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[letty]

Hi,

I've seen a few discussions about this in the past but as I'm trembling about going to see a consultant at the hospital today I just thought I'd write down what's going on with me.

After having a change in bowel habits for about 4 months I decided I needed to go to the drs to see if they could help. I did think I'd be sent for a colonoscopy but instead was told that it sounded like I had ovarian cancer and was sent for blood tests and a scan. The blood tests were ok but the scan showed my womb lining was 9 mm.

It's been two weeks and today I'm off to see a consultant. I am very scared. When I was going through the menopause 4 years ago. .. I had a thickened womb lining twice and had investigation's. Both were under a general as it was too painful and I was too closed up to investigate without. The first investigation didn't hurt after, but the second the pain was so extreme that it was hard to cope with even with pain relief. Then a week later I ended up in A&E as I was loosing huge clots of blood. There were so many it was unbelievable! At the hospital I was looked at and given some tablets to stop it, they were going to investigate again but as I had  just had an investigation said they thought it would be okay but someone would be in touch. Nobody was and I was so relieved that the bleeding and pain had stopped I didn't do anything either! That was four years ago and my last bleed.

When I went to have my last smeer test 18 months ago the nurse couldn't do it and told me to use hrt cream for a month and come back. I decided not to do it and thought I'd try a herbal solution but completely forgot about it!  When I went for the scan this time it was incredibly painful and bled so now I'm terrified of the pain plus what they are going to find!

I'm hoping that as I hadn't been bleeding that this might go on my side but there again I've no idea if that's true, also the blood tests were good, but is this an indicator that if it's cancer it's contained? Again I've no idea. I have two paracetamols ready to take an hour before the consultation and some homeopathy for anxiety.

I'm wondering if I have to have an investigation or can it just be a talk and a booking in for a biopsy? Can if I ask to have another scan to see if the lining has thinned and if it has can I just go home?!  Are there tablets to take to thin the lining or do I really have to go through another biopsy again?

Anyway, many apologies, I'm in a bit of a state.

Thanks for any help xx

[Kathleen]

Hello letty and welcome to the forum.

Of course you are worried about your appointment, that's only natural. I'm no expert but when I was investigated for bleeding I had an ultra sound scan of the abdomen and because my lining was thickened I was sent for a hysteroscopy/biopsy. I know some ladies had their procedures under anesthetic so perhaps you could request that.

Hopefully you will receive good news today and I wish you well.

Take care and let us know how get on.

K.

[Dancinggirl]

letty - you are doing all the right things. It was quite wrong of the GP to worry you about cancer without having specific tests etc done first.  The thickened lining isn't good this far into post meno and this does need to be investigated to be on the safe side. 
Do write down all your symptoms, explain about he vaginal atrophy and how painful any examination is and also all your questions to show to the doctor you see at the appointment - sometimes nerves can make you forget things.
They may wish to do some more tests on the lining - I would ask to have this done under anaesthetic due to your atrophy - they may also be able to do a D&C to clear the lining at the same time.
Hopefully you will get everything explained and some reassurance today, however, I expect they will book you in for everything under anaesthetic.  Try not to worry.  Keep us posted.  DG x

[letty]

Thank you Kathleen and dancing girl xx. Yes I had thought it would be just a discussion today but have got myself into a state about an examination and about cancer. My appointment is at 12.45 so will keep you posted. Really appreciate your posts 🌸🌼🌸🌼

[Taz2]

Hi letty - welcome from me too.

Just wanted to send you a hug and I agree with Dancinggirl that it was really unfair of your GP to mention ovarian cancer. As has already been said you are doing all of the right things and now you have us here to support you and hold your hand you, hopefully, wont feel quite so stressed out by it all.

Don't forget to let us know how you get on.

Taz x 

[countrybumpkin]

My friend has had this quite a few times post meno and each time she had to have hysteroscopy under GA ( she insisted) and they biopsied and then she had progesterone treatment for 2 weeks and at the end she had a massive bleed that shed all the thickened womb lining.  She went through this 3 times before it all settled down in the 10 years post meno.  She was told this was due to being oestrogen dominant but at no time was her womb lining cancerous.

They dont' like thickened womb linings because if left for many years they can turn cancerous and this is why they like to get rid of them! 

Hope all went ok at your appt x

[coldethyl]

I had very early womb cancer - it was only found on biopsy post hysterectomy for ovarian cancer although my GP flagged it as possibility with my womb feeling boggy on examination. I had an ultrasound and ct scan for the ovarian mass and nothing else showed up so it isn't the thickness of the lining per se that matters , but whether it's thick because of cellular changes - hopefully you have the tests and it is nothing. I assume they have fine a CA125 blood test which whilst not conclusive either way , is an indicator of problems. X

[letty]

Thank you for your replies xxx. Sorry I didn't get straight back. The consultant I saw was a bit unsure what to do as felt that as I had investigations before for a thickened lining and they were okay that perhaps the lining of my womb wasn't thickened at all but something behind the womb pushing it forward and making it look thicker??? He also said that ultrasound scans were not that great. He asked me to choose from a biopsy of the womb again under a general or an MRI of my pelvic area. I went for the MRI and had it on Monday,  I'm now waiting for results. I'll keep you posted! Thank you so much for your support xxx

[coldethyl]

Good luck with the results of your MRI scan - much more thorough investigative scan so hopefully you get some answers soon x

[countrybumpkin]

Glad you had the mri scan. I had to have one of my pelvic area when I had a complex ovarian cyst in peri meno and the diagnosis went from " looks like a cyst" via ultrasound to 100% its just a fluid filled cyst. Mri are awesome.

[letty]

Hi  again , thank you country bumpkin and coldethryl xx.

I got the results today and was told that yes the lining is definitely thickened and there's also something attached to the lining! The Dr said it looked like a polyp but he wasn't sure. He said that it would need to be removed and sent off to see exactly what it was and if it was cancerous. I sortof think he might not be telling me the whole story as I thought mri results were pretty clear and he'd be able to see exactly what it was but maybe I'm wrong.

As he's going on holiday there's a three week wait to get it done. My vagina is as dry as can be so worried about it being ripped open in the investigation and also fearful about what exactly is going to happen and how they take off the lump/polyp. Does that hurt? Has anyone had experience of this procedure?

 I suggested that I take hrt cream to make going in easier but he said if it was cancer they wouldn't want me using the cream.

I will be going under a GA. Last time I had an investigation my vagina wasn't dry and there was no biopsy, but the pain on waking was excruciating, I'm pretty scared about how painful this investigation is going to be.

Psychologically just the thought of all those metal clamps and being forced open is turning my stomach  . I did see one of these procedures a long time ago and had to be taken from the theatre as they thought I was going to faint!

 Isn't there anyway I could take some medicine to shed this lining and growth?    I'm thinking not 

Apologies for making a meal out of this. Thanks for any help folks xx

[letty]

Woke up feeling sick with worry, remember how Dr reacted when I suggested using hrt cream. Should I really be waiting another 3 weeks until he comes back from his holiday? Is there a way to find a good gynaecologist? A nurse at the hospital told me she used this one so I went with him. Could a dr mess up a biopsy and spread cancer to outside of the womb? Sorry really upset and feeling pretty helpless x. ..

[Taz2]

Hi letty - sorry that you are feeling so anxious. Try not to let your mind run away with you. Womb polyps are very common and there are only a very small percentage which are cancerous.

You are having a GA (some women have this done with only a local anaesthetic as their hospitals don't consider it necessary)  so wont be aware of any of the discomfort while the procedure is being carried out and when you come round you will be able to have painkillers if you need them for any initial cramping. You will probably experience bleeding for a few days or longer.

Are you having a biopsy or the polyp removed or both procedures done? If the doc has found polyp this is generally removed and it's then sent off for analysis. Have you read somewhere about the spread of cancer by a failed endometrial biopsy?

As for the three week wait - your gynaecologist is the expert in this and I'm sure that you would have been fast tracked to be seen by a different one if he felt in any way you needed investigation before he returned from holiday.

Sending big hugs.

Taz x 

[coldethyl]

Sorry to hear that you are so worried, As Taz says if you are having a GA , you won't experience any of of the procedure and will be given pain reflief to help with any post procedure pain.
I don't think that three weeks will matter much and if he was concerned I'm sure he would have passed you on to a colleague. I waited two weeks for my cancer surgery and don't imagine it mattered much in scheme of things although of course we fear the worst and want the offending thing out. MRI scans can show a lot , but sometimes it isn't until biopsy that they get the full picture. A thickened lining in itself may be cancer or be nothing so your Dr can't really make the call until pathology results in. Womb cancer is successfully treatable if caught earty enough by hysterectomy - mine was only found as part of surgery for ovarian cancer and my nurse said the womb acts as a good barrier to spread.
You have done all the right things reporting the bleeding and once your path results are in  you'll be able to see what further, if any, treatment is needed.
Wishing you well. Xxx

[Cazikins]

Hi Letty, just want to say I think I know how you feel as I had an ultrasound yesterday & it turns out I have a womb lining of 8.7mm - 2 years ago it was only 3mm. So off to see docs next week for a "chat" to see what needs to be done.

I have had a D&C before back in 2013 & they also removed a polyp. It was all done under GA & I had no troubles afterwards.

I read on google somewhere yesterday that if the womb lining is over 5mm then there is about a 7.3% chance of it being cancer, so let's both assume we are both one of the other 92.7%.

We will be fine letty, try not to worry to much - having said that I had bugger all sleep last night thinking what if's 

The ladies on here are brilliant at "hand holding" members going through scary times. And remember you are not on your own.

Cazi xx