Print

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

[Kathleen]

Hello Spadger.

When I had post menopausal bleeding my GP sent me for all the tests and said not to worry as it was probably the HRT causing it. All was well and she was right.
I think Doctors are obliged to send you for tests under those circumstances, annoying though that can be.
I think that dazned is right, you will al least get to see a gynae and that can only be a good thing.

Hope all goes well for you and keep us posted.

K.

[Pollie]

Spadger you'll be fine don't worry !

I have just had loads of tests done for post menopausal bleeding and found it all reassuring . I pretty much felt my bleeding was hormonal/hrt but the doctors are not allowed to assume that and have to treat you according to 'Nice guidelines' which in my experience in a nutshell is this ;

Any bleeding 12 months past last period must be referred and should be seen within 2 weeks. TV scan done to measure thickness of lining. If thicker than 5mm (or anything unusual seen ) then hysteroscopy done (have a look with camera and nice photos taken) . If anything seen with camera then guided biopsies taken, if nothing seen then camera removed and blind biopsies taken . Biopsy results normal then discharged back to GP.

My Gyne treated my symptoms according to nice guidelines as that was what the refferral was for. Nothing more nothing less. Unfortunately I couldn't for love nor money get her to discuss my future HRT needs so I am back to GP next month. However with the help of this forum and all the helpful ladies here I pretty much know what I am going to ask for so it is ok.

I like the fact that I have had a women's m.o.t. and my ovaries, cervix and all the other bits have been checked out. 

Nothing more painful than a period but take paracetomol or ibuprofen before hysteroscopy if you are going to have one.

HTH

Pollie

[Hurdity]

Hi Spadgers

Well I am absolutely amazed at the lack of knowledge on the part of your GP.

As the others have said you have been given a cyclical HRT - medium dose at that - which is designed to cause a bleed. The bleed is not post-menopausal bleeding, it is a withdrawal bleed from the HRT!! That is what it's supposed to do. The doctor gave you the wrong HRT but it still did what it was supposed to do. The two weeks oestrogen only stimulated the womb lining to grow, the progestogen then changed the lining to what is called "secretory" and then when you stopped the progestogen the lining was shed! I am also amazed that the doctor who prescribed the Prempak did not tell you this would happen.

You don't need medication for bleeding, and you don't need an investigation as the bleeding is expected. You can never say for certain that there is nothing wrong eg your lining could have built up in the absence of HRT and you didn't know it - and then the progestogen followed by withdrawal of it could have caused more bleeding than you otherwise would have from the HRT - but this is unlikley if you've had no history of bleeding problems and no sign of bleeding or spotting for 3.5 years.

I really really would not worry at all - a normal withdrawal bleed is the most likely explanation!! Nothing wrong with letting them do an investigation - always worth checking for absolute peace of mind.

I would go back to the doctor - tomorrow or as soon as you can - as an emergency if necessary - and ask for continuous combined HRT in the meantime. Do try the Femoston conti (1 mg) that the others have recommended. You may still get some irregular spotting/bleeding at first as your body adjusts to having oestrogen again but this should settle.

Do not despair - there will be an HRT type out there that will suit you, minimise the bleeding and make you feel better.

Take heart and go back to the docs!

Hurdity x

[Spadger]

Thanks again everyone - I too am amazed at the lack of knowledge. I actually asked why I was prescribed a cyclical HRT and not a combined continuous one - this was met with quite a blank expression...I will go for the tests but then I'm tempted to just go back to taking nothing - wish life had an undo button :-)
Love Spadger x