Post-menopausal bleeding...

[mlktwins]

Anyone here that has had this happen and wants to PM with me?  I had this happen last week and had a pelvic u/s a week ago today. Next is a biopsy.  My doctor says it is not likely to be anything major, but there is that small chance.  Trying not to freak myself out and I'm not googling.  This is not good for my medical anxiety though 😬😋!

[hippymamato3]

My mom had this issue and ended up needing a D&C and removal of a few small polyps. She's fine! 

[TravelingChris]

I have had this issue and it is related to my really dry skin that tears.   Mine only happens after tea and not always but none of my doctors have been concerned.  Especially since I have been tested for cancer and HPV at least three times before in the past and always nothing is there.  For me, it is my Sjogren's.

[Ottakee]

Yep story of my past March/April/May.....during the height of covid closures.

Thankfully I had a great doctor that even did the biopsy for me in a Saturday morning.

Mine ended up being a hormonal fluke.  I would have had a hysterectomy....but covid had shut almost everything down.   I now have the Mirena and am OK with that.

[KrissiK]

I did. I had all sorts of tests - biopsy, trans-vaginal ultrasound, etc. Everything was normal. The Gyn still wanted to do a D&C  “just to be on the safe side.” I didn’t want the D&C and didn’t really trust the GYN. I had only seen the NP for my check ups, so this was the first time I had even met her. She didn’t know me. And I felt, too, that I had other factors that could have played into the bleeding - such as having gone through extreme stress for several years up to that time, and she didn’t seem open to the possibility that that could have played a role in my physical symptoms. So, I had all the test results sent to my GP. She put me on hormone replacement therapy, for that and a number of other menopausal symptoms, including highly frequent UTIs. The HRT has worked for me.

[KatieJ]

18 hours ago, mlktwins said:

Anyone here that has had this happen and wants to PM with me?  I had this happen last week and had a pelvic u/s a week ago today. Next is a biopsy.  My doctor says it is not likely to be anything major, but there is that small chance.  Trying not to freak myself out and I'm not googling.  This is not good for my medical anxiety though 😬😋!

I wen thru this  two years ago. I had two,polyps, one was degrading and that was the cause of the bleeding. 
I did have a procedure, hysteroscopy I think it was called,to,remove them  but everything was fine and has been fine since. 

[mlktwins]

Thank you all!  We tried to do a biopsy in my doctor's office, but no luck 😔.  We will be scheduling a biopsy to be when I'm under anesthesia, which I am deferring for a couple of months until our Covid numbers are better.  I would schedule it for tomorrow if it weren't for Covid.

I have several things she thinks are probably just fine (seen during my u/s), but wants to do the biopsy to be sure.

I'm hoping for no more bleeding though.  I didn't miss that at all -- LOL!

 

[Jann in TX]

Hi,

I had this a few years ago-- it was horrid--stand up and...

I barely made it through the biopsy-- that came back as early stage endometrial cancer so I opted for hysterectomy (thankfully it had not spread out of uterus).

I've been fine since then.

 

[mlktwins]

9 minutes ago, Jann in TX said:

Hi,

I had this a few years ago-- it was horrid--stand up and...

I barely made it through the biopsy-- that came back as early stage endometrial cancer so I opted for hysterectomy (thankfully it had not spread out of uterus).

I've been fine since then.

 

I'm so sorry about your cancer, but I'm glad it didn't get a chance to spread!  Did you do your biopsy in the office without sedation?

[Ethel Mertz]

1 hour ago, Jann in TX said:

Hi,

I had this a few years ago-- it was horrid--stand up and...

I barely made it through the biopsy-- that came back as early stage endometrial cancer so I opted for hysterectomy (thankfully it had not spread out of uterus).

I've been fine since then.

 

I had this as well. Stage 1A endometrial cancer. I had a hysterectomy and oopherectomy (ovaries); didn't need radiation or chemo. I'm fine now. Re biopsy: do it under anesthesia! (actually, conscious sedation) 

[mlktwins]

24 minutes ago, Ethel Mertz said:

I had this as well. Stage 1A endometrial cancer. I had a hysterectomy and oopherectomy (ovaries); didn't need radiation or chemo. I'm fine now. Re biopsy: do it under anesthesia! (actually, conscious sedation) 

So sorry you dealt with this too, but that you didn't need anything other than the surgery.

Yes, I wouldn't try the biopsy again without sedation!  That was not fun!  But...I don't want to go in for a biopsy and come out with covid.  I feel for so many people dealing with issues like this -- do you get things checked or stay home and safe.

 

[Ottakee]

6 hours ago, mlktwins said:

Thank you all!  We tried to do a biopsy in my doctor's office, but no luck 😔.  We will be scheduling a biopsy to be when I'm under anesthesia, which I am deferring for a couple of months until our Covid numbers are better.  I would schedule it for tomorrow if it weren't for Covid.

I have several things she thinks are probably just fine (seen during my u/s), but wants to do the biopsy to be sure.

I'm hoping for no more bleeding though.  I didn't miss that at all -- LOL!

 

I would encourage you to consider going in and having the biopsy done sooner.   I have felt very comfortable with the levels of protection taken at our local hospitals. 

[elegantlion]

I was not post menopause, but I had a hysterectomy a few months ago for what they thought was adenomyosis. Instead it was polyps and some endometriosis, they didn't expect the latter. 

[TravelingChris]

I have been for 2 procedures in a hospital since covid and I am fine.  I have probably been to medical appointments, labs, tests, etc at least 30 times since the dhutdown last March.  No Covid.  Medical place, Where personnel are using PPE and patients are screened are just so much more safe than places like Walmart - where there are a lot of people who don't wear their masks correctly, don't stay home if they are sick. don't practice social distancing, and are much more likely to work in s place where they also have higher risk.

Studies have found that grocery store workers were more likely to get COViD than medical workers  Most medical workers were way down the line and if they aren't getting it, neither are you.

In your case, you really need to get that test sooner.  Yes, it may be completely benign. But as two posters here said, theirs sad cancer. And with cancer, you want to catch snd treat it as soon as possible for it not to spread.

In fact, my point in some of the other threads on here and w talking to others is that there will be short and long term negative affects of COVID not directly caused by disease like all the people who will fie because of delays in diagnoses or treatments for various serious diseases.  Please don't be one 9f those 

[Ditto]

7 hours ago, TravelingChris said:

I have been for 2 procedures in a hospital since covid and I am fine.  I have probably been to medical appointments, labs, tests, etc at least 30 times since the dhutdown last March.  No Covid.  Medical place, Where personnel are using PPE and patients are screened are just so much more safe than places like Walmart - where there are a lot of people who don't wear their masks correctly, don't stay home if they are sick. don't practice social distancing, and are much more likely to work in s place where they also have higher risk.

Studies have found that grocery store workers were more likely to get COViD than medical workers  Most medical workers were way down the line and if they aren't getting it, neither are you.

In your case, you really need to get that test sooner.  Yes, it may be completely benign. But as two posters here said, theirs sad cancer. And with cancer, you want to catch snd treat it as soon as possible for it not to spread.

In fact, my point in some of the other threads on here and w talking to others is that there will be short and long term negative affects of COVID not directly caused by disease like all the people who will fie because of delays in diagnoses or treatments for various serious diseases.  Please don't be one 9f those 

This is what I came to say too.  I have had several surgeries (since covid) and have another one coming up.  I feel much safer (and am safer) inside medical establishments.  The cost of putting off needed medical care is just too great.   With my upcoming surgery my dr told me that he had gotten both doses of the vaccine, as had everyone working within the surgery center.  You are far far safer at medical appointments than stores and other places.  They are being careful and not taking chances.  Please have the biopsy done now.  I am thinking about you and hope that it turns out to be benign.

Edited February 1, 2021 by Ditto

[mlktwins]

@TravelingChris and @Ditto

Thanks so much for your insight.  I'm sorry you've had to have procedures recently as well!

I just want to say that I have not been in a store since last March.  My family has not had food from a restaurant (take-out even) since last March.  We still wipe down our groceries because half of them go to our elderly parents and we are more comfortable doing it than not doing it.  Other than caring for my very elderly in-laws and my 85 year old dad, I don't go anywhere unnecessary and neither does my family -- since March.  Me and my boys have been to a few necessary appointments since last summer, but I felt very comfortable there.  I was around the most people at the GYN's office last week than I've been since March and the waiting room was pretty tight.  It is a big practice with a small waiting space.  Definitely not enough distance between everyone.  I was not super comfortable with that.  I was comfortable getting my u/s though.

I am it to care for my dad (and I'm doing pretty much everything for him these days), so while I don't want to have cancer, I also don't want to get Covid and possibly give it to him.  I'm super careful when I go anywhere necessary, but will need to have a mask off at the hospital.  That scares the heck out of me.

And...I have a family member that works at a hospital in another state.  I do hear what goes on there and it is very worrisome to me! 

I am considering moving it up though -- just not February (and maybe not March).  It's really a gamble to me either way.

I will keep thinking on it though :-).

 

[Ethel Mertz]

15 hours ago, Ottakee said:

I would encourage you to consider going in and having the biopsy done sooner.   I have felt very comfortable with the levels of protection taken at our local hospitals. 

Ditto. I recently had an in-hospital overnight at the sleep clinic. I felt totally safe. Our local hospital is taking every precaution.

[RootAnn]

19 hours ago, kand said:

As far as variants go, that’s likely to get worse in the next couple months, not better, so this may actually be the better timing (unless you think you can get a vaccine soon). 

This. Cases are going down now but variants are on their way up. I'd see if I could get in now. Sooner rather than later. I'm making an eye appointment for the kid that hasn't been for the longest.

[mlktwins]

Thanks everyone.  I am thinking about it this week and will decide.  Would like to have the vaccine first too, but that probably won't happen.

If we didn't have 3 elderly (2 very high risk) to care for, I would probably risk it without question.  Literally, my dad lives alone, but I do everything for him as in food, clean, bills, put his meds together, cut his hair, cut his toenails (LOL), etc.  He cannot drive anymore.  He is screwed if something happens to me (cancer or Covid).  My DH and his sister are doing the same for their parents rotating every other day (I order all their groceries and have taken on all their paperwork, bills, taxes).  I hate this pandemic for so many reasons 😞!

 

[ktgrok]

Can you find out what the vaccination status is at the hospital you'd have the procedure? Or can it be done at a smaller outpatient surgical center, or in the Gyn office with just oral sedation? What part was a no go without sedation, the actual biopsy, or getting the instrument in place? If it was just getting things in there, you can ask for a cervical block - I had to have that twice - once to place an IUD and once to do a hysteroscope to fish it out after it became turned and partially embedded. I'd tried to have the IUD put in multiple times before that, without a cervical block, because most doctors don't do one for that, and it was NOT possible - my cervix is too sensitive and was spasming - worst pain ever plus it actually ejected the IUD, lol. With the cervical block it was no big deal at all, just had to find a doctor that did them that way. I was totally comfortable and able to watch the images from the camera even. Just a thought. 

But either way, if the staff at wherever you do it has been vaccinated, I'd do it now, before we start seeing more variants here that may not be covered by the vaccine. You will be able to wear a mask up until they sedate you, at which point the only people in the room will be medical staff, so if they are vaccinated, fairly safe. And the biopsy will be a very quick procedure. 

Another factor is to try to get the first appointment of the morning, so no other patients were in there before you. Or at least earlier in the day. 

 

[mlktwins]

@ktgrok  My doctor is vaccinated and I believe the hospital staff have been getting theirs in our area.  I will check.  I know I won't qualify for a while yet.

She couldn't get it through my cervix.  I think I'm just old -- LOL -- and haven't had babies in over 15 years.  And...I had a c-section .  Maybe it is sealed shut -- LOL!!!  Gotta find some humor somewhere.  There was most definitely not a pain block at that appointment 😲! 

I am going to message my doctor today and talk about a few things.  I will ask about the cervical block and trying again in her office too.  At least I can keep my masks on if it is in her office.

I went through fertility treatments so I'm not unused to being poked and prodded.  I had a great prize at the end of all that effort though so was very much do what you have to do :-).

[ktgrok]

9 minutes ago, mlktwins said:

@ktgrok  My doctor is vaccinated and I believe the hospital staff have been getting theirs in our area.  I will check.  I know I won't qualify for a while yet.

She couldn't get it through my cervix.  I think I'm just old -- LOL -- and haven't had babies in over 15 years.  And...I had a c-section .  Maybe it is sealed shut -- LOL!!!  Gotta find some humor somewhere.  There was most definitely not a pain block at that appointment 😲! 

 

Yes, ask about the cervical block. They couldn't do my IUD either, until I had someone use a cervical block. 

But if hospital staff and doctor are vaccinated, i'd say the risk in the proceedure either way are less than the risk of waiting if it is something you need to treat ASAP.