Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Chillibean]

Hi.. I have been using Evorel Conti patches for about 6 months now.. have had a few ups and downs.. some spotting and itchy patches down below - but have all more or less cleared up after time!  I have just moved from the UK to Qatar.. .. so not sure if this is climate change or to do with the patches but... I have just got a full on period with sore boobs (my last proper period was about 5 years ago!!!!) and accompanying this - severe headaches that have lasted over a week - feels almost flu like symptoms.  Is it the patches or coincidence in change of climate???  Any suggestions/help etc.. Have been to the doctors but was a waste of time here..    I am 49 years of age and started with menopause symptoms 7 years ago.. but only started with patches last year.

[Taz2]

Hi Chillibean - welcome to the forum.

Could it be that your patches haven't been sticking as well due to the hot climate? If so you may not have received enough of the progesterone - it's the withdrawal of progesterone which causes a bleed. It does sound hormonal as you have got the sore boobs but five years is a long time without a period to suddenly get one. Guidelines here are that any bleeding after a year or more without HAS to be investigated. I appreciate that it may be difficult but I would urge you to ask for tests. It's probably nothing serious but one thing that does have to be ruled out is endometrial cancer. Please don't leave it. Someone else will be along soon with more advice.

You will find lots of help and support on here. Please let us know how you get on.

Taz x 

[Chillibean]

Hi thanks for the response... much appreciated!  I will get some blood tests or something done.. it is just trying to find the right person over here!  thank you so much x

[Taz2]

Over here you would be referred for a scan to check on your womb lining - an ultrasound usually - rather than blood tests so I hope you get the necessary tests.  It's just to make sure that everything is ok. It could be that the patches haven't been sticking quite as well and the hormones are contained in the adhesive so if you don't get a full dose, especially of the progesterone, then a bleed may start. Are you up to date with smear tests?

Taz x

[Chillibean]

Hi Taz... yeah I guess that would make sense with the patches not sticking .. maybe I need to transfer to pills?? Smear up to date ... I will make an appointment with a relevant doctor over here to do some tests to at least put my mind at rest and maybe transfer to a different method of HRT rather than the patches.. thank you so much xx

[MrsMopp]

Hope you get this sorted ASAP.  Not ideal when you've had enough to deal with moving abroad.

[Hurdity]

Hi Chillibean  from me too.

I agree with Taz - it could be something to do with the patches not sticking and getting uneven doses of the progestogen. In really hot weather and especially if I sit down a lot in the sun, mine slide about a bit! (I stick mine to my bum cheek - is this where yours are?).

I used to get headaches/migraines on the Eovrel conti patches when I first used them ( not on the Evorel only ones) - but it's odd you have only just started getting one? Progesterone withdrawal can also cause a headache just as with pmt just before a period.

When you say your last proper period was 5 years ago - what exactly do you mean by proper? If you have been having very irregular light periods then these do count even if they were only every few months, and especially if they were accompanied by some signs of pms eg sore boobs etc. You are counted as being post-menopausal if you have been without any sort of bleeding (that could be called a period even if light) for 12 months. If it was less than 12 months since your last - even light, period - before you started the Evorel conti then you may not have been post-menopausal and this could be your own cycle coming into play.

As Taz says good idea to get checked out anyway - but sounds fairly normal to me if accompanied by pms. It would be more of a concern to get bleeding if you were post-menopausal and not on HRT, but of course - then more difficult to decide if anything is wrong without getting a proper check.

Hurdity x