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Author Topic: Scheduled bleeding on hrt  (Read 679 times)

Popmummy

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Scheduled bleeding on hrt
« on: August 21, 2022, 06:41:30 PM »

Hello

I’m 53 and been on estrogel and progesterone (days 15-26) for about a year. I have a bleed with this, as expected, but have been surprised by how like a real period it is!
I feel very anxious about 4 days before the bleed and have cramps when the bleed starts. I suppose I’m just wondering if it sounds normal? I thought the scheduled bleed would be different to a period like I used to have. I’m also very tearful for a few days before and during even though the bleed is very light and only lasts a couple of days.
Sorry if I’m being sim but would like to understand what’s going on.
🙂
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joziel

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Re: Scheduled bleeding on hrt
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2022, 07:41:02 PM »

Estrogen and body identical progesterone don't shut down your normal cycle like contraception does. So yes, it probably will be like your 'real' period or normal period. It's not over-riding that, it's just adding some hormones back in.

Usually you would have progesterone in the second half of your cycle. Progesterone is made by the corpus luteum after ovulation, so you only will have high progesterone levels if you've ovulated (without taking utrogestan of course). Estrogen fluctuates throughout the cycle sometimes even going below the levels we see on HRT to almost indetectable amounts.

Women on HRT can and do still ovulate if their bodies are able to ovulate, which is why HRT isn't a contraceptive. That's not a cause to be upset though, it's great that our natural cycles can continue as long as they can.
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sheila99

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Re: Scheduled bleeding on hrt
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2022, 08:44:16 PM »

Perhaps they are real periods? When my body contributes it's like a normal period, when it doesn't it's a washed out version, shorter and lighter, very little pmt and pain. We're all different though, I think many can't tell the difference.
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Popmummy

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Re: Scheduled bleeding on hrt
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2022, 10:34:41 PM »

Thanks for your replies  :)

I think I’m just stressing about how low and anxious I feel before a bleed. When it was my normal cycle I accepted the pms but hadn’t expected to feel like this on hrt for the the last few days of utrogestron.
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