Print

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

[RebJT]

Hi All

Sorry to have two posts running, but think my latest might be lost in the thread and need some advice.

I switched to a long cycle progesterone (21 days from 12) as per the national meno guidelines as in the last 6 months my cycles have got short and I'm losing too much blood (I get anaemia).  I chose this rather than continous as I think my own cycle is still sputtering along in the background and things might not be stable enough.

First month I tried this, back to 28 days, sweet relief.

This cycle I've done the same, but I'm now on day 18 and bleeding heavily.

What do I do?  Carry on by the calendar and ride it out, or given it's a proper horrible bleed, start again and count today as day 1?  The guidelines say that irregular and heavy bleeding can be tackled either by doubling the dose of utro or increasing the sequence to 21 days.  I chose the latter, but wondering if introducing it earlier in my cycle has confused my body??

I also can't figure out, given I've been on sequential for a while now, why I'm getting these early bleeds?  Too much E, not enough P?

There doesn't seem to be much advice on what to do if the bleed continues to turn up at the wrong time?

I definitely feel better in myself for more progesterone, but can't go on like this.

Can anyone help me puzzle this out?

Thanks

[VanillaLover]

Hello,

I’m afraid I havent heard of the 21 day cycle or doubling prog when this happens.

HRT won’t override your own cycle like the contraceptive pill will I’m afraid.

I have been on HRT for over a year and my cycles come as they like regardless of what stage in the E/P cycle I am in.

I sympathise though as my cycles are super close together last few months …16 -21 days. Luckily they are also getting lighter but I take iron too. The mirena coil is supposed to be great for stopping heavy or unwanted bleeding (don’t fancy it myself but lots of people swear by it).

Alternatively depending on your age and health etc you may still be able to take the contraceptive pill for a bit?

[flossie fiddler]

I’m in a similar situation, just switched from Evorel Conti to Evorel 50 patches with 100 Utrogestan orally at night for 25 days of the 28 day cycle.  The reason for the switch was bleeding/pink discharge for 21 out of the 28 days. Think it was the type of progesterone, so switched to Utro.

I started a bleed on day 22 of the cycle, and it lasted 6 days. I was expecting I might get a bleed, but not the timing of it. I’m on the 3 day break from Utro and the bleed has now all but stopped. So I’m following with interest. I have another review in a month.

[VanillaLover]

Sorry Reb, just read your other thread fully.

The only thing I can add is that I personally just keep to 14 days prog/14 days off regardless. My cycles are so whack it would be impossible to try to get them in sync any more. I used to be able to tell when I ovulated but now I’m pretty sure it’s not happening generally any more.

I would just plough on with 21/28 days and hope for the best.

What iron are you taking at the moment ? What are your levels etc?

Sorry I can’t be more help

[RebJT]

Thanks both

I was moaning with a couple of friends yesterday that this seems to be the most common question for women - whacky bleeding - and there's virtually nil advice, even the utro insert leaflet doesn't tell you what to do, it's frustrating!  I suspect I'm anovulatory also, which I think means oestrogen can keep rising which might explain the heaviness.  No idea!

The trouble with hanging on til day 14 is the histaminey jitters in the days 5 - 12 (oestrogen rising I assume).  Unfortunately tried several pills, but they really don't suit me.  Coil, I'm extremely wary as a) I haven't had kids and no one will do pain relief and had a failed insertion in my twenties (I screamed the clinic down!) and b) they can make bleeding far worse, and given my luck (and the incompetence of my GP practice) I fear I'd be one of the unlucky ones and then stuck with it.  I like the control of being able to adjust my own meds.

I suspect covid threw more of a spanner in the works than I realised but I'm 50 now so I guess things are going to change.  I'm properly bleeding like a period, so unsure what to do but guessing just stick to the plan is probably the best idea, give it time to settle. 

Flossie, that's an alternative I'm considering, doing utro like the contraceptive pill like you are, with a short withdrawal of three days - sort of adapted continuous.  I think I'm still at the stage where there's a cycle of sorts going on, my body does seem happier with the rythmn of a bleed, I just wish it'd stick to the same rythmn!

Thanks both, glad to know it's not just me!

Oh and I take super duper haem iron I import from America - Iron Repair - 10x more absorbable and no side effects.  I'm an emergency iron infusion anaemic, very keen not to go back there!

x

[Clarella]

Hello Reb, may I ask you how things are going?

I’m considering the 21/28 cycle as 25/28 is causing too much break through fortnightly spotting. I really like utro after initially not getting in with And having to take vaginally. (I take x2 utro 25/28.)

Covid messes me up too and this fortnightly bleeding began after covid but also after going up to 125 from 100 patches. So god knows!

I was peri but bleeds became so light gp moved me to continuous. But then upped my oestrogen so I may need to bleed -  hard to tell!