Does this sound like a normal appointment? Internal scan, irregular bleeding, pain, bleeding after sex.

[Hygge]

I've just come home from being scanned at the hospital and I'm scared.

I've been having pelvic pain, some bleeding outside my cycle, and once or twice I've had bleeding after sex.

They did a normal scan and an internal one, and they had a proper dig about in there for that one. Took lots of pictures. It took a long time, longer than I expected it to take.

Wouldn't say anything about them afterwards but I'm sure I saw a white blob on the pictures and I've convinced myself it's something wrong.

A man scanned me but he brought in a woman to chaperone for the internal scan. They were both very quiet and as I left he didn't look at me as he was busy with all the photo's on the screen.

He said I would be hearing from my doctor within two weeks with an appointment, I asked what the appointment would be for and he said "to discuss things."

I'm 43, I've googled too much, I have a 9 year old son and I am scared. I start a new job next week. If I miss any of the three weeks probationary training I won't be kept on and we need the money.

Does this sound like a normal appointment? Would they have said if something was wrong? Would they have said if everything was fine? Would they have made me an appointment more quickly, or sent me elsewhere in the hospital there and then if something was wrong?

I had a similar scan a couple of years ago and they said that they hadn't been able to see my left ovary but everything else seemed fine so they didn't need to try again. It's the left side that's painful now.

I don't think I can wait two weeks to speak to my GP but if they ring me much earlier that would be bad news surely?

I just feel so scared right now.

Sorry you've been left with the uncertainty OP. If you are very anxious you could try ringing your GP surgery to see if you can organise an earlier appointment.

(From experience its impossible to work out whether anything is wrong or not from the scanners response. They just have different ways of managing the appointments. Some are very chatty - some don't say anything,)

Hope you get an answer really soon.

Thank you.

I was concerned enough to get checked out but I didn't think anything would really be wrong, if that makes sense.

But then when they went all quiet, it made me nervous. I think I'm going to give them a few days and ring my GP on Thursday to see if they have the results.

Thanks for replying, DH is away and I have nobody to talk to about it at home this week.

Try to bear in mind too that even IF they have seen something it doesnt mean it is anything sinister - it could be any number of things that can be treated simply.

I will, I know you're right. I suppose today it made it seem real that something could be wrong.

Worrying about it now isn't going to make anything different though, I know that. I'll try not to think the worst. Thank you.

I have had multiple scans over many years. It's been the same radiographer each time and he's open to discussing what he sees- maybe because I ask! (this is private and I'm paying!.) I know that sometimes it's a very quick scan, other times it takes ages because they can't always get the images they need so easily. I really wouldn't take any notice of the time taken- it shows they were doing a good job.

You certainly can't expect to see anything on the scan and make sense of it.

Bleeding after sex or at odd times is most likely a polyp on your cervix or in the uterus (benign) or a fibroid, or perhaps endometriosis.

You are much too young for any of the really dangerous stuff like ovarian or uterine cancer (usually women over 50) and any cervical stuff would be picked up with a smear and a look at it.

If it's anything bad, they won't wait for 2 weeks to tell you.

I know it's no good now, but if you have a repeat of this,it's always worth asking at the time if everything looks okay. I know the NHS might have a different policy on this to private, but at the end of your day it's your body, you are an adult and you have a right to ask and be told.

Hope you are okay.

Thank you @Queen, I will bear that in mind.

I'm feeling a little better today as far as worrying goes. I did wake up in the night feeling some discomfort. Those scans aren't the most gentle things, he had to press down and push quite a lot and I do usually feel sore after anything like smear tests. I did a bit of worrying about "maybe it hurts because there's something there to cause the pain" but

I'm trying to tell myself to behave and not worry about the worst cases, and actually maybe I did get into worrying more because I haven't had the best experiences with scans in the past. We lost a baby to stillbirth but found out at a scan, and then another baby to prematurity following at attempt at a cervical stitch, so those rooms and this kind of examination don't have the best memories for me.

It was all too easy yesterday to imagine the worst. I still think I will wait until Thursday and then ring the GP to see if the results are in.

It means a lot that people are being kind enough to offer some reassurance. Thank you.

I'm so sorry you have been through those experiences Hygge

Hope you get some peace of mind really quickly.

Thank you dahliaaa.

As soon as I have any news I will update, but it has helped to be able to say I am scared and work out why and have people listen to me, so thank you.

I hadn't really thought about it yesterday but being in that situation was probably bound to make me think the worst. Different situation but those rooms do make me think of bad news, so it makes sense to me now that it was only once I was there that I got scared.

I'm wobbling now between hoping there's news by Thursday so I know, and thinking that the longer I have to wait for the results the better the news might be.

I know it's easier said than done but if you can just try not to over think it.
Completely understandable that you should be struggling with it after what you went through previously.

I have had a couple of these scans and it sounds similar to my second one. The first one, they didn't even do the external scan as they said everything looked fine from the external one. The person who did the second scan years later just said your GP will get the results so they will be in contact to discuss the results. I asked them if they had seen anything concerning and they said it would have to be looked at by someone else as they were not able to say. It was only when I asked again that they said they had seen something which could have a few different causes and she wasn't qualified to say what it was. She didn't really look at me as she was still looking at the machine. I remember leaving feeling a bit worried.

When I got my results it did show a problem with my womb but nothing sinister. Obviously I can't say what they have found on your scan but I just wanted to say that in my experience they don't really tell you anything and it's normal procedure that the GP gets the results. I think the person doing the scan takes pictures and these are looked at by a more senior radiographer.

I would try phoning your GP in maybe a weeks time as your results may be back by then. Try not to worry, easier said than done, but I know loads of women who have had them and most of the time they show either nothing or things like cysts which often resolve themselves.

And sorry I missed one of your posts. I am very sorry to hear about your losses.

OP if you're 43 it could be the beginnings of menopause, I know a few women this has happened to and they had similar symptoms, some of them toughed it out and symptoms faded away, some had hormone replacement therapy. I've also know women with fibroids with similar symptoms, so as other posters have said it may turn out to be something that's a pain but not necessarily anything really bad/sinister. But it's horrible waiting for test results, hope you hear back soon, take care.

Bleeding after sex and pain are not menopausal symptoms. Odd bleeding during normal cycles can be hormonal but not after sex.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the support and shared experiences.

The did the external scan first, then asked why I was having a scan, then decided to do the internal scan based on the issues I told them about.

I'm feeling more calm but still worried. I had a missed call from a withheld number and convinced myself they were calling me but it wasn't them.

I promise I will update as soon as I know anything because I really do appreciate all the support. I did talk to DH on the phone and tell him I was feeling scared but I don't think he quite gets it. He was supportive but it's out of his experience. It helps to talk to people who do understand.

I had a phone call from the doctor today and they said the results are fine.

They can't explain the pain or irregular bleeding so I've got to monitor it and go back if it continues or gets worse.

Thank you so much for being kind while I was panicking. I'm still worried but at least if it was something serious the scan would have shown it up so I feel a bit better.

Hygge

That's good news that the scan didn't find anything and hopefully you will feel less worried and anxious now. But I can imagine it's frustrating not knowing what the pain or bleeding is being caused by.

Are you up to date with your smear tests ? If not, I would get one done. If you are then I guess you will have to do as they suggest, keep monitoring and go back if it continues or gets worse. I think it's quite common though unfortunately, it's rubbish being a woman sometimes.

Glad all ok. I was going through same thing as you and had my scan last week. Thankfully nothing untoward showed up and it seems to be the perimenapause causing my issues. Going back to doctors in a couple of weeks to discuss getting the Mirena. Feel happier knowing all my insides have had a good inspection!

Thanks both of you.

I am up to date with my smear tests, I hate going for those too but I never miss one. It is a pretty rubbish side of being a woman.

Belly I'm glad your scan was okay as well.

Glad to see all ok :-)