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[Sid]

Hiya, I wonder if anyone else has a GP who insists that cyclical HRT is not suitable once you have been on HRT for more than a year. My impression is that my new GP is generally not in favour of HRT. It wasn’t an issue at my last surgery, but I had to move about 18 months ago, and my new GP immediately queried why I was on it and kept stressing the increased risk of breast cancer.  I am 57 and am on HRT due to pre-menopausal severe osteopenia (I have a strong family history of osteoporosis). My GP is really opposed to me taking cyclical HRT - it makes her “twitchy” that I am still having a monthly bleed. I’ve explained that I don’t seem to absorb Utrogestan well when taken orally and so take 200mg PV on 12 days each cycle.  This works very well for me. I have tried several times to switch to a continuous regime, but always get break through bleeding. My GP is now insisting I have a transvaginal ultrasound, which I am not particularly keen on. I don’t have any problematic symptoms on a cyclical regime, and understood that the NICE guidelines say it is a matter of personal choice.  I feel I am being bullied into an unnecessary procedure I don’t want with the implied threat that my HRT will be stopped if I refuse. Does anyone else take cyclical HRT after being on it more than a year?

[CLKD]

Ask for a referral to a dedicated menopause clinic, not a gynaecologist!   Ask her for evidence about the 'increased risk of breast cancer', she is WAY out of date.

We shouldn't have to fight for treatment, especially when we find a regime that works!

[sheila99]

Your gp needs some education. Many women who don't tolerate utro well choose to stay on a sequi regime post meno, there's no medical reason you have to change. I started on sequi aged 57 in peri, still on it at 61 and intend to stay this way. She may be able to argue you're post meno because of your age but if she gave this advice to someone in peri it's absolutely wrong. Assuming you're on transdermal hrt the bc risk is low. Given the osteoporosis risk she will find it harder to refuse treatment than if it was 'just' meno symptoms.

[Evangelista]

Hi Sid

I've been on HRT for 7 years, I'm 56 and its always been sequi apart from a 3 month trial of conti which gave me erratic bleeding and spotting.
I changed from tablets to utrogestan and Lenzetto in December and the GP prescribed it on a conti basis. I had said I wanted to stick with sequi so I had a benchmark against which to note changes, so I decided I would just take it on a sequi basis anyway.
I saw a different GP recently (the other one retired), and her stance is that I should be on conti by now.
I want to stay on sequi for now and stuck to that position with her. She seemed perplexed but ok enough.
I had 20+ days of bleeding in November before I changed regime, and today I'm off for an ultrasound,  both abdo and transvaginal. I'm happy with that as the bleeding was well out of the norm for me.
If you're having a regular bleed it's not that likely that you need the scan, though I guess you never know.
I'd suggest just taking it in the way you choose - your GP can't enforce it, and you use about the same number of utro capsules so shouldn't make a difference to the prescription frequency.
As others say, it's your choice,  not your GP's.
Good luck!