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[Minniemouse]

Hello! I have had the mirena for the last 8 months and it's taken this long to settle down ( I had it for heavy, prolonged bleeding). As I'm now 51, i have had blood tests and as I'm low in oestrogen - I have been prescribed Elleste Solo 40mcg patches. (To be honest, my only symptom of low oestrogen is brain fog  - this has really been awful). What can I expect from this combination of patch and mirena? Am I likely to have bleeding? How long will it take for the brain fog to clear? I hope someone else has this combination and can help me. Thank you

[Dancinggirl]

Mnniemouse - the oestrogen should help with many things.  If you are now low on oestrogen then this will balance well with the Mirena.  I think without oestrogen the Mirena might have to come out as it could over thin the womb lining and possibly cause problems.  You may experience some spotting or slight bleeding in the first few weeks of starting the oestrogen but this should settle. The oestrogen should help the brain fog.  DG x

[Cazikins]

I had the mirena & oestrogen patches, it worked very well for me for many years.

I had very little bleeding which stopped completely in the end (till the mirena ran out of progesterone - after about 4 years).

It certainly helped with my brain fog Minniemouse.

I've never heard of that DG "without oestrogen the Mirena might have to come out as it without oestrogen the Mirena might have to come" 

Cazi x

[Dancinggirl]

When I had had the Mirena for 4 years it was decided I should take a break from HRT to see how I coped.  I was very post meno so not producing as oestrogen myself.  I stopped the oestrogen but the Mirena was left in place and after about 4 weeks I got horrible cramps - rushed to the GP and the Mirena was removed - I think it was still producing some progesterone that was over thinning my womb lining.  If a women is still producing at least some oestrogen naturally, and this can happen in the peri stage then, the addition of oestrogen won't necessarily be needed - if a women in peri is getting heavy bleeding etc then she may not be producing enough progesterone and the womb lining could be building up and causing problematic bleeding so a Mirena will be helpful.  Basically one wouldn't want or need a Mirena in post meno without the addition of oestrogen. I hope that is more or less correct and helpful.  DG x

[Minniemouse]

Thank you both very much for responding. I have started with the patches and will see how I get on - currently feel very bloated with period pain. The brain fog is awful, hope this doesn't take long to improve. Wish someone could look in a crystal ball and tell me how things will turn out. Having had bleeding almost constantly before the mirena, am really worried it will start again with the patches.

[Minniemouse]

Hello again,
I have had a change to my patches - changed to 25mcg as the 40's made me feel wired! I know I had only been on them a few days but I felt quite strange. Still got brain fog, don't feel any different yet. However, I now have started bleeding again. I don't know if it is because I reduced my patch or just because the mirena still isn't working properly yet (I had been bleeding almost constantly before for months  - the reason for having it fitted) I have awful period pain. Any advice please?

[Cazikins]

It's a good idea to drop down a strength if at all possible but there is no guarantee that you will get it right first go. It's not easy to get the balance correct, it sometimes takes time.
Try & ride it out for a few weeks, let things settle & your body may get use to the new regime.
If I were you I would wait at least 4 - 6 weeks, however if things get really bad then go back to your doctor.
Hope it works out for you Mimmiemouse.

[Dancinggirl]

The bleeding can take 3-6 months to settle after having the Mirena fitted and this is quite normal, however, it usually settles by 3 months.  Not sure it was so wise to drop your oestrogen dosage this early - side effects are common when first starting any HRT while the body adjusts and welcomes the hormones - the body is essentially 'waking up' . See how it goes but, as you may be peri meno, you could still be producing some oestrogen yourself so may not need too much oestrogen yet - you can increase as and when you need to.  DG x

[Minniemouse]

Thank you to both of you for replying - it does help to get advice from someone who has been there! As it was 8 months ago the mirena was fitted and the bleeding had never stopped, it was my recommended i started oestrogen patches to try to overcome this. To be honest I felt very good on just the mirena, apart from bleeding, achy legs and brain fog. Now since starting patches I feel bloated, hormonal, have awful period pains, bleeding and still got brain fog! Plus, strangely every night I've had to get up to pee in the night since starting them! The only thing I don't have currently is achy legs! I will give them time but I've yet to feel optimistic so far. In fact I feel quite down today.

[Cazikins]

  Have a hug MM.
I hope it all settles down soon.