Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Personal Experiences => Topic started by: flossie fiddler on December 14, 2016, 12:04:30 PM
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Hi there,
I'm going in for a hysteroscopy tomorrow and I'm a little anxious. As posted on here before, I'm having abnormal bleeding, been on Evorel Sequi and now Conti, but the bleeding continues. Had 2 scans 2 years apart, both showing no abnormalities apart from 5mm thickness lining (that's the trigger point for further investigation apparently).
Gynae has written to my doctor already suggesting a sequential HRT if nothing untoward is found. He said that Evorel Sequi and Conti should only be used if I was post menopause, which I wasn't at the time of starting it.
I was just wondering if anyone had any hints, tips and advice to help me get through tomorrow and also what HRT to discuss with my GP if everything is OK. She's always open to discussion and suggestion. I'm having local anaesthetic and hoping to be home later in the day, although I've been told to take my dressing gown and slippers.
Thanks ladies, hope you're all still coping.
Tracey
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What about a Mirena? as it is very good at keeping the lining thin and then you can add it patches like Estradot or Estrogel.
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You need a silly book - easy to read, and not too dull, that you can dip into during the waits, (but put down again). Maybe you can borrow one?
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:bighug:
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When I had my Hysteroscopy about 3 years ago (to take old Mirena coil out & check abnormal bleeding) I was fully awake but things were numbed down below. However I was still as nervous as anything, so one of the nurses held my hand & we chatted about our favourite holidays, I was imagining myself on the Istrian Peninsula in Croatia 8) 8). The staff then put on a Christmas CD & before long we were all singing "Do They Know It's Christmas" - & this was in JULY...
Before I knew it my legs were back where they were supposed to be. ;D ;D
The only thing I forgot to take with me was a sanitary towel. but they had one there & it wasn't really needed.
You will be fine Flossie Fiddler, the only thing I felt was a bit of a scratch every now & then.
Good luck for tomorrow & let us know how you get on.
Cazikins x
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Hi Flossie Fiddler
When I had mine done 3 years ago there wouldn't have been time to read or anything. I asked about local anaesthetic but they said by the time they'd done that I could have had the procedure and they didn't usually offer it. So I had it without - however the leaflet or letter that I had said to take 2 ibuprofen and 2 paracetamol and hour before my appointment time so did that and didn't really feel anything. They just said to take more if I had any pain later which I didn't. I had a biopsy at the same time where they take a little nick of tissue to check for cancer cells or hyperplasia. Mine was triggered due to bleeding after sex and then thickened lining (approx 7-8 mm) but I told the gynae it would be expected to be thick as I was on cyclically HRT but they still went ahead. Nice to know one is being looked after :)
Not quite sure what you mean about the Evorel. It is only Evorel conti (the same combi patches all the time) which should be used in post-menopause, but Evorel sequi is used if not (ie if peri) - or where there is persistent bleeding on conti prepearation even if post-meno. As you know Evorel sequi is 2 weeks of Evorel 50 followed by 2 weeks of Evorel conti ( same patches as for the continuous combined).
Dressing gown :o - heavens. I just went in whipped my knickers off - possibly had a gown provided but can't remember, in there, feet up in stirrups, gynae poked about, looked at my uterus on a screen - and all done in about 15 mins!
You'll be fine - will be over and done with in the blink of an eye!
Hurdity x
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I know nothing about the hrt or procedure but do want to wish you good luck. Hope all goes smoothly, painfree and good results x
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Aw, thanks ladies, that really helps, and I appreciate you all making light of it. I'm giving it the same head space as if it was a dental extraction!
Will report back. So were you allowed to come home straight after the procedure? Did you drive? Got my mum on standby as the leaflet said don't drive for 24 hours but I didn't know if it was referring to after general anaesthetic.
Tracey
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I'm back home after the procedure. It really wasn't so bad. Felt very crampy straight after but after a cuppa and some painkillers I was allowed to get dressed and was at home within an hour of having the procedure.
I have a uterine polyp which seems to be the cause of the bleeding. The surgeon said everything else looks normal but has taken a biopsy of the womb lining. I'm having the polyp removed on 5th January under general anaesthetic. They would have done it today but I had eaten before I went in so couldn't have a general.
I have some bleeding but not excessive and it's quite watery.
I'm mightily relieved that other than the polyp, everything else seemed normal. My GP surgery rang while I was in, asking me to call as soon as I got in, to discuss the findings and look at tweaking my HRT.
I know I've got surgery to go through but that's not bothering me now. I feel like I've been well looked after today. I'm a happy bunny
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Feet up, cuppa to hand! These sessions take a lot of mental energy so spoil yourself ;-)
:tulips2:
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:foryou:
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Thanks all 💕💕❤️
After 5 hours I feel pretty much normal. A tiny bit of cramp, but TBH I've had cramps for the last 3-6 months so that is normal for me ATM
So for anyone facing the prospect of a hysteroscopy, I hope my experience will ease any anxiety for you.
It certainly helped me to read of other people's experience, so I knew what to expect
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PS, Hurdity, thanks for the info about Everol. I think I misheard what the gynaecologist said because I was nervous. He must have said the Conti was for post meno.
But your clarification has helped me make the decision about what to discuss with my GP about the HRT tweak. I will tell her I'd like to switch back to sequi, because other than the abnormal bleeding, which we have now got to the bottom of, everything else about Sequi suited me and I really felt that I'd got my life back when I started on it.
Cheers
Tracey
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Hi Flossie,
I was just wondering why they didn't try to remove the polyp there and then? I have a uterine polyp that they are going to remove in january without even a local anaesthetic! They just told me to take paracetamol beforehand. After reading that you are getting a general for the same procedure I'm really worried! Did they attempt and it was too painful?
Jess xx
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Hi there Flossie Fiddler
Thanks for letting us know about how it all went and glad you found it OK :)
Waterdaggers - polyps come in various different sizes and are attached in various ways so the gynaes will decide on the best way to remove them so do not fret!
Here is some information about them:
https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/uterine-polyps/
When I went for my hysteroscopy I signed a thing which gave them permission to remove a polyp at the same time as they were poking about in there, should they find one - but as it was they didn't! However if they had found one that was awkward or presumably larger than a few mm then they may well have also brought me back on another day for removal under a GA?
So - it is not the procedure as such, but each circumstance will be slightly different.
Hurdity x
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Hi Jess,
Yes, basically what Hurdity said. Mine is around 6-7mm diameter and the stem is quite thick. They would have removed it at the time but due to the size, I would have needed GA. As I had eaten, and they didn't have enough time at the end of the day to do the procedure once 6 hours had passed since my banana snack, it was decided I would go back at a later date.
I wish I could have had it removed, because now it's been disturbed and everything has been pulled about, the slightest movement is causing bleeding. I'm not too worried, as it's only been 3 days, and I've been bleeding like this for months.
I'm going to give it until Tuesday to settle down a bit, and if it hasn't, I'll ring the hospital. It's not heavy, just inconvenient.
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Thank you for putting my mind at rest Hurdity and Flossie. I will stop stressing about it! Not had the slightest bit of bleeding from my polyp... only know about it because it was seen on a scan... so hopefully that means it won't cause too many problems!
Flossie I hope the bleeding settles down soon and good luck with your op xx
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I had surgery under GA to remove the polyp yesterday and all went well and as expected. Have had very little bleeding post-op, but a fair bit of cramping/pain. Nothing I can't cope with though, just very tender.
The day before, I had a GP appt and after taking advice from the gynaecologist consultant, I'm going back on Evorel Sequi which I was on originally. I was never post-meno when I started HRT but the abnormal bleeding which started 6 months in was investigated and the gynaecologist at the time (a different one) suggested Conti after not finding anything (I didn't have a hysteroscopy that time). The bleeding continued over around 6 months and started to get worse so my doc insisted on further tests and the rest is history.
Regarding the procedure, if anyone is having it, don't worry it's not so bad. I had the first hysteroscopy under local, but the polyp removal under general. Both were OK but for me GA was preferable. A nice deep sleep and woke up when it was all over feeling very refreshed.
I'm signed off work for a week, and I'm up in the wee small hours on night 1 as the cramps woke me. Just having a cuppa and some paracetamol then I'll be off back to bed.
I have 2 more Conti patches to use up and then in a weeks time I will be starting back on Sequi. This time I'm hoping any bleeding will be regular and controlled.
Hope my experiences, and sharing them on here, will help anyone who is having hysteroscopy and/or polyp removal
Tracey
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:foryou:
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Thanks for the update Flossie Fiddler and glad it went well for you. How far into menopause do you think you are? Just that if you have a strong cycle you might be out of sync initially re the withdrawal bleed and the HRT cycle vs your own. However if you are fairly late peri then your cycle will be unpredictable - but you may still get some bleeding now and again at the "wrong" time.
Hope you are feeling better today and got some sleep in the end :)
Hurdity x
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Hi Hurdity,
I was around a year to 18 months peri when I first went on HRT aged 49. Both Mum and sis hit peri around age 48, and I seem to have followed the same pattern. I'm 52 in March and will have been on HRT 3 years in March. I'm guessing I will be pretty close to menopause by now. My sister's periods had all but stopped by the time she turned 53 and went on HRT. She's now 57 and is just coming off HRT to see how she gets on.
My GP did warn me that when I go back on Sequi there may still be some irregularity for a while firstly due to settling down after surgery and secondly due to possible breakthrough bleeding. She's given me 6 months worth of Sequi but wants to see me in 3 months. When I was on Sequi at the beginning of my HRT journey, all was fine, but the bleeding became irregular after around a year.
I'm hoping that now the polyp has been removed things will settle down. I know polyps can recur, but I've had a positive experience, so wouldn't be worried if I had to have the same procedure again at a later date.
Tracey