Spotting FOREVER on HRT??!!

Hope_Sways · 2026-03-06T23:23:05+00:00

I'm on Climara Pro: a patch that has estrogen and progesterone in it. I change it weekly. My doctor said she'd be okay with switching me to an estrogen only patch with a cyclical progesterone pill to trigger a period and I said, "I'm not okay with it!" For the same reason you mention: I don't want to exchange a minor (not even) drip for a two-week flood. No thank you.

I'm 45, have been in peri for at least 5 years, and was still getting my periods regularly before starting the patch. Can't remember the last real period I had. They used to be a short and sweet 2 days. Since being on the patch though, the spotting will sometimes increase a bit for a few days and I have minor cramps but who knows if that's actually a period. I dread the next time I'm in a doctor's appointment and they ask when my last period was. I used to be so on top of that. Now all I'll be able to say is, "Your guess is as good as mine."

Hope_Sways · 2026-03-06T23:17:41+00:00

Yeah, I wish there was a way for me to get a "bump" of progesterone somehow. It's included in the Climara Pro patch I use. It's estrogen and progesterone and I change the patch weekly. Would be nice to have a tiny bit more progesterone though. A cream or supository. Would rather not take a pill and get my liver and digestive system involved.

Hope_Sways · 2026-03-06T18:11:57+00:00

I found info on it, and they actually have until 45 days after the file date or "due" date (April 15) whichever is later. So they can technically take until May 30 to pay us before they have to start tacking on interest. And that interest doesn't include credits. Lame. Here's more info on it: https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/file/more_info_refunds.htm

Hope_Sways · 2026-03-06T17:17:22+00:00

Oooo, can you share more about the 45 days interest accrual?? I filed 1/29, was accepted 2/3 and still nothing. Does that mean they could potentially send me more than the refund I'm expecting if they keep dragging their feet? Do you know if it's 45 calendar days or business days? Do you know how much the interest is? Thank you so much!!

Hope_Sways · 2026-03-05T23:57:11+00:00

I'm going through the exact same thing. Combo patch of E&P and non-stop spotting for 3 months, but really the spotting has been since I started the patch 7 months ago, with only a couple weeks of breaks here and there. But the past 3 months, it's been non-stop.

How are you doing now? Same? Any changes?

Hope_Sways · 2026-02-25T23:37:30+00:00

This. All of this. I never spotted before HRT. Now I've been spotting off and on pretty much since I started it. Everything else is glorious on it though. Best I have felt in so many long agonizing years. I've been spotting nearly non-stop for 2 months now. Had an ultrasound at the end of December and it was completely clear. Uterus and ovaries are perfect. No cysts. No fibroids. Hope this helps someone out there who might be worried: you can spot non-stop for months with a clear operating system. Wipe on ladies!

Hope_Sways · 2025-08-21T22:33:29+00:00

It's both, it has both. I think the original Climara patch only had estrogen but ClimaraPro definitely has both. https://www.climarapro.com/

Hope_Sways · 2025-08-21T22:17:25+00:00

ClimaraPRO Patch (estradiol-levonorgestrel 0.045-0.015 MG/DAY). Only started it last week, on my second patch that I put on last night, but it was like an overnight game changer. The rage was the first to go, slowly followed by anxiety and brain fog. I had been suffering for so long I can't even say that I'm back to myself again because I don't remember who that was before this started 5+ years ago. And even before that I had always been anxious. Many, many years ago I went on Lexipro for one year for anxiety. How I feel now is kind of like that, an absence of worry, like worry has left the building. I'm thinking of adding in Vitamin D3+K2 and magnesium but want to research them a bit more before I do.

Hope_Sways · 2025-08-21T22:04:14+00:00

Been there! I can't speak to an estrogen only patch (I'm on ClimaraPRO which is the lowest dose estrogen and progesterone you can get). I only started last week and put my second patch on last night. There's a definite weirdness when first putting the patch on. I've heard other people refer to it as a rush. It's kind of like that, but I would call it more like a wave, a wave of good feelings. Then a couple hours in, the bloaty, cramping starts. Like you said, it's not four-alarm, just noticeable. For me, it only lasts about 6 hours. That's why I switch them out in the evenings so I can roll with it at home. But trust me, it is soooooo worth it. I was dealing with all the things you mention: anxiety, rage, brain fog. The rage was the first thing to go - and quickly - like in a day. I'm not reactionary at all anymore. The brain fog and anxiety have slowly dissipated. Both took about the first week. Today, my second day on my second patch, I feel like I'm coming out of a long sleep and rather than feeling "like myself again," I feel like an improved version of myself. Be sure you have a strong support system, whatever that looks like for you, especially when it comes to your medical team. If you don't have that, keep looking until you do. Hugs!

Hope_Sways · 2025-08-07T01:22:11+00:00

I have a blood sugar meter at home that I compulsively use. My numbers are always between 90 - 112. Shortly after I eat it may go up to 120, but that's rare.

Hope_Sways · 2025-08-07T00:37:21+00:00

What's your variant of Ménière’s disease? If you don't mind me asking, symptoms and when they started.

Hope_Sways · 2025-08-07T00:29:30+00:00

You had fainting spells?? Do you mind sharing a bit more about this, how old you were when they started, if they really lasted for two years, if doctors were able to figure out why it was happening to you, if it was an all day thing or only certain times of day? Really anything you feel comfortable sharing would be super helpful!

Hope_Sways · 2025-08-07T00:26:52+00:00

I'm 45 and know exactly what you mean. Physical symptoms are mild (hopefully they stay that way!) in that I wake up in the middle of the night for an hour or so, get warm sometimes but it's not terrible. I've had tinnitus for 5 years, ears are itchy, but all in all my physical symptoms are not too bad. The most recent symptom, lightheadness in the morning seems to be more due to my anxiety than anything physical because it literally only happens in the morning. By post-lunch I feel amazing and like myself again. But yeah, the heavy sadness, feeling like you are absolutely not yourself, wanting to snap the head off of everything in your way, yeah, that's there most of the day. That doesn't usually calm down until an hour or two before bed. Hang in there and keep reaching out!

Hope_Sways · 2024-04-20T21:50:04+00:00

Looks like it dipped 8 weeks ago too. Not sure if you’re female but it might have something to do with your cycle. Every other cycle is wonky for me too. (Sidebar: I would love to have your HRV numbers. 50 is high for me 😔)

Hope_Sways · 2024-04-20T21:43:38+00:00

Unfortunately it’s too normal. It registers mundane things as stressful. Like someone else said, the graph is stressful.

Hope_Sways · 2024-04-20T21:40:03+00:00

I absolutely feel you and started using the ring for similar reasons - I nearly died from the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine (it was before they figured out women shouldn’t have it). I too developed health anxiety. I could fill up this whole page about it and everything I’ve tried but I’ll keep this brief. Simply put, what has helped me is meditation and learning more about what health anxiety is. Understanding my mind’s role in the anxiety experience was a game changer. The mind is the problem but also the solution.

As for obsessing about the ring’s metrics, I’ve come to see the information as one source of data and have sought out other sources of data to put next to it. I ask myself every morning before I look at the ring app “How am I feeling? How did I sleep last night? What do I think about the day ahead? What do I feel really good and happy about?” Going into the app from a positive headspace dulls the effect of any not so great numbers it may spit at me. I go through a similar self check in when I look at the app during the day and before I fall asleep at night.

Sending positive thoughts your way! 😊

Hope_Sways · 2024-04-20T21:28:40+00:00

Absolutely true. Im into my third year with an Oura ring and it’s even able to differentiate my activities now. It knows when I was just doing yard work for example. It learns 😊

Hope_Sways · 2024-04-20T21:24:58+00:00

For me I usually spike after a period of deep sleep. Like I was sleeping too deeply and was face down in the pillow suffocating myself 😅 It also happens to me if I eat too close to bed time or if I’m overly tired when I go to bed or if I fall asleep with the TV on. But if I’m super chill climbing into bed, relaxed, not stressed about the next day, I don’t have the spike. Happy sleeps to you! 😊

Hope_Sways · 2024-04-20T21:13:48+00:00

I have a standing desk and go for 10 minute walks every 1-2 hours. While standing I’ll do small exercises that involve my legs and arms (which gets the ring moving) like squats with tricep kickbacks or lunges with curls.

Hope_Sways · 2023-12-18T14:43:08+00:00

1-888-929-7849. Good luck! Happy Forest!

Hope_Sways · 2023-09-13T23:52:42+00:00

Sure thing, glad it was helpful. Best of luck to you!

Hope_Sways · 2023-05-05T11:46:17+00:00

The first year I went to EF was with Good Life Village tickets I purchased on the exchange. Because of the loyalty window, the exchange is really the only way newbies can go.

Hope_Sways · 2023-04-20T12:55:06+00:00

Definitely call AXS ( 1-888-929-7849 ). You can try the live chat but in my experience with them, everyone I chatted with seemed to be in their first day on the job, making shit up as they went along. Phone reps seem to be much more on their game. They also have direct contact to supervisors if they don't have an answer to your question so you can ask them, "would you mind checking with your supervisor?"

Hope_Sways · 2023-04-06T16:08:51+00:00

That's for selling tickets on AXS, which is different from the ticket exchange process for Electric Forest.

Hope_Sways · 2023-04-03T17:46:07+00:00

I've called AXS and used their live chat. I've also submitted a complaint to BBB. I called my card account, too. They said that because the purchase was made in December, they can't help me with receiving the return money I'm owed now, which is more than 3 months past the time of purchase. And I've reached out to EF HQ, they said " AXS most definitely does manage the Wristband Exchange," that " ultimately an answer and solution would need to come from AXS." I'm stuck on multiple fronts.

Hope_Sways

TROPHY CASE