Heavy Bleeding After Menopause (With HRT)

Hi Whino,

   I know it's hard, but you need to stop worrying.  There really isn't much of a doubt in my mind that your bleeding was the result of your HRT.  Obviously the estrogen you were taking was allowing your uterine lining to build up.  The provera is a synthetic form of progesterone, which allows your lining to shed.  Skipping all hormones for several days, allowed your levels to drop and thus you bled.

I've had a uterine biopsy, and I too am a "wuss".  But I'm telling you, it really wasn't much more than a pap smear.  I was told to take an ibuprophen before I came in.  Also that I might have some bleeing afterwards, but that didn't even happen.  So please stop stressing yourself out about the procedure.  The only thing that will make you "feel bad" is the bill afterwards.  Just close your eyes, grit your teeth and get it done to put your mind at rest.  I'm sure it will turn out fine.  

Now as far as stopping your HRT.  You do have some choices here, but stopping is not the only choice.  Many woman do HRT with both estrogen and progesterone on a continuous basis, which doesn't allow their lining to build, or bleeds to occur.  If stopping is the choice you want to make, you can also ramble through the whole lst of things woman use to feel better. But you've now seen how you feel on hormones and some of the improvements it can make with meno.  There are times that quality of life is the important issue.  And there are ways to take HRT that can protect your uterus and won't create bleeding.  I get your concerns and frustration.   But only time will tell, if it's time to throw the baby out with the bath water.  

HI Whino. I was not on HRT, and my Dr does not know if this is the reason for my sudden return of a period after 14 months of none (I am 55), but she put me on Femarelle because of the hot flashes and sleepless nights. After just over a week on them, the period showed up and all menopause symptoms disappeared (heaven). I had originally gone in to her the month before for somenthing else and when she asked me if I have any meno sypmtoms, she suggested fermarelle as I did not want to get onto hormones. Then I called to tell her I got my period and she told me to come right in, that morning, as I was traveling abroad in two days. I came in and she did a transvag and biopsy. I was totally unprepared for that biopsy but it was not bad at all. It was, at most, a bit uncomfortable, and I even walked home. Dont be araid of the procedures, in my opinion, although every person has their own experiences. The worry about results is a different story, as some of us are worriers. It sounds like in your case it is surely the HRT, but always best to be on the safe side and go in and do the checks. Let us know. All the best to you.

Thanks, lana.

I wonder why I was prescribed estrogen without progesterone in the first place.

Good morning, ladies. My thoughts of the day, fwiw: I got on HRT for relief of misery, not to receive even worse misery for my trouble. I'd put up with a whole lot of months of hot flashes etc. over nearly a week (so far) of scary heavy bleeding that puts me out of commission, as well as having to get a biopsy.

For me, it's better to go back to letting nature take its course. It also seems I was dosed in a way where these results were pretty much guaranteed, which does not inspire confidence.

I've had needle biopsies in my breasts before as well as an IUD, and to be honest, both were well beyond discomfort. I won't be doing other potentially painful medical procedures without pain management again. There's really no need to (in the US anyway). 

It's important to speak up for yourself with these medical providers, as well as practically become an expert in everything yourself first, it seems.

So, this marks my second morning off HRT. I've felt overheated a couple of times but (on day six) the bleeding may have slowed some, although it's still heavy.

Aging is not for wussies!

Update: I'm on day seven since the bleeding floods started and it has definitely slowed a lot, so much that I wouldn't doubt if this is the last day of it. I'm off the HRT. Still need appointment to get checked out. Now that my other two (unrelated) procedures/surgeries within six days of each other are done, I feel much more ready to cope.

So far, I've just had some spells over overheating, not the big miserable menopause symptoms I had in the first place. However, it's still early days and I expect it all to go back to the misery that drove me to HRT in the first place.

This sounds a bit goofy but I'm thinking of taking a new approach, putting money in a jar every time I have an annoying symptom, $1 or $5 or whatever, to be saved up for totally decadent and spoiled selfish treats only, such as designer bags, expsensive perfumes, jewelry and other things that I lurve but usually deem too impractical. I do think it might make me find this all far easier to deal with. My inner two-year-old approves! Anyone think it might help them too?