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[Lolabalola]

Hi I'm currently on femseven sequential patches but feel rubbish when on the oestrogen only fortnight. Recently I got muddled up and I think I used the oestrogen and progesterone patches for 3 or 4 weeks. I didn't have a bleed the whole time and felt so much better all round, and realised the extent of this almost immediately I put on an oestrogen only patch, certainly by the next day.
I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday and I'm going to ask for the femseven continuous ones. My only concern is that I don't know if I'm 1year post menopausal because I've been on hrt for 18 months and still having bleeds because I've been on sequential hrt, and am worried that they won't prescribe it. Has anyone else been in this position and if so how did you get on?

[Taz2]

Hi Lolabalola 

It's always a problem to know where you are menowise when on HRT. If you are over 54 then it is considered safe to switch to conti HRT - some doctors say 53 but mine made me wait until I was 54. Some women stop HRT to see where they are in their natural cycle but this can obviously cause a return of symptoms which may not be what you want!

You will find loads of support and help on here. Let us know how you get on.

Taz x

[Lolabalola]

Thank you Taz I'm not sure what I will do if they won't prescribe, I'm only 51 .....

[Hurdity]

Hi Lolabalola

I wonder if you felt rubbish on the oestrogen only patch just initially? If so this is quite normal and due to symptoms of progesterone withdrawal - a reversal of the physiological changes that take place in your body when you take progesterone. Most women recover from this and then feel much better (on the oestrogen only part) just as they do in their menstrual cycle. Unortunately with the combi patches the progestogen phase is extended ( due to patch change convenience) so you have the two weeks of the combi patch and then a few days of withdrawal, and then the bleed!

You could ask to try separate oestrogen and progesterone and then the progestogen is taken for a shorter time per month (12 days usually).

I have read, that for some of the sequi HRT types, you can try doing the continuous combined HRT after 1 year of use - irrespective of age but I don't think Femseven is one of them. The problem with using conti HRT if you are not post-menopausal, is that you can get unpredictable breakthrough bleeding as your own cycle kicks in - which can be inconvenient.

Hurdity x