Thickened cervix

[MostlyLovingLurchers]

Have been diagnosed with this after an ultrasound to find the cause of my heavy periods and am now waiting for a hysteroscopy. Can anyone share any positive experiences of this? I did have a smear only a few months ago which was clear so trying to be positive while i wait for the test, but am struggling. Are there other causes apart from the obvious?

Please help me get a grip. Has anyone had this and it not been cervical cancer?

I'm sorry you are going through this.
Maybe the reason for no replies is I for one have never heard of a thickened cervix- it's not a medical term.

I've had a cervical erosion now called an entropion ( sp?) This is not cancerous and is treated in various ways.

Are you sure that what you were told is the case? Did they not mean a thickened endometrium - uterine lining which can cause heavier bleeding?

There would be no point having a hysteroscopy for your cervix because it is visible with a speculum and they do biopsies and colposcopies for anything odd on cervix.

The hysteroscopy is to look inside your uterus.

Hi there, I'm assuming you mean a thickened endometrium.

I had/ have heavy periods and my endometrium was found to be thickened. I had the biopsy and all was fine. Like you I was out of my mind with worry after consulting Dr Google but try not to panic, Im sure all will be fine.

I thick with post menopausal women the thickened endometrium is more of a concern.

Thanks so much for replying. The gp described my uterus lining as being within normal parameters but it was the cervix that was of unusual thickness. I am confused about why i need a hysteroscopy if it is the neck of the womb that is the problem. I'm not menopausal yet.

Should say i have an anxiety disorder as well, and this has sent me off the scale worry-wise. Other than heavy periods i've not had any other symptoms. The gp worried me quite a lot with his sense of urgency about it. I stupidly had a brief google and scared myself shitless.

I think your GP is wrong. They often are :(

I have frequent scans for other gynae reasons and I've never ever heard of a thick cervix! The dr who does the scans talks me through what he sees at the time.

It doesn't make sense does it? You can have polyps in the opening of the cervix or inside - but thick?

If you had a smear recently then there is nothing wrong with your cervix. A 'thick cervix' would not cause heavy bleeding anyway.

Is there any way you can phone the secretary of the consultant you are due to see and ask what it's for- or contact the person who did the scan or ask your GP again? I think I'd be making an appt with the GP to discuss and really find out what they scan said. You have a right to see your notes and I think your GP has mis-read.

Thank you Jaffa. That's 3 of you saying similar things, which is reassuring. The consultant who did the trans-vaginal ultrasound said very little, which didn't exactly put my at ease. He did say i had a small cyst on one ovary and one small fibroid, neither of which were of any concern, and that he had to check his measurements. That was it.

When i went for the results the gp was very specific it was the cervix, not the uterine lining that was of concern - i don't understand it either. My smear was only in late October and completely normal.

I think part of my worry is that the gp could offer me no other reason for the result other than cancer. That, plus my anxiety has left me in a very messy place. I'm just about managing to be rational about it when i look at the actual evidence, but then look at my little boy and, well, you know.

I don't know who i'll be seeing yet for the hysteroscopy, but may make an appointment with a different gp at the surgery and go through it again, now i've had a chance to think about what i was told.

I'm really grateful for your responses - it is such early days and hopefully nothing of any concern, so i'm reluctant to talk to any one in rl and cause them worry.

I meant two of you saying similar things!

I had something similar (a long time ago) thickened endometrium - as thick at the thinnest part of the month as it should be at the thickest (does that make sense?!). Biopsy done, no cancer but I agree to have a mirena coil fitted due to the bleeding problems I was having which did indeed sort them out.

I subsequently (and unrelatedly) had abnormal cells (quite advanced) which had gone too far for laser treatment and so I had to have a cone biopsy (where they shave the abnormal cells off you cervix). I don't recall my cervix being "thickened" as a symptom or even that they tested it.

This was all 10 and 20 years ago and I've had no problems since.

Ah. I was wondering if where i was in my cycle made much difference to thickness (i know it affects it but no idea how much). He did ask me when my last period started but not about the length of my cycle, which is currently closer to 3 weeks than 4. Could that explain it ? My uterine lining was thick too, just not abnormally so.

Glad to hear your problems are behind you, Kew. All being well with this i've had the mirena recommended. Not sure though - heard a lot of negative stuff, and i'm not sure i want anyone else going anywhere near my cervix after all this! I'll think about that in due course - i'm suddenly a lot less worried about heavy periods.

Were you having regular smears when the abnormal cells were detected? I thought cervical cancer was slow to progress, which is why i don't understand how they can think i have an issue now when i was clear only 3 months ago.

I heard lots of negative stuff about it too, didn;t really want one fitted but it turned out to be brilliant. Took about 3 months for the erratic spotting to settle down and then it was all plain sailing for years! Its removable so why woulnd;t you give it a try?

Thickness and timing is quite simple - just had a period = thinnest lining, just about ot had a period = thickest lining.

I had regular smears when my (CIN3) changes were detected but its important to remember that even CIN3 changes are cancerous - they just run the risk of being cancerous so wise to remove them. Cervical cancer is indeed generally slow to progress and they were a bit surprised mine got to the state it did so quickly. Either the previous results were wrong (this was about 12 years ago and cervical screening wasn't quite so relaible) or I had some aggressively mutant cells!

Anyway I think cervical cancer isn't in any way linked to thickness of cervix so I think its a red herring.

I read a few sites after posting and it seems that thicker cervixes (cervices?) can be due to clomid and genetics.

even CIN3 changes are NOT cancerous!

I should add that the Mirena coil wasn't specifically advised to reduce heavy bleeding (mine was erratic rather than heavy) but because I wasn't properly shedding the lining of my uterus every month (PCOS) the lining was building up and increased the risk of cancer.

Right. My period started 4 days after my scan so chances are it would be thicker then than he might have expected going on a 28 day cycle, when i wouldn't be due for another week.

Never taken clomid. If it's not too bothersome, do you have the link to the possibility that it could be genetic (don't want to do any more random googling if i can help it)?

My worry about the mirena is that i have terrible pmt that exacerbates my underlying anxiety disorder. The gp reckons no period no pmt so it should improve things on that front as well as sort out the heavy bleeding, but I have heard so much about it making mood swings worse rather than better that i'm quite nervous about trying it. Your right though, i can always have it whipped out if i don't get on with it. I'm due to start therapy to deal with my anxiety soon as well - could do with it now!

This is all reassuring me - thank you.

I'll see if I can find the site where I read it.

www.webanswers.com/health/what-causes-a-thickened-cervix-f51ed7

answer number 2

The usual caveat about medical questions in the internet applies - for all I know the person who answered the question may be a plumber!

But as its being followed up anyway, I think its no bad thing to understand that it could just be the way you are...

Thanks Kew. I've just found another response (couldn't stop myself) saying much the same thing, allegedly from an MD. Said it can be cervical dysplasia and can mean early changes in cell structure, but just as often is genetic variation.

At least now i know that there IS another explanation. I think i just need to regard the hysteroscopy as a way to rule things out as much as to rule them in. I just managed a walk around the village without bursting into tears so i hope a grip is being got at last. It is reassuring as well to hear that even if there is something there it is treatable and i won't necessarily have to have the lot whipped out.

Hi - thought i'd come back with an update (i'm the op but have since nc). Finally seen a gynae - there is nothing cancerous, and other than a few minor things, all i have is a bulky cervix - who knew there was such a thing! So, like you suggested Kew, it is just the way i am.

After months of worry the relief is immense. Thanks all for the help and advice x.

Omg I feel you girl coz my doctor was same. So I been having high lover function feeling tired. I don't take drink or drugs. They put it down to my contraception. But another doctor wanted test me via a scan and more blood test including the ca125.Well I dont really understand but all my blood test are ok. Including my liver function after months os now back to normal. I assume coz I came off the combined pill. The ca125 is also fine. But my scan they saw some thickening on cervix. They used those exact words. They said it can be sign of cervical cancer. I she shocked coz I dont have any signs besides fatigue and peeing alot. I'm not bleeding between periods or after sex, no pain, loss of appetite .She asked if I had smears. I had two and both was Ok. One in spain where I was working in october under private health care. They did the camera too just because that's what private do , and another few months ago in bolton. That was ok too. But She said I need MRI which is making me worry coz normally they do other test first but is like they already assuming the worst. It was just her vibe she was very quiet and it dos not make sense when my bloods and smears are clear. So if is any consulation coz I be going out my mind and crying too. I rang a nurse from cancer research and she said the doctor should not have said this. Also it's very unlikely as my other tests are fine. Thickened cervix can be caused inflammation for other reasons. But she too never said that even when I asked her I was told by the nurse online dont read the internet as it's all negative. And o about have periods soon so I believe it can be normal for the lining to go thicker. Surely my bloods and smears only recent would detected so I'm trying harder now not to worry

Hi there! I was just told my cervix was thickened after an ultrasound and my doctor is already talking hysterectomy. I wanted to see how you were doing after all these years... sounds like you did nothing about yours - is that correct?

Hi iv been told the same by my doctor thickening of my cervix, it so worrying xxxx