Post menopausal bleed.

[twiddlingthumbs69]

Has anybody experienced this? I’m 20 years post and started very light bleeding yesterday.

Ive got a GP appointment in the morning but I’m worried they are going to try and do an internal.

Its so painful I simply can’t tolerate it, even with the heavy breathing, thinking of England etc 😂.

so, just wondering if anyone else has had this, what was it, what happened (I’m assuming they’ll refer).

im not on HRT etc so cant point it to that

anyway, any advice would be much appreciated

I hope you don't mind me sharing my story.
I noticed a tiny amount of post menopausal bleeding in the early summer. (I am about 15 years beyond menopause)My GP did a blood test which showed my cancer markers for ovarian cancer were raised and referred me. I had an external and internal ultrasound which showed some abnormalities so had a hysteroscopy a few weeks later. They took a biopsy at the same time. The doctor who did it, an oncologist, told me she was convinced I had cancer and booked me in for MRI and CT scans so we'd have the results at the same time as the biopsy came back. Three weeks later I got all the results - li and behold, all were clear for cancer and pre cancer. I then had a further hysteroscopy to scrape the lining of my womb and some of the tissue was sent for further test, again all clear. I realise that my outcome may be different to yours, but I definitely understand the worry whilst waiting for results - I had been convinced for several weeks that I had cancer and was already going through all the possible scenarios in my head. I hope you hear quickly and that the results are in your favour. 💐

@oneoffname thank you so much for sharing. So glad it was ok for you.
hopefully I’ll be the same.
it seems so cruel to tell you news that worries you and then leave you hanging for weeks but I suppose they have too.
its the waiting that’s the worse part. I’d rather know right now rather than trying to fill in the blanks.
ive not had a good day today. A year ago i had a nervous breakdown due to a sudden bereavement in the family and this has triggered me again.
i just have to keep reminding myself that every moment that passes is a closer to knowing.

No advice but 🤞for you. Agree the waiting is the worst just try to keep busy in the meantime and don’t google

@twiddlingthumbs69 My boss gave me some really good advice on the day that the hospital started to phone me, "Don't worry about the stuff you cannot change, ie that you have cancer, focus on what you can do once it is removed." This is a chap who had a really serious accident three years ago and has had 11 ops since then. So this is what I am doing... this weekend, I will be packing my case, I have stocked up my fridge (I live on my own) and I am clearing the floors of all of those things that I have left in piles to be put away when I have a moment. I have also ordered some projects that I can do when I am in hospital, I knit and sew, and will be taking them with me, as well as this, I have bought myself a new Amazon Fire and have downloaded a bunch of books on that.

This makes me feel that I am at least in charge of something and at my last appointment with the surgical team I made it very clear about the language I want used... no " we are going to make a little cut..." but rather "we are going to make five incisions, run dye through your L Pelvic nodes to see if it has travelled and then remove them along with..." For me, that makes it easier to cope with, and morbid as it might seem I have had conversations with my nominated next of kin... much easier to do this when you are fairly well than later.

Then once I have my results, I can plan about what I do next, but I will not worry about that until I get them, this is an elephant and I am eating it one bite at a time albeit that I am currently nibbling at the edges.

You are an absolute champion!

Ahhh op sending you hugs, if it makes you feel a little less stressed keep posting on here...🥰

My mum had ovarian cancer. She didn't have any bleeding she was bloated and had indigestion and uti like symptoms.
I had multiple benign cysts on my ovaries and had random bleeding

I had a PMB and an abnormal scan so put on the 2 week wait pathway for hysteroscopy and biopsy. Like you, I found the waiting very stressful. A woman on the MacMillan cancer forum was so helpful and told me to ring up for results rather than waiting for a letter. This was a huge help and I would recommend.

I’ve been doing a lot of research into this as it’s how I deal with stress and worry, it makes me feel more in control.
It seems very likely that my mass could be a oestrogen producing tumor. Either an adult granular tumor of thecoma.
I am not medically trained and I know Google isn’t a good idea but the timeline of my symptoms fit exactly and make perfect sense even down to the Doppler activity on the ultrasound.
of course, whatever it is needs to come out but I do feel more in control now that I have an idea what it is.
this is my layman’s findings:
either of those tumors produce oestrogen after menopause.
they are most prevalent from 60 onwards
as the release oestrogen they wake up your uterus which causes the lining to thicken. This then causes a clear discharge for a few days before the lining starts to shed, thus causing bleeding
of course, these two things could be unrelated entirely but I’m hanging on to this theory.
i just thought I’d share but with the caveat that I have no professional medical knowledge.
i have an MRI at 4pm tomorrow and unfortunately the gynaecologist MDT is on Tuesday morning so chances are my case won’t be ready in time for that, meaning I’ll have to wait a week

Try not to overthink. But that does make sense especially with your timeline etc

@twiddlingthumbs69 how are you? 🩷

@Eggybreadwithnuts hi, thanks for asking. Not great really. I managed to speak to someone at the hospital yesterday and was told my mri report wasn’t back and hadn’t been included in Tuesdays MDT meeting. That means it won’t get looked at until next Tuesday now and then, I presume, I’ll get an appointment date after that, which will probably be the following week. I’d be quite happy with them to tell me results over the phone but I doubt they’ll do that. So it’s waiting again! I’m trying really hard to carry on as normal but everything’s being overshadowed by this. Today I’m not googling anything, think I’ve exhausted the internet. Thank you so much for checking in ❤️

Bless you. Just a thought, why not give your GP a call to see if they could push results or at least push for an early appt post results....express how anxious you are. They CAN do this.

If Im right you havent seen a consultant yet??? If Ive got that wrong...definitely get in touch with their secretary and do above...they CAN do this and CAN get you an early appt.

Deep breathes, try not to overthink...read back over some of the earlier positice comments on yr post...🩷

Yes I’ve had this.

I attended the appointment within two weeks and they did an ultrasound scan, an internal and took a sample from my uterus lining. I then had a MRI.They found a mass on my right ovary. I had surgery to remove the tumour plus a full hysterectomy and removal of omentum. It was a grade 1c cancer, a granulosa cell tumour.

This was 13 years ago and I’m completely fine.

@Eggybreadwithnuts I did try and get some help from the GP yesterday, saying how anxious I was etc and was met with a brick wall. They said they can’t access the hospital reports and told me to ring the hospital, which I’d already told them I’d done. So helpful 😡
I did see the consultant on my first appointment who did the trans bag and biopsy. It was she who told me I had the mass. As I say, I felt blindsided by that and quite honestly rushed as it was the end of the day.
It all just shit, quite frankly. I feel that it’s my body, my right to know, someone has got the answers and they’re not telling me.
i know that’s not strictly true and there’s a process to follow but still ….

@Booomerrranger that’s so interesting. This is my working theory that’s it’s that tumour. It seems the most likely after menopause as it produces oestrogen.
can I ask, was your lining thick as well with cysts on the other ovary and did you have other symptoms apart from the bleeding?

Yes I had a thickened lining but no other symptoms. It’s the thickened lining that causes the bleeding.

Do keep in touch. If it turns out to be a granulosa cell tumour, I can put you in touch with lots of research and support.

@Booomerrranger thank you ❤️

Just an update. I received a letter today from consultant to my GP, obviously dictated before the MRI and bloods/biopsy were back. This is part of what it said:

endometrial thickness of 5.2mm with fluid in the cavity, about 11.4mm, likely bladder in origin. It also shows a left adnexal mass, solid in nature, about 2.5cm in size, with irregular septations. The ovary cannot be seen separately from that. Right ovary is multi cystic origin, about 36 x 33 x 25mm, ORADS 4-5.

Im now completely freaked out. Really don’t like the Orad score!

so, that’s a nice thing to read on a Friday evening!!!!

Are you on the 2 week urgent referral suspected cancer pathway?

@fluffythecat1 yes I am x

That’s really good. They do move things on quickly in that case, although I understand what you are saying about missing the Tuesday weekly meeting. It’s frustrating having to wait, I felt exactly the same when on the same pathway, however they need to follow due process in order to not overlook anything which could have ramifications further down the line. I’m sorry that it looks concerning, I found keeping busy helped my mental health when I was waiting. If it is malignant, there is a great deal that they can do.

Pleased you have the letter but try not to overthink. I would most definitely ring the consultants secretary Monday...mist work part time so try early morning. If you dont know name ting the switchboard and ask for Dr X's secretary's name and ext no. Asked to be put through...if no answer most have an answer phone, so leave a message with your hospital number...will be on that letter.

Say you really need an appt raising now can she speak to consultant and get one in the diary urgently...you're going put your mind and cant function. The secretary is the one you need to speak to. They CAN raise this and get you an appt sooner than later.

At least then you can focus a little better knowing you have this appt.🩷