Irregular bleeding.....going mad!

[Mumwarrr]

Sorry girls anxieties through the roof! Bit of back ground.....Ive been on cerezet most of my adult life came off 2009 to try for bubs, back on when he was only afew days old in 2012. Periods always stopped until I'd say a couple of years ago I started getting spotting, doc said just one of those things. Got worse so came off Jan last year and periods returned from hell, went back on after about 6 months but only for a couple weeks then changed my mind again!! Anyway periods fine then I think about Oct I started to get spotting a week before I was due and proper blood after a poo....then about a week later I'd come on. Again Doc says hormones and pressure.... I excepted that, I've had a transvaginal ultrasound in 2020 which was clear and smear due oct 2021. Then for some reason it happened again this month, at first I thought I had a light period then realised no it's the same thing again, had two days of no bleeding then went for a poo which started it again two days after that I came on quite late. So my brain is in absolute melt down. Doc had already referred me to a gynecologist for a coloscopy because they won't do an extra smear... .but after getting myself in such a state I paid to see a private gynecologist kn monday only for a consultation, wrote everything down and she said she thinks all of it spotting, bleeding after a poo week before my period is hormonal. She looked at my cervix but couldnt get a very good look because I came on over the weekend so bleeding, she did mention she thinks I have some ectropion on there. Think that's how you spell it please correct me if I'm wrong! Anyway my nhs gynecologist telephone appointment is next thursday and she will send a letter to her. She said I need my cervix looked at when I'm not bleeding, Unfortunately my brain is in overdrive and I'm convinced I've got cervical cancer......I feel awful. Anyone feel the same xx

Hey. Try not to panic. I had this - bleeding after a bowel movement, occasionally after sex too and then awful contact bleeding when I went for a smear test. I was sent for a colposcopy, on the two week pathway and everything, scared me out of my mind.
Turns out I have something called cervical ectropion which basically means that some of the cells from the inside of your cervix are on the surface of it. Nothing at all to worry about.
Please try not to worry yourself too much.

Sounds like a cervical ectropian to me too. I’ve had two. The first time I was bleeding after sex, after smears and even after sneezing! The gynae took one look and said ‘yes we have a bleeder’ and proceeded to freeze off those cells using cryotherapy. This fixed it. Then a few years later, following pregnancy, I started to have the same symptoms again. Low and behold, I had another ectropian in a slightly different placement on my cervix. This time, as I was spotting due to day 1 of my period, the gynae offered to use silver nitrate painted onto the area. (Cryotherapy needs a dry cervix, not done on a period apparently). After about 6 weeks, the bleeding completely stopped. I had a smear recently and the nurse said I have scar tissue on my cervix but no more ectropians.

Ectropians are not dangerous they’re just annoying! I’m sure they’ll be able to sort you out easily.

Thanks for your comments, HaroldandGeorge sorry you said bleeding day 1 if your period what did you mean? I'm just scarred really scarred......what if I never stop bleeding! I had alot of anxiety leading up to this period even to the point I was having heart palpitations but that wasn't to do with my period it was something else, the fear of my period just started all of a sudden, the realisation that something wasn't right xx

@Mumwarrr I meant that on the day of my appointment to have a look at my cervix, my period arrived but wasn’t full flow, just the very start. Even so, she couldn’t use cryotherapy as my cervix wouldn’t be dry but the silver nitrate was a great alternative and fixed the problem.

Really try not to worry. One look at the women’s health board underlines that there are many, many women out there going through the same thing. You have done the right thing by asking for investigations. On your phone consultation make sure you have it clear in your head when the bleeding happens, what part of your cycle etc so that you can explain it fully.

I just feel like I'm going mental inside with worry. I'm still bleeding when I wipe but its different now to the week of bleeding I get before my period. The horrible thoughts in my head are just taking over xx

So I have my telephone consultation this morning with the NHS gynecologist. I'm still spotting every time I wipe, well I say everytime sometimes not! But I finished my period weekend time and this has just not stopped. This is the first month of this previously it's just been the week before I'm due on. I'm in a complete state of awfulness just crying all the time convinced I'm ill. Sorry for the vent girls xx

@Mumwarrr How did you get on?

You won't believe it they cancelled about an hour before my appointment. I have another in a week but ok going to talk to my doctor this afternoon xx

Oh no, how frustrating! Hope your gp was able to help you instead.

I'm waiting for her to ring me back probably won't be before 6, I'll update then. Thank you xx

So my doctor just rung.....I think because I've spoken to her afew times lately her patience with me are wearing off! Anyway she is sorting a pelvic ultrasound and I've got to get bloods done. She isn't concerned at all and basically said put up until you talk to the consultant x

I’m afraid this happens a lot. Many drs are happy to just say it’s hormonal and to wait and see if it improves. I had a pelvic ultrasound (plus internal) and bloods done. All came back fine so I was told to just go back if the irregular bleeding continued. I think they just hope the problem will resolve itself. I often think though that it is the fact that it is blood rather than another colour discharge that makes us worry so much. It’s alarming to see on the toilet paper! I really hope things resolve for you, but be persistent if not xx

Sorry can I jump on here too. Just had a few spots of blood after going to the loo in between periods and noticed the same the last 2 times after sex.

Obviously now going out of my mind googling and searching on here.

The blood is tiny spots. I'm sore and red down there but it's probably not helped or even caused by me poking around and worrying!

I've done an econsult form w the surgery as am due a smear test any week now.

Happy to go out of our minds together @Mumwarrr. My googling is bringing up what others have mentioned up thread beginning with an e which is benign.

I'm sorry you feel the same way too. I'm 37 and have OCD and health anxiety so am prone to going to worse case scenario straight away

Hi op, just wanted to add my experience. I’ve had bleeding as you’ve described for ages now (maybe 3 years). Smear test was fine, went to the doctors and got referred to the gynaecologist for scans and cameras. All fine. She thought it might be because of a couple of polyps on my cervix so they were removed but the bleeding carried on. Spoke to my friend’s husband who is a gynaecologist and he said if smears and other investigations are clear, it’s hormonal. There’s meds you can take but I’m not going to at the mo. Google is definitely not your friend for this issue is it!! I know it’s worrying but you’ve done the right thing in getting checked out so hopefully it’s nothing sinister. If you’ve got no other symptoms, that’s encouraging.

@SippingSipsmith I'm right there with you, I have terrible health anxiety made so much worse since having my little one....fear of leaving him! I've got a blood test next week i think its for thyroid, maybe ers and one other clotting I think...I'm sure she's just doing it to shut me up! My gynecologist appointment is Wednesday now and it's a face to face thats if they don't cancel it!!!! xx

Yes I have the same worries too and imagine they are normal for Mums but we probably spend a bit more time worrying about them.

The GP phoned me back this morning and I have an appt for an examination later on this afternoon and will be given a form for bloods. I think they want to rule out anything Ovarian since I bloat up a lot with IBS and had two bouts in January.

She said since I'm up to date with smears and have never had any problems they are not worried about anything cervical particularly but GP might refer me for scans if need be after appt today.

At least you have gyne appt on Wednesday - that's not too long to get probably definite answers though imagine it feels like an eternity for you right now.

Try not to worry - just get through chunks of the day at a time. I feel lucky that I have an 11 week old puppy distracting me and am taking comfort in the many Mumsnet posts which say they had similar symptoms and it was erosion.

Hi @SippingSipsmith Sorry to hear you’re having problems too. I just wanted to add to my previous post, something that may reassure you. I’d been having bleeding in between periods, usually about 24 hours after sex. Spotting but also some slight tummy cramps. When I saw my gynaecologist I explained what was happening and started to get quite emotional (daft really but you work yourself up into a mess). First thing he said was “you think it’s cancer don’t you”. When I nodded, he straight away said “your smears are up to date, you’ve had a normal result following an untrasound, it’s not cancer, ok!?”. He then did an internal exam and straight away diagnosed a large ectropian and said told you so!! He did a hysteroscopy too while I was there in stirrups!! All was fine, I had a lovely guided tour of my uterus on the screen.

All I can suggest to you lovely ladies is to try to remember that you have had symptoms and have spoken to the doctors. You’ve taken that first step and you haven’t waited ages. So even if there is a problem, you have acted quickly and it will be fine. I found my worries got worse when I kept putting off speaking to someone, hoping that it would sort itself out.

Good luck!

Hi op I'm going through similar now. Never suffered from anxiety until last year. Too much was happening in my life and I had a mini breakdown. Now Iv been diagnosed with severe health anxiety and ocd. Not fun. Iv never been without contraception since I was 14 (I'm now 30) only time is when I'm pregnant. I had a medical abortion at the end of Oct (baby was very poorly and placenta had detached) and in the middle of November I start cerazette again except this time i cried for nearly the whole 2 weeks. I decided to stop and give my body a break. Worse thing so far. Anxiety worse than ever, spotting for like a wipe after sex which I googled (I don't know why as I know it's the devil!) and self diagnosed myself with cancer and I'm gonna die tomorrow. All smears have been clear and I had 3 scans last Oct for the pregnancy and was told my ovaries etc looked healthy plus a blood test last June for ovaries came back clear. My periods have gone back to 27-28 day period not heavy but my god the pms about 5-7 days before is awful. Gonna ring my gp back today and demand to get seen. And maybe have the more a put back in. Can't imagine a life without this extreme anxiety now which upsets me but staring cbt today so fingers crossed. It's scary being a woman sometimes. A friend of mine works at a pharmacy and she informed me that a few years back they changed the smear test to make it more accurate so as long as your upto date with smears the chances of it being anything sinister is near nothing. Hope this helps xx

@Cheesestring19 right there with you, it sucks doesn't it. I have my gynecologist appointment Wednesday so I'll update what he says, please in the mean time message me or chat here I'm always here xx

Me again......I have my gynecologist appointment tomorrow so my anxiety is through the roof anyway!!! I'm 17 days into my cycle if I take it from the first day of my extra long cycle last month, I'm moody and anxious but to be honest I've not stopped feeling like that since last month when all this took hold of me! I stopped bleeding last tuesday I think after a week of very light spotting that doc said she thought was the end of my period......woke up this morning wiped and spotting again!!!! Went for another wee nothing just been again spotting!!!! I don't know what I'm looking for lovlies I just want to not worry xxx

@Mumwarrr

Me again......I have my gynecologist appointment tomorrow so my anxiety is through the roof anyway!!! I'm 17 days into my cycle if I take it from the first day of my extra long cycle last month, I'm moody and anxious but to be honest I've not stopped feeling like that since last month when all this took hold of me! I stopped bleeding last tuesday I think after a week of very light spotting that doc said she thought was the end of my period......woke up this morning wiped and spotting again!!!! Went for another wee nothing just been again spotting!!!! I don't know what I'm looking for lovlies I just want to not worry xxx

Hope everything went well this afternoon xx

@Cheesestring19 thank you for asking...... So she was lovely, she had a really good look at my cervix and said it looks really healthy apart from a small ectropion which isnt a problem. She took some swabs for infection, she is arranging for me to have an internal ultrasound and go from there, she said 99.5% sure it's not cancer and I have something called dysfunction bleeding! Not googled that yet but I got the impression it means your body doesnt have a clue what its doing!!!! If they find anything on the ultrasound like a polyp or something then that will be removed. I feel so much better I can't tell you obviously still abit worried but not like I was for now anyway..........how are things with you? xx

[quote Mumwarrr]@Cheesestring19 thank you for asking...... So she was lovely, she had a really good look at my cervix and said it looks really healthy apart from a small ectropion which isnt a problem. She took some swabs for infection, she is arranging for me to have an internal ultrasound and go from there, she said 99.5% sure it's not cancer and I have something called dysfunction bleeding! Not googled that yet but I got the impression it means your body doesnt have a clue what its doing!!!! If they find anything on the ultrasound like a polyp or something then that will be removed. I feel so much better I can't tell you obviously still abit worried but not like I was for now anyway..........how are things with you? xx[/quote]
Awww that's fab. Well I spoke to my gp yesterday and it was rather weird. I explained everything and she's agreeing to have the coil refitted but can't get me in until the 30th. Now if I'm still spotting after the coil has been fitted, then I need to go back. But she also mentioned it can take around 6 months for the coil to settle? Didn't help. She said she wasn't at all concerned. That My smears are clear and upto date. I have no 'obvious' symptoms of anything sinister. And I had internal and external scans last October when I was pregnant and everything was normal. I'm now waiting for my local sexual health clinic to ring me back to see if they can fit me in anytime sooner so fingers crossed I get this sorted soon! So happy for your outcome xx

Back again......so the day after I saw the gynecologist so Friday I started to bleed not heavy just bleeding and to honest I'm getting so confused with dates now that it was like that for a couple of days then I came on properly, awful and heavy with bad cramps. This Saturday I stopped, today I've been needing to wee constantly and have s weird ache pressure around my bottom tummy and back. I've just been again and wiped to find slight bloody discharge. Brain back into over drive and I'm crying my eyes out again......what's wrong with me girls xxxx