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[SJPen]

Hi,
I am 52 and not had a proper period for over 17 months (had a slight bleed after being period free for 12 months) I have ME with all the usual symptoms. Went to doctors as the hot flushes were horrendous.  Just wanted some help really as feeling awful with combined ME & menopause symptoms.  I know there's not a lot she can do about ME, but hoped she would help with menopause.  In the past was on 3 month HRT then break for a bleed. This worked well, but then it stopped being produced. I was then put on Femoston 2/10, but bled mid cycle so was taken off. I've tried sage and other natural remedies which didn't help.  Sorry this is jumping about a bit. Anyway, doctor put me on Femoston conti two weeks ago and I've started bleeding   Is this normal?  Doctor said if I bled she wanted to know. I suspect she'd take me off them. They have helped with hot flushes a little. Thank you for any help in advance.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM SPen. 
Do read the leaflet that comes with the Femoston conti pills - it should mention that some breakthrough bleeding is quite normal with conti HRT in the first few weeks or even months. If the the bleeding is excessive or doesn't settle then I'd get back to the GP. I would give it a few weeks - you may find the bleed ends up just being some spotting for a while before stopping. My understanding is that it is your body waking up and the uterus shedding a bit until the hormones balance themselves out - with the pill HRTs, they are tried and tested so the amount of oestrogen to progesterone is usually right to prevent any bleeding after the first 3-6 months.
If however you get an excessive or prolonged heavy bleed then this will need investigation as the lining may be building up or you could have fibroids - if you were fine on the long cycle HRT and didn't get problematic bleeds then I doubt this will be the case. DG x

[Hurdity]

Hi SJPen

Just to add also that if the bleeding doesn't settle after 6 months you might prefer to go onto to cyclical HRT which gives a predictable withdrawal bleed every 4 weeks. As Dancinggirl says this is normal and your doc should not take you off it due to bleeding/spotting in the first 6 months!

How long ago were you diagnosed with ME and what are your symptoms? Have you been given a reason for the diagnosis in your case? You may find that taking HRT reduces the symptoms over time since hormone imbalance is one of the causes of this condition - I do hope so in your case!

Have you had a full blood test to check out other things - eg thyroid function - I presume so?

Hurdity x

[SJPen]

Hi, thank you so much Dancinggirl and Hurdity. You really have put my mind at rest. I will give it a bit longer.
Had ME since 2011. Symptoms are delayed fatigue, joint and muscle pain and nerve pain, which I take amitriptyline for. I've so far not had any depression, which I am thankful for. Before being diagnosed I had mumps and the Noro virus within a couple of months, and also had lost my mum and brother relatively close together, so I was told any of the above could've been a cause or contributed to me getting ME. I was off work for nearly a year, but managed to return all be it part time. Docs did blood tests in 2011 but not since.  It would be wonderful if HRT did help even a little. I began getting hot flushes early 2012 so everything seemed to pile on top all at once. At the moment I feel life is just happening to me. I don't have the energy to take part. Thank you once again to both of you.
Sjpen x

[Dancinggirl]

It sounds to me as though HRT may well be the 'pick me up' you need. Not in the least surprised your body went into melt down after 2 nasty viruses and then bereavement - add menopause into the mix and then you've got the full gambit of things that create chronic fatigue (ME) etc.
Let us know how you get on .  Dg x

[SJPen]

Hope it helps, I'll let you know x

[SJPen]

Please can I have a little more advice. Am now three weeks into second pack of Femoston and so far no more bleeding, however the hot flushes are as bad, if not worse, than before I started taking HRT.  Not sure what to do really. Feeling pretty rubbish today and not gone to work, which is very unusual as I really try not to give in especially with the ME, but the two have beaten me today. X

[Dancinggirl]

SJPen - I think you need on consider a couple things: It does take 3-6 months for your body to absorb and build up the hormones in HRT, so sometimes the symptoms take a time to subside. As you are still quite young and only fairly recently into post meno then your own hormones may still be doing some fluctuations - it can take at least 2 years for your own hormones to bottom out.  You may also need a higher dose of HRT.
 Have you had your thyroid function checked recently?  Flushes are also a symptom of the thyroid not functioning properly. Dg x

[SJPen]

Thank you Dancinggirl, I guess I'm not patient enough. I need to get a grip and get on with it really  . Thank you again for your reply. Really appreciate it. xx

[SJPen]

P.S I'll ask about thyroid too