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[roisen]

I'll try not to make this too long.
Just under a year ago I was changed from Femosten 2/10 which I had always been happy with because my new GP wouldn't prescribe that poison (his words) Very long and miserable consultation. I could only continue if I allowed myself to be referred to meno clinic. I did. They encouraged me to change to patches. Two months in and i was bleeding all over the place on Evoril. Then I was referred for ultrasound and transvaginal because I was bleeding between periods. Showed thickened womb lining. 9mm then. Put back on old HRT and had another ultra sound three months later. Showed 7mm. Told uterus looked healthy apart from fibroids. Asked to have another ultrasound in one month. I did that. Still 7mm. I've been staining brown discharge before period and for three or more days afterwards. Ever since I changed HRT I've been up the creek. Now, because I mentioned the staining they feel they should be prudent and perform a hysteroscopy to check the fibroids. It's been nearly a year and I am so fed up. Anyone else had this? I'm a novelist by profession and am not getting anything done. On deadline and not a happy bunny ...

[Hurdity]

Hi roisen

 

Sorry to hear about your problems and how dare your doctor do this to you! Actually although transdermal HRT (ie patches or gel) delivers hormones into the body directly without having to go through the liver, the progestogen in Femoston is much closer to our own progesterone, and is usually better tolerated than that in Evorel (norethisterone) which often causes side effects.

The other thing is your uterine thickness will vary according to the stage in your cycle it is done. I had a scan last year which showed thickened lining and was sent for tests ( I'd also had some slight bleeding), but as I am on a long cycle I am sure it was because of that! Also if you are perimenopausal which I assume you are as still on cyclical HRT, then your own oestorgen will also contribute to the growth of uterus lining.

It is good that doctors are diligent, and if you do have fibroids then oestrogen can cause them to grow. Brown discharge if it is part of a period ie each end of it, can be perfectly normal, and during perimenopause even on HRT periods can still be quite variable.

As long as you are feeling better generally on HRT then hopefully once you have been checked, you will be able to carry on with the confidence that there is nothing wrong, bar a bit of inconvenience from the slight extra bleeding.

Good luck with this!

Hurdity x

[roisen]

Thanks so much for the reassurance. I'm not sure where I am in my menopause state to be frank. I started HRT about 10 years ago when I was supposedly starting. I'd put a knife to husband's throat so he wasn't too happy. HRT was started. Femosten 2-10 to be accurate and everything was hunky dory. hubby survived and I got on with life. Then I reached almost 60 and changed doctors. He slammed his hand on the table and said he wouldn't prescribe the poison. My BP was up but not surprised at this point and he told me I could have a heart attack any time. Would not prescribe until I went to Meno clinic. Then it all went haywire. Back on Fem 2/10 now but have been having the brown stuff for a while. Worse since the patches. The whole ultrasound stuff started because of breakthrough bleeding on the patch. Never had it before but of course they have to follow procedure. Just want the hysteroscopy over now as feeling anxious.

[CLKD]

What aren't you coping with?  I had a brown stain at the end of each period ……. at least you are being followed up - do you keep a mood/food diary too, so that you have 'evidence' to take to the surgery?

[Taz2]

Hi roison - you reached the magic age of almost 60 which is why your doc (though so, so wrong to call it "poison") wanted to transfer you to patches. Were you on Evorel Conti or Sequi? If you were on conti then a lot of women do get bleeding with continuous progesterone, me included, and I chose to swap back to a sequi HRT (FemSeven Sequi) to give me a predictable bleed. I was 57 I think when I did that. I am 60 now and was taken off HRT altogether a year ago. Things are not good and I going to ask my GP to re-prescribe it. The menopause clinic wouldn't prescribe after 60, sadly, but my GP seems a bit more understanding.

Is Femoston 2/10 a sequi HRT which gives a bleed - sorry haven't got time to look it up at the minute! I too had the bleeding and the various scans, although not the hysteroscopy, and my lining was 6mm. I was found to have three small fibroids.  It is heartening that you have been prescribed Femoston again - gives hope to the rest of us "close to 60" women!!

Try not to worry about the hysteroscopy - as you say they are following procedures and it will be great to get the all clear.

Taz  x

[peegeetip]

As mentioned earlier the latest advice from BMS out there is

"Arbitrary limits should not be placed on the duration of usage of HRT; if symptoms persist, the benefits of hormone therapy usually outweigh the risks."

I hope things go well with the Doc Taz

The Femoston 2/10 is definately sequi. Can't understand why doc wouldnt have offered a conti option to Roisen at some stage before now?

The equivalent Conti is FEMOSTON CONTI which has same prog that the 2/10 has. That option should help the situation Roisen (stop the thickening).

On the patch front I don't think my skin could cope

I hope all goes well on the tests Roisen

 

[roisen]

Thanks so much for the responses. I'm a bit of a hypochondriac so the hysteroscopy caused a bit of anxiety when mentioned. I'm still waiting for the appointment. It's been four weeks now. I phoned last week and they could find no trace of an appointment which was a bit disconcerting. They have found the referral and are putting it forward for me. Could simply mean I'm on the waiting list. I'm a terrible worrier. I have been on Femoston Conti and again I just bleed through it. I'm attempting to half the femosten 2/10 so to bring myself off HRT slowly. They say they are happy for me to stay on it but at the same time mumble things about it being far better to come off so I'm in a muddle about it all. I wonder if my body is struggling. I get real bad tension a few weeks before a bleed so hormones are obviously not right. I sometimes feel really rough before a bleed and the bleeds seem to come earier and earlier. I just wondered if anyone else has been through this. So like to have someone else's story. Thanks so much xx

[Dancinggirl]

Hi Roisin
Just a thought - perhaps have a Mirena fitted which would control the bleeding and keep the uterus lining thinner and then use oestrogen in gel or patch form.  That way you are using the transdermal route, which is preferable as one gets older, and there is minimal progesterone absorbed from the Mirena so fewer side effects. 
Hope you get your scan out of the way soon. DG x

[Mrs January]

Hi Roisin

I have a Mirena since Jan now.....was due for hystoscope but it was to be under general anaesthetic so I declined.....take oestrogen 2mgs an all good from my point xxxx