Post-menopausal bleeding

[NotUnlessSpermCanGetThroughASashWindow]

I know this has probably been done to death, but most of my searches came up with ladies who are on HRT.
I'm not on HRT. No particular reason, I'm not against it, I was considering it, had friends who were having trouble with various shortages, wasn't feeling too bad, couldn't really be arsed with the potential tweaking, hard to get a GP appointment etc..
I'm 54 (nearly 55). My last period was January 2022, so 20 months ago when the tap just switched off.

Last week I had REALLY sore nipples, just like I used to before my periods back in the day, and then this morning I got to work and found I was bleeding. (Luckily my work have emergency sanitary items in the toilets). It's not light bleeding, it's fairly heavy, although that might be from the perspective of someone who hasn't had a period in nearly 2 years - I've been through 5 super tampons today.
I know post-menopausal bleeding needs to be checked out and I have sent a e-consult request to my GP, but could it be my ovaries launching a last hurrah?(Because of the sore nipples I think it might be an oestrogen surge).
Wondering if anyone else has had the same and all has been OK?

I am 55 and have also never been on HRT not had a period for 18 months now have had one for 6 days saw GP today who couldn’t perform a smear due to bleeding still so is referring me for ultrasound i am very worried has anyone been through this?

I am in exactly the same position as this never on hrt no period for 18 months ive been bleeding for 7 days heavy at first and now spotting as you can tell by the time im not sleeping im so scared been urgently referred for ultrasound.

I had post menopausal bleeding at age 59. My menopause was at age 55. I was fobbed off several times by different GPs, who said it was vaginal atrophy. I was prescribed Vagifem. I queried whether I could use it, as I have a blood clotting disorder. The GP asked a consultant at the hospital, who informed them that post menopausal bleeding is an automatic two week cancer referral. I went along, carefree to my appointment, still believing it was vaginal atrophy. I had a scan which showed a large mass on my left ovary.

i was referred for surgery and three weeks later I had a 10cm x 6cm ovarian malignant tumour removed, along with all my reproductive organs and omentum.

This was ten years ago and I am cancer free. Ladies, never ignore post menopausal bleeding and don’t be fobbed off like I was. It felt like it was lucky that I was actually referred.

I had a post menopausal bleed three years ago, checked out under two week cancer referral and had biopsy taken all normal, unexplained last hurrah. Two years on I’m in the same position , bee on hrt for a year and now had two bleeds also with very sore nipples just before, been waiting 6 weeks for my appointment (2 week referral seems to be a thing of the past) also really scared

Having to wait 6 weeks is awful i was only referred on Friday and im in a mess now! I have a smear test on Friday but i hope im not waiting as long as you have im thinking of you x

I’ve just phoned to find out where I am on the waiting list and they’re currently working at 20 weeks! Absolutely gutted how could things have got so bad in space of 3 years (Scotland), 5 months basically for a cancel referral

That's awful. I'm in Lothian and the wait is 2-3 weeks (I'm a semi retired GP and referred someone early October and she had her scan and back to see me within 4 weeks) Do check you've been referred under the PMB pathway not just an urgent ultrasound which takes ages. I've also been through this twice myself. 99% of the time it's nothing but the poster who had an ovarian mass should have been referred urgently.

Thanks for the reassurance my doctor is on holiday till 29th so reception have put me in for a call then, thanks for the reassurance I’ve had really sore boobs and the two bleeds have been 28 days apart, also had a migraine today which is usually hormones with me so think it is just another resurgence rather than anything sinister but would be good to have it checked out quickly just in case

Just checked with clinic again and definitely been referred as urgent under PMB pathway

Thought I would update as I didn't realise there had been further posts.
I am very lucky to have private healthcare through work, so my GP referred me and I had a full set of blood tests and an abdominal and transvaginal ultrasound. (Apparently the 2 week pathway would actually have been at least 3 weeks just for ultrasound on the NHS.)

CA125 marker was within normal limits, so that was a relief, but I do have a thickened endometrium (6mm) but no polyps, a 3cm cyst on one ovary and a 6cm cyst on the other. The consultant said that ordinarily she would recommend surgery for a 6cm cyst but wants to wait and see if the other one gets any larger, as obviously one surgery is better than 2. Apparently they can disappear on their own too.

I will need a further ultrasound in January to check whether the endometrium lining has reduced and check the size of the cysts. If the lining is still thick, I will need a hysteroscopy for biopsy, and if the cysts have increased in size, there is the surgical option for removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes.

No further bleeding, and the cysts are apparently 'simple' with no worrying features, so watchful waiting for now.

@NotUnlessSpermCanGetThroughASashWindow That's a promising update.

I just thought I'd let you know that I had watchful waiting on a cyst. it was only 3cms. Evidently the cut off point for watching is usually 5cms, but they can see so much now with good ultrasound (and a good dr!) that they tend to leave alone.

Mine took 2 years to disappear (I was about your age ) and I had it scanned every 4 months (privately.)

Hi all- no period 18 months on HRT no problems at all….
had severe pain in pubic area on 29th and 30th December sent to hospital by gp and nothing getting rid off it. No bleeding then but a HUGE gush flood all over kitchen floor day 2! Bleeding lightened but continued for a few days. Still aching after bleeding stop and that has continued. Scan & transvaginal scan next day showed thickening of 12mm. Gynae urgent appointment registrar tried to do biopsy during exam but agreed to refer for urgent hysteroscopy and biopsy.
went for this on Wednesday. Advanced nurse practitioner I think. Did procedure and said “all looks fine no need for biopsy”. Said was probably a “rogue egg” so rogue period???
never heard of this and pretty sure with that thickness should have had a biopsy???
Anyone had similar?? Thanks Melxx

Update - I had a further scan at the end of February and am now booked in to have my ovaries and fallopian tubes removed next month as both cysts have grown, and it's either continue to watch them get larger, or whip them out now while they're small enough to deal with easily (paraphrasing of course).
Endometrial thickness has reduced to <5mm so no problem there.

I'm going to ask my GP for HRT for immediately afterwards so I don't go completely mad.

The timing's a bit shit as it's slap bang in the middle of my youngest's GCSE's, but hopefully I won't be out of action for too long.

I'll update further when I've had the Op.

I do hope @Naphtali and @Miathecat have some resolution now?

@NotUnlessSpermCanGetThroughASashWindow i ended up paying privately for a scan as I had quite a few bleeds leading up to December, they took a biopsy which came back clear so they put down to being on hrt and my age. I haven’t had any bleeding since so looks like it’s all settled down again

@NotUnlessSpermCanGetThroughASashWindow I hope the op goes well for you.

One thought- would you consider starting hrt before the op so it has some chance to settle down?

If this op is private maybe you could also delay it till it's convenient once the GCSEs are over.

Thank you.
I fear there's never really a good time - work have been very accommodating and I've tried to schedule it so I piss off as few people as possible. And on the plus side I will be around to make sure my chronically late-for-everything son is at school on time for most of his exams!
I was considering starting HRT beforehand, but I've done the pre-op assessments so I don't really want to change anything right now in case it sparks off any other problems.

I have a call scheduled with the GP to discuss starting HRT straight afterwards, so I'm crossing my fingers and trying not to worry about snuffing it during the op, which is my current anxiety!

Glad to hear that. I've not had any further bleeding, but I suppose if I hadn't had it (and private healthcare), I wouldn't have known about the cysts, and they could have become problematic later.
In other news, I think my gallbladder is going to be next on the list of things to be removed. Just have to keep working until most of my internal organs have been taken out!

My GP refered me under 2ww a month ago, for postmenopause bleeding. When I chased up, hospital said 3-4 month wait time. So I booked a private appt yesterday, but even then the first available was 10 days away. Our local NHS hospital website is claiming the median wait time is 2 weeks!

I'm super reassured by your stories. I'm 3 years post menopause, no HRT, then out of nowhere had PMS symptoms then what was exactly like a normal period. So, thank-you to everyone who posted!

I'm another one on the fast track 2 week wait 🤔 got an appointment for 6 weeks after the referral.
I've gone private and having a scan next week.

Thought Id quickly update. NHS called with appt for same day as private. So 6 week wait rather than 2.
It went well - minimal pain, unpleasant rather than horrific. So completely OK, not anything like the horrors I was anticipating.

Update - I'm 2 weeks post surgery and all is fine. One night in hospital (I could have gone home the same day but was still a bit wobbly from the GA so decided to stay, mainly for the excellent food!). Surgeon also whipped out a fibroid spotted whilst she was rummaging around.

I have a follow-up appointment next week to discuss results of testing of what was removed, but the surgeon said there's no reason to think there's anything amiss.

Back to work tomorrow but will string out WFH for a bit as I'm a teensy bit sore still and don't fancy being jostled about on the tube.