Bleeding after sex, really worried, just want to eat cake.

[ClaireDeLoon]

I wonder if anyone can help/has had similar/say anything soothing at all.

For the last two months I have had bleeding after sex, quite heavy bleeding (not period heavy but more than spotting) and a mix of red and brown blood. Last cycle it was one bleed that lasted 4 days, right in the middle of my cycle. This month it happened a day or so after sex again the middle of my cycle.

So I went to the doctors he has booked me in with the nurse this Friday for I think smear and swabs and also him to do a quick internal examination. He said not to have sex again because if I'm bleeding it won't work. Except we did on Saturday night and I started bleeding again yesterday.

I googled mid cycle bleeding and bleeding after sex and I've got myself really worried. I know its a case of doing the right thing getting it checked out but I really am scared.

Two things really worry - the swabs I assume are to check for some sort of STD what if I have had an STD for years and it has ruined my reproductive system? There is one STD that can do that isn't there? We're ttc number one and have been for 21 months so this worries me.

Secondly what if it is more serious, I mean really serious

At lunchtime I consoled myself with a comfort shop in L'Occitane and now I think a cupcake with lots of frosting may cheer me up.

Actually I just feel better for typing all that out.

Hope the cake helps
Firstly, don't google! You'll end up diagnosing yourself with a horrific form of cancer
secondly, you did the right thing going to get it checked out, The swab will show several things and it might have nothing to do with STIs as swabs check for other things too (infections etc)
Thirdly, if you're really concerned about TTC, then either hold off until this is sorted out (if you do need any medication some can't be taken if you're pregnant for example) and chat again to your gp about this aspect of your concerns.
All the best.

Thank you Frank, we will hold off ttc for a while I think you're right with that advice.

Shineon - not sure what a cervical erosion is - I'm up to date with my smear last one was about 18 months ago maybe less.

hmmm OK thanks shineon, I don't like the sound of that at all will it always be like that?

cervical erosions are just like little cuts ont he cervix that dont heal because its nice a damp there normally come around because of hormonal imbalance will pregnancy or the pill. Are you taking anthing extra t help you consieve?
I have had these before and they just lazer them off at an out patients appointment. It could be something as simple as that, and if it is, should be easy to spot. HTH

The term erosion is very misleading - it isn't an eroded or worn away part at all.
It is also known as an ectropian or ectropion.
These are both fancy words for describing the area of your cervix which is made from delicate, mucus producing cells which line the endocervical canal (where the sperm swim up into the uterine cavity).
At puberty, the cervix increases in volume under the influence of oestrogen. This has the effect of making the endocervix evert (turn outwards) onto the ectocervix. Imagine doing a trout pout! This means that the really delicate cells are exposed to the acidic environment of the vagina. The body tries to protect these cells by covering them in squamous cells (like your skin on your arm and the rest of the vagina) which are designed for more 'robust' day to day activity. The use of external hormones can sometimes exaggerate this effect.
Not all of the delicate cells get completely covered up, and this area also has a lot of blood vessels going to it, so this can look like it has 'eroded'. Because the new layer of skin - called the transformation zone is quite thin in places, it can bleed easily and is also susceptible to infection, inflammation...
So all of this means that if the area has got irritated it can bleed quite readily.
The GP/surgery are doing all the right things, think of it as an MOT for your fanjo!
Sometimes you can help cautery or cryocautery to help the area heal over and 'toughen up'.
Hope they help you sort it out.

Thank you Bella and Lisa. Can I just ask would this cause 'old blood'? Yesterdays bleeding which has continued through to today is very much old blood, the brown stuff that seems a bit clotty at times. Sorry that is a very yucky description but would really appreciate your thoughts.

Thank you Mutt - the doctor mentioned polyps. I just want to know now so I can stop fretting.

well yes can cause old blood. I have another appointment for mine next week, will let you know how it goes. Be sure to keep us updated

I'm still bleeding - it is

I had this, was a polyp and an erosion. Was treated under a general, op took ten minutes.

Please don't worry, it sounds easily treatable.

Claire, don't worry, I've had an ectropion, which is what is sounds like you have, and it's nothing very serious.

I actually, somehow, managed to heal myself. I'm afraid I have no idea how I managed it but so I can't give you a quick fix solution but I can offer a sympathetic ear.

It aint nice, I know, but it'll be dealt with easily hopefully.

Enjoy your cake Luv.

Thankl you for the positive words, it is helping lots only a few days left now until my appointment!

Been to see the doctor/nurse and she did swabs, she could see a small erosion as could the doctor but he has referred me onto a gynae. The doctor could see no obvious problems and didn't think such a small erosion would be causing such bleeding. I have rung my health insurers, got the OK from them and booked in to see the gynae my doctor has referred me to privately so will see him on 26th May. Pleased to be moving things forward so quickly.

I had this a few years ago and I was actually pregnant and miscarrying very slowly.

Only bled after sex and had done preganncy test which ahd come back negative so went to docs and she did one and it was positive and was sent straight to hospital to get HCG levels monitored -had to get bloods taken every couple of days to measure the levels to make sure it wasnt a viable pregnancy.

Finally levels plateaued and then started falling and finally a negative pregnancy test finalised the miscarriage.

Whole process took a couple of weeks which wasnt fun obviously.

You may just want your gp to take a pregancy test if she hasnt done so already.

Hope it is something simple for you.

Tullytoo I'm very sorry that sounds awful for you.

I'm not pregnant - I have had my periods (and normal length/heaviness etc). We're actively ttc, I haven't tested in a while but I really don;t think I am - also the first thing the doctor did a week ago was check my tummy - I assumed that was to rule out pregnancy?

i also used to bleed after/during sex and was found to have an erosion - it was removed by cauterising - simple and quick

tullytwo - how awful for you x

Just to update my thread, been to see the consultant today, he did a smear, says my cervix looks healthy and the erosion my GP could see is so small he would class it as normal, so unlikely to be the issue. Booked in for a scan next Tuesday, and then likely a hysteroscopy he thinks, to either deal with what the scan found or to look further.

I had this 6 months ago - was a UTI. Apparently it can cause inflammation in the general area. Bleeding stopped after antibiotics

I did have to take a wee sample down today so I guess if it is that they'll know pretty soon, plus the GP did some swabs to test for infection and also chlamydia, that was over a week ago and they were going to ring me if anything came back, they haven't so I assume that is fine.

At the moment polyps are being mentioned, both my GP and the consultant today mentioned this as a possibility. Hopefully my scan will give some idea, and the smear test results are due back in two weeks.

One thing that really shocked me - I had a clear smear test about 18 months ago and I asked him how likely it was that problems could have developed in the meantime and he said smear tests aim to be 85 - 90% accurate. I was shocked, I had assumed they would be more accurate than that.

They aren't 100% accurate. No screening test is 100%.
With cervical screening this can be for several reasons:
Not all of the abnormal cells on a cervix might be sampled, particularly if it is a small area.
Some abnormalities can develop quickly.
The abnormal cells may not seen or misinterpreted by the screening staff.
Each slide contains thousands of cells which are looked at under microscope by a screener, somtimes only 1 or 2 abnormal cells out of 30,000.
Even with the best training and most experience, unfortunately mistakes do happen - this is why all slides have a QC - quality control check, why we have EQA, a 6 monthly check with external slides. Our work is monitored on a weekly, monthly, quarterly basis so any potential problem can be identified earlier and dealt with.
I don't want you to think this means there are constant errors - quite the opposite but we have to have systems in place.
Interpreting the cells can be quite subjective, it's like shades of grey sometimes.
All the quality checks, training and standards we have to meet mean the NHS programme is seem as one of the best run in the world.
The BMJ has some useful information about screening programmes which explains why they aren't 100% accurate.

Thanks Bella - that all makes sense. The consultant thought that if this smear came back clear too (after a clear smear about 18 months ago) then we don't need to worry about it being that.

Time for a real moan, I have completely gone off sex, but haven't ISWIM. I have gone off it because of the after effects. Last time we had sex was two weeks ago, after which I bled for six days. It has really put me off sex, but at the same time I really want it and miss it