Post menopausal bleeding

[Akite]

Woke up today to blood on the sheets. I know it needs to be investigated but what are the 'good' causes of post menopausal bleeding? I'm sure it will be nothing. 😞

Vaginal/endometrial atrophy, polyps, but very often they just don't know! They'll establish that it's not cancer and send you away if there's no obvious cause.

The first stage is to contact your GP - they'll do an exam and refer you for an ultrasound scan. Depending on the findings of that scan they'll either release you back to normal life or refer you for a further examination called a hysteroscopy.

Happy to take a DM if you'd like to talk more fully and ask questions - the process is stressful but on the plus side it all usually happens very quickly.

If it's enough blood to stain the bedding, it's likely to be a very late period which can still happen 2 years after a 'last' period, for no good reason!

Late periods like this are more common in women under 50.

Anything more serious, can be spotting or a thin watery discharge that's bloody.
Even if it is endometrial hyperplasia, there are several types that are benign and are treated with progestogen.

You will /should be seen for a scan within 2 weeks. That will show up anything and they may even do a hysteroscopy at the same time.

I have this and too and am convinced it’s the progesterone component of the HRT

See your GP asap and you should be referred to the hospital on the 2 week pathway for a scan. I had this and it was an ovarian cyst and not sinister.

Gp called me in straight away and did a quick check. She's referred me to gynae on the two week pathway so should hear back in the next couple of days.
Im fairly young for menopause (49 now, 46 when they stopped) so hopefully it's a last gasp from ailing ovaries. Bleeding has stopped again now,

Not heard anything back yet and doc said to call if I hadn't heard by today so I called and they said they won't chase up until it reaches 2 weeks anyway. 🤨

What?! Ring them back and quote the NICE guidelines to them which is to be seen withing two weeks. I had to do it and suddenly they pulled their finger out and I was referred properly.

I checked the guidelines and for women under 55 with post-meno bleeding it only recommends 'considering' an urgent referral so not sure if I would get anywhere. I will try again in a couple of days if I still don't hear. It's a bit crap though!

Really? That's not what I read and I'm not 55 yet I'm only 51. I'll take a look at what I quoted the GP, brb...

God, you're right, they must've done it just to get rid of me as I got so stroppy!

Right, so your GP has reffered you but you're waiting to hear from the hospital? I rang the hospital myself and chased it up and I got an appt that evening. Get on the blower now!

Got my appts through, scan next week but don't see consultant for another couple of weeks after that.

Great news.

I'm my experience they will scan you and decide if you need a hysteroscopy which would have been done on the day if I'd needed one,I didn't need that so they just checked my cervix and took a brief medical history then I saw the consultant about 2 weeks later (I had to chase that up too but was seen almost immediately when I did)

Worth taking someone with you in case you need a hysteroscopy.

Good luck,the majority of cases aren't sinister -dosn't stop the worrying though .

Thanks for the information @MrsPelligrinoPetrichor, you've been very helpful!
i feel better now I have the appointment but it's not a fun time, that's for sure.

It must vary by hospital. I've had 2 scans. First time they told me as they were doing it that everything was fine. I didn't have any follow up appt.

Second time they said they thought it was all OK but they could see something that was possibly nothing but they wanted to get it checked. So they did a hysteroscopy and biopsy there and then. Got results quite quickly by letter that everything was fine.

My only suggestion would be not to walk there as I did, as it was quite uncomfortable walking home after the second one 🥴

I've had similar to @Mooserp - three different occasions of bleeding - two scans were followed by hystos but a third the lining was below the referral threshold so that was the end of it.

Will say my region seems to have very good provision for scans - two of them happened within a couple of days of being referred.

Have you had Covid or a Covid jab recently?
My periods restarted after 5 years without any, a couple of weeks after my Covid booster last year, still going over a year later so I'm both menopausal and having periods😭
My doctor is trying to sort it through medication but did start by getting referred to the 2 week pathway - nothing sinister found.
Fingers crossed yours is nothing sinister too.

Oh good Lord @TempNameChangexx that sucks! No covid or booster here for a while.
@Mooserp the hospital is an hours drive from home so definitely not walking! I will be on my own though, DH has to pick kids up from school so hope that doesn't cause any issues.

That's what I put mine down to too. A friend had the same thing.

It's settled down now, but it's kind of putting me off getting the next booster

Anyone bleeding two years after their final period please go to your GP. I had the merest hint of blood, within days of my COVID jab.
Read it could be due to that but came on here to see what people said and was told to get it checked out.
I was referred within two weeks, and no more bleeding apart from the once. It turned out to be stage 1a cancer. I had a total hysterectomy and am fighting fit a year later.
Chances are it is nothing, but I am eternally grateful for the handful of posters that urged me to check it out.

OP I wish you well, glad it is being investigated throughly.

It's actually a year after your final period,they've changed it now.

@Whateverhappenedtoslik glad you're well now 😊

Post menopausal bleeding is actually quite common - I’ve been to women in their 80s that have called 999 for sudden pv bleeding. you can ask your GP to refer you to a post menopausal bleeding clinic