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[DebsMK]

Following a hysteroscopy last year I was advised to switch from femoston 1/10 to femoston conti.  I started on the very low dose but felt certain symptom returning such as dryness and dry eyes etc.  I was put on femoston conti 1mg/5mg and have been taking it for 3.5 months now.  All was fine until last week when I felt like I was having a period with bloating, tummy pains and brownish discharge which is still happening now a week or so later.  Having read up about this it seems that this HRT can take a while to settle down when you start taking it, I read it can take 6 months.  Is this correct?  I am 59 and had a womb lining of 11mm on the scan which is why the hysteroscopy was necessary, so I was also wondering if this could have returned on the conti?  The results were clear by the way, just a couple of fibroids.  I have had to have D&C's in the past so think I may be prone to thicker womb lining.  Has this happened to anyone else?  Should I leave it longer until contacting the GP?  Many thanks.

[CLKD]

Could it be your hormones joining in?

If you have vaginal dryness do read the threads on Vaginal Atrophy.  It is treated locally with a small amount of HRT: "vagife" or "Ovestin".  Essential to keep VA under control ;-)

Browse round. Make notes.

[DebsMK]

Thank you CLKD.  I'm not sure if it is my hormones, at 59 could that still happen?  Luckily the Femoston Conti 1mg/5mg has cured the dryness the lower dose started.

[Hurdity]

Hi DebsMK

Was your thickened womb lining treated or did you have the normal withdrawal bleed afterwards which would have thinned it? If you were on cyclical HRt then your womb would have naturally thickened then shed and thinned as part of the cycle. The thickness would depend when in the cycle the hysterosocopy was carried out.

No it won't be your natural hormones coming into play at 59 but could be due to variation in absorption of the tablet depending on your digestion possibly?

However if your lining was still thick after the last investigation then it may well continue to come away now and again without treatmen ie a course of a stronger progestogen to thin it? Also fibroids may well play a part in spotting or bleeding too.

It's difficult to answer without knowing the exact circumstances and even then can be difficult. Although 6 months is the average period of time it takes for conti HRT to settle into a no-bleed regime, if you are worried at all before this time then do get it checked out. Thicker womb linings should not be left to get thicker due to the potential for abnormal endometrial hyperplasia, especially in older women I would suggest.

Hurdity x

[DebsMK]

Thank you so much Hurdity.  I just had a normal withdrawal bleed after the hysteroscopy so I'm guessing there was no need to treat it?  The trouble is I had a GA and was still a little fuzzy when the Registrar came to talk to me.  I do remember he told me everything was normal though and showed me lovely photographs!

If the discharge and clots persist I will definitely go and see the GP, thank you for your advice. xx

[sheila99]

Don't assume you're meno because of your age. I'm 59 too and definitely still have 'normal' cycles though irregular now. Some women don't reach meno until their 60s. If it was me I'd use a sequi regime with the higher oestrogen dose.

[DebsMK]

Thank you Sheila.  I was having regular periods at 54 when I went onto HRT so I guess I don't really know if they stopped but just assumed they would've by now.  It was the gynaecologist at the hospital that advised I change from sequi to conti, I was quite happy on the sequi to be honest!