Please can someone advise me on how I should be taking HRT?

[TattyOldOwl]

I am 54 and will be 55 in November. I have taken HRT for about 14 months now. I’d say my symptoms prior to this were mild to moderate - some joint aches maybe, not great sleep and feeling warm on and off but it was never more debilitating than that!

I use one pump of gel a day and 12 days of Utrogestan (200mg) a month. This amount of gel controls any symptoms and I feel fine on it - I keep my weight normal and try and focus on movement and nutrition and sleep which I think helps alongside the small amount of oestrogen

I don’t really get any bleeding though at all. From time to time maybe a little bit but no proper withdrawal bleeding and I can’t remember when I last had a proper period prior to starting HRT. Probably a couple of months before starting it but they were erratic by then anyway after 30 odd years of regularity

So .. should I be taking continuous HRT? I have spoken to my doctor who has helpfully advised that it’s really up to me - but I don’t know!!

any advice appreciated

I’d love to know too! I’ve been on it for 7 years. Life saver, mind, so I’m scared to come off!

You should probably be on the continuous combined now in fact you probably could have gone on it straight away at 54. I started aged 54 and I am 63 in a couple of weeks. I'm losing weight just now so will see how I feel in a year and maybe stop it.

I was advised when I started (approx 3 yrs ago) that they don't tend to prescribe for more than 10 years, but up until then was fine.

I started HRT just over a year ago when I was 51. I hadn't had a period in a year, so I was immediately put on continuous HRT. I tried the gel, but I wasn't absorbing so my symptoms kept returning, but since being on the patches I have been feeling good. I am on a low strength patch, and happy to remain there while it stops the symptoms.

It's a choice.
The general guidance is aged 54 and over or no period for 12 months and you can try continuous.

However, this is guidance for GPs to make it simpler for them to prescribe.

On an individual basis it can be different.

I've used sequential for many years (more than 15 and I'm late 60s) as continuous didn't suit me. Daily progesterone gives me a migraine.

I will add that my HRT is prescribed by an excellent private consultant (one of the best in the UK) but only mentioning that to give 'weight' to what I'm posting.

You'll often see the risks of not using continuous quoted ( ie endometrium can overgrow) but they are very small. There is a higher risk of breast cancer with continuous, which although small, does seem to exist with the synthetic progesterone (jury is still out on micronised progesterone.)