Post menopausal Bleeding

[RockinHippy]

It won't let me name change

No periods for a few years now, so definitely post menopause ...

Pain is quite severe, I was fine until I emptied my bladder the next morning & noticed bloody slime in the water. The pain has built up from there to the point where I feel quite sick with it, I have low back ache too, but both back & front pain seem lower than I remember period pain to be. I also have low left side sharper groin pain. Bleeding is like a light period & brighter red. I have bathed etc & it's still going.

I have had this sharp pain at odd times over recent years to, but it's been put down to other health problems - of which I have a list

TMI I was previously so dry that my skin would tear easily - tear a lot, so sex has been off the menu for a long while, but I had to stop taking a BP/Kidney drug (causing heart racing) & realised it was the cause of the severe dryness, which has improved massively, sex wasn't uncomfortable at all - but I'm in agony now, this is all different from my usual symptoms.

I will see my GP on Monday, but they aren't usually fast to act & usually need prompting, so I'm hoping for advice on what I need next as Im finding this very worrying & I'm generally not a worrier at all

Thank you for reading

Sorry :(

Your GP should refer you for an urgent scan and that's usually within 2 weeks.

If you have had bad vaginal dryness for years then sometimes this can cause a bloody discharge due to the chafing that happens internally- even with no sex.

In any case, if it's nothing serious you must ask for vaginal oestrogen if it's caused by dryness- though from what you say you don't have that?

How old are you? If you are young then a big gap in periods is not so serious but if you are 50+ and have gone through the menopause ( did you have all the other symptoms??) it needs investigating.

I had bleeding in my low-mid 50s and GP took it too seriously according to the A&E Dr . But my pain was normal period pain.
I had it happen again and was referred for a scan on a full bladder .
My left ovary was obscured by my Cone biopsy from 20 years earlier healing wonky so was admitted to hospital for a Hysteroscopy. Nothing was found and was thought to be caused by my HRT 'breakthroughs' which are quite common apparently.

Good luck tomorrow at GP's.

This is one of those conditions where GPs are pretty much 'obliged' to follow guidelines. Bleeding 12 months after a period ( if aged 50+ and menopausal) = scan within 2 weeks.

The scan is usually always transvaginal- this gives a better picture and means no need for full bladder. It takes about 5-10 minutes and is less painful than a smear.

OP- even if your GP does not suggest a scan you must ask for one.

I have been told categorically by my GP that if there is any bleeding (ie post menopause) then I must go and see them. Hope they sort it for you.

Urgent scan. It could be a mass of ovarian cysts, or at the extreme end, ovarian/uterine cancer which would quite possibly warrant a hysterectomy. Or it could be a cervical issue.

If your GP fobs you off or puts you on a long waiting list, then go to A&E as you'll get a scan there and then. If its nothing you'll have peace of mind, if its something you'll have keyhole surgery pretty quickly. Recovery is fast.

Your GP can't fob you off; s/he must refer you to be seen by gynae within 2 weeks. Less than 10% of pmb is caused by cancer. Lots of benign things could be causing this. Good luck.

Thanks everyone, apologies for not replying sooner, but it's been a bit if a roller coaster of a few days

As far as fobbing off goes, my GP is always very nice about things, though hasn't actually managed to diagnose anything correctly for either DD or myself & after a few years of her refusing referral request & my pushing & my being right, she now she has a bit of a habit of agreeing to anything - & then doing nothing about it, I have to chase & chase referrals - like I say, she's nice, but hardly efficient & it's hard work & I would gladly change if there was somewhere else to go, but after her messing, I've learnt to be insistent & follow up by ringing the secretary & make sure it's been done, which seems to be working, but isn't always fast.

I rang 111 after posting & seeing a few of your replies, the pain was getting worse anyway - the doctor that rang me back from there was great, listened well & said he wanted me to go to OOH instead of A&E as A&E were very busy & I didn't sound well enough to sit wait long.

Waste of time that was, the doctor I got just wasn't useless, wasn't listening, didn't check anything at all until DH made a fuss, she then took a urine sample - despite my insisting that it was an infection as it felt very different - long story short, I came away with antibiotics, even though the dipstick White cell level was barely past normal range - she made a big deal of showing me the amount of blood the dipstick showed in my urine - no shit Sherlock - I was seeing beetroot juice & after years of kidney trouble, I know that doesn't mean infection anyway

I couldn't get an appointment with my GP today, so I decided to go to my local GUM clinic - I rang them first to make sure they would be able to help, they were fantastic, gave me an appointment & after ruling out all infections - I have been fast tracked through the system & passed over the hospital gynaecology department, where I have been all day - poked, prodded, scanned & biopsied - they were looking for cancer, but thankfully they really don't think I have that, though the biopsy results will rule it out completely

Verdict is - I have large fibroids which have haemorrhaged & I'm now back at home, still suffering, but I will get a letter in the next few days that will be for an Op to sort it out & I will be in & out within the next few weeks - still feeling a bit she'll shocked TBH, so heat pads, codeine & an early night for me

Thanks again for giving me the push & the confidence not to listen to the OOH Dr

That should have read - insisting it WASNT an infection

Well done, OP, wishing you a speedy recovery from the fibroids OP