Print

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

[Dollydream]

Hi ladies

I thought I was through the meno, and stopped using the gel earlier this year (I still have the mirena), but have had to go back to using it due to the lack of sleep caused by hot flushes which recently returned with a vengeance.  The reason I stopped the gel was because I got spotting still, even after a year.  It's happened with all the HRT's I've tried and as soon as I stop taking them, the bleeding/spotting stops.  So, go back a year and I had a hysteroscopy and had a mildly thickened endo and the male gynae wasn't too impressed with the estrogel, saying it was too concentrated and this was causing the problems.  His advice was to reduce it, (which I did and still had spotting) or to go on to Tiblione.  I've had a look at Tiblione on the HRT page and this is a combined HRT, so if I started this would the coil need to be removed. 

My other thought is perhaps oestrogel doesn't suit me, maybe it's not being absorbed evenly and causing the spotting and to try estrogen only tablets.  I want to make some sort of plan as the spotting is sure to start again and my GP is more clueless then I am about HRT, but willing to go with my suggestions thankfully.  I'm 53 and don't know where I am in this process (7 months period free when I started HRT in Dec 2015) but have been on and off different regimes since then.  Would a blood test help to give me some answers.

Any thoughts?

Dolly x

[CarryWarry]

Hi Dolly, I'm just back from my GP and we have discussed the gel.  We think I am really suited to it although since having the Mirena in (6 weeks ago today) I have had a proper period, stopping for 4 days but then returning.  Before the Mirena was inserted I tried different oestrogen tablets....now obviously this is all personal to each of us...but my experience on Divina (tablet) was a very heavy period, then I went on to Angeliq which started off well but then I started spotting and did so for 10 weeks, hence being changed to coil and patch and gel.  I don't know much info other than this.  I'm 54 and post menopause.  I had the coil for 17 years with no bleeding.  I have just been prescribed Norethisterone to take on holiday to stop my period when there, but am reluctant to take it as it's just more progesterone into the mix.

I'm sure someone will be on here soon who can advise you about Tiblione.  I'd be interested to see how it works for you should you decide to swap.  I wouldn't want to swap to oral meds now as my headaches are so much improved after trying the gel.

Good luck with your choices....it's a long old game x

[Dollydream]

Hi CarryWarry

Thanks for sharing your experience, you're right it's a long old game trying to find a suitable solution.  I hope the gel works well for you and you have nice holiday.

Dolly x

[Dancinggirl]

Dolly dream. How long have you had the Mirena in place? If it's longer than 4 years then it may have run out of progesterone and this might result in the lining building up.
Not every women is without some spotting or bleeding with the Mirena - it's about 60% of women get little or no bleeding.
The doctor is also wrong about Oestrogel - it's not stronger or more powerful but it does allow for easy adjustment of dosage.
Do you use just one pump per day?
At 53 you may well be still peri meno so it could simply be that you own hormones are still giving spike in oestrogen at times and this might case the bleeding.

[Dollydream]

Hi DG
Thanks for replying, the mirena is less than 2 years old, so still OK.  The spotting unnerves me as I feel under constant threat of another hysteroscopy which is why I try to take the lowest oestrogen as possible, as it seems that it is the oestrogen causing the spotting, as I have none with the mirena on it's own.  I have a feeling that I may still be peri, would a blood test be able to tell me?
Dolly x

[Dancinggirl]

In peri meno blood tests are very unreliable. Personally I wouldn't worry about the spotting as it states very clearly onthis site ( look under TREATMENTS) that only between 30-60% of women are bleed free with the Mirena. I suspect you are still peri so this results in fluctuations in oestrogen levels and then some spontaneous shedding. As long as flushes are under control I wouldn't worry too much about some occasional spotting. If you get heavy bleeding then that might be a concern.
As you get deeper into menopause then the spotting may well stop.
 DG x