utrogestan, from unwittingly missing a pill, to still having your own hormonal cycle strong enough to cause bleeding, problems with dose etc. It’s not unusual at all but it needs checking on a cautious basis so you are doing the right thing. Try not to worry.

PepperSauce · 21/09/2024 16:29

@FastAbsorbingPrimerGiftBagAndTag I only had the hysteroscopy last week and haven’t had the results of the biopsy yet but they did remove a polyp and told me to double my Utrogestan.

Swipe left for the next trending thread