Print

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

[Holidaygirl]

I have just joined! I am 63 and went through the menopause quite late (at 56) and have been suffering hot flushes, night sweats etc for over 8 years and it was getting me down. I spoke to GP and he said to go on HRT for a couple of years to improve quality of life. I asked at the time if he was sure as I have always had bleeding problems on contraceptive pill, mirena coil etc but he said as it was 7 years since menopause it would be fine. So I've been taking Kliovance. I now really wish I had said no. After 2 and a half months on it i started spotting so made decision to stop taking it. That was  3 days ago. Saw GP this morning and he said it will probably keep spotting for a while but it'll stop within  2 weeks. Now the bleeding is getting a bit heavier. I'm hoping that's just everything clearing out and it'll stop soon  has anyone else had anything similar?

[CLKD]

Hi!  HORMONES  .

Have you finished with your periods over-all?  Which symptom would you like to ease?

Maybe put the product name into the search box and see what pops up?  Make notes.  How do you feel over-all? 

Some find that HRT takes 3-4 months to feel benefit. 

If the bleeding becomes really heavy and lasts for ages there is a drug that your GP can prescribe. 

[Holidaygirl]

I hadn't had a period for 7 years. I went on the HRT because the night sweats were getting me down and I was waking up several times each night and the GP said the HRT would help. It did stop the flushes after about a month on it but halfway through the third packet the bleeding started. I've had issues like this before with all sorts of contraceptive pills and also the mirena coil. With those I stuck with it for 6 months or so and it never improved. It seems that if the leaflet says 'could cause bleeding' then it will for me! I have read several posts on here on similar topics and they do say that the bleeding will stop after a  week or so. I just hope it does for me too. I think I'd rather have the sweats and flushes than bleeding. I'm really fed up now. At 63 I really thought I'd never have to wear sanitary pads ever again!

[CLKD]

Oh I would hate to start all that again  .  After my last period I didn't stop carrying protection for 5 years 

[jillydoll]

Hi Holiday Girl.               
Good to have you here.
You can start bleeding at any time when starting any hrt regime. It should stop, once the hormones settle down...xx

[Holidaygirl]

Hi CLKD and jillydol, thank you for your replies and reassurance.

[CLKD]

>creeps in< - why, after such a gap would 1 begin to bleed 

[Holidaygirl]

Yes it's a horrible shock! But I suppose in hindsight i should have expected it because when I was younger (pre-menopause) I always got the bleeding side effect of hormone contraception! I shouldnt have let the doctor persuade me to go on hrt. Hopefully now I've stopped taking the hrt tablets it'll stop bleeding soon.

[Hurdity]

Hi Holidaygirl

  from me too.

Sorry to hear about your problems. However I am surprised that your doc put you onj tablet hRT when starting for the first time over the age of 60 as transdermal is normally recommended due to increased overall stroke risk with age and potential slight risk with oral HRT. However I presume you are very low risk generally eg fit and healthy with plenty of exercise, good diet and normal BMI, no smoking, low alcohol etc?

It sounds like your womb lining may well have built up - either post-menopause ( as some ovarian activiy continues even if no ovulation, or possibly you have a fibroid or something - which might have been one of the causes of your previous heavy bleeding? Did you ever get this checked out especially due to your late menopause?

Anyway provided all is normal you will still be able to continue with hRT but perhpas in your position why not ask for another Mirena if that suited you before? Then you can take oestrogen ( patch or gel) at a dose that eliminates your symptoms and will stop any bleeding - once any lining etc has shed? Now you are post-menopause the bleeding should stop with the Mirena if all is otherwise well.

Please do not give up hope - your quality of life can still be improved by using something different. However if you do want to continue I would ask GP to refer you for scan just to make sure all is well and then maybe think about these alternatives?

Hope this helps

Hurdity x

[Holidaygirl]

Hi Hurdity. Thank you! I think the doctor put me on the oral hrt because it was available and he said that a lot of the patches are out of stock! Yes I think I'm very low risk as healthy otherwise, weight ok, non smoker hardly any alcohol, lower than normal blood pressure etc. I have over the years had several scans and biopsies due to the bleeding issues. They did both again when I was 55 because I was still having periods and the doctor thought something must be wrong but that just showed that I was still ovulating! I had lots of problems with the mirena coil and had to have it taken out after a year so I wouldn't want to try that again. I think this latest episode has proved to me that i can't take artificial hormones! I think that when the bleeding stops (which I hope it will soon now that I have stopped using the hrt) I will explore less invasive ways of managing the flushes, dryness etc.

[Hurdity]

Hi again  - Obvs your decision but all it means is that you haven't found a solution that's right for you yet. Pity about the Mirena as this would have been the best option - given yuor circumstances. However if you take separate gel/patch and a progestogen you can tweak each to suit. Have a look at the menus (for hRT) and if we can help with this do ask. I just think in view of what you said about your quality of life with the sweats ( I couldn't cope with these!) it is worth persevering. Is there a chance of getting a referral to a menopause clinic through NHS - depending on where you're based? Obvs if you decide against it there are other measures - but HRT is the first line of treatment. The only other things that actually can work are some prescribable anti-depressants but ideally hRT is preferable unless medically contra-indicated. Good luck anyway and hope you find a suitable treatment that enables you to function better and happily . I can link to some info on the ADs that work ( usually prescribed for breast cancer survivors).

Hurdity x

[Holidaygirl]

Hi Hurdity. Thanks for your help and suggestions. I think I'll take it in stages. I have quite bad anxiety issues (which have got a lot worse since the menopause) and I am now feeling very panicky about the bleeding. What I have read on here says that other people who bled after stopping the hrt only bled for a week or so until the lining that built up because the hormone balance of the hrt wasn't right had come away and the GP did seem to agree as he said yesterday that as I have stopped taking the hrt the bleeding will stop within 2 weeks but I'm still panicking about it. I hate the unpredictability of not knowing when it will stop (or even being sure that it will!). I do need to do something about the flushes, vaginal dryness (and the anxiety!) so when the bleeding has stopped and I am hopefully back to where I was before I started hrt I will have look at the options you suggest and see the doctor again (and ask to be referred to a monopause clinic if there is one in my area)