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[linz57]

My reliable doctor retired last year and so since August I have been seeing his replacement, a woman who looks about 15 !!
Anyway, my old doc said I needed a pelvic  ultrasound every twelve months as I am on hrt, however, the new one disagrees. So, who is right, do I need one every year?
Mind you, this doc knows virtually sweet Fanny Adams about hrt .....

[Taz2]

I've been on HRT on and off for nine years and have never been told that a scan is necessary every year although, maybe, private clinics do this?

Taz x

[linz57]

Thanks Taz2, it's good to know they aren't necessary then. It would help if our doctors agreed on these things.

[Kate50]

I'm going to be having one every year got my first one next month at doctor's

[countrybumpkin]

Are talking the difference between nhs doctors and private ones here? I know quite a few people on hrt and their nhs GP's have never ever sent them for ultrasound unless they experience unusual symptoms.

[Mary G]

My gynaecologist thinks all women should have an uterine scan every year, not just because of being on HRT, but to check ovaries, bladder, vaginal wall etc.  She thinks it is wrong that women only have scans when they develop symptoms. 

If you are on HRT, this is the only way to ensure you are taking the right amount of progesterone and if you don't have a scan, you might be taking too much progesterone unnecessarily as I was. 

I would push for it if I were you. 

[linz57]

I have had them in the past, along with transvaginal scans and a womb biopsy but they were only when I'd had problems.
Both my doctors are NHS yet the first thought scans necessary and the second thinks not.
I suppose it's up to me to push for one if I think I should have one. Better safe than sorry as you say Mary G.

[Hurdity]

linz57 - it may partly depend on why your doc said you should have them every year - for example are you on a non-standard prescription for HRT or a longer cycle? Maybe you've had problems with the lining eg fibroids? These could be reasons why your doc recommended an annual scan - otherwise unfortunately they are not routine on NHS and I imagine there is a referral path that needs to be justified in order to have one.

In my case for example I had one when I had what I thought was ovarian pain (I'm on NHS) and also when I'd had a hysteroscopy 2-3 years ago they found a small fibroid and my bleeds were a bit heavier so I was worried it might have grown on the HRT - so this was sufficient for referral.

I do agree we should have annual gynaecological scans as a precautionary measure - but in today's financial climate that's unlikely to be a reality .

Hurdity x

[linz57]

Hurdity, I'm just on standard combined conti patch and haven't had problems. I had the biopsy after my last scan as my endometrium thickness was 6mm and the cut off is 5mm. It came back fine. Maybe the older doc wanted to do another due to that. However, I was on just Vagifem at that time and so I've been hoping the continued prog I have been on for twelve months will have thinned my lining. The thing is, without a scan I just don't know

[Kate50]

NHS. Just thought it was sensible to have one taking into account they are the ones who scaremonger you into not taking it for long. We have a mobile unit i went to one a few years back when I had ovary pain. Thinking abiut it I just remembered I think she said i had a very small fibroid so actually that would be interesting to know if it starts growing. My  GP said she will regularly check blood especially now taking testosterone and make sure I get regular  mammogram?  Lol were not use to having good doctors!

[linz57]

Very true Kate50, I'd hang onto that one of yours for sure. They seem to be as rare as hens teeth these days. Well, as far as menopausal health is concerned .

[Kate50]

Linz57
My doctor had followed Studds work so she was fine with everything.  She's the same age as me we both had our last child within days of each other at home and she also says she's gonna take hrt when she needs to! She sounds normal doesn't she! ?

[Mary G]

Kate50, it's disgusting the way the NHS scaremonger about HRT and use out of date information to do it with i.e. giving women too low a dose of oestrogen, giving time limits for taking it and banging on about a couple of discredited and clapped out studies.  The fact of the matter is, they can't supply the back up services necessary to support HRT - like scans for example.  Someone should at least admit it and give women the choice to pay for some services themselves instead and just giving them cheap, outdated rubbish that doesn't work or nothing at all.  Give people the option of paying for scans and private prescriptions.  Why not make life better for people and give them choices?

Linz57, the 5mm upper limit for lining that you talked about is for post menopause women who are NOT ON HRT.  This is not the upper limit for people who are taking cyclical HRT and the doctor should have known this. 

[linz57]

Do you know what the upper limit is for post menopausal women on a conti regime Mary G?

[Kate50]

Lol MaryG
I like the soapbox stand!  You can get off now!