Post menopausal bleeding but hysteroscopy, smear, swabs and pelvic ultrasound all ok

[Pinklightning]

I’ll be making a GP appointment about this but hoped someone might have some experience.

I had an ultrasound in January followed by a hysteroscopy for some slight brown discharge on the odd occasion. Everything was ok with both. Had a smear and that was fine. Had some more discharge and did swabs and they came back negative.

Last week I had PMT type symptoms-sore boobs, irritable and really tired. Exactly the same as before menopause. Today I’ve got brown discharge like a period might be starting. I feel like a period is starting. Biopsy from the hysteroscopy came back all clear and I’ve hardly any uterine lining. The ovary they could see on the ultrasound was “sleeping” consistent with being post menopausal.

I was never convinced that I was post menopausal because I wasn’t completely sure of period dates when my GP put me on continuous HRT. I take 2 pumps of oestrogen gel and 1 progesterone capsule vaginally daily.

Has anyone else experienced this?

The GP has said to book in to discuss next steps. I’m worried even though everything has been clear.

I don't know, but I have had the same, being almost three years postmenopausal, and now aged almost 60.

I have a GP appointment on Thursday to discuss it. I'm hoping that it will just be that I have been through a stressful time recently (DH died after a long illness, his funeral, sorting out the finances, will, probate etc.).

I'm hoping it could be just a stress reaction from me but I know I need to get it checked out. It's something I could do without right now though.

I have no answers for you other than to say push for a gynae referral, which I am sure you will be doing anyway.

@Topseyt123I'm so sorry I hope you get some answers soon.

Bumping 🙏

I have an appointment for the morning so will update afterwards incase it helps anyone else experiencing the same thing.
It’s annoying and has developed into brown discharge. Definite period pain, peeing more, irritable, wanting chocolate-all the usual period things for me.

I am 57 and this has been going on for two years for me.
I have a history of endometriosis Su the first few times it was scans and blood tests. A hysteroscopy last time which was clear. I was really poorly after it, developed an infection and have other health issues so they are trying to avoid another one.
Saw the menopause nurse two weeks ago and she feels it may be due to vaginal atrophy and that the lining of the womb gets irritated. The blood being shed is old but it irritates the whole area hence the pain, sore boobs.
Last time I saw a consultant she was a bit frustrated and says the service was inundated with women and it was all because of HRT and Davina!
I did ask her if changing my HRT might help and she said well I don’t know anything about HRT. And I thought this is a gynae surgeon who knows zero about HRT!
Let me know how you get on.
I can remember the first time I was referred I heard the words ‘two week cancer pathway’ and didn’t sleep for a week. It’s different now I try not to worry so much.

I too have endometriosis and have had endometriosis pain since starting HRT. I do think the endo complicates things. Gynaecologists can be rubbish and I’m sorry you’ve had a bad experience. My hysteroscopy was uunder the 2WW as was my colonoscopy and gastroscopy and a breast clinic referral so I’m used to the 2WW anxiety. It’s good they refer quickly. I do wonder if coming off HRT would be best. I don’t have any symptoms of menopause so it’s either well controlled or not there anyway.

I had all this a few years ago. It all came back clear. Every springtime I have mild period symptoms and the odd show. Dh jokes that I'm a chicken and am coming back into the spring lay. I just ignore it now. If it was going to be anything it'd get worse and it just doesn't. I can't stand dealing with hospitals anyway.

I did that dance but decided to stay on the HRT as I feel it has many benefits we can’t see.
I did a fair bit of research and it’s very much a personal choice.
The problem is with women’s health is that it’s not joined up. Last time I went for an internal scan they said we can’t see your left ovary due to your bowel.
I explained I have Endo there as well, it’s irritated and swollen but they told me to get a referral via my GP about my bowel.
I was so glad when menopause came as the end of Endo periods but I’m still in pain. It’s not as bad as it was but I was assured it would just go.
Not so.
I hope you get on okay one thing I have learned is that worrying makes the whole thing worse.

They can never see my left ovary either and that’s where my endo was seen on laparoscopy. Obscured by bowel gas or something or scans.

Snap!

I had very similar, I’d been on the mini pill so was never sure I was post menopausal but had a hysteroscopy & consultant confirmed I was definitely post menopausal. I’d been on continuous HRT for 3 years by then, 2 pumps of gel & 100mg utrogestan. The consultant said to come off the mini pill (I was 53 at that point) & up my dose of utrogestan to 200mg - the bleeding stopped & it’s all been fine since.

I’ve been investigated for unusual, albeit peri bleeding lately. There’s a good recent episode of Louise Newson’s Balance podcast on this which I found helpful and reassuring.

I’ll watch that podcast later, thank you. I was dreaming about my appointment just before I woke up. Normal for me period pain since about 5am today. Still just brown discharge. I hope the GP visit is reassuring.

I’ve been investigated twice for post menopausal bleeding. What the gynaecologist told me is this up to 2 years post menopause your can still be experiencing hormonal surges which can result in the bleeding. I’ve never had bleeding since unless changing HRT

Thanks for this.

Good luck today @Pinklightning

Thank you.

The podcast is very reassuring so thank you for posting about it. I’m a worrier anyway so would worry regardless but the sore boobs, irritability, need to pee more often and typical period pain is very reassuring. I’ve recently increased my adhd medication dose and was told it wouldn’t work for the week before and week of my period if I still had periods. I said I didn’t but interestingly the medication has felt very ineffective the past 10 days now which again leads me to think my own hormones are at play.

The GP has taken blood to check hormone levels and depending on the results will tweak either the progesterone or oestrogen of my HRT. I’m seeing her again next week for the results and to discuss what to change. She says it’s usually a case of hormones not being balanced optimally when all tests have come back clear.
phew!

Great news @Pinklightning