Print

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

[pricey]

9 weeks in I am still bleeding.  I have had one proper period at the end of the first pack and a lighter one two weeks later. I then had a few days not bleeding,  but  for  the past 2 weeks I have been spotting most days. I am less headachy than I was on Elleste Duet but the constant spotting is a drag mainly because I never know if and when it might turn into a full scale period. The Elleste gave me predictable bleeds.  I need to see the GP to get another three months supply. I am willing to try another three months of this, knowing it is very common and it would also seem like I went through this for no reason if I choose to come off now. But another part of me dreads another three months of this and it still not settling. I feel quite good but quite tearful at times as if my body is constantly slightly premenstrual. I think if I have another full period rather than spotting I may well call it a day. Any advice/support welcome!

xx

[Hurdity]

Hi pricey

When you say the Elleste gave you predictable bleeds - I presume you were taking Elleste Duet on a cyclical basis and that you are peri-menopausal? If you are still peri then this can account for the random bleeding and you would be better off going back to sequential HRT ie Femoston sequi so that you can have a predictable withdrawal bleed. Having said that even in post-menopausal women continuous combined HRT can cause bleeding and spotting during the first 6 months - so if this is you, then yes perhaps try another 3 months to see if it settles.

Hurdity x

[pricey]

Thanks Hurdity. I have no idea if I am peri or post meno. I had been on Elleste Duet 1mg for 2 years and am now 53 so my GP said she felt a conti regime was the way forward. On Elleste my periods had got lighter and only lasted 4 days.  My only issue was frequent bad headaches around the time of the withdrawal bleed which is why the Dr wanted to try a no bleed regime. Elleste conti made me feel very unwell and so I was swapped to Femoston conti.  If I am still peri is there no chance of the spotting settling?

X

[pricey]

Today I am bleeding more heavily and have a hormonal type headache.  While I think the progesterone in Femoston suits me better than the one in Elleste,  I don't think the conti regime is working. I feel horrid and so low. I have two months of Elleste Duet left and am tempted to just switch back. I wanted to see my Dr to see if I could try Femoston Sequi but can't get in to see her for a week. I was offered an appointment to see another Dr today which I accepted. Then I panicked and cancelled, feeling I would rather stick with the Dr who knows the history. Hurdity or Dancinggirl, would it be ok to switch back to Elleste duet until I see the Dr next week? As I would start on the oestrogen only tablets I wonder if I could then swap to the Femoston Sequi oestrogen  tablets when I see the Dr (if she agrees). My instincts tell me I need to be off progesterone for a few days.  Does that make sense? And ultimately Elleste suited me well apart from frequent head and neck aches which the Dr thought may be able result of the withdrawal of progesterone. Sigh. 

Thanks for listening x

[Hurdity]

Hi pricey - I can understand the doctor's reasoning - as you are almost at the age of 54 when the general consensus is to try conti HRT and 80% of women are post-menopausal by this time - but not all! I only started HRT for exzample just before I was 54 so went straight onto cyclical HRT.

Where you are in menopause - well you might have an idea if you knew what your periods were doing in the months leading up to starting HRT, and assuming you did not have a Mirena or taking the mini pill?

There is no problem going back to the Elleste Duet (starting with the oestrogen only tablets) pending your visit to the doctor, although if this is 1 mg and you are on Elleste Duet ( 2 mg) you may notice the reduction is oestrogen temprarily and also you are likely to get a withdrawal bleed.

Hurdity x

[pricey]

Thanks for getting back to me Hurdity.  I feel very low today.  I was determined to stick it out but nine weeks in I have bled most days and it seems to be getting worse.  I am on Femoston conti currently so 1mg of oestrogen,  the same as the Elleste Duet I have in. If the Dr is agreeable to try Femoston Sequi 1/10 I wonder if starting the oestrogen only tablets now would be ok, since I believe it is the same oestrogen and dosage in the Femoston as the Elleste? My Dr did say she would be happy for me to go back to the Elleste if the Conti regimen didn't work out. I don't see that she would be averse to me trying the Femoston Sequi since I do feel better apart from the incessant bleeding.
My main sadness is the feeling my 9 weeks of sticking it out were in vain. I also worry if I stop the conti and start taking the oestrogen only tablets I might trigger a heavy bleed and almighty migraine, neither of which will be good with a hard stretch at work ahead of me.

x

[Hurdity]

It is no problem to swtich straight back to sequi (oestrogen only) from conti but as you say - you may well get a proper withdrawal bleed if your spotting was on account of the lining not yet properly responding to the continuous progestogen or if you are still peri.  Can you time it so that any withdrawal migraine happens mainly at the weekend eg switch to oestrogen only say on Thurs or Friday night (or morning whenever you take your tabs) depending how soon your body reacts to the withdrawal of oestrogen - and hoping your migraines don't last more than two or threee days and whether you have migraine meds? Don't worry about what's past - (ie the 9 weeks) - concentrate on taking steps so that you can feel as well as you can in the future for more of the time. . Let us know how you get on....

Hurdity x

[pricey]

Thank you Hurdity for your sensible advice. Decided to stick with the Femoston for a few days and time any changeover to coincide with a break from work.  Unfortunately I am now working 8 days in a row. I woke at 4 am with worse cramps and heavier bleeding.  I couldn't get back to sleep.  Worried this will go on and on. Should I try and see a doctor today? I am concerned Femoston Sequi will be no better for me. Feeling very low.

X

[Hurdity]

Hi again pricey - sounds like you could still be peri-menopausal if you are getting a proper period while taking continuous combined HRT and you would definitely be better off with a cyclical HRT (from the bleed point of view). Annoying to start one even though you are still taking the conti HRT and before you decided to swap.  Some of your low mood could be due to taking the progestogen all the time. Femoston sequi comes in 2 mg doses as well as 1 mg so that is an option if the 1/10 does not improve your mood? Hang in there!

Hurdity x

[Optimist]

Hi pricey- the progesterone in femoston 1/5 is the kinder lower dose. I recently trialled this for 4 months.
Month 1 really low for few weeks and backache but then that stopped. Going into
Month 2 actually felt fine but started spotting, however noticed hair/nails aches and pains all great.
Month 3 spotted/bled all way through and towards end noticed constipation back with a vengeance.
Month 4 spotting/bleeding stopped but chronic constipation, urinary frequency and volume off the scale and then insomnia ( never experienced like this before) so went back to menopause specialist who has said Mirena coil is the only other option!
I kind of wish she'd suggested femoston sequi (like Hurdity suggested) but she refused to acknowledge I may have a progesterone intolerance so put me back onto everol but conti this time. I'm having to use extra half patch of oestrogen as hot flushes night sweats aches and pains etc returned.
Overall if you feel better on this one and have no other side effects may be worth sticking it out for another couple of months to see if spotting stops eventually?
Good luck! It's definitely one of the better tablet forms of hrt I feel.
Xx

[Katia]

Hi,

I've tried a few hrts and found my period has broken through them all. I've had better luck with the mini pill