What could this be? So worried

[revelsandrose]

I'm hoping somebody with similar symptoms could offer some advice please.

I am up to date with smears and at my last smear I was told I had an ectropian, the smear result was clear.

I was heaving a lot of discharge from the ectropian so decided to stop taking the contraceptive pill as the gp said this could make ectropian worse.

The discharge stopped but my periods went haywire, irregular heavy bleeding two weeks on two weeks off, I put this down to stopping the pill and thought I'd wait for it to regulate itself. This did settle a bit but for about 8 months I had spotting in between my periods, which were not regular.

For various reasons I decided to go back on the pill and for several months had spotting in between periods, which I put down to starting the pill.

I have had pain and bleeding after sex, and I have "ibs" pains, and lower back pain which I've been told is a muscle issue.

Just recently the mid cycle bleeding has become a little heavier and I pass blood from my vagina after a bowel movement, and have lower abdominal pain which keeps me awake.

Could this all be due to the ectropian? I haven't read anywhere that it can cause "ibs" "period" type pains.

Surely it can't be cancer so quickly after a clear smear test?

Well it could be the ectropian, but it also could be endometriosis, a fibroid, PCOS type stuff etc. I think you should go back to the GP and ask to be referred for more investigations. I think you need a hysteroscopy. Dont let them fob you off with just an ultrasound, it doesnt show enough detail in the uterus to diagnose much of anything.

You shouldnt have to live with this. Even if it is just the ectropian, they can manage the symptoms to improve your quality of life

Thank you, I don't think it would be endometriosis or pcos as I'm in my 40's and have three dc so I think those things would have been discovered previously which is why this is concerning me.

I am in my 40s and have 4 dc and just got diagnosed with endometriosis. Very similar symptoms. Its best to get it investigated sooner rather than later as it does build up and can damage your bowel etc

Oh thanks for getting back to me, that's interesting that you say that as I thought endo was something you got early on and caused fertility issues.
I do have an appointment booked and you have put my mind at rest that it isn't necessarily just pointing towards cancer.
Hope you are getting on ok with treatment now you have a diagnosis.

@revelsandrose

Thank you, I don't think it would be endometriosis or pcos as I'm in my 40's and have three dc so I think those things would have been discovered previously which is why this is concerning me.

That's an incorrect assumption. All the time that you have oestrogen, you can develop endo. I have pains and blood during sex, mid cycle, stale blood etc. As well as pain. Also not all surgeons will spot it, as it could be a small area that is on a nerve and causes disproportionate pain. Speak to gp for gynae referral.

That's reassuring, and I hope something like that will be the cause. I have relatives who had breast/ovarian cancer so I'm hoping the dr will take this seriously and send me for some investigations to rule anything sinister out.
Can't seem to stop thinking about it especially whilst feeling in pain with it.

Don't just hope, insist that your GP refers you for a gynae appointment as soon as possible.

Good luck.

I ended up with a hysterectomy and ovaries too. I take oestrogen every day. It has been absolutely fantastic, completely life changing for the better.

I had all the similar symptoms to you with the bleeding mid cycle, after sex and getting heavier, heaviest after exercise. Also had pain during sex. It was all due to a uterine polyp. The polyp was at the entrance to my cervix and I think blocked the blood from dripping out sometimes until it came out all at once when I strained, so this could be similar to you. Anyway had a colposcopy and the doctor cut it out, it didn’t hurt at all and they tested it and it was benign. Hasn’t come back, so you never know could be something simple like that.