It is strange I agree - I hadn't noticed that before - I thought it was continuous oestrogen with the 2 weeks progestogen every 3 months. It seems that it is a bit like the conventional combine contraceptive pill which has a hormone free week to coincide with your own low hormones - but I don't understand the rationale behind this for HRT because the aim is usually to prevent the oestrogen dip - especially if you are in late peri-menopause which is when this tablet is supposed to be used.
I can't see why you don't just skip that blank week and go straight onto the next course - so the cycle would in effect be 11 weeks instead of 12. You should still get the bleed because of the progestogen and then withdrawal from it. Maybe check with the doc - if s/he is knowledgeable otherwise I would just go ahead personally....it;s only a week after all!
Your symptoms during this week are likely to be either progesterone withdrawal ( and you will continue to get some of this even if you continued to take oestrogen) or the oestrogen dip or a combination of both. There are drawbacks to all forms of HRT as there are with natural periods - but as long as you feel better for most of the time then it's doing its job
Hurdity x
