a few q's about copper coil, bleeding and menopause.

[MikeLitoris]

Not for me, for MIL.

She is 54. a few months ago (6-7, maybe more) she told us she thought she had cancer as she had been getting strange pains in her lower abdo. she went to gp and it turned out she still had the copper coil in. it had been in there 20+ years. she had a scan and had it removed.

afaik she had no problems after, pain went away, it hasn't been discussed since.

last night she again tells us she thinks she has cancer, she has had a few 'bleeds'. not quite period like apparently, they are lighter.

she doesn't know if she has been through the menopause, she assumes so as she didn't have a period for 8 years until now, but could the no period be because of the coil? and now its out she is getting them back/going through meno?

she had a smear yesterday and is waiting for a scan and to see a gynecologist.

I've never had the coil so have no idea how it affects bleeding etc.

Can't shed light on all your MILs issues, but have a couple of points. My DD had the copper coil for a while, made her periods very heavy and painful. It doesn't stop them as it has no hormones in unlike the Mirena. Chances are she's had her menopause if it's been 8 years.

I recently took DHs aunt (70ish?) to a hospital appointment. She'd been experiencing some light bleeding and assumed the worst. We were told that the lack of oestrogen had caused dryness and there was also some granulation, which would be the cause of the bleeding. They had a poke around with something that looked like skewers dipped in silver(?!) and gave her some oestrogen cream to use with an applicator and she's been fine ever since.

Fingers crossed it's something like that.

I'll let mil know about that married. Thank you. hopefully it will give her a small bit of reassurance until her appt.