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Menopause Matters magazine ISSUE 81 out now. (Autumn issue, September 2025)

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Author Topic: Have I reached the end of the menopause?  (Read 2678 times)

Nickyp

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Have I reached the end of the menopause?
« on: February 14, 2017, 10:00:49 PM »

i stopped taking hrt 2 weeks ago after an incident of bleeding. The doctor said it was highly likely that the hrt was causing it, so stop the hrt and go back if the bleeding continued. Thankfully so far so good and no more bleeding. I am aware that I am now going 'Solo' without any hrt and so far none of the systems have returned. If they were to return would they by now or does it take a while ? If they don't does that mean I've dome it and that's it.....or is that wishful thinking?
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Dana

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Re: Have I reached the end of the menopause?
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2017, 10:59:38 PM »

I really don't want to sound negative but 2 weeks isn't long enough to know either way.

Can you give us a bit more information about your situation - eg are you peri or post meno, what hrt you were on, why the doctor said the bleeding was because of the hrt, whether you were also taking progesterone, were you were investigated for fibroids etc.
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Michelle46

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Re: Have I reached the end of the menopause?
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2017, 11:04:07 PM »

I'm thinking of coming off HRT. I'm using oestriogel and 12 days of utrogestan. I use 2 pumps,I'm debating whether I should slowly reduce it.
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Nickyp

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Re: Have I reached the end of the menopause?
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2017, 10:00:24 AM »

Thanks for your comments, I kinda guessed it was probably wishful thinking. I am post meno, and was on elleste conti, so no monthly bleeds. I had a bit of spotting which prompted my visit to the doctor. He told me to stop taking the hrt and if the spotting continued to go back and they would investifpgate further. He seems to think it was quite common to have spotting on conti hrt. I took his word for it as assumed he would know....however reading some posts on here I have my doubts!!!

I didn't really want to take hrt in the first place so am hoping I can manage without. Which is why I was hoping none of the symptoms had come back I got through it. Oh well, see how things go I guess.
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Nickyp

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Re: Have I reached the end of the menopause?
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2017, 10:35:00 AM »

Thanks Hasty. I had been taking the conti for a year and up until a few weeks back no problems. I've just found myself getting annoyed with my daughter so could be my pmt symptoms returning or just half term holidays!!! I'll give it a few weeks and see how I feel then.
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Hurdity

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Re: Have I reached the end of the menopause?
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2017, 02:40:25 PM »

Hi Nickyp

If you are post-meno ie went for 12 months without periods before starting HRT then you are at menopause. By end of menopause I presume you mean the symptoms? There is no definitive answer as some women stop flushes pretty well as soon as they reach menopause and hormones stop fluctuating wildly, some women never get them, and some women can get them for 14 years and some get them returning whenever they stop HRT - and every possible variation in between.

I agree 2 weeks is far to short to tell. Anyway I presume your doctor said to stop the hRT to see if the hRT was causing the bleeding - not because you should stop HRT per se, but to exclude the hRT as a reason for bleeding ie he would need to refer you for ongoing post-menopausal bleeding that could not be explained by the conti HRT. Some docs do refer women for bleeding on conti HRt anyway and if you had been on conti HRT longer than 6 months and still bleeding or just started bleeding - and you are definitely post-meno then doc should be consulted anyway.

If the bleeding has stopped - give it another couple of weeks (or however long the doc says wait) and if you want to start HRT again then ask to do so. You would probably go through a time of spotting etc again until it settled. Perhaps also you might want to take the opportunity to review your hRT and try a different type depending on whether it suited you?

By all means try without if you want to - but if you are under 51/52 - the natural average age of menopause - then you really should go back on it :)

Hlaf term can be a trying time with children!

Hurdity x
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