Very dark brown discharge mid cycle.

[HAsucks]

Hi,

I've always had gyne type problems, mainly with very heavy periods, cysts etc.

This isn't the first time I've had this discharge and it's been investigated and always been explained as hormonal.

It doesn't happen every month, but when it does, it's really quite bad and seems to be getting worse. The pattern seems to be, I get really bad ovulation pains, then I get 2 -4 days of this. Either just a bit of spotting, nothing at all or like it has been this month, loads of really dark brown discharge, which is almost like a mini period. I know the discharge is old blood. It's still really alarming.

I suppose the reason I'm posting is when do I just accept this is just me? The waiting for hospital appointments, scans, blood tests etc, really takes it out of me and I suffer with anxiety anyway. I suspect I have health anxiety too, hence the NC. Do I need to go to the doctor's because it's got a bit worse or has it already been explained with it being hormonal?

I've had so much stress recently and this just seemed to tip me over the edge a bit.

I'm getting married soon and the idea that I'm going to be spending time waiting for appointments and then the dreaded results in the run up, leaves me feeling sick. I just want to enjoy the remaining preparations and not be full of even more anxiety.

Any advice?

Thanks for reading.

Hopeful bump.

Have you ever been given a definitive diagnosis re the heavy periods and cysts?. How has this been investigated to date?

Any pains that are cyclical in nature and/or get worse up to and including menses should be checked to see if endometriosis is the root cause. It can also cause heavy bleeding to arise.

Has anyone ever mentioned endometriosis as a possible cause of all this; the "brown" blood made me think of this (it was a symptom of endometriosis in my case too).

Thanks for replying, Attila.

I've mentioned that before, but all I'm told is that it's so difficult to diagnose.

Never been given a diagnosis of anything. They just say it's who I am, suggest I go on the pill, which I decline and that's it...until it starts flaring up again, I go to the doctor's to be offered the pill and round and round we go.

Oh and I've had external and internal scans. Last one was a year ago and they couldn't see anything.

No its not who you are. Something physical is causing all this.

Both types of scans you mention would not detect endometriosis if it was there because these deposits are so very small (and I have had more internal scans than I care to mention!).

I would ask for a referral to a gynaecologist if you are not already under the care of such a person. You could well go on like this for a long time otherwise (many GPs are really not up to speed at all on such issues).

Thanks. I have an appointment on Monday, but they'll no doubt just suggest I have another scan.

If I ask for a referral to a gynecologist, is it likely they'll just do it?

I have this. At first I thought it was just spotting or an irregular bleed, then I realised it was a period.

I also found out during a transvaginal scan for something else that I have a uterine fibroid. Uterine fibroids cause irregular bleeding/periods but they're not sinister. It might just be your oestrogen levels are out of balance.

Try not to worry OP. And remember, if you're not happy with your GP, it's your right to keep pushing until you find out what's going on with you. Insist on seeing a gynaecologist.

Stella, thanks. The more I research fibroids, the more I'm wondering. It does seem to fit with a lot of my symptoms.

I'm not sure if this is a period or not. Normally my periods are around 5 days and I usually have 2 or 3 days which are incredibly heavy. Heavy as in I use the super plus extra tampons, with a pad and I'm needing to change every 20 minutes. Fun.

I actually thought it had stopped yesterday, but then just before I went to bed last night, I got loads more.

Can you check your oestrogen levels in a normal blood test?