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[Piggywiggy]

Hi everyone 
I'd like a little advice please. I started menopause early in my mid thirties and have been without periods for 4 years now. However 2 days ago I randomly started bleeding again. Bit of a shock after so long without a period! I've booked a phone call with my doc for next week but in the meantime was hoping some of you may be able to help. I know it might not be a period but my breasts have also been tender and I experienced some clear discharge in the weeks before which all points to a usual period for me. My menopause symptoms have also calmed down quite a bit over the last few months. I did have a smear recently, 2 weeks ago, and I was sore after that and wondered whether this is trauma bleeding brought on by the smear. Obviously I'm a bit anxious about all this as I'm worrying about why I'm bleeding again. Do you think it's possible with early menopause for my ovaries (once described by a nurse at an internal scan as shrivelled up little raisins) to become active again?
Piggywiggy 

[Hurdity]

Hi Piggywiggy

 

If you went through menopause in your 30's  ie went without periods for 12 months then, or early 40's it could be that your ovaries have spontaneously begun working again. This is known to occur and is why those who go through menopause under 50 are advised to use contraception for 2 years following last period. However in your case 4 years so somewhat longer. Any bleeding which occurs more than 12 months after last period has to be investigated - just to rule out any serious cause, so you are right to call your doctor. The fact that you had the tell-tale signs of pms beforehand is a good sign. It might have been coincidence about the smear but you definitely should be seen by a doctor and insist on a referral for a scan at least - even if it does turn out to be a proper period.

Are you on HRT - I do hope so after an early menopause? If so then this cold be a reason for your bleed depending which type. If ot, maybe something you should explore so that you can help protect your bones etc? I would also request a DEXA scan re bone health if you haven't been taking hRT.

Do let us know the outcome and try not to worry in the meantime!

Hurdity x

[Piggywiggy]

Hi Hurdity.
Thanks for your reply. My doc and I agreed on no hrt for me due to family cancer history and I was happy to try and get through it naturally and being as active as I could for my bones and with vitamins for my heart health. It was hard at the start but I seemed to settle into it and got used to dealing with all the symptoms but this is a bit of a curveball now and if I'm honest, I'm not exactly over the moon with having bleeding back after all this time. No periods was the one and only good point of menopause!  I guess I've got a bit of a wait for answers if I'm to be having tests but was hoping this has happened to others to put my mind at rest in the meantime. 

[Piggywiggy]

Doc says it won't be periods back after 4 years so more likely to be Endometrial Hyperplasia and need to have a scan and hysteroscopy. Am a bit wussy with painful tests these days. Feel pain quite easily and sedation doesn't seem to help me. Anyone got any advice? Haven't received my letter yet so nothing to go on but getting a bit anxious about it. 
Thanks

[KiltedCupid]

Hi Piggywiggy - please don't worry about the procedures. I've had a hysteroscopy 3 times and whilst it's not a champagne picnic, neither is it a horror story. The hospital will send you a fact sheet beforehand explaining that you can take pain relief, what to take and when to take it. I opted for the lot, co-codamol plus ibuprofen. It's a quick procedure, around 10/15 mins at most. Some hospitals will offer the option of a general anaesthetic, but honestly, unless you're terrified, that's a lot of downtime for a very simple, short procedure. You can also alert the hospital in advance of your anxieties and repeat that to whomever is doing the procedure. Also, make it clear before you start the procedure that you want it to stop at any given point you're not comfortable and that you want to remain in control of that.

In terms of the scan, they may do abdominal 1st, then transvaginal. Abdo is just cold jelly, and the device running over your abdo region, you'll need a full bladder. Transvaginal uses a slim probe, gently inserted with gel into the vagina and moved around a little to get the images. Empty bladder for that. No pain relief needed and very quick.

They may opt to do scans only first then have you return at a later date for hysteroscopy if they don't get enough info with the scan.

You are in control, if you don't feel you have enough info about what's going on, ask.

If you haven't used vaginal oestrogen since you started meno, it might be an idea to start it before the procedure if you have any symptoms of vaginal atrophy. Hope this helps, please ask if you have any more questions.

[Dollydream]

Hi Piggywiggy
Some good advice there from KiltedCupid.  I had a hysteroscopy yesterday, it was the 2nd one I've had in just over 2 years. I am also a massive wuss where pain is concerned but this really did not give me anything more than slight discomfort, like a period pain.  I had a mirena coil removed at the same time and that was actually worse than the hysteroscopy.  I had slight cramping on the way back from hospital but absolutely fine afterwards but with some bleeding still which is tailing off now.  I had 2 paracetamel tablets an hour before the procedure as they advised, don't know whether that helped but it really wasn't that bad.
Dolly xx

[KiltedCupid]

Glad it went well dollydream.

[Piggywiggy]

Thanks for your comments all.
Unfortunately my appointment was awful! I'd had the abdo and transvag scans last week and I mentioned that I found the internal one painful but I don't think she really believed me. But when she tried the hysteroscopy I think she got the message. She couldn't get the camera in and it was so painful she had to stop trying. I think I must have crushed all the bones in the nurse's hand and they definitely will have heard me outside the room. She seems to think an ablation procedure I had 7 years ago (to stop heavy periods) may have closed off the entrance to the cervix somewhat which is why she couldn't get it in. Still hurting and bleeding now from all the prodding and she didn't even bloody do it!  She wants to see me for a scan in 4 to 6 months time instead. Feel really shit it didn't get done but it was agony so it just wasn't going in. I asked about having it done under GA but they don't like to. Worried now that I didn't have a biopsy as the scan last week showed a thickening of 9mm. She did however say that it's perfectly plausible that my body could have thrown me a period even though i'm still getting menopause symptoms because I'm only 41.

[KiltedCupid]

Piggywiggy - really sorry to hear you had such a traumatic time, one of my hysteroscopies wasn't very pleasant as the doc tried and failed several times to remove a polyp and was less than gentle, so I can certainly empathise. I wonder if your ablation has caused scar tissue? The other non invasive option is to take a course of something like norethisterone, have a bleed then follow up scan. Did your doc not suggest this?

[Bobidy]

Hi, I had a hysteroscopy a couple of years ago and found it extremely painful. I wasn't given any info beforehand so didn't take any otc painkillers beforehand. I think not having children also made it painful.

Anyway, annoyingly after all that the hospital could not find the notes afterwards and wanted to do the procedure again. I explained how painful I found it and was offered an MRI scan instead. Obviously this doesn't get the biopsy though.

Maybe you could ask for an MRI instead? Xx

[Bobidy]

I forgot to say, as Hurdity suggests do ask for a DEXA scan too as you are so young. I had one and it is totally pain free. X

[vickypk]

Hi Piggwiggy

I really sympathize with you.
Five weeks ago I had post menopausal bleeding, I had a scan and hysteroscopy within a day at the hospital. Never got any info before appointment to take painkillers  I found the hysteroscopy so painful but in the end they couldn't even remove the polyp they found  I ended up with a bad infection and bleeding and then took antibiotics. A week later had a second hysteroscopy under GA and then had another infection after that with cramps and heavy bleeding. On the last few daya of the antibiotics now and all improving at last!!
Hope you get everything sorted soon and feel better. Sometimes things aren't easy are they.

Vicky xx

[suzysunday]

Hi piggywiggy.  So sorry to hear your problems.  Don't take any crap about them not wanting to give you a GA for hysteroscopy.  I know many ladies cope well without but after your experience you should have one if you want.  I had hysteroscopy last year and knew I couldn't cope without GA. It wasn't offered but I asked and got one.  Don't let them do another one without GA if that's what you want. 

[suzysunday]

If you want more help look up Katherine Tylko on Google and she runs a campaign for women to make an informed choice regarding hysteroscopy.  She was really helpful with me.  She can help with what local nhs areas offer regarding pain relief.  Look her up or email her at [email protected].   All the best to you x

[Piggywiggy]

Thank so much everyone. I felt like such a failure yesterday, which is ridiculous I know but I was so sore and scared and felt really low that I couldn't get the test done. Today, now the pain has mostly gone and the bleeding has slowed, half of me feels relieved she doesn't want to try anything for a few months and half of me is really worried that I'm not getting the tests I need because of yesterday's failed attempt. I've booked an appointment with my GP (a gynae specialist) to tell her what happened and see if she agrees with the wait or whether we should try the hysteroscopy under GA or an MRI in the meantime.
Thanks so much for your support and advice everyone. Why are some specialists and consultants so unfeeling? She spoke to me yesterday like I was being a big baby and inconveniencing her because she couldn't do the test. 😞