Cervical cancer symptoms, perimenopause and hip pain?

[pawpawpawpaw]

I just read a thread about cervical cancer and didn't want to divert it but posters there were saying they had hip pain as a symptom, which gave me a bit of a shock.

I've had pain in my hip and last rib for over a year, along with lumbar pain. Had physio and an mri which showed a slipped disc and arthritis. An ultrasound (for rib pain) showed a cyst on my kidney, which I was told was irrelevant.

I've also had irregular bleeding but I'm 52 and still getting periods. I told the nurse when I had a smear and she said perimenopause is like that. I'm not getting heavy periods anymore, just really long ones that take an age to come on. It's often difficult to pinpoint dates because there's so much spotting, so stupidly I kind of gave up putting them on the calendar

Obvs I will ring GP tomorrow first thing to discuss but as I have all day today to think about this I was hoping someone could talk me off the ledge.

Anyone?
I'm trying to figure out how to present this to my GP considering they've known about the symptoms (back and hip pain, irregular bleeding) and I've asked if this might be a gynae problem. They were treating it as purely a back pain problem until I insisted on an examination for the rib pain and GP referred me for an ultrasound. I thought I was in the clear after that showed nothing significant but I see that can't exclude other problems eg cervical cancer.

I’m 51 and have had right hip pain for several years. My periods have become irregular over the last year or so. I have had some which drift on and also some spotting. Just before lockdown I had a full check up (Internal scan and smear included, she said my cervix looked lovely!)with a gynaecologist as suffering from tiredness and low libido and all was fine.

Gynaecologist said peri menopause can take a long while unfortunately and lots of symptoms. I think your hip pain sounds like arthritis,( I think mine is sciatica ) and the other symptoms are peri menopause and sound very similar to mine. Of course ring your GP as I have no medical knowledge and you need to set your mind at rest but I think we’re just getting old!

If you've had a clear smear and an MRI of the painful areas that is a very good sign! But if you're worried there's no harm in chatting to your GP about it

Theluggage yes, I think this is a good idea, I can't remember the last time I had an internal examination. Were you referred via your GP? It's the fact that my GP knows about all these symptoms but has never said, hmm, let's examine you and make sure everything looks okay in that area. I could barely get her to have a look at the sore rib. Happy to hear you had such an outstanding cervix!

Strawberry apparently a clear smear shouldn't prevent investigation if symptomatic, because it's a screen and not diagnostic. Yes, not sure about the MRI and whether it would show anything in the cervical area? I guess it would show anything sinister on my actual spine but I also have pain around the hip and lowest rib. I've been assuming the pain is referred but it seems sensible to at least exclude anything gynaecological, esp where the bleeding is so sporadic and persistant. I mean, I've assumed this is perimenopause all along but putting the symptoms together I'd like to know anything sinister has been ruled out.

PawPaw, I felt proud of my cervix!

Yes I went to my GP mainly complaining about tiredness and loss of libido and also some pain during sex. She referred me. The gynaecologist said she would like to have a thorough look and did a trans vaginal ultrasound I think it’s called and a smear as I was a year late for that. So it was all done in one appointment and set my mind at rest and she prescribed HRT but I’ve not actually taken it yet.

This was the first time I’d seen this GP and she was lovely and understanding but I did say straightaway that I was wondering if it would be a good idea to see a gynaecologist and then talked about my symptoms.

I really think your GP should refer you as gynaecologists are the experts and peri menopause can be a nightmare and you do worry about all the vague symptoms. I think you can just refer yourself and then get the GP to write a letter but I’m not sure how that works. Maybe you could see another GP?

Hi @pawpawpawpaw it was my thread I think that you saw this.
Are you going to contact the GP today?

Yes definitely! I wasn't meaning to discourage you from talking to your GP at all, just to reassure you slightly I suppose. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression, I hope you are able to seek help/clarity.

saffy sorry for delayed reply, I did ring but I have kind of a fraught relationship with my GP so I had to work up to it. They want me to have a blood test - ? - which seems pointless to me. Idk, I have to change surgery really. Yes, it was your thread. I'm sorry you're going through this