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[Violetta808]

I’m 55, final period was 4 years ago. I started HRT in October last year and while I felt instantly better I also started bleeding quite a lot.

I had a hysteroscopy last Friday that showed three smallish submucosal fibroids (I've posted elsewhere about this). They took a biopsy, but didn’t resect anything or fit a Mirena.

The gynaecologist said my endometrium looked thin and normal for post-meno and they are not expecting any sinister findings. They will send me a follow-up outpatient appointment after the results arrive.

However they told me to stop all HRT immediately, and I’m struggling to understand why. I didn’t think to ask the reasons at the time.

Does anyone have any insights why this is advisable, medically? Thank you!

[suzysunday]

I'm not sure but I think they may say it as a matter of course if bleeding occurs post menopause.  They said the same to me.   Maybe it's just a precaution until the results arrive?   When my results were all clear they said I could go back on it.  Hopefully others will have some insight. 

[CLKD]

Ring the Dept and ask the question?

How do U feel overall?

[Molly]

Hi violet. Gynaecologists are super cautious and don’t take into account your menopause symptoms or severity when they tell you to stop HRT. Continuing with HRT until you get biopsy results won’t change the biopsy outcome. With that fact you may wish to continue to use it until you get your results then make an informed decision on using HRT.  Good luck and fingers crossed for a negative biopsy.

[Violetta808]

Thank you suzysunday, CLKD, Molly

I did wonder if it might be the usual gynaecologist protocol to say stop everything, but as you say Molly, anything I do now isn’t going to change the outcome of the biopsy.

CLKD thank you for asking - apart from a withdrawal bleed, I feel OK at the moment with no return of meno symptoms, yet, so can hang on. One surprisingly good thing is I feel significantly less inflated the boobs and belly department - always a positive!

[sheila99]

Oestrogen can make fibroids grow and until you have the results you don't know that they're benign. I think they have to give you this advice in case they turn out to be cancerous.

[Violetta808]

Thanks Sheila99.

I have just been texted the excellent news that my biopsy results are normal. It is what I was expecting, but it's always a relief to have it confirmed.

It's only been a week, but at the moment I feel I still have all the benefits of having taken HRT but none of the side effects (still spotting a bit, but the breast tenderness and puffy feeling is all gone).

I guess there's nothing to stop me starting HRT again now - but I think I'll try a half dose of everything and see how it goes.

[Northerngirl]

Hi Violetta808
That's brilliant news. So pleased for you. You can relax now and get life back to normal 

[shrosphirelass]

Really pleased for you Violetta808

[sheila99]

 
That's great news.

[suzysunday]

Really pleased for you.

[fiftyplus]

Great news violetta808 

[Hurdity]

Glad to hear everything is normal violetta.

Re stopping HRT - it does seem to be a standard instruction during many investigations eg I am on cyclical HRT and when in 2013 I had some spotting after intimacy, went to doc and was told by GP to stop all HRT pending investigations (scan hysteroscopy, biopsy). This I was not prepared to do, as all of those investigations could take several weeks (they did), and no way would I stop HRT, having tried this in 2011 and all my symptoms came back. I then had a (paid) written consultation with Dr Heather Currie ( founder of MM), who said stopping was unnecessary, took a print-out of her e-mail to a different doc in the same practice, who then reversed the decision!

However if a consultant gynae says you should stop, not sure where one stands here? Second opinion perhaps? The idea that such PMB may be cancerous unless proved otherwise, and therefore one should stop HRT, could be argued and challenged for all cases of PMB.

It's only been a week, but at the moment I feel I still have all the benefits of having taken HRT but none of the side effects (still spotting a bit, but the breast tenderness and puffy feeling is all gone).

I guess there's nothing to stop me starting HRT again now - but I think I'll try a half dose of everything and see how it goes.

MY symptoms took some while to return after stopping HRT (in early 2011) and by 3 months all were back with a vengeance including some that weren't there before! I restarted and have never looked back - age 70 and still going strong! Although control of symptoms is what generally leads women to start HRT, there are also health benefits as I'm sure you are aware, so restarting and taking until at least 60 could be a good thing!

Hurdity x

[CarolineM]

When I had an endometrial biopsy done after continuous bleeding on Evorel Conti, the gynae explained they recommend stopping HRT immediately because if there is anything sinister up there it's likely to have been fuelled by oestrogen. So it makes sense not to provide your body with any more oestrogen until the results come back.

I guess it's that balance of coping with symptoms possibly coming back with a vengeance for however long it may take to get the results through vs. increased risk of making anything sinister even more sinister. For me, it was only a couple of hellish weeks but from reading about some women's experiences on here it could be a lot longer.