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[Essexcountrygirl]

I have been on sequential HRT for 4 months and am due to get my withdrawal bleed in the last week of my holiday. I get very heavy painful bleeds so was wondering if it’s possible to delay a period when on HRT. Would delaying taking the progesterone make any difference ? Or is that a bad idea ?
Thankyou!

[bombsh3ll]

Micronised progesterone isn't strong enough to override your own cycle if you have one, so this is unlikely to reliably delay your bleed.

Firstly I would ask why you are having repeated heavy and painful bleeds at all - your quality of life matters all year round not just when you go on holiday, and there are multiple strategies to eradicate bleeding. Periods have been optional since about 1965!

However if you enjoy cycling micronised progesterone and just don't want to bleed for a particular fortnight you can add norethisterone 5mg three times daily, starting at least 3 days before the expected bleed and continued until you are happy to bleed.

I would not withdraw the progesterone during this time but simply continue it, as it makes no sense trying to induce a withdrawal bleed whilst on medication to delay menstruation.

[Essexcountrygirl]

Thanks very much for your reply. I am actually due to start on continuous HRT after my holiday. My GP changed me over but agreed that it might be better to wait till after my holiday. I was only having periods every 3 or 4 months before HRT and I'm 52.

I used to have the Northisterone many years ago for holiday periods but I didn't know I could still use that when on HRT, so that's useful, and I might consider it.

I could continue with the progesterone as you suggest, but I seem to get my withdrawal bleed whilst still on it anyway, usually a week before I finish the 14 days.

[Essexcountrygirl]

Sorry just one more question. I realised pre-hrt I was prescribed Provera to delay a period, never used it and still in date. Would this be ok to use the same as Northierstone. I believe I was prescribed this instead of Northierstone because of my age.

[bombsh3ll]

I am not familiar with the use of provera to postpone menstruation, but it is a very potent progestin so I don't doubt its ability to do so at the appropriate dose.

Provera can cause some pretty unpleasant side effects at the kind of dose you would be talking about, but then so can norethisterone.

If you have used one before and had a positive experience then I would be inclined to repeat that rather than risk your holiday on a new medication that you haven't used before.

Norethisterone can be bought from online pharmacies for menstrual delay, so that's an option.

Otherwise if you have a while before your holiday it might be a good idea to try the provera beforehand to make sure it suits you.

[Essexcountrygirl]

Thanks for your reply. Apparently, Provera is being prescribed more and more these days instead of Northeristerone as it has fewer risks. I got given it as it has fewer risks to do with blood clots for women of a certain age, apparently. I might check with my doctor to see if it's ok. I go in 2 weeks, so there is no time to try it out, unfortunately. Thanks again for your help.

[flo69]

Hi, a word of caution about provera. It stops bleeding in most women and if it worked well before then no worries, but my experience with provera was to bleed regardless, I don't believe my bleeding was affected in any way.

My warning is that I was completely incapacitated by provera at 10mg a day, couldn't get out of bed, just lay there crying and planning my suicide. The GP was unimpressed and said that my symptoms don't happen, try 5mg. Same result exactly and it was a month to recover each time.

I'm not normally depressed at all, quite content with life, provera made me want to die ASAP and I could barely move physically, I certainly couldn't work, it was far worse than anything menopause threw at me.

Norethisterone is ok, unpleasant sure, but not anything like provera.

Don't try a progesterone out for the first time on holiday, these are the most mind altering drugs the GP has to offer, the results are unpredictable.

[emmasumner]

Hi

Do you use the provera or northisterine to delay your period on HRT i am considering the same?