Bulky uterus and extended periods...so scared:(

[Lushaddict]

Can anyone advise as i'm going out of my mind with worry.
I used to be on the mini pill but in July this year I kept bleeding, only being period free for maybe a week then it would start again. I decided to have a break from the pill and give my body a rest and the last couple of months have been okay with 30 days between periods. This time though I've been bleeding/spotting for 18 days so I saw my doctor today who did an internal and said my uterus was bulky. She has sent the swabs off and I have to go back to see her next week and she mentioned referring me to hospital for further tests. She wont put me back on the pill until this is sorted.
A did a search on the symptoms and have been in tears all day as it brought up fibroids (which I know I have but very small) and suggested hysterectomy or it could indicate female cancers.
Can anyone shed some light on these symptoms or had any experience of them?
Thanks in advance.

[whomovedmychocolate]

Oh sweetheart, what a horrible thing to go through and be left in the middle of with no answers.

Okay, you can have all sorts of things in your uterus that can make it 'bulky'. The first one is obvious a feotus - if you have a retained miscarriage that can cause swelling and bleeding.

Fibroids however can get mega mega big (I used to have them) and usually they laser them off while you are unconscious. Fibroids can grow to the size of a basketball very quickly and this can cause excessive and constant bleeding. Again fixable, not going to kill you.

Uterine cancer is quite rare if you are under 50. It does cause lumps but so do quite a few things.

Including Pelvic Inflammatory Disease which is a fairly common side effect of an infection.

The fact that she's doing swabs would indicate that she thinks it's more likely to be an infection than anything more dire. If it was a 'OMG this patient clearly is about to die of cancer' diagnosis, she would have CALLED the hospital and you would have been seen within five days at the longest.

Hope that help.

[Lushaddict]

Whomovedmychocolate..thank you. The doctor said whilst doing the internal that all looked okay, my ovaries etc, it was just the bulky uterus. She did also mention the swabs were to test for infection.
I'm wishing I hadn't 'Googled' it now to be honest. She said she didn't think it was anything sinister but what I've read has scared me.
I'm 37 with a 4 year old DD and even though we said we wouldnt have more children it isnt completely ruled out. I dont want that decision taken away from me.
Since stopping the mini pill in August my moods have been shocking, totally unlike me, which I thought was hormonal but they're not calming down at all.
When I was told I had fibroids they were 3mm (3 of them) about 7 years ago.
I really dont know what to think.

[whomovedmychocolate]

Ahhhhh - now you explain that it makes more sense - Is it possible that any time in the last fifteen years you could have been exposed to some nasties? Before you beat the shit out of your partner it can be that long ago if you have picked something up.

I should warn you that long term infections do sometimes lead to infertility.

I have endometriosis and developed PCOS too so I had the same sort of symptoms (except the swelling was not too bad). You know the film, 'the Shining'? Well that was me ten days before my period.

I lost a lot of weight which helped with this (apparently fat produces extra hormones and doesn't help PMT much).

Have you been having regular smear tests btw?

[Lushaddict]

Am up to date with smears, think the next one is due next year. I had the Mirena coil fitted last year so had tests for infections before that was done but the coil had to come out after afew months as it didn't suit.
My weight is okay too.
I guess I just thought she'd give me another pill to try and off I'd skip but that wasn't the case. I also think my hormones must be really screwed to make me go off the rails like I have today, I literally haven't stopped crying.
Just to add more (gory) details, when I have a period they're fairly heavy with clots for a couple of days but this one at the mo (am 18 days into it)is brown blood which has been light for about a week.
x

[whomovedmychocolate]

Is there any chance you could have been pregnant?

[CarGirl]

I think you have a very good and thorough GP who wants to make sure every avenue is covered and is being over cautious. I do wonder like WMMC that perhaps you could have had a miscarriage

[Lushaddict]

Crikey. Well, the two months I was pill free we tried to be careful (withdrawal method) and both months I went 30 days between periods. I did think 30 days was a long time as normally its about 23.
I never had any inkling I could've been.
Wouldn't my doctor have mentioned that today? She never asked about contraception when I told her about the couple of months rest from the pill.
I did do a test this afternoon which was negative, just for my own piece of mind after the internals but I didn't think for one I would've/could've been as she never broached the subject.
Also I have felt sick for about a week now but we have a nasty tummy bug going round (partner was very sick last week).

[whomovedmychocolate]

Okay well the good news (well of sorts) is that if you were pregnant the pregnancy would still be determinable now - it takes four to six weeks for your HCG levels to drop enough not to be readable on a pregnancy test. Hint for next time - check for pregnancy before being poked and swabbed!

Much more likely you have an infection of some sort TBH. How long before you get the results?

[weebleswobble]

Lush, I have a bulky uterus but no reason for it. I had a scan last year because I was having periods every 2 weeks after having a Mirena coil for 3 years. The result said I had a bulky uterus. There was no reason for it being bulky - it just is apparently.

Hope this reassures you that it's not necessarily anything to worry about.

[Lushaddict]

I go see the doctor again next Monday morning for the results and to discuss further options.

whomovedmychocolate..I really didn't consider pregnancy pre-poked and swabbed as the doc never mentioned it. I figured as I'd had periods all would be okay on that score?

weebleswobble..that is reassuring. Hope the bloody Merina isn't to blame for all this!

Thank you lovely ladies for calming me down.
Am still abit upset with it all as it's been abit of a shock (as I said, went in for a new pill and came out very sore and scared)

[rosybud]

Lushaddict, please don't worry too much, Google is so bad for medical advice! whenever i have googled any worrying medical things it scares the life out of me! don't do it! really hope it is all sorted for you, far better to be proactive and get the doc to investigate than worry at home.

[whomovedmychocolate]

Ah Lush, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound condescending, esp. when you've had such a shitty day! I do hope it'll all get sorted out next week.

As Weebles has said, you can be lumpy and bumpy for no reason (as my gynaecologist says "'normal' comes in many different varieties!")

Personally, if I am worried about something medical, I google 'kittens' or 'flowers' till I am mentally sedated

[Lushaddict]

Dont worry choc, you've brought a smile to my miserable mug this evening and for that I'm grateful.
Am SO glad I posted on here as I feel much better.

[ZahraKazmi]

Hi All. I am 28 years old and recently had heavy bleeding for which I consulted the doctor. She gave me medicine to stop the bleeding and booked another appointment in which she told me that my Uterus is bulky (which should not be as I am under 30). I am really worried.. She has booked me for a Scan now, I googled it but cannot find anything about it. It cannot be Adenomyosis as I don't have any children. If anyone of you know anything about it Please Helppp ...

[Footle]

Zahra, this is a very old thread ( 2007). It will be better if you start a new thread of your own so that people will notice it, and you'll get up-to-date advice.