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[Mojo61]

Hello ladies,

I started Evorel Conti patches in February (I'm post menopausal 3 years) and last week I forgot to change my patch on time and noticed some dark bleeding. I went to the practice nurse who told me it was common to bleed for a few days if you are late with the patch. However nearly a week later and I'm still bleeding dark blood. She said if it hasn't cleared up by next week I will have to go for a scan and I'm worried sick!

[Taz2]

Try not to worry Mojo61. The common side effect of conti patches, for the first six months, is breakthrough or sometimes constant bleeding. If you do have to go for a scan then this isn't anything to really worry about. It will put your mind at rest and, in my experience, isn't a difficult procedure.

If you have a look at the info leaflet you will find that it mentions breakthrough bleeding. I gave up on conti HRT and went back to sequi as, after around eight weeks, I had constant bleeding for six months. Dark blood is old blood. Someone else will be along soon with more knowledge I'm sure.

Taz x

[Kathleen]

Hello Mojo61 and welcome to the forum.

I hope my experiences will put your mind at rest. I am post menopause by over five years and for the last two I've been using Evorel Conti patches.  I had spotting with dark red blood initially and then every time I have either increased or decreased the dose the same thing has happened.  As the medical profession classify this as a post meno bleed they are obliged to consider referring you for a scan although a more experienced GP agreed with me that it was probably my HRT so I reduced the patch and it resolved.

Some time later it happened again after a patch change and this time I did have a scan and a hysteroscopy and all was well.

Just lately I fiddled with my patch again ( will I ever learn lol) and sure enough more bleeding. It was quite a lot this time and I wondered if I'd need another scan but I decided to put my patch on a more fleshy part of my body and the bleeding stopped along with the very tender breasts that had gone with it!

The point of this ramble is to tell you that spotting/bleeding is very common and usually a reaction to the HRT. If you mention it to GPs etc they often want to scan you which is very simple and utterly painless.

I hope this reassures you and that your HRT helps you to feel better.

Take care.

K.

[Mojo61]

Try not to worry Mojo61. The common side effect of conti patches, for the first six months, is breakthrough or sometimes constant bleeding. If you do have to go for a scan then this isn't anything to really worry about. It will put your mind at rest and, in my experience, isn't a difficult procedure.

If you have a look at the info leaflet you will find that it mentions breakthrough bleeding. I gave up on conti HRT and went back to sequi as, after around eight weeks, I had constant bleeding for six months. Dark blood is old blood. Someone else will be along soon with more knowledge I'm sure.

Taz x

Thanks Taz. I suffer terribly with health anxiety so I'm naturally worried that it is an indication of something far worse. I've never had any bleeding or discharge since stopping my periods and my smear test last year came back fine so hopefully I will be OK.

[Taz2]

I'm sure that it is part of the HRT Mojo as you've had no problems since becoming post meno. Your GP is being extra vigilant - maybe because they know of your health anxiety so that you can put your mind at rest. If you check here under How Evorel Conti works https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/PIL.2893.latest.pdfyou will see that the bleeding and/or spotting is common in the first six months. If the thought of a scan is worrying you maybe you could show the information leaflet to your GP?

Taz x 

[linz57]

Mojo61, I'm currently experiencing the same as you and have been referred for an urgent scan. Unlike you though, I have been on my patch for over 12 months and this is the second time this has happened in three months  so I have been very worried .
I did add an extra bit of patch a couple of weeks  ago and before that I was severely stressed , so I wondered whether the estrogen wasn't being fully absorbed that time and this time the change of dose has caused the dark blood.
Let us all know how you go on with your scan, in sure it will be fine but we can't help worrying when these things happen can we?

[Mojo61]

Thank you ladies. The nurse said to see how things go before booking a scan as it is quite normal to bleed in the first few months of Conti HRT, especially as I was 3 days late changing my patch. I have all the hormonal symptoms of a period too - tummy cramps, irritable, tired etc so fingers crossed it is just a blip. It frightened me because the blood was so dark, almost black 

[Mojo61]

See, now I've got myself into a right state by googling the symptoms! Having a panic attack here at the moment. Oh how I hate this health anxiety!!!

[Taz2]

It's easy to get ourselves into a tizzy.

Taz x

[linz57]

Ah, being three days late changing your patch has probably caused the bleed. When I've tried to come off the hrt in the past, I've always had dark blood on the third or fourth day after leaving off. It's a withdrawal bleed.

[Mojo61]

Oh thank you Linz, that has made me feel a little better 

I'm also stressed as I'm in the initial start up phase of citalopram and I'm not dealing too well with the side effects.

[linz57]

Bless you, it's a difficult time isn't it? So many adjustments to make, glad I've helped you feel better

[Mojo61]

I'm still bleeding a little bit and I've been googling and worried myself sick!

It stopped for a while but then it started again, not heavy but definitely there. And I am getting that horrible period crampy feeling in my abdomen and a lot of gurgling.

The doctor said it is normal to bleed for the first 6 months whilst on continuous HRT, but it should stop after that. Everything was fine until I forgot to change my patch on time a few weeks ago and that seems to have messed everything up.

I'm so frightened and my health anxiety is sky high at the moment. I need some reassurance!

[Hurdity]

Definitely no need to worry as yet - as the others have said - you've only been taking it for 3 or so months and you also upset the system by forgetting to change the patch so hopefully the bleeding will settle eventually.

Hurdity x

[Mojo61]

Oh bless you! I suffer from Health Anxiety and it took me ages to pluck up the courage to start on the patches. I'm having CBT and have started citalopram a month ago so I'm hoping that helps with the worrying thoughts. I think it was the doctor mentioning the word "scan" to me that set it off (mind you, anything can set it off!)

I started the patches at the end of February so been on them about 9 weeks or so.