Print

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

[joziel]

I am a bit confused about being peri and needing to take continuous progesterone due to endo, at the moment. Just in terms of bleeding patterns... and what is 'okay'... Does anyone know about this situation.... ?

Due to endo, I have to be on continuous progesterone as it helps suppress endo.  This is the official recommendation for women with a history of any endo. I am also on the desogestrel POP (continuously, which is how a POP is used of course).

But - what does this mean in terms of bleeding? I am certain I am still peri because I had an FSH test about 6 months ago and my FSH was still low (4). Before being on HRT, I was just on the desogestrel POP and I would spot lightly about 5 days roughly every 2-3 months. My GP said this was pretty normal for someone on the POP and wasn't concerned. But the point is - I am definitely peri! 

It is unlikely I'm not going to bleed at all if I am peri and on continuous HRT.  Right?    It's more likely I'm going to continue to have breakthrough bleeding, like I did when I was just on the POP. This bleeding never causes any pain, and it's not heavy, so it's not a problem in terms of endo or life. It's just if it's going to freak doctors out in terms of being unscheduled...

Is this okay for me and I should just accept it??

I guess other options are scheduling a bleed but not withdrawing the progesterone for as long or as often... like the 3-monthly bleed idea, which not many people use now?

Or - taking the progesterone for 25 days of the month...so I don't stop it for as long as a normal sequential routine, and just a few days isn't going to be enough for my endo to flare - but I still get a scheduled bleed? (Or should I even go on the combined pill until I'm 50 when I might be able to use continuous?!)

So far on HRT, I have only bled for 7-10 days after each estrogen increase. So I was starting to think I might get away with this continuous HRT in peri menopause thing. But yesterday I started spotting again and it's not after an estrogen increase.  You can't put someone my age and in peri, on continuous, and expect them not to bleed at all really... can you? So - what do you do with endo women on continuous, despite being peri?

I keep meaning to ask my Newson doctor about it and forgetting because I've only been on HRT 3 months so it's not that relevant yet(!). I will bring it up at my next review but that's not till October now.