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[Helenw]

Hi I am new to this forum and quite confused!  I am 50 and had been on pill for 16 years so didn't have periods. In January I suspected I may be menopausal so came off the pill and a week later had a period.  But then no periods since so spoke to the nurse at gp and she said the period was not a real period but a withdrawal bleed from stopping the pill. So she concluded I was peri menopausal and put me on continuous oestrogel and ustrogen daily 100mg pills.  That's great and I am feeling a lot better.  But last week I started having a bleed!  So now I am very confused, is this an actual period ie/ an egg was released and therefore I could get pregnant? Or is it caused by the medication and therefore could not get pregnant.?  Because I don't know when my last real period was but at least 7 months ago but probably longer as its unlikely I stopped having them at the exact time I came off the pill I thought it was safe to have unprotected sex but now I am not so sure!  Hope this makes sense and can get some advice or insights thanks Helen 😊

[Flossieteacake]

Hello Helenw and welcome to the forum. They say menopause is when there is no period for a year, but is difficult when taking the contraceptive pill to know if that has happened or not. The nurse thinks you are perimenopausal which is the time leading up to menopause. You can still have periods then although they may be erratic.

I had no idea what perimenopause was before joining this forum so you are not alone there. I would personally carry on using contraception just until you know for sure you are in menopause. You would need an alternative to the pill as it cannot be taken alongside HRT.

It is so nice to hear you are feeling better since taking the HRT.

[CLKD]

Keep up with contraception.  Periods can wax and wane for several years B4 disappearing altogether.  We are advised to wait for at least 12 months since the last period B4 considering that we are in menopause: however, Nature can throw the odd curved ball 

I never knew when I was ovulating ......... you could buy a pregnancy test kit from the pharmacy is you are worried.  Let us know ;-)

[sheila99]

The nurse was guessing, definitely keep up the birth control. Meno is defined by the nhs as one year without a bleed so it was too short a time to tell. Even after a year some women will start having bleeds again and pregnancy is possible though unlikely. If you want something that provides both the progesterone part of hrt and contraception you could use a mirena. If you're peri and on a conti regime it's likely you will get breakthrough bleeding except with a mirena which usually stops them.

[Helenw]

Thanks for the advise and support I will be speaking to nurse again next week