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[KatyMc]

Hello All

My first post here, although I have read lots and found super helpful.

I am about to change from Femoston 1/10mg tablets to Femoston-conti 1mg/5mg tablets. The main symptoms i wanted help with when starting HRT were super crashing fatigue and joint ache which kept me awake. It has helped lots, although I have spells of both again over the last couple of months. I've been perimenopausal for about 5 or 6 years and I had my last period at the end of April. I'm 53.  My GP has suggested I come in for a set of blood tests because i mentioned my energy and concentration were flagging.

My question is about what you have experienced moving from sequential to continuous HRT? Noting that everyone's chemistry set behaves differently, are there things that I might be likely to experience and what sort of time scale might any differences be noticed?

Downside of starting for me was sticking on a load of weight.

Thank you in advance and I'll look forward to any replies.

[sheila99]

 
Can't help with the question as I'm still late peri but wondered why you are you changing to conti? You should be on a sequi regime until you're meno which is one year without a bleed. Taking bloods is a good idea, the fatigue may not be caused by meno.

[sed]

Hi - my GP put me straight on to the same dose Femonston 1mg/5 even though I have had a period in 12 months.  Only a week in and nothing much to report.  I have asked 2 other GP’s and they have both said it should be fine  And I shouldn’t bleed using this one.  He will check up in two weeks time.

I asked for a consultant gynaecologist’s opinion but have no idea when that appointment will become available at the moment   

[Hurdity]

Hi KatyMc

 

If you start HRT when you are peri-menopausal and it's sequentuial HRT then you can no longer determine menopausal staus from your bleeds as there are artifical withdrawal bleeds from the HRT ( albeit sometimes mixed up with whatever natural cycle you still have going on). That being the case some docs will trial conti HRT once the woman has reached 54 ( if this is at least a year after starting HRT) but if random bleeding continues then sequential HRT is still advised. eg in my case I was only just under 54 when i started hRT but had a period 5 months earlier so i started with and continued with seqiential HRT ( and in fact still do take HRT cyclically by preference).

The differences are that the hormone levels on the 1/5 tablet are the same throughout the month so it will maybe cushion your own natural hormonal cycle - if you still have one, and eventually once you become post-menopausal and settled, you should not bleed. Some women find the continuous progestogen on these regimes give them continuous side effects, but some women don't notice them at all. The best thing is to try it and see for a few months?

By the way when you say last period in April - do you mean an HRT one or a natural one? If the latter then as sheila99 you would be better staying with the 1/10 to avoid erratic bleeding. However it does depend to some extent what your natural cycle was doing up until April. eg if you hadn't had a period for eg 9 months then may well be OK. If they were coming say every few weeks then cyclical HRT would be better.

Hope that doesn't sound too garbled?

Hurdity x

[Evie606]

Hi KatyMc

I’m doing the same albeit a different brand/type and have just posted a similar question, I’ll follow this with interest...

Hope the Conti works for you! X

[KatyMc]

Thank you all for your replies; nice to meet you.

It was my GP’s suggestion to change to conti because of the length of time on sequential (just under 2 years).  So last bleed in April was while I was taking HRT. My cycle had been pretty consistent until then, but since then some monthly spotting (ie very small amount for one or two days) instead.