Feel like something weird is going on…

[noidea098]

So for the past 2 or so weeks I’ve felt as if I have needed the loo all of the time (no burning but just a sort of pressure) and a bit of pain in my lower tummy. I have done various UTI tests with the first one showing I apparently did have an infection but the others didn’t even though I still had the symptoms.

My period isn’t due until Monday but yesterday I got brown spotting. This never happens to me. This morning the spotting was heavier with a bit of red blood so I put a tampon in thinking my period had started but whenever I’ve taken the tampon out there isn’t much on it and it’s mostly brown, and I also haven’t had any period pain. I don’t understand how this can be old period blood but there doesn’t seem to be any other explanation. However today I feel like I haven’t needed the loo as much. It all just seems a bit strange.

Has this ever happened to anyone else? I normally get brown spotting after my period has finished but never this…

Have you done a pregnancy test?

How old are you?

Brown blood isn't necessarily old but can be just taking time to come out. I often used to get brown blood for a day or two before and after period so it could just be you are bleeding very slowly at the moment

@fudgecat I have not had sex since February and have had my periods since then. But yes, I did one last week just to be on the safe side and it was negative.

@MissingKitty 31!

Any chance you’ve got an old tampon left in from your last period? Sorry to ask - but all smelling normal?

Could you have an STI from your last sexual encounter?

@noidea098 some of your symptoms are similar to when I had a large ovarian cyst.

Can you get a gp appointment or go private and make an appointment with a gynaecologist. (I am not from the Uk so am not entirely sure how accessible gynaecologists are).

@WeNeedBees no I’ve done 2 tests since and all been clear.

So overnight the brown “bleeding” has completely stopped.. this is so unlike me

Have changed oral contraceptives at all?

(Assuming you’re confident about the lost tampon because this is very similar to my experience and I only found the tampon when my next period was “late”.)

Go to your GP. I had some unexplained bleeding last year, and I've had scans and biopsies. Everything is fine, I'm a bit older than you, at 41. My bleeding resolved on its own. Have you had any symptoms of thrush? Are you up to date with your smears? It could be an infection, could be an unresolved UTI, could be nothing, but if it's unusual for you, I would see you GP. I actually saw my GP first who treated me for thrush. I had another episode of bleeding, so I went back, and the nurse prac. She referred me for scans, bloods, and a gyane review.

I should add that I was found to have a cyst. You could have a cyst, fibroid, anything really. I would be asking for an appointment on Monday.

@SayTheWeirdThing I am not on any contraceptive. And no definitely no lost tampon!

@Alwaystired23 yes I am although due a smear in October this year. I think I will go to
my GP but just feel like sometimes they don’t take this stuff seriously. But again it’s been another weird day of putting in a tampon, taking it out and there being some red blood on it but mostly brown. Doesn’t feel like a period.

As PP said symptoms track for an ovarian cyst. I had one. Please get checked as they can be nasty.

Gosh this is really weird… I am still bleeding but it’s light. If I put a light tampon in there’s some red blood on it but also brown, but then if I don’t wear anything nothing really leaks out onto my underwear. Yet when I go to the loo blood is on the toilet paper. I have no idea if this is my period or not but usually my period is over in 3-4 days and whatever is going on started on Thursday evening.

My friend said it’s probably just the start of my period and it happens to her all of the time but this has never happened to me. She said I should wait a few more days but I am kinda stressed out about it / it’s annoying. Felt very emotional earlier today too and was crying over something small.

I don’t know if I rang the doctor and said I’ve got unusual bleeding and my period is due so not sure if it’s that or not, they would just think I am over reacting.

They might think that because they often do when it comes to women and periods, but what you’re describing could be ovarian cancer (albeit unlikely), so not only should they take it seriously, but you need to train strong in the knowledge that you know your own body. If something is unusual and worrying you: trust your gut.

If you were older I’d say it might be peri-meno, but bleeding you describe, at your age, with no contraception involved and no risk of pregnancy is absolutely worthy of investigation.

When was your last smear?

Hi @SayTheWeirdThing. So I called my GP this morning and they basically didn’t want to know. They said it wasn’t urgent so have given me an appointment in 2 weeks’ time. I said this never happens to me, I am concerned, have had UTI symptoms for 3 weeks and I feel like something isn’t right. I even got quite upset on the phone.

I am now on my 6th day of spotting / bleeding. If it continues then I’m just going to call back later on this week and say I am really worried.

It’s so upsetting and frustrating that women’s health is never taken seriously. I might just pay to go see a specialist.

It is worrying you, so I can understand that you want to be seen. However, the likelihood is that in 2 weeks it will either have resolved, in which case all good, or you'll be able to say 'I've been lightly bleeding for 2 weeks', which will be more significant to them.

@Lougle that’s true. I just feel so incredibly emotional at the moment and keep crying at the small things.

I'm sorry you are worried but you should also know that periods do change over the course of a woman's life.

@Perfect28 I do appreciate that. But if I continue to bleed for say another week or so, surely that’s not normal?

FFS this sort of shit really makes me cross. Of course it's upsetting when your period changes. I have no idea why it's written off so quickly as being non-urgent - we know our fucking bodies.

Have you had civid the the past 6 weeks or a vaccine? Lots of women have weird periods after either of those.

How are you feeling outside of the bleeding? How is that pressure you described? I am not in any way inclined to drama over this sort of stuff, but 6 days of spotting outside of an otherwise regular cycle, when nothing else has changed is worthy of an appointment.

If you can afford it, absolutely go private. And if you speak to your GP again make sure you say the word 'cancer'.

In the interim - amazon/chemists sell UTI dip sticks - worth investing in those if you haven't already to do a home pee check.

You are a bit early for perimenopause irregularity - when did your mum/female relatives go through it?

Have you done an STI test? These are, hate to say, very classic symptoms of a bacterial STI. I would absolutely rule that out as very treatable with antibiotics. You can go to a walk in clinic or order a test online. Your local sexual health service should say on their website how to order a home test (or you can probably just swing by and collect one).

Hey OP,

I'm fortunate to have private healthcare and the GP was concerned during a medical that she couldn't get a successful smear, due to bleeding like yours (I wasn't due my period and was oblivious until she mentioned it). She referred me urgently to a gynaecologist, where I had an examination and internal/external ultrasound. I was diagnosed with ademyosis. Other than a "bulky uterus", a bit of tummy pain, some random bleeding and now heavier periods, I'm absolutely fine, but it was worrying at the time 🙂