Switching from oral progesterone to coil?

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I've been on HRT for six months. Oestrogen gel and micronised progesterone tablets. My periods still come routinely every 21 days or so, with no with no withdrawal bleed from progesterone. They are very heavy and painful (I have been anaemic from them and the heaviness means I struggle to leave the house due to leaking).

The GP who is HRT friendly has suggested switching to a coil for the progesterone. Has anyone else had success with this? I know insertion can be painful, but reduced/stopped periods would be amazing! It does seem like oral progesterone isn't suitable for me, seems to have no impact?

The Mirena is very likely to stop you bleeding, or at least reduce it significantly.

Are you using your progesterone continuously? How old are you? What dose oestrogen are you on? If on a higher dose you usually need more progesterone to control the bleeding.

Thanks, I take 14 days of progesterone each month and two pumps of oestrogel. I'm 45

I didn’t get on with oral progesterone AT ALL, nearly suicidal, mood swings, and was the same on the weeks of progesterone patches. My gynae told me he could fit the coil under sedation (I also had a hysteroscopy) and that was that. Since then hardly any bleed at all, and god knows they were monster periods before, and I feel much much better.

I was the same as you. Oral progesterone did not suit me at all and my bleeding became debilitating.

The Mirena was the best thing ever. It stopped the bleeding instantly, cured my anaemia and I’ll be honest, I was so busy chatting to the nurse, I didn’t even notice it going in. Didn’t feel a thing!

I am on my first month of switching from progesterone tablets to the coil. I did this as I'm on mounjaro and the advice is to insert the tablets vaginally, which I didn't like as I got a lot of discharge from them. I was prepared for pain in fitting the coil and picked a clinic where I got every pain relief option going, but it was still completely agonising. However, so far I'm cautiously optimistic as not only has my first period been so much lighter (more like spotting) but my mood actually seems much better too. Too early to tell if this will continue, but great if it does!

Ok so you’re young and likely to have an endogenous hormones which are driving your bleeds, hence why your bleeding is three weekly and not monthly. A Mirena might be a really good option as it should stop you bleeding completely.

This sounds great, thanks, I'm feeling pretty optimistic now it may be a good solution for me.

I've had a good experience with the coil.
Insertion felt like a very rummagy smear.
Periods eased up hugely and then stopped. I got it at 49.

I have the mirena coil and besides spotting the first month I haven't had a period in the whole time it's been in.

I have an appointment for a Mirena in 2 weeks. I had to say it was for contraception because the sexual health clinic wouldn’t fit it for HRT
& there’s a 2 year wait list for gynae to fit it.

I held off getting a mirena for 2 years of hrt (struggle to tolerate utrogestan, even vaginal, due to hyperarousal insomnia), and i love it. Had my copper coil removed and the mirena inserted in December took about 6 weeks for light to moderate spotting to settle and since then it's been wonderful. Best sleep I've had for a decade, no periods, only bleeding I've had was a tiny bit of bright pink spotting/ one sided cramping which I've has for many years at ovulation- just the once this year, so still not quite menopausal but must be close.

Insertion was fine.

Same, GP coached me through what to say, as she couldn't find the strings from my copper coil to do the swap herself.

Women's healthcare is a complete disgrace. I had to travel an hour away to get mine done- I live in London so you'd think I would have a few options closer but nope.