Post menopausal bleeding after 17 months

[Finaly]

Hi, I'll start by saying I will be contacting my GP tomorrow about this but I'd appreciate hearing from anyone whose been in a similar position.

I'm 56 and haven't had a period for 17 months. Over the last few years I've had 4 spells of 6 months of no periods before they started again.

On Sat past I felt awful, couldn't work out what was wrong. On Tue at lunch time I felt what used to be a sign my period was coming, one 30 incident twinges in.my left ovary area. Wed morning slight bloody discharge before properly bleeding later in the day. What ever is going on has started and preceeded just like a usual period. No other obvious symptoms.

Has anyone experienced this who has gone to their GP willing to share their experience please? I'm trying not to panic by telling my self it's a glich/one last period but I am worried.

Hi, thanks for all your comments. I had my appointment yesterday so here's an update for anyone that's interested along with some more questions.

I'm not sure I'm all that much further forward and I'm also slightly confused.

The Consultant thought my medical history and the description of the bleeding didn't lend itself to anything sinister and it was possibly my body having a 'last hurrah'.

However, the internal scan picked up a smallish area at the back, bottom area of my womb that looked like there was some thickening of the lining and she did the hysteroscopy to have a better look and the rule out a polyp. The camera was fuzzy so it was checked and cleaned, that made no difference and she thought the issue was the scope itself. This meant she didn't get as detailed a look as she would have liked so she went on to do a biopsy. But from what she could see there was nothing that cause her immediate concern.

The procedures themselves were a bit uncomfortable but not as bad as I'd feared. The Consultant was lovely and made it clear she would be led by me and we could stop at anytime and find another way to look at what was going on if need be. I was given a local anaesthetic gel as pain relief as part of the procedure and didn't have to ask for it.

This is where it gets a bit confusing. I will get the biopsy results back within 3 weeks. I asked her if she'd done the biopsy because she hadn't been able to get a proper look, rather than because she saw anything that concerned her or she felt was "sinister" which she confirmed was the case. She then went on to say once she has my results back she'll decide what to do next and it may be nothing further is needed.

However, she then went on to say she might get me back in for another hysteroscopy (and possible biopsy if needed), she'd use a bigger camera and I'd get a local anaesthetic injection. She also got up to date blood tests done to check my kidney function in case she wants to refer me for a CT scan or a MRI, apparently the contrast dye can be a risk if you have kidney issues and I'm on high blood pressure meds. She said if she needed to refer me she didn't want it held up due to a lack of up to date bloods.

I asked her about the need for a second biopsy and she explained that the area she biopsied might be okay but she'd still want to check out the thickened area that she didn't get a proper look at. So I don't understand why at first she said once she gets the results of yesterday's biopsy I might not need anything further, unless I misheard her - which is possible.

I'm working on the assumption that she's taking a belt and braces approach due to the crap equipment and again trying not to worry. Although there seemed to be a lot of info and prep for further procedures if I might not need to come back!

At the start of the consultation she suggested I think about getting the mirena coil fitted as a general 'womb health measure' to help keep the lining thin. I'm overweight and I know that that can cause extra estrogen which can cause the womb lining to thicken so in a way this kind of preventative measure makes sense. I was a bit taken aback when she asked me if I wanted it fitted while I was in the chair with my legs in stirrups between the hysteroscopy and the biopsy, having only had minutes to think about it. I declined and said I'd need to to think about it and find out a bit more. I've not had any hormonal contraceptives, other than for a short spell between DD1 and DD2 for the last 25+ years and I'm not keen to start now. Plus the only two other people I know that have had suffered really bad side effects and needed to have it removed.

I know a few of you have had the Mirena fitted for this and I wondered if anyone has had any side effects?

I'd also be interested to know if anyone else has had to go back again for round 2 because of crap equipment?

I had my first Mirena coil at 61 and that was replaced early when I started bleeding again 3 years later.
Both times the coils were fitted when I was there having a hysteroscopy anyway, so yes - painful but no - no side effects, and the bleeding has stopped

Good luck!

I thought I'd provide an update in case anyone else is looking for advice and comes across this thread.

I've just had my results back, no evidence of cancer or pre-cancer from the biopsy. There is evidence of Oestrogen beginning to stimulate some growth in the lining of my womb so a Mirena coil has been recommended as a preventative measure.

Due to there being an area she couldn't see as clearly as she would have liked due to the crap equipment, I'm going back for a polypectomy. I think she suspected there may be a polyp so this would be to have a further look and if there is one, remove it.

I had some slight bleeding for a day or so then it stopped, I then had quite bad cramps and another period like event two weeks after the procedure. Then some random spotting and cramping for a bit. After 4 weeks that all stopped and I've been back to normal since.

Just waiting on a date for appt number 2 now.

It's good you seem to be okay.

What I don't understand is why if she (gynae?) thinks there may be a polyp it didn't show on either a scan or the hysteroscopy.

Why is that being explained as bad equipment rather her expertise?

@JinglingSpringbells it's because the camera was blurry inside. She removed it and both her and the tech person assisting her checked it and it was clear outside but blurry inside me and they said it was a problem with the scope. There was an area at the back where she thought from the scan, and what she could see, the lining was a bit thicker and that there may be a possible polyp but the blurriness prevented her getting as good a look as she wanted.

I'm going to have to give them a call as my next appt has just come in and its when I'm on holiday. It's with a different dr as well which has quite surprisingly made me a little tearful. I think it's because the last dr was considerate and gentle and I left thinking it hadn't been as bad as I thought it might be. There's also a line saying that if you're on blood thinners follow the directions the consultant discussed with me at my last appt. I'm on clopidogrel and she said it was fine for the procedure she was doing that day but nothing about the next appointment.

I'll also be asking why it's gone from a second hysteroscopy because she couldn't see properly to one that's down to remove a polyp. I'm guessing it's so they have to correct equipment / appointment length just in case they find a polyp but I'll be asking anyhow.

They should be able to see a polyp on a scan without doing a hystersocopy again.

It all sounds so frustrating. It's hard to understand how the scope had a faulty lens and why they couldn't ask for another one to be brought to her at the time.
Or had you back very quickly like the next day!

Yes it's totally frustrating. I'd rather have a laid there a little bit longer if they'd been able to sort the equipment than have to go back and get it done again. If i recall when they looked at things in the room via the camera it was clear but not when inside and the problem was related to the scope but not the camera. I could see it all on the big TV they had in front of me on the wall.

I've actually just spoken to them to cancel the appointment, I'll need to wait on another one as it seems it's a colleague of the person I spoke to who does the appointments in a block. Unlikely to get one until the end of August / beginning of Sept.

I asked why it's a different Dr and was told not all Drs are trained in the procedure. I asked why it had gone from a repeat hysteroscopy due to a blurred camera to an operative hysteroscopy to remove a polyp when no polyp had actually been seen. The response was that it was probably just to cover all eventualities. I said I hadn't discussed blood thinners at my appointment, it seems I need to call back once I get my new appointment and they'll get input from which ever dr is doing the procedure.

The dr definitely didn't see one on the scan, she did see an area she wanted to look at more closely as she thought it was a spot where the lining had thickened, she did query a possible polyp.