Menopause Matters Forum

Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Meno44 on January 04, 2023, 07:29:20 PM

Title: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Meno44 on January 04, 2023, 07:29:20 PM
Hi
I’m post menopausal and have been on estrogel 3 pumps and 5mg provera daily for over a year.

Everything was good until I had some stomach cramps and light spotting. My GP sent me for investigations. I had a scan and hysteroscopy in November. I was told my lining was a bit thick (6mm) and everything looked fine so discharged back to GP.

So I’ve now been bleeding for about 4 weeks now and it’s getting me down. I spoke to my GP who suggested changing to Evorel Conti patch.

I put on my first patch yesterday and today I’m bleeding a lot more with stomach cramps. I’ve just looked at the box and it says it contains 50mg of estrogen, that’s not the equivalent of 3 pumps of gel which equates to 75mg.

Could the drop in estrogen cause this increased pain and bleeding?

Please advise me, I’m at my wits end with this bleeding
Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Nas on January 04, 2023, 07:40:39 PM
Oh dear, that sounds awful for you. Any change of oestrogen dose can potentially cause bleeding. I bled sporadically on the 75 patch and utrogestan for best part of a year. Finally I decided to have a mirena coil fitted ( not a favourite choice by many I know ) but it stopped the bleeding dead in its tracks

Would you consider a coil?

Maybe change progesterone?

Hope you get sorted soon. The bleeding isn’t nice, I remember it well and the pain too. I don’t get any bleeding at all now ( although I’m probably not on enough oestrogen!)

Good luck 🤞

Not sure why the GP suggested E conti, as that’s only 50mg as you said.
Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Meno44 on January 04, 2023, 08:10:16 PM
Thanks Nas,

I was offered the coil but I’m a bit apprehensive as I did have a coil fitted quite a few years ago and it made my bleeding worse.

I’m just so tired of the on and off bleeding which is getting worse  :'(
Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Dotty on January 04, 2023, 08:54:48 PM
You could double up the Provera dose to 10mg x
Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Meno44 on January 04, 2023, 08:58:52 PM
Hi Dotty

I did ask the GP about this but was told the maximum dose for continuous use was 10mg?  :-\

Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Dotty on January 05, 2023, 07:59:30 AM
Meno44…can you take Utrogestan?
Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Meno44 on January 05, 2023, 09:55:43 AM
No, I can’t tolerate that unfortunately
Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Dotty on January 05, 2023, 10:22:14 AM
Are you definitely post menopause… did you go 12 months without a period before starting hrt ? This has to be 12 months of not using any form of hormone at all like the mini pill, combined pill, contraceptive injection ? Sorry for all the questions x
Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Meno44 on January 05, 2023, 11:15:05 AM
Hi Dotty

Yes definitely post meno. Last period was about 2018 and I’ve had no bleeding at all in that time until recently.

Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Meno44 on January 05, 2023, 01:39:28 PM
I’ve also not used contraceptives since 2018
Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Dotty on January 05, 2023, 02:07:14 PM
I’m not sure what to suggest apart from a Mirena coil or using Provera on a cyclical basis.
Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Nas on January 05, 2023, 05:57:37 PM
Not sure either then. Mirena is good at controlling post meno bleeding. Other than that, norethistone or utrogestan ( vaginally)?
Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Nas on January 05, 2023, 05:58:44 PM
Do toy have fibroids? They can cause bleeding.
Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Meno44 on January 05, 2023, 06:55:35 PM
Thanks for the suggestions.

I don’t have fibroids just a slight thickening of the womb but the hospital said it’s nothing to be concerned about.

I can’t speak to my GP until the end of the month. I have some 5mg Provera tablets left and I know they can be taken to stop bleeding.

Does anyone know if I can take them along side the Evorel patches to stop the bleeding?

Thanks
Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: Meno44 on January 06, 2023, 04:13:50 PM
Just to update.

Last night the bleeding and pain was horrific. I managed to speak to a GP today and he has agreed to me going back on the gel and Provera but to up the Provera dose to 10mg for a month to see if the bleeding is controlled.

Hopefully this will solve my problems.
Title: Re: Please help gel to patches and bleeding
Post by: discogirl on January 06, 2023, 04:46:55 PM
im so sorry meno44.

heres hoping the gel will sort things out xxx