Post-menopausal bleeding - consultant appointment and worried

[ChristmasFairyLiquid]

Hoping someone can give me some words of reassurance or at least an idea of what to expect.

I had a post-menopausal bleed (felt exactly like a period - 5 days long with sore boobs in the run up) last month.

Contacted the doctor as you’re meant to and had an ultrasound and internal scan last week.

Have just been called for an appointment with a consultant at the hospital on Saturday which has terrified me. Does anyone know if this is standard, or what it might mean, or what I can expect? Thank you for any info.

Oh and @Chrysanthemum5, meant to say all the best with the results you’re waiting for 🤞

I had this and had a biopsy which was painful but only momentarily and not unbearable, I did bleed quite a bit afterwards though so went armed with pads. It was negative but they told me that if I had any more bleeding they would do a hysteroscopy, that was about 2 months ago and nothing so far.

Hey OP , as per many on this thread I've been through this twice and the issue is still ongoing. It's scary but try and take one day at a time, and keep busy to stay distracted. And don't google too much.

I have a thickened womb lining and had bleeding for about 12 months. Have had 2 hysteroscopies and a polyp but so far all biopsies have been clear. Ive still got the issue so having another hysteroscopy in 2 weeks for more biopsies. I'm 60 so this bleeding is defo not normal (despite a shitty consultant telling me it was 🙄).

It's good that they are responding quickly. The sooner you have a diagnosis the better.

Ps if you need a hysteroscopy please read threads on here about it before you decide whether an in-clinic or general anaesthetic option is best for you.

Good luck and do come back to let us know how you are getting on. X

Thank you @ExtraDecluttering and @ooooohnoooooo. Sorry you’ve been through it too. The not googling is always good advice, though hard to do!

I’m a bit of a worrier and of course now I’m stressing that every ache and pain is somehow related…

I had a similar urgent referral with a breast lump a couple of years ago which turned out to be a cyst. When I said to the consultant ‘what about the nausea and … whatever other symptoms I had at the time?’ he basically said ‘all in your head!’ So trying to remember that here.

Just gone through the same Op.I am 53 and had unexpected bleeding, not much I confess but was put on the 2 week cancer pathway, which was terrifying in itself. I can only say it was such a positive experience. I had my results back with no issues at all. Our clinic was exceptional in their approach to a womans experience during the procedure. It was all about us being in charge and making decisions we would be comfortable with regarding pain relief. I have a very low threshold regarding pain and often passed out having a basic smear test! I chose to have pain relief via gas and air before they started the procedure and I controlled it myself. I was nicely floating away before they began and I can honestly say I felt nothing from start to finish. I bled a little afterwards and felt a slight tummy ache for a day afterwards but it really was nothing. I would never be frightened again after such a positive experience. The staff and care they offered was warm,caring and it made a worrying situation far easier for me. I hope you have an experience like mine.

@itsjustbiology I’m 52, so very similar scenario.

Your experience sounds very positive! - can I ask, was this the first scan or the referral after you’d had that initial scan and they realised there was something to investigate?

The first time I had this it was a polyp that they removed during a hysteroscopy. The second time they suspected early stage endometrial cancer which it was. This is not to spook you, just to say my condition was caught early and following a total laparoscopic hysterectomy they caught it all. I’m right as rain now. You are absolutely right to go for a check and wishing you the best.

Hey OP, I'm in the same sort of position. I think a lot of women of our age are - thickened endometrium is really common, not just if you're on HRT. I am on HRT and after a scan just to look around because I was getting a bit of minor incontinence, they decided my womb lining was 6 mm thicker than their parameters and referred me, initially on a longer wait, for hysteroscopy. In fact I was then triaged over the phone by a gynae and she decided, based on my bleed pattern that I've had for years, that they needed to put me on that scary 2 week pathway/suspected cancer. It's horrible getting letters that say 'reason for referral: suspected endometrial cancer', isn't it? But this is a common set of symptoms and they need to rule things OUT, not IN. It's far more likely to be ok. From what I've gathered on the meno board here (worth a read if you don't already hang out there) endometrial cancer is easily dealt with if caught early.

The wait sucks! I have horrible health anxiety at the best of times. I think I've just gone a bit numb about this. I get a phone call next Wednesday to discuss the procedure under GA (I have a very tricky cervix) which in itself is a scary thing, a general. But very commonly done. The important thing is - we are both being looked after. They have a protocol to follow and this is the best thing to do. It'll be over soon, and you can hopefully look back on this episode as something scary you were brave about and did anyway, regardless of the fear. That's helping me a lot at the moment.

(If you decide to go for an outpatient procedure, tell them if you've had any pain or fainting with coils, smears, any other procedure in that area, bad period pain, etc, as well as if you suffer from faintness with medical procedures (vasovagal shock) because they need to know and can plan accordingly. They should offer you the choice of a GA/spinal block, and if you have it as an outpatient then they should offer a cervical block, gas and air, and somewhere to rest afterwards. And I would get hold of some really decent painkillers to take beforehand, I've heard that can help. Many women really don't find it that painful but a lot do and they can't easily predict who will or won't.)

I had this - caused by fibroids. Had a total hysterectomy which allowed me to wave goodbye to several potential cancers and smears.
Hope all goes well.

Hi
The first scan after referral .I had a hysteroscopy . I wish you well and hope you too have a positive outcome.

Thank you all for the info and well wishes - good vibes back at all those currently going through the process.

I will report back and let you know how I get on xx

@ChristmasFairyLiquid I have had post menopausal bleeding on 4 occasions and each time it has been investigated under the 2 week cancer pathway, initially for a scan and then a follow up appointment. On 2 occasions the scans were clear - the

@Frugal24 "Hospitals are financially incentivised to do outpatient hysteroscopy"

do you mean specifically incentivised to do it without general anaesthetic? Or incentivised to do hysteroscopy per se?

Hope everything turns out fine @ChristmasFairyLiquid

@ChristmasFairyLiquid I have had post menopausal bleeding on 4 different occasions and each has been investigated under the 2 week cancer pathway.
Each time I have had an internal scan followed by a follow up appointment.

On 2 occasions the scans were clear - the sonographer didn't tell me anything - just said the results would be sent to my GP.

I still had a follow up appointment at the hospital on both occasions to tell me the results and they were shortly after the scans.

The two other occasions my womb lining was thickened which the sonographer did tell me and I was then phoned by the hospital to have a hysteroscopy and then had a follow up appointment after that procedure.
All times there was nothing sinister.

On the other hand many women find it uncomfortable but perfectly bearable with no pain relief or just paracetamol. I've had 2 hysteroscopies and biopsies, only pain relief was 2 paracetamol beforehand, they were uncomfortable but no way enough that I'd take the risk of general anaesthesia. I drove myself home afterwards.
The second one was for bleeding 6 years after menopause. It's automatic to go on the cancer pathway. I had an internal scan showing a very thickened lining( never taken HRT) and then had hysteroscopy and biopsy, a fibroid was found and the biopsy was clear and I was discharged, no further treatment.

Thank you, it’s very reassuring to know that you were called to hospital for follow up even if the scans were clear - I don’t know if this is what happens everywhere obv but it has made me worry slightly less.

The sonographer did say to me ‘if your doctor is very concerned he will ask to see you’ - this may just be careless use of language of course, and I don’t think English was his first language - but words matter.

Maybe it is because he’s ’very concerned’; maybe that’s what happens here, but if not it’s not very relaxing wording.

I’m pleased yours all worked out ok even with the ones that initially showed you needed more investigation 💐

I am going through it all right now. Had a bleed 12 months ago. Saw consultant who did a scan and said all OK. Another bleed recently. This time scan showed endometrial thickening. She didn't say how thick. But referred on 2 week for biopsy and hysteroscopy. Absolutely panicking. Seeing someone else tomorrow for a WID easy test, another scan ( for a second opinion) and to discuss biopsy. It's private and costing a fortune but I wanted a second opinion. Spoke to a nurse at Eve Appeal the other day re the biopsy and hysteroscopy. She's had the biopsy herself and said it was fine apart from a pinching when they took the sample. She tool painkillers before. I have read the horrendous reports on line though. I guess everyone has different pain thresholds and apparently it depends on the experience of the person doing it. The stress of all this is horrendous.

Sorry you’re going through it too @Ann1968. it’s really scary but loads of good advice and positive stories on this thread. Hope it all goes well for you.

I was working in the City today and really tempted to just go to a Bupa clinic at lunch to get someone to scan me and tell me the results. It’s the waiting that’s the hardest thing.

Thank you @ChristmasFairyLiquid I actually saw the Consultant last week privately but she told me nothing! Didn't even tell me what a hystroscopy was just told me to book in for one with a biopsy! At that point our relationship ended as far as I was concerned. No info is a red flag to me. So I complained to the hospital manager. I then spoke to the Eve Appeal nurse, read up on the WID easy test for cancer and am seeing a different private consultant tomorrow. I hope to have the Wid test, another scan where this consultant talks to me and I shall discuss biopsies and hysteroscopies etc with her. Trusting the consultant and sharing info is really important to me. The other consultant asked me nothing. Just told me being overweight and childless made me high risk. Very helpful.

I had the exact same experience as you OP. After an ultrasound that showed a thickened lining, my hysteroscopy came back clear and the consultant concluded that it indeed seem like Mother Nature having a last hurrah (my bleed also felt like a period, 15 months after my last one).

@Ann1968 I hadn’t heard of the Wid-easy test but that sounds like a massive step forward, thanks for mentioning it.

@MyTwinklyCritic - thank you, really hope that’s all that’s happening here.

And any of you who are currently in this process, please do use this thread to update if you want to, invested in all your journeys now 💐

It’s brilliant that you have been referred. My useless GPs didn’t know that post menopausal bleeding should be a two week referral. Eventually I was referred, after quite a palaver, complaints and a change of GP.

This was 11 years ago and I was eventually diagnosed with a rare ovarian cancer. I’m currently really well. Whatever they find @ChristmasFairyLiquid , if it’s cancer that doesn’t mean a death sentence. There are so many treatments now for cancer, that many people are cured.

Just to say, the waiting for appointments and results is the worst part.

Thank you so much @Voldemortifying and I’m really pleased you’re well now. It is definitely good that awareness etc has moved on.

I completely agree that the waiting is the worst thing (and the internet is both a blessing and a curse!)

I had similar and after tests (including internal under sedation) all was OK - my gyn said it was my body having its last hurrahah! ie prob like the last few eggs being released.