Hi, sorry long post but wanted to give full info.
Just as the topic says really, I have been on HRT for about 18 months ish, and towards the end of the first month I started with abdominal pains and cramps. We were on holiday, so I wasnt sure if it was a change of diet or HRT related (sandrena .5 and utro 200 for 12 days). The pains gave me nausea at times and altered my bowel habits too. At times I couldnt stand straight and we had to cut some day trips short. when we got home I tried to return to normal eating but it made no difference. The pains lasted for about 4-5 months then went away. There had been no correlation between the stage of my HRT cycle and the pains as they were every day.
in Feb I got covid and a few weeks later I was getting return of peri symptoms and of this abdominal pain, I managed to get a phone call from the doctor in May and increased to evorel 50 and utro 200 for 12 days. since then the abdominal pains have continued, not daily, I did have 6 weeks without it, but it comes and goes. Now however it seems to come on very fast and lead to vomitting and me being unable to stand for more than 30 minutes, the only thing I have found that relieves it is buscopan. I was initially scared to go to the GP in case they stopped the HRT, but I have been this week and she has ordered all the tests to rule out anything nasty, but said she thought it was probably the HRT.
so here are my questions which I hope someone might be able to help with.
1) how do I know which aspect of HRT is causing it? - if its utrogestan, wouldnt it only happen in the utrogestan phase? Just thinking that if its not the progesterone part then I would stay on utro
2) if its oestrogen, wont it happen on any oestrogen and therefore changing oestrogen wont make it better, but would taking utro daily reduce the side effects of oestrogen like it does for the lining of the womb and so reduce the effects on the tummy?
3) is it possible that it is due to the fluctuations when taking sequential progesterone - i.e. sudden increase and decrease? ( my bleed happens mid utrogestan part not after) and again would taking it continuously help this or moving to a long cycle? ( periods before HRT were roughly three monthly)
4) would changing to a combined patch help as would stop the progesterone from going through the tummy - I am concerned about taking utro vaginally as I have heard it can affect the bladder which was an issue for me before HRT
you deserve a medal for reading this far, I'm sorry I have become an anxious over thinker right now, and thank you for any help you might be able to offer.
Ecl xx
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Topic: HRT causing abdominal pain, help please (Read 906 times)