Menopause Matters Forum

General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: Julestoo on September 05, 2020, 09:50:33 AM

Title: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: Julestoo on September 05, 2020, 09:50:33 AM: I’ve just started femoston 2/10 and am now on the progesterone tablets. Apparently I will get a bleed at the end or at start of new packet.

Dr not sure if I’m in menopause or my ovaries are suppressed so how will I know if the bleed is due to the HRT or my ovaries starting up again?

Thanks
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: NicolaJ on September 05, 2020, 11:22:34 AM: Hi! I’ll watch this with interest. I’m 9 days into Femeston 1/10, grey pills start on Wednesday. I’ve not idea what the bleed is but If not had a real period for 3 months prior to starting. My last attempt at HRT 2.5 years ago I had a bleed into the next packet so expecting the same. But I think this is withdrawal not real period? Hopefully someone will shed some light. Good luck on the grey! I moved from Elleste Duet as they were making my symptoms worse.
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: Julestoo on September 05, 2020, 11:33:44 AM: It’s so confusing isn’t it. I did take some estrogen for 2 weeks and got sore boobs and what felt like period pain and then what seemed like a period but it was apparently a withdrawal bleed and when I stopped the estrogen all the hot flushes came back so now I’m on femoston.

If we are getting a bleed every month and we can’t tell if it’s a period then how do we know when we’ve gone 12 months without and reached menopause. I’ve asked this question so many times I’m going bonkers.

Hopefully someone can help us both soon

Good luck
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: NicolaJ on September 05, 2020, 12:44:57 PM: Fingers crossed. Other than feeling a little spaced out a few days ago I have been great so far on the Femeston. I’ve had loads of energy and haven’t needed a sleep in the afternoon. The week before I started taking them I was crashing midday and needed at least an hour every day! Good job I’m not at work right now. I hope I’m ok on the grey! We’re going away for a few days next weekend and I also need to run the Great North Run (virtually) while I’m there! I’m praying the little grey buggars won’t get me down! 😂
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: Taz2 on September 05, 2020, 01:46:38 PM: While you are on HRT there is no way to tell where you are in menopause other than to stop it and then see whether periods return. The general advice is that it is safe to swap to continuous (no bleed) HRT after the age of 53 as you are considered to be post-meno although I was still having fairly frequent periods when I started HRT at the age of 53 so I was prescribed sequi. :-\

Hope this helps.

Taz x 🙂
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: Jane50 on September 05, 2020, 01:52:16 PM: Hi Julestoo,

You won't know if you've hit menopause whilst still on cyclical HRT. You could come off to see but probably not worth the possible hormonal upheaval. At 53 or 54 (can't remember, brain fog!) most women are assumed to have menopaused and you can switch to conti HRT where you won't have a bleed each month. How old are you?
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: Jane50 on September 05, 2020, 01:53:10 PM: Lol I think we posted at the same time Taz ;D

X
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: Julestoo on September 05, 2020, 02:36:51 PM: Thank you Jane50 and Taz2

I wondered how you’d tell.

I don’t like the thought of coming off just to see but I might have to.

I’m 45
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: NicolaJ on September 05, 2020, 02:48:17 PM: Great, thanks for the info, I’m approaching 49 and was wondering how and when you’d progress to continuous.
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: Dotty on September 05, 2020, 03:57:15 PM: You can also switch to continuous hrt after being on hrt for one year, but there’s no guarantee that will not get bleeding. X
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: Taz2 on September 05, 2020, 08:00:49 PM: Quote from: Jane50 on September 05, 2020, 01:53:10 PM
Lol I think we posted at the same time Taz ;D

X

Great minds! ;D

Taz x
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: Julestoo on September 23, 2020, 03:10:13 PM: So I finished my first packet of femoston 2/10 and I am 1 week into second packet and no bleed. My boobs were so sore and I have been waiting but I don’t think I’m going to bleed.

If I have a uterus and am taking progesterone - don’t I have to bleed?
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: Jane50 on September 23, 2020, 06:21:18 PM: Hi Julestoo,

I believe not everyone has a bleed on sequi HRT. It's about 85% of women that do so you might be one of the lucky ones that doesn't!

x
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: Julestoo on September 23, 2020, 09:12:16 PM: But doesn’t that mean my lining could thicken if it isn’t shedding?
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: Jane50 on September 23, 2020, 09:57:33 PM: It's my understanding that if the lining hasn't built up enough then it won't shed. I think it's OK to not have a bleed. I think unscheduled bleeding is more of a problem. If you type in 'no bleed on sequi HRT' into the search box you should find some threads on this which might help.
X
Title: Re: How can I tell if a bleed is a period or bleed from HRT?
Post by: Julestoo on September 26, 2020, 01:51:50 AM: So I started bleeding 10 days into new packet. I’d just taken the 10th estrogen only tablet and am only 4 days away from starting the combined tablet. I guess it could be a withdrawal bleed?