Period-like symptoms at 60 is no fucking picnic. Yes, something is going wrong and is being checked out but I wanted to moan about it

[bellinisurge]

Apologies for TMI but this is the Menopause topic so …
At first, brown gunk. Now just bleeding. And aches. And heaviness in my uterus. And tiredness (as opposed to everyday tiredness and even MS tiredness- yes, I have MS).
I went to the docs as soon as the brown gunk appeared and I have an appointment for some kind of godawful internal ultrasound scan in a couple of weeks. Which may show far greater problems than a bit of period style inconvenience.
I’m on HRT and the GP was basically testing my reaction to coming off it. I’m on it because night sweats were really messing with my MS symptoms. But I’ll probably have to come off it if it has stopped agreeing with me.
Periods, even ones in inverted commas, are shit.

To reassure you the risks of endometrial cancer when on HRT is very low and if you're using the continuous type there is almost zero risk.
These blips with HRT are quite common. You just might need to dose adjusting, or you could have a small fibroid that's bleeding. Unlikely to be anything serious . And the scan is nothing to worry about.

I’m on HRT and the GP was basically testing my reaction to coming off it.

Not sure what you mean by this?
Has your GP said you have to stop HRT?
If so, why?

You don't need to stop at 60 or any age. You don't need to stop before a scan either.

I know what you mean - my periods restarted when I was 61, just after I'd had the 2nd Covid jab.
I ended up having a Mirena coil fitted (was already on HRT, still am)
Three years later (still with the coil fitted and using HRT) I've had the same symptoms as you so am yet again on the 2 week cancer referral so will need another internal scan (from memory, that wasn't too bad) etc.....
Fingers crossed for both of us that it's something minor x

thanks for the reassurance. I think the GP (a woman-I insisted on one) was probably seeing how I would react to the suggestion of coming off if they concluded that HRT wasn’t agreeing with me. I was miserable dealing with MS symptoms when I wasn’t on it. She didn’t push it once I said menopause symptoms made my MS symptoms worse

I have had to have two internal scans. And they are not has horrible as people may think. Mine have been done by lovely people who talked to me the entire way through.

so unless u do have problems with that kind of thing normally they are okay xxxxx

Fingers crossed for us both @YetAnotherAlias62. I have a visceral reaction against a coil and, at this stage, would rather struggle with menopause symptoms than have a coil fitted.
my daughter’s birth was so traumatic, as was the aftermath, that I have real problems being poked about or having any medical intervention.
i am removing my big girl pants to get any of this looked at but , at the moment, the line is drawn at the coil.

Arghh I feel your pain. Am early 60s and had 3 2 week referrals last year alone because of bleeding. All clear and now have been told to adjust my HRT to settle It down. The Mirena coil has definitely helped.

The scans are not too bad - a slim wand thing put into your vagina. A slight discomfort only for me.

Hoping that you get answers soon though. Bleeding is such a nuisance (mine always seemed to happen when wearing new white knickers 🙄)

Fingers crossed for you !

If you find internal exams or procedures painful or uncomfortable then you can request something to help with it.

I have a muscle relaxant for my smear test because it causes me really significant pain for much the same reasons you have mentioned. I had a couple of failed attempts at smears until I tried this. I also used topical lidocaine. My GP surgery were really helpful and checked that using this wouldn't affect the accuracy of the smear before I had it.

Sometimes after a traumatic birth your pelvic floor muscles can lock down when faced with an internal procedure situation.

It's worth asking if you are very uncomfortable with it.

However, despite not being able to manage a smear without being drugged (!), I have found an internal ultrasound OK. It's nowhere near as uncomfortable or daunting as a smear test.

Good point @101trees. I’m so fed up having to explain it to them every time.

@bellinisurge @101trees The internal scan is nothing like a smear- it's far less invasive and not painful at all. The probe only goes in about an inch or so and it's smaller than a speculum.
The whole thing takes about 5 minutes.

Please don' t worry. They usually give you a long gown or sheet so that comes down to your knees and you're not 'exposed'.

Don't worry.

Feel free to moan OP. ❤I'm absolutely fucking sick of the damage hyperthyroidism continues to do to my body and mental health.

Life is a bitch right now.

Hi, hope all will work out for you OP. Could I ask someone who knows why a transvaginal is not as bad as a smear, as a pp said? I'm probably going to have a transvaginal soon. Maybe it's because the instruments (of torture) are different for each scan.

Or are women being gaslighted (lit?) about these tests, "oh you'll be fine, it only takes a couple of minutes, lots of women have them with no problems, take a painkiller an hour before you get there" and so on. I have never given birth, so I am very nervous about it and wonder would that make it more uncomfortable.

I've had smears, and boy were they awful for me. I'm late 60s now and not much natural lubrication left down there, none in fact, which is normal enough for my age, but I can feel the pain already!

@bellinisurge Your history is different to mine so I absolutely get why you are nervous about the internal scan and would want to avoid a coil if possible.
I tried to avoid it but my pre-menopause periods were so heavy that I couldn't leave the house to go to work and it limited my life so much.
I just couldn't go back to that again in my 60s....
I don't even want to think about what happens when the coil runs out - hopefully my periods won't return again but who knows......

Feel your pain OP! (and others). It just feels like its never ending.

I've been fine on my HRT regime but have now started bleeding, completely out the blue. When this happened about 2 years ago, I had a scan which showed a small fibroid which the sonographer said wouldn't be causing the excess bleeding so GP suggested lowering oestrogen which helped...but then anxiety went through the roof and more hot flushes, so after about 6 months of this, I increased oestrogen and progesterone and I've been fine for about a year...but now more bleeding...so I'm guessing the GP will suggest a reduction in oestrogen again.

So sick of it all...had symptoms now for 10 years. So fed up.🙄

Hello, it was me who said I need muscle relaxants for a smear but not for a transvaginal ultrasound because it's much easier.

A transvaginal ultrasound is a small probe which they apply lubricant to, you can request they use tons of lubricant if you are concerned. Not to be too vulgar about the whole thing, but it is essentially shaped like a very small, long, thin penis - I.e. it is shaped for the job ! If you are very sensitive then you might feel slight discomfort when they first insert it, but then you're unlikely to feel it inside you because it is thin. It is a much more relaxed experience overall, with minimal discomfort.

For a smear test they are trying to view your cervix, which is very sensitive. They use a speculum to open and hold your vagina open - this can be very uncomfortable. There's all sorts of fiddling around and they take a swab from a very sensitive area.

Most women find a smear uncomfortable, some find it very painful. But I'm yet to hear anyone say a TV ultrasound probe is painful. I've never felt the need to take a painkiller beforehand and I've never had menstral cramps afterwards.

I do understand the dryness issue though, I'd absolutely tell them your concerns beforehand and request extra lube.

It might help to Google an image of the different equipment involved in a smear and a TV ultrasound to reassure yourself? I once had a 40 minute long ultrasound and didn't find it a problem.

Also, for anyone who finds it helpful in general for speculum exams- you can request they use a child size speculum. Not all speculums are created equal !

I've had smears, and boy were they awful for me. I'm late 60s now and not much natural lubrication left down there, none in fact, which is normal enough for my age, but I can feel the pain already!

It's 'normal' but not right or something you need endure.

Have you considered using vaginal estrogen? You should if you're 'dry' even if you aren't sexually active because it's to keep your vagina and bladder healthier.

If you start now, and your scan is in over 2 weeks, it should be working by then and help. You can buy it over the counter or on prescription from your GP- it's Ovesse cream or Gina (tiny tablets.)

I think a pp has given a pretty accurate account of why a scan is not the same as a smear.

They don't use a speculum and you aren't 'opened up' - it's wand that is about the size of a fat finger. They put a condom on it first and plenty of lube.

Sometimes they may need to press on your tummy slightly to get a better picture of your ovaries etc.

And you have it done with an empty bladder. So no issues of holding on!

@101trees Why did it take 40 minutes?! I have scans now and then for monitoring (done by an expert consultant) and it's 10 minutes max.

Yes, sorry it was an ultra-long scan for gynae issues following pregnancy complications, not by any means a normal scan you'd get for endometrial lining. I've never had one for that purpose.

Update: so I walked into the room to get the scan, saw it was a big burly male doctor going to do it and backed out. A very kind nurse said she would get it rearranged for a female doctor.

@bellinisurge I would have done exactly the same! Good on you for refusing a male practitioner, I know they are professionals but it's an added layer onto an already difficult (for some) procedure. Wishing you well and hope it all eventually works out for you.

Hope you get another scan sorted soon, with a woman sonographer! When I booked my last one, I was asked if I'd be happy with a man doing it but with a woman chaperoning or a woman doing it. So I had the option fortunately.

So I got a call from the clinic to reschedule to a woman only sonographer. It all seemed to be going smoothly and then woman booking it got a bit weird and tried to suggest an appointment with a different more appropriate woman sonographer the following week. This is starting to drag on so I took the earlier appointment. When I put the phone down I got a weird vibe and then called them back to take the later appointment. It better not be a fucking man again.

I have taken the earlier “female only” sonographer because I want this sorted. I asked is it a woman and they said yes it’s a female. Not sure what to make of that

I started vaginal oestrogen because my smear request came in and I literally could not bear the thought of anything going on down there, but knew that I needed to have the smear test. Someone on MN recommended Gina, I get it privately because it was going to take too long to see a GP and get it prescribed, and I can thoroughly recommend it. Not just for gynae exams but it helps prevent UTIs and I was getting friction soreness from running and exercising and it's stopped all that too.

"with a different more appropriate woman sonographer"

Eh? what in the world is a 'different more appropriate woman' as opposed to a 'woman/female'? were they thinking a woman with more knowledge, skill, expertise perhaps? Or was it that the earlier appointment was going to be done by a transwoman?

I'd love to know what a 'more appropriate woman' is!!

Ah come on, the poster obviously meant that a woman (any woman) sonographer would be more appropriate than a man for HER procedure, not that there is a hierarchy of anything in relation to female sonographers.