Handhold if anyone’s around? Scan yesterday at 5pm, GP called this morning

[GiveOverWillYou]

Wondering if anyone has any experience/insights?
Late 40s, on HRT. Cycle usually still rock solid, horrendously heavy, except for last few (2-3) months - spotting, random bleeds, periods when not due. Bit of pelvic discomfort.
Went to GP, but kind of hoped assumed it was the beginning of the end of periods and just the timing going haywire/and to find out how I should be taking progesterone as had previously been on that Day 15-28 and cycle being out of whack meant that that regime was going to be hard to do. GP said she could feel something on the left hand side. Recent CA125 was fine, recent smear was clear ‘but cervix is very red’. My cervix has always defied medical science (that’s another story) so wasn’t unduly worried. They upped progesterone to 200mg daily, put me on the 2 week wait for internal/external US. It’s been 5 weeks 😬but I had the US last night after 5 o’clock. Sonographer was rummaging around for ages (over 30 mins) and made a point of saying the GP will be in touch, but if they aren’t, you must contact them. I know they usually can’t/don’t say much. Told myself that it was good that the tests have been done and that I’d hear in due course, not to worry in the meantime. Then this morning I have had 3 calls from the GP before 10am, which I missed as was in a work meeting with phone off. I called them back and they asked me to come in at noon. So now of course I am absolutely shitting myself, and have self-diagnosed with every gynae cancer going.
Don’t know what I’m asking for really, other than a handhold, and if anyone has had similar happen and it turned out to be something that wasn’t nefarious. I feel lucky that at least I find out what’s going on this morning but the speed at which they’ve followed up is terrifying me 😧Speculation of course, but I can’t help but feel that if this was, I dunno, fibroids, there wouldn’t be this level of urgency this morning

Oh op I have just read all of this for the first time. You are in my thoughts. I have had a couple of health scares this year and the solidarity and advice on here has been unbelievably valuable and meaningful, especially when you aren’t ready to tell people in real life. I have everything crossed that you find out it’s just a big old fibroid. But even if not, and as others have said, treatments have come on so much in recent years. We are all here for you. Try to take each day as it comes and watch some comedy. I know how hard it is xx

Xx

No if it turns out to be a fibroid it may not all need to come out, although if they do have to do a hysterectomy its not the end of the world.

Anyway hopefully you'll have news soon.

Wishing you well op

Thinking of you op and hope you get some proper answers soon. Xx

Thank you all for the handholds, prayers, rooting and good wishes today ❤️❤️❤️

It was good news!!!

🎉🥳🎉🎉🎉🎊🎉👯👯🎉🎉👯🎊

This Bastard Thing (name now official) is a fat, revolting, degenerating fibroid, that is now the size of a canteloupe and rotting in the middle 🤮🤮🤮🤮 and has involved the ovary (which has 2 cysts on it for good measure) and is fucking with my bladder for fun as well. Womb is enlarged (16cm) and there are three other (smaller) fibroids, and another one that is subserosal.

They’re saying it’s too big for keyhole, so it’ll be a full hysterectomy and ovaries and tubes out in January. Instant surgical menopause, NO MORE FUCKING PERIODS!!!!!

Hallelujah!!!

I am so bloody relieved! 🎉🎊🎉🎊🎉🎊

On the way to the appointment I had an unexpected call from the NHS consultant. Her approach was: biopsy (of lining) clear, let’s stick in a Mirena (no explanation), let’s ‘shave’ the subserosal fibroid under local, that ‘should’ help with the monthly haemorrhaging, but might not.

If you’re still having problems ‘after a couple of years’, don’t worry - it shouldn’t last long, cos menopause will happen at some point anyway.

TBT? We’ll just leave that in there 😳😳😳

Honestly, I am not generally one for bashing the NHS but FFS. Couldn’t/wouldn’t discuss any other options at this stage.

DH delighted (but now cowering at the financial implications of my new lease of life -bucket list planning incoming) It’s going to be hard on him - we were told recovery must be taken seriously. I was a bit blase - yeah, yeah - no driving for a month, right? Er, no says the Dr - no being even a passenger for 6 weeks, you can leave the house accompanied after 4 weeks for short walks. .

This sounds a bit extreme to me? I mean, I won’t be weightlifting and building furniture but I’d hope to be able to shuffle around properly after a week or so and be basically functional after 2 at least, surely?! We’ll see. I won’t be silly.

So now DH is concerned that I will be like he old lady from ‘Ello ‘Ello with an ear trumpet and a stick, bashing on walls for attention. No chance - I’m going to treat myself to a bullhorn for Christmas, with which to issue instructions/summon minions

I cannot tell you how grateful I am for all the love and well wishes ❤️❤️❤️ I fucking love Mumsnet ❤️ ‘Nest of vipers’ , ‘Prosecco Stormfront’ indeed 🙄

You people are the best of the best in the world ❤️

Join me in a celebratory Mumsnet Christmas Conga!
👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯

Such fabulous news. So happy for you OP! Enjoy your Christmas!

Amazing news!!!! What a relief!!! Joining in your Christmas conga!!!!

Whoo hoo! Great news!! Enjoy your Christmas and happy new year xx

I’m so happy for you OP. What a relief 🥰🥰🥰🥰
hope you’re having a VERY large glass of wine to celebrate this fabulous news.

ive been following this thread, as my poor dad was diagnosed with cancer a couple of weeks ago. It’s aggressive, and has metastasised already to his bones and lymph nodes. We’re currently awaiting the biopsy results to determine the kind of cancer this is, and if there’s a treatment plan. I’m sorry to hijack your thread but I’m so devastated, I can’t lose him 😔 hoping to hear something tomorrow or Friday.

@GiveOverWillYou dear god!!! That bastard thing sounds horrible!!!! I'm sorry you sre going through this but..... sending you (and hubby) the biggest of hugs x you can get through this x please keep us updated x

@Confusedmum74858 oh lovely I'm sorry to hear this. Sending the biggest of hugs to you and your dadex 🫂❤️🫂🙏💐❤️🫂

Amazing news!! I mean, it sounds horrible and you still have an ordeal to go through, but it's so so much better than your imaginings.

Best wishes to you and your family for a fabulous Christmas.

Effing brilliant news! ETA Joining in the conga now.@GiveOverWillYou

OP that really is amazing! I nearly cried at your conga line, I’ll join you 👯‍♂️👯👯‍♀️👯‍♂️👯👯‍♀️👯‍♂️👯👯‍♀️👯‍♂️👯👯‍♀️. Go you ❤️❤️❤️

So relieved for you!

Aww, thank you so much 🥰

Phew - great news!!!!!

OP, am so relieved for you!! What I was originally going to type that it's best you stay away from Google/ChatGP et al and until a consultant tells you have cancer, it is decidedly likely you do not. And you don't! Brilliant news.

The main thing I wanted to share is that I had breast cancer and am not allowed HRT. I don't know if they're going to let you continue taking it - I really don't think there is a reason for you not to - but if you are told no HRT/you don't want to continue, please do ask your GP or gynae consultant about a referral to the menopause clinic as they can prescribe a light anti-depressant that while help with hot flushes and keep your mood stable. I say this from experience as HRT was amazing for both these things and 20mg of fluoxetine has really helped with these symptoms. I tapered off HRT as quickly as I could and started on the A-D so by the time I had my first surgery, the side-effects of the AD were no longer a thing.

Also, while I did not have a hysterectomy, I did have a keyhole salpingo-oophorectomy. I naively thought it would be an easier recovery than both my mastectomies but gosh, it was so much harder. (Although to be fair, I spent all of last Christmas recovering on the sofa which was a step up from the Christmas before where I spent it on the bathroom floor post-chemo infusion). I just wanted to flag the recovery so you're not taken by surprise. I think it took me a few months before I was back to lifting v. light weights again.

Anyway, wishing you well - am just so thrilled it's not cancer 💐

Yaaaaaaaaas! Result!

@GiveOverWillYou So happy to hear!!Great news right before Christmas 🎄. I was a bit confused though. Will you get a hysterectomy or are they going to let it get worse? I was thrilled to have mine. My blood count would drop half of normal and I would have to go into the ER for blood transfusions. No more periods is great but no cancer is just so wonderful I have no words 😍.

Great news!

That’s great news OP!!

What is scary is the NHS’s plan of action. Makes me grateful that I have private health insurance…

Such good news! I’ve been thinking of you and so pleased that it is benign x

Oh my goodness what wonderful news, I feel all teary on your behalf.

I would set your expectations for recovery times in the gutter and be pleasantly surprised for anything slightly better. I've recently seen two people go through surgeries that sounded like they surely couldn't be that bad recovery-wise but ended up feeling floored for weeks. But who cares how long it takes, you will recover which is truly a gift.