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[Polly]

Hello! New member looking for advice/input... I'm 46 and had a prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy and salphingectomy (ovaries and tubes removed- uterus still in) five months ago due to a family history of ovarian cancer (my mother and grandmother both died in their mid-40s). I started on Evorel Sequi patches post op with the plan to stay on them for 5 years or so and broadly everything's been going well with them. However... The first month I started bleeding half way through the progesterone phase of the cycle and continued for several days into the next pack- a 10-12 day period which was pretty exhausting. I knew it was early days though and indeed everything seemed to settle over the next months with bleeds becoming progressively shorter and I thought a pattern had been established with a bleed starting a day or two after the fourth progesterone patch and continuing a day or two past the next oestrogen only one. Perfectly acceptable. But this month I have been taken aback to find I am bleeding now only two patches into the four of progesterone part of the cycle and fear that I am looking at a similar stretch as occurred in month one, as I can't see it stopping until my body has had a day or two back on oestrogen only. Grrrr. My question is anyone else had similar 'blips' and then settled again? Worth contacting GP now or just wait and see over next month or two? Obviously I have no hormones of my own to 'overide' the patches so it's a little mystifying. The only things I can think of are that I put this months patches on my bottom rather than on the side of my hip which might have affected absorption? And also been taking anti-histamines for hayfever which I suppose *could* also have interacted in some way... All input welcome and apologies for long ramble- which I hope makes some sort of sense! And interested in hearing from anyone else who has a uterus but no ovaries as to their HRT cocktail of choice!

[Hurdity]

Hi Polly

 

There are other women in your position (ovaries removed but womb retained) but I think you would need to start a new thread to get their attention with something in the title!

re your bleeding - since as you say, you have no cyclical hormone production of your own, it is difficult to explain - except in so far as you might be shedding lining that was already there before your op? This would depend on where in menopause you were before having the op ie had your periods already become irregular?

I would actually go and visit a GP and maybe ask to be referred eg re a uterine scan about this - although as you say it could be due to issues with sticking or not?

Hurdity x

[Polly]

Thanks Hurdity! I think as it has been 5 cycles since the op there can't be any lining that pre-dates it? and this must just be what I'm creating each month from the patches being shed. Joy. I will ring my GP for a chat about it perhaps (although suspect they won't have much more idea and simply counsel patience). I wasn't obviously peri-menopausal pre-op but was experiencing heavy periods and aware that I have a couple of small fibroids. Hysteroscopy at time of BOP was normal at least. Thanks for the welcome and the advice.