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[undergroundbarbie]

Hi all, I'm nearly 53 and two months ago I was put on Angeliqe hrt, having been changed from prempak c due to severe headaches. The first month was fine and no period, however I have now been bleeding for ten days and sorry to be graphic am loosing quite a few clots too. I have an appointment with my GP tomorrow but was wondering if anyone else has experienced similar problems. My periods before were reasonably regular but was told this was a false bleed caused by the prempak c. I'm considering coming off hrt altogether but the thought of all the symptoms scares me.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM undergroundbarbie
When changing to a different HRT regime it can cause this type of bleeding - particularly on a conti HRT.
Breakthrough bleeding and then spotting can continue for up to 6 months when starting a conti HRT like Anglique before things settle. At 53 you may not be truly post menopause and this might also cause problematic bleeding so at your age I would have stuck with sequential HRT which results in the monthly withdrawal bleeds that you experienced with PrempakC. If I were you I would try either a combined sequential HRT patch or possibly Femoston 1/10 pills (Femoston has a kinder progesterone so is often tolerated better).
Do read up all the info on this site to get really clued up - sadly GPs are not specialist in this area so often need to be led - in other words you need to ask for a particularly HRt having done some research.
If you got headaches then many women find the patches better.  Having tried almost every HRT available I am now using all bio identical HRT which is Oestrogen as a patch or gel and then Utrogestan (micronised progesterone) taken separately - most GPs don't know about these.
I'm afraid it is trial and error till you find the HRt that suits you.
Do keep us posted - we are here to support.  Dg x

[Mary G]

Undergroundbarbie, welcome to MM!

Dancinggirl is right.  From my own personal experience, the only kind of HRT really worth taking is transdermal, bio identical gel (my preference) or patch used with bio identical Utrogestan, preferably used vaginally.  It is also worth noting the the all the risk elements of taking HRT are in the synthetic progestins (this does not include Utrogestan), not the bio identical, transdermal oestrogens.  This is why I feel so strongly about this issue and why I think GPs should be precribing it.

I'm not surprised that Prempak C gave you headaches, it doesn't have enough oestrogen and contains the dreaded progestin.  I have tried the lot and I was on Angeliq for quite some time but it gave me headaches, bad dreams and didn't work because it was far too weak (not enough oestrogen) but I never had a bleed while taking it.  The progestin used in Angeliq is supposed to be better than some but it still gave me silent migraines and in the end I started topping up my oestrogen levels by bunging on a patch but even then it was only just about passable and I certainly would not recommend it. 

I then changed to the oestrogen gel and never looked back, it worked immediately and my temperature control went completely back to normal along with everything else.  I now regret the time I wasted taking the wrong medication and hope that others can learn by my mistakes. 

[Hurdity]

Hi -I think we've spoken before when you first joined maybe?

I would agree with the others - if you had had a period less than 12 months before you originally started the Prempak C then you won't have reached menopause then and might not yet have done, so now so as the others have said I would take a cyclical HRT and use transdermal oestrogen - patch or gel.

I am a patch gal myself and always have been - it is a matter of preference. There are combi patches but they both contain the synthetic progestogens and the one in Evorel can cause headaches. Some women get on fine with Femseven. Patches are changed twice a week or once a week, and gel is applied every day. I use Estradot patches with separate utrogestan - vaginally.

Try not to despair - it is sometimes difficult to settle on the right product and especially when you are still peri-menopausal to some extent.

Hurdity x

[undergroundbarbie]

Thank you all, yes I was having regular periods before and during prempak c only during the last six months had they become a lot lighter and I'd hoped would stop. I've noticed the last couple of days that the hot flushes are returning and I'm a bit emotional again over silly things. I'm really double thinking the Angeliqe now. Off to see GP in a minute so have got some good questions thanks to your replies.

[Hurdity]

I've probably missed your doc visit but as I said before - from what you say re still having fairly regular periods before starting HRT, you were still peri-menopausal, and the fact that you are having clots on conti HRT does imply to me anyway that you are not at menopause and should still be on a cyclical HRT. Why did the doc put you onto conti HRT?  Were you on the Prempak for a long time?

Hope you manage to sort something out with the doc but do ask again if there is something we can help with 

Hurdity x

[undergroundbarbie]

Following on from GP visit she has talked me in to continuing and finish the packs I was given, so I have one and half packs left, so three months in total but today I'm a bit concerned, I'm still bleeding and my stomachs has bloated to the size of a football. Think I'm going to make another appointment and insist on a change. What I wanted to ask is, do you think it would be safe to just stop them as I'm unlikely to get an appointment before end of next week. 

[Mary G]

I can only give you my experience when I stopped taking them.  I had a period about 6 days later but can't remember anything other than that.  Looking back, they made me bloated (both stomach and breasts) and constipated but that went away when I stopped taking them.  I then went on to patches after that but didn't find them very effective so then went on to the gel which I found much better. 

I don't know what to advise... I can tell you that Angeliq is very expensive and that might be why the doctor is reluctant to change your prescription.  When I bought them OTC they cost about €23.00 per packet. If you feel really bad and unable to carry on, you could stop taking them now, then try to get an urgent appointment and insist on a change of medication.  You could tell the doctor you cannot continue with them because you are feeling very ill.  I would suggest you ask for a transdermal oestrogen HRT (gel or patch) and Utrogestan which is a far better progesterone with fewer side effects than the synthetic one used in Angeliq.