Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[kristina12]

Hi
I posted a while ago when my GP had tried to fit a mirena coil as part of HRT but was unable to find my cervix so referred me to the gynae consultant at the hospital saying that they would definitely be able to do it. As I'd had an ablation 7 years ago the consultant said I needed a hysteroscopy to check for adhesions in my uterus before fitting one. When I went to the colposcopy clinic for the hysteroscopy though they too struggled to find my cervix! Eventually (after using 3 different speculums and with a lot of bleeding and discomfort) they did find it but had to abort the procedure saying that my cervix was tiny and really high and that it had completely closed up (stenosis) due to scar tissue so they couldn't get the hysteroscope in to do the exam.
Also the nurse that did my last 2 smears at my GP practice (who also had a lot of problems finding my cervix) had told me that I erosions on my cervix causing the discharge, pain and spotting that I constantly experience. The gynaecologist said there is no erosion there so advised that she would send me back to my consultant who she said may want to operate under a general to look at the inside of my uterus and take biopsies. I'm seeing the consultant on December 17th but I'm now worried that there may be more sinister reasons for my symptoms.
I'm also no nearer to getting a form of HRT that I can on with.
Has anyone else experienced stenosis and similar problems?
Thank you xx

[Charys]

OK, this may or may not help...LOL. I haven't - but I know someone who HAS. She was actually post menopausal and was having spotting and bleeding. I just thought I'd make some sort of reply to you, until someone else comes along who has more first-hand experience.

This person had literally the same background processes as you to the uterus, the ablation many years prior, a few attempts at finding the cervix with GP (nope, no success). She then went to the hospital and under sedation the consultant was unable to access it either, same reasons as you, scar tissue. Eventually, she had the biopsies under GA and so on....no issues found at all apart from some thickening from hormone imbalance. She did elect for a hysterectomy at this point, as had a background of breast cancer, so the situation was different in that sense to you...and she wanted to keep taking the hormone therapy prescribed for that.

So, whilst I am no medic....and have little experience....I have heard of this case where someone had all the symptoms you have and it was all ok. I really hope someone more experienced comes along soon to reply to you, but hope this helps a little.   

[kristina12]

Thank you so much for your reply Charys, it is just so reassuring to hear about someone else with a very similar set of symptoms and presentation that ended up being nothing serious. It is quite worrying that I was told by the practice nurse that my symptoms were due to cervical erosion when I didn't have one. Otherwise I would probably have had investigations a few years ago.
Thanks again for replying, it has really helped x

[Taz2]

Hi Kristina. I think it's reassuring that two of the causes of cervical stenosis are menopause, causing thinning of the tissues, and endometrial ablation. Let us know how you get on.

Taz x

[NorthArm]

Hi Kristina

Your story could be mine...

I'm looking at this too, as although they could find my cervix, they couldn't dilate it as there was too much scar tissue from previous caesars....so no Mirena yet...

I'm on a waiting list to have it under a GA now, but if they can't, I'm going to ask for a hysterectomy as I'm done with fornightly heavy spotting / bleeding.

[kristina12]

Thanks for your replies ladies

NorthArm, I can really empathise with you. My spotting is mainly after sex at the moment (I get a lot of discomfort as well) but I think that is probably because my GP agreed to put me back on the combined pill for a while until I can get some HRT sorted as I struggle with most types of progesterone that are in the pills and patches. Do you have any other discharge? Every day I have profuse yellow/brownish discharge and have had for a few years that I put down to erosion, that it now turns out that I don't have. My GP ran all the tests for infection before attempting to fit the mirena so I know I haven't got any infection.

Do you know how long you will have to wait to have the procedure under GA? I can appreciate why you would consider a hysterectomy. I wish I had opted for one instead of the ablation now as that way I could just have the oestrogen patches and not have all these problems finding a progesterone that agrees with me. xx

[NorthArm]

Hi Kristina

I wasn't getting any discharge, not even the normal stuff as everything was drying up, even with vagifem. I've now been given ovestin cream to use. At the moment I'm in the midst of giving myself a break from all progesterone for about five weeks (due to start it again on Wednesday), and I'm starting to get the ‘normalish' Stuff again. Bloods show my own progesterone levels are normal, it's the oestrogen component that is lacking, and I've been told I'm now post meno (I know, bloods are unreliable, but specialist said it was so, go figure!). The progesterone my own body is producing is probably what is causing the erratic bleeding, so she was ok with me using a slightly longer cycle (I told her that was what I was going to do, she said it was ok but not to go longer than 6 weeks with out prog) as I'll be bleeding anyway....

Anyway, my first appointment with the new gynae is 20th Feb, and the attempted reinsertion of the Mirena (along with hysteroscopy and d&c) will be in the three months after that. So hopefully by May things will be sorted. It's at the Feb appointment I'll be speaking to him about hysterectomy if it turns out things are too fused / scarred to insert the Mirena. Personally I'd prefer a hysterectomy, because I'm feeling at least ‘normalish' on oestrogen alone. Seriously, I'm having anxiety about taking the Utrogestan again.....Gynae told me I can limit it to 7 days if I wish, so I'll self assess as I go along.

Isn't this journey hell?? If it was a ‘men' issue would all be sorted, with one pill, taken once, with no side effects!!

[kristina12]

Hi NorthArm
It would definitely be sorted if it was a 'men issue'. I don't even see a lot of evidence of research being done in this area which is amazing considering the fact that if affects all women!
Even gynaecologists don't seem too clued up on it from my recent experience. Before the failed hysteroscopy, the gynaecologist that I saw at my clinic appointment (she was the middle grade speciality doctor working for my consultant) told me that if they couldn't fit the mirena or find any HRT that I got on with they could prescribe me anti-depressants (SSRIs) as she said they can help with the symptoms. I told her I wouldn't want to take anti-depressants as I work in mental health services and know the side effects and I also haven't seen anything in the NICE guidelines recommending these for menopause symptoms.
I am still peri so I don't think I've got much atrophy yet and I assume that my hormone levels are still fluctuating all over the place. The only progesterone I seem to tolerate is the one in the mirena. So I was fine on femseven patches but there is a manufacturing problem with them until some point next year.
The waiting around to get anywhere is so frustrating when you feel so awful isn't it? My next gynae appointment is on December 17th so I should find out if they are going to do the procedure under GA and if not what explanation they can give me for the discharge and spotting and what the recommend for controlling my meno symptoms. At least I am sleeping while taking microgynon back to back but I still get some hot flushes, palpitations and am terribly irritable and still get quite anxious.
I haven't tried utrogestan but I'm so anxious about trying another type of progesterone after the side effects I've had from most of the others. They makes me feel so low and anxious.
Th journey really is hell. I didn't expect to encounter all of these problems just from attempting to have a mirena inserted either! I really hope you manage to get sorted. It just seems such a long time if it could take until May for you to get sorted. x

[NorthArm]

Hi Kristina

Yes it is hell, and yes it's a long time to wait....I've resigned myself to the waiting as there's not much else I can do. Just so thoroughly fed up of it all! I'm glad you're finding a bit of relief sleep wise with the microgynon at least...but that anxiety is awful, isn't it? I did trial an AD for about six months, but no relief there sadly. I really just want it all to be over 😞