HRT and contraception

[repeater]

Just hoping for some clarification really.

If you’re in your mid to late forties, perimenopausal, have the mirena coil or contraceptive implant and you’re on HRT, am I right in thinking you DON’T need to take progesterone as it’s in the coil/implant, but if you have the copper coil you DO need to take progesterone?

Correct.

Thank you. I’m concerned as I spoke to a friend of mine yesterday who’s been on HRT for 6 months, has the copper coil and just uses patches. Surely she should be taking progesterone?

It depends what's in the patch.

If it's an estrogen only patch she needs progesterone as well.

If it's a patch that has progesterone in it for 14 days a month (or the whole month) she won't.

Ah, I see. I’ll ask her what patches she has. Thank you.

Would she only be on the patches with progesterone in for the whole month if she was post-menopause?

And if she’s on the patches that have progesterone in for 14 days, would she have 2 different boxes of patches?

TBH it might be better if she either asked here herself or she did some research herself online, if you've told her you're concerned.

What?! I’m on the implant, using patches and also been told to take the progesterone. I didn’t know I shouldn’t!!!

It depends what the implant is. It is likely not to be enough or the right sort to be used as part of HRT. I genuinely don't know about which implant as some implants are estrogen.

I focused on using a Mirena.

I should have read her first post more carefully because I thought she meant her friend had a Mirena.

I think this thread is becoming muddled as it's all 3rd party info and we don't know exactly what the OP's friend is using.

@repeater the implant and the Mirena are totally different.
I should have said that earlier.

@JinglingSpringbellsI appreciate you taking the time to reply but I’m not sure what’s become muddled. My friend has a copper coil and has patches. I would assume the patches contain progesterone for 14 days of the month as she’s 46 and in perimenopause. I haven’t told her my concerns as I didn’t know enough about it which is why I’ve asked on here.

For clarity, we were reading a leaflet saying that she’d need to take progesterone for part of the month but she wasn’t sure if that was the case as she just put on a patches. I’ve googled it and would assume she’s on evorel sequi.

HRT has to include progesterone in some form unless the woman's had a hysterectomy. That does not include the implant as far as I know.

The packaging for the patches will say what they contain and I assume it's also printed on each patch. If she googles the brand and dose, all the info is online.

Her GP or whoever prescribed should have explained it.

We both find the whole thing quite confusing as it seems there are various different methods of taking HRT plus it depends on what contraception you’re on and whether you’re peri or post menopause. I thought asking on here would be a safe bet as there are so many women on it. I was just concerned about my friend 🤷🏻‍♀️

yes - the mirena coil provides the progesterone. I have one & also use oestrogel (estrogen gel)

I thought the mirena was the only coil to give you progesterone though

@lunaswandyes, I believe that to be correct. If you have the copper coil or the implant you need to take progesterone.

I apologise if this thread has confused anyone. It wasn’t my intention.