I'm 65 years old and still bleeding occasionally. Anyone else in my age group still bleeding?

Hi cathy24549,

Yes, I have definitely read Dr. Lee's books and believe the use of natural progesterone is the right approach to alleviate estrogen dominance. Synthetic progesterone are progestins and are not natural. I was given those when I was younger and the period would not start on it's own. The side effects I experienced were horrible. I am trying to help my body get back in balance naturally; therefore, hysterectomy is not what I choose to do...at this time. It is my prayer that I will never need to submit to this procedure, but I don't know what the future holds regarding this consistent, slow bleeding for the last 3 years. I was recently told that I am so anemic that it isn't understood how I am still functioning. I've recently begun taking 325 mg of ferrous sulfate twice daily, per doctor's instruction. I am definitely not a medical professional and am seeking answers as you are; but, regarding your question as to my suggestion where others should go for help...my honest response is that each of us must research natural treatments to educate ourselves about alternatives to western orthodox medical methodologies. Natural makes more sense to me. I am not concerned about my fibroids because my last ultrasound showed that they were shrinking. I have read that they are never cancerous but do return sometimes if you opt for surgical removal. How ironic that your doctor was also resistant to complete blood tests to determine if you were in menopause. Doctors that I had 6 months ago said the exact same thing and I quote: "Oh, your hormones do not need to be tested for menopause. Of course you're in menopause, you're 66 years old". I concluded that it wasn't important to them because they "assume" certain things about women when they reach a certain age. This is not fair to me; therefore, I found a new doctor last month.

My new doctor completed a myriad of blood tests and at 66, I am NOT in menopause. I sincerely hope that you find a path for yourself that leads to abundant health

Well Ladies...at 62 years of age (just turned in July of 2018), I had a biopsy done yet again (6th or 7th one now) and in spite of progestins continuously, cyclically, a Mirena IUD which sent me to the ER and I had removed 3 months into it as well as Prometrium (vaginally), I am continuing to have daily bleeding with a built-up lining again after 2 D&C's as well as a polypectomy, endometrial ablation, 2 hysteroscopies and so many ultrasounds (including 2 sonohysterograms) and an outside agent's 4th opinion that it's not cancer or pre-cancer thus far, I've decided to cut my losses now while I can and get the Hysterectomy done now and at this age vs waiting to see.  (My FSH is still at 17 pmol/L and estradiol at 170 Canadian value).  The biopsy came back as "Simple Hyperplasia NO atypical cells" so, I think that it's time to get this done.  I can't continue on mentally and emotionally with daily spotting to bleeding any longer.  My ob/gyn fought with me to prevent this but agrees that it's the ONLY thing left to do now at this age that we haven't done.  

I'm SCARED but, I also cannot see another way to deal with this issue and I don't seem to be going down Menopause Lane easily or quickly.  Most others my age were done and over with over a decade or more ago now.  

Anyone have any comments or is this now a forgotten thread?  

Sorry to say this and I'm not trying to be offensive but I worked in ob/gyn for some years. I'm retired now. It sounds to me as if they just want to make money off of you. I have 3 fibroids, which on occasion will cause me pain but my gyne has never made the suggestion to have them removed. I'd avoid going under the knife for something millions of women live with. I was told i'd have bleeding on occasion, which does happen but I'm not worried about it, since I know it's not cancerous but my fibroids acting up. 

yes i am over weight, and I have heard that my whole life as well... I do believe this to be true, plus the women in my family continue into their mid-60's ...so I was also told by my mother that it can take up to 20 years before actually going through it... so I am waiting patiently and not allowing anyone to alarm me...

Hello Marie43906,

Thanks for sharing your experience. It has been 2 years since I originally posted my question about "bleeding at the age of 65" and it is very empowering as I hear women's stories about diverse menstrual histories. I can see that we are all strong; intelligent and resilient in this struggle to understand what is actually happening in our bodies. Many women in this thread have encouraged me to accept that what I am experiencing may "just be normal for me". I ask you to do the same. I am still bleeding...but now only occasionally. No doctor has ever informed as to the SOURCE of the bleeding. I believe that it is from the fibroids and perhaps I am still in peri-menopause. Since I am not a medical professional, I will never offer suggestions as to what you or anyone else should do to address a specific problem; but I will share that I researched and used a natural product that pulled estrogen from my body within the last 6 months. The endometrial lining thinned evidenced by the fact that I bled more at that time and passed lots of clots. I lost 25 lbs during this 6 month period and now, I feel great. I previously posted that I am taking ferrous sulfate to address the anemia from all the bleeding over the last 3 years. My hope for you is abundant health now and in the future.

Hello Sesha. It is interesting to read your posts on here. Am I right in thinking you have only used natural progesterone as a form of hrt? Have you never used oestrogen in any form? I have been told that the hrt I am using (Evorel Conti patches) is feeding my fibroids and causing the bleeding and spotting I have every two weeks. 

Are you able to tell me the details of the natural product you have used to pull the estrogen from your body or point me in the direction of your research please?

I am thinking I should stop the hrt and let my body have the monthly periods naturally (although they were horrendous before hrt) until my body decides I'm at menopause. I'm 59.

Hi sharlene51432,

Thanks for sharing. You are not alone. I have maintained throughout these conversations that I have a definite respect for the medical profession; but they only know what they have been taught; therefore, they treat accordingly. I look at my relationship with my doctors as a partnership. I acknowledge that they have the medical expertise and understand the anatomical and biological functions of the body better than I; but they don't know what I am truly feeling and experiencing unless I share that. Menopause is a normal event in a woman's life; but we have been made to feel that it should be medicalized. Mutual respect is crucial in my interaction with my doctors. 

Hi Jamie. My story is very similar to yours. Scans every six months, told I shouldn't be still be bleeding. Our only difference seems to be I am using hrt. 

Do you have any symptoms of perimenopause? If so how do you deal with them?

I tried many over the counter products for years to try to stay natural but when the palpitations, nausea, mild anxiety, hot sweats, cold clamminess, breathless (I could go on) started to affect my daily life, I asked for hrt. Now I'm told the hrt is causing the fortnightly spotting. It's been suggested I use an antidepressant instead of hrt. I don't want to do that.

I have an appointment for a scan on thurs to check on the womb lining. 6 months since last one which was 6mm.

Like you I am tempted to just leave alone, take nothing and see what happens. But I don't want all the symptoms to come back. Any tips to do this naturally welcome. x

Jamie, all human events happen on a bell curve.  Yes, of course, the majority cluster at the top of that curve.  But then there are those who fall on the far ends of that bell curve.  Our problem is, we like to stuff things in neat little boxes and expect everyone to fall in line.   You appear to be on that far right side of that curve.  

I've seen this for years with childbirth.  You darn well better have that baby in 40 weeks, or they'll induce.  You darn well better dilate 1 cm per hour in labor, or they put you on pitocin.  You better deliver your baby within 24 hours of your bag rupturing, or they'll do a c section.  All in the name of "safety".  I'd like to find the man who made up all these rules and smack him.  LOL

Good luck, I think your thoughts are spot on.  Your body will do this when it's ready.  

Hello Jamie. Wow! While reading your comments, all I thought was, "Jamie sounds just like me when I first shared about my experiences in this discussion". The only difference is that the doctors told me that I did have cancer after biopsies......which is NOT true.None of the biopsies were definite. They were all contingent upon me having a hysterectomy so that a specimen could be obtained for a definitive answer. I STILL refuse to subject my body to this procedure.  It is now 2018 and I was given this dire diagnosis in 2015. I feel great. What is most important in all this is that I KNOW my body. My chronological age and my bleeding seem to be of concern to the GYN's I've seen, with no consideration that this may just be normal for me . If I were truly sick, I would know it and would seek appropriate help.  This discussion has been a blessing to me too; although I started it. (smile)   I appreciate you all!!!!

Hi Maisie....

Yes, HRT is the ONLY difference between us...though, I must say that I have had Provera, Prometrium and the Mirena IUD (for only 3 months as I was getting migraines...the scary type and ended up in an ER in case it was a stroke).  I haven't taken estrogen as apparently, my estrogen levels are at 198 (Canadian value) FSH 17.  

I can say that I do get palpitations, night sweats here and there, anxiety, depression, really tired and cold hands and feet.  I also suffer from headaches a lot.  

I did try 6 different antidepressants and they didn't agree with me, personally.  3 were old tricyclics and didn't work to help one bit except give me MORE problems.  3 were the newer SSRI versions and made me feel rotten.  I stopped them all.  I do take Diazepam for the anxiety though and Advil for the headaches.  

I don't know of any "natural" remedies, I'm so sorry.  But, I have begun to remove "parabens" from my product lines.  I wear make-up and use soaps etc. without parabens, including shampoos and conditioners so as NOT to add more estrogen into my body or keep it going.  

Someone in here asked about being overweight.  Yes...I am plus sized and my BMI is 1.5 times what it should be.  However, I also have an ob/gyn who was my size (she is losing weight by cutting back on calories and, she's 12 years younger than me).  

If this makes any difference, they say that the estrogen is what causes the symptoms that you are describing and certainly fits my profile THOUGH NO ONE has tested my progesterone levels???  I'm unsure why they wouldn't though.  Apparently, during Perimenopause, our estrogen levels RAISE greatly by proportion to our Progesterone levels.  When there's a drop, it's the PROGESTERONE that drops greatest and first.  That's why my lining builds up (ie: I produce enough estrogen and more than I should for my age but, not enough progesterone so, I keep being given that alone).  

I am not a doctor (of course) but, if this were me, I'd find and visit (if I could afford it that is) a specialist in hormone panels to see where all of your hormones sit.  They can give you only what your body requires and will repeat blood tests to see what can be lowered or raised.  You may not need the estrogen and that may be causing your fortnightly spotting (ie: it builds up the lining but, there's not enough progesterone given to shed it or thin it???)  

I think that when a doctor cannot answer as to what is going on, it's time to move on and find another doc who can answer our questions more fully with explanations that we can accept.  

If this were me, given all that you've been through and that you don't wish the symptoms to come back, I'd have a blood test done by someone who knows what they are doing and a full panel on all of your hormones to see which ones may be higher.  There is a ratio of estrogen to progesterone of 2:1 respectively that they look for.  Your estrogen may be a bit too high.  And speaking only personally and for myself...I wouldn't touch antidepressants with a 10' pole given what I've been through with them.  I think you're wise to hang on there and try other things first (like a full blood panel and I'm looking for a doc who will do that as most traditional ob/gyns don't want to do it).  

I hope this helps and I'm so sorry for the later response.  I wanted to keep my mind off of this stuff for a bit and just be.  I've been a nervous wreck over it all and still am.  But, this place keeps me sane  

XO XO XO 

If I haven't answered your question fully, and you're still reading this thread, let me know, please.  I'll try whatever I can to help as I know how frightening and upsetting this can all be.  

Thank you so much gailannie for your response.  I do believe that they plop us all on a Bell Curve and if we don't fit into the "normal" ranges, they suddenly decide that there's a problem.  Problem is, they've disproven anything dangerous (though I'm due for another in office biopsy in May this year...OUCH!...just to be "annoying" as she puts it).  

I hope to finish this soon and be a normal person LOL  

XO XO XO 

Sesha, I'm hoping beyond all hope that ALL of us come out the other side of this ok and arrive at Menopause like normal people LOL  

Of course, hysterectomies are the ONLY sure way (I was told very emphatically) that there is no cancer anywhere.  Even D&C's and Hysteroscopies done in hospital they said weren't "conclusive".  If we were in our early 50's and experiencing this, they wouldn't be questioning anything beyond a PAP, an ultrasound and normal everyday testings.  Because we are older in age than the "norm", I'm sure that they "guess" and assume that we have something dreadful to be concerned about.  Hysterectomy is their only way of ensuring that there's nothing going on.  However, I find that much like people who have their gallbladders removed and still experience the pain so, they go onto other things and say "ooopppsss...didn't need to come out", to be guessing and covering rear ends as well as making money.  I know malpractice insurance is expensive but, most people know that suing a doc is a futile endeavour unless one has lots of money, time and patience LOL  

If I truly need a hysterectomy...I need it but, not with the reasoning that I've had thus far.  And, I would be choosing another doc to do it as mine is only in office 1 to 2 day's per week and is IMPOSSIBLE to even get through on the phone (only voicemail) if I do have a problem.  I know...I've had problems and tried.  I can't get through or get a call-back in under 3 weeks with any reasonable assurance one way or another and being told that she's "too busy" to have me come in.  

I appreciate you having started this thread too.  Thank you!  

HUGS and may you find answers and be finished SOON!  XO XO XO 

Jamie, I know that we will all come out on the other side of menopause just fine; but we must get through this peri-menopausal period.  I'm happy that you have not been given a diagnosis of cancer. Even if you had, you can ask questions of your healthcare professionals to determine in which direction to turn. I enjoy reading your comments as well as the other women. It's so refreshing. It feels that we are all standing on the same moving conveyor belt; heading in the same direction...toward menopause. Each of us are encouraging the other to "just hold on" assuring each that we will ALL be OK. LADIES, HOLD ON!!!!!!!!!!  

No I have not I have had test done but I didn't even have fribods. But I'm so happy to know there are others dealing with this I should have talk to my mother more about this. She died a few years ago she was 93 she told me if I could handle it handle it don't take Hormone shots but I didn't ask her about going this long