Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: TallulahsMom on April 26, 2017, 07:18:25 PM
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Hello everyone
I have been bleeding since 4th December and it's now 26th April. I had a break from 9th to 16th January when Tranexamic Acid finally worked. I have a break from the 7-9 February when Tranexamic acid worked again and then I had a break from 6th to 20th March when I had been taking Cerazette for three weeks. By a break I mean I went to just spotting and streaks. Every other time I am talking heavy bleeding soaking a towel within half an hour (top tip use maxi incontinence pads and get some waterproof period pants to stop embarrassment) and huge clots.
I do have a thickened womb lining which was 23mm in November but cut a long story short hysteroscopy is on 4th May as letter went missing etc. So I have been taking Cerazette since late February and the gynae said have a break for a few days about 10 days ago, did that but bleeding was terrible so started taking it again but I am up the wall with the bleeding and it seems to be getting worse.
What I need is some advice because last night I took an extra cerazette at 7pm due to wild clots and then at 2am thought I would never get to sleep so took 2 tranexamic acid see if they work and took 2 more at 10am (took Cerazette again at 7am usual time) . Things had slowed today a little but 4pm had a gush and huge clot, now just steady bleeding. I am going to carry on with tranexamic acid see if it will stop but shall I carry on with this Cerazette or not? It's been 9 weeks and I am frantic in case I am bleeding this heavy next week for the hysteroscopy.
Notes: bloods were borderline in Feb just had them done again but have been taking iron; vitamin D was okay and been getting my sun like I was advised, B12 was okay but am taking b vits now as well just to help.
Have said to the GP to start scheduling me for hysterectomy as I cannot go on like this, been 3 years now of erratic periods and now this endless bleeding. Ladies what shall I do???
Thank you as ever for anyone who reads or responds xxxx
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You poor, poor thing - this sounds so extreme I suspect a hysterectomy may be your only option. I assume you are seeing a gynaecologist - have they suggested a Mirena ?
Re your scheduled hysteroscopy; I'd keep taking the cerrazette but if the bleeding doesn't calm down by early next week you need to contact the gynae for advice. I don't think it matters if you are bleeding for this procedure. DG x
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Hi TallulahsMom,
Gosh I feel for you, I really do. I had a 3 week bleed in March and I was climbing the walls. Then a week later another one arrived. My scan showed adenomyosis, fibroids and a slightly thickened lining.
I could've waited for hysteroscopy plus biopsy but my consultant said the outcome would be the same so I'm having an hysterectomy tomorrow.
My consultant did say if I chose the hysteroscopy, I would have to take norethisterone to stop bleeding completely because she wouldn't be able to do it if I was. I don't know whether this is a general rule or just my consultants personal choice.
It's great that you're keeping an eye on iron levels. When we bleed badly our iron stores can diminish quickly.
I really hope you get resolution quickly, it's a frightening time.
Lots of love xxx
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You ladies are the just the best :)
Claireylou I will be thinking of you tomorrow and hope all goes well - I have been saying for 12 months I think I need a hysterectomy but until my iron started to freefall and I was examined in A&E I think my GP thought I was exaggerating the bleeding. He only finally referred me to a gynae in February and then it took until April to be seen. Ah well.
Dancinggirl yes they just want to pop in a Mirena and it will sort it all apparently but I strongly doubt it since I bleed through Norethisterone, Cerazette and Tranexamic Acid. I have a cyst on my ovary, they finally got a smear done and it's come back abnormal, I cannot stop bleeding and I have a slight prolapse so I am now thinking hysterectomy is the only choice. I will keep on with the the cerazette and tranexamic acid and if I am still bleeding I will ring them beforehand. I will come back and post and update but meantime thanks so much xxxxx
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TallulahsMom,
Can I also add that if you are frequently soaking a pad within half an hour I'd get myself straight to a and e. Our bodies aren't designed to bleed this heavily for prolonged periods.
My consultant told me that completely soaking a pad that quickly really does require urgent medical attention.
I'm not trying to frighten you (hope I haven't). I just want you to be safe xxx
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Hi Claireylou been to A&E a few times and been given norethisterone or tranexamic acid and told it'll work eventually - or use bigger pads ;D like I am not already using near nappies! It does ebb the flow but I still get a good few hours a day of heavy soaking. You haven't frightened me - I was really terrified 8 weeks ago but I have sort of got used to it now and I keep thinking if I get a hysterectomy then at least I can recover. How are you feeling about yours? xx
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Oh Claireylou just realised it was your op got postponed wasn't it? Been following your thread saying you had the cancellation and the fiasco. Hope you are doing okay today and you will be in my thoughts in the morning. Try and sleep tonight and then no more bleeding :foryou:
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Thank you for your kind words, nerves are kicking in big time but I'm keeping focused on the recovery and, like you said, no more bleeding.
I really hope you get some answers soon, thinking of you xxx
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All I can say is if you were a man bleeding like this they'd have sorted you out months ago.
This is rubbish isn't it?
Hope you get sorted soon, and Clareylou, good luck with your op.
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Clairylou thinking of you this morning, sure you will be on your way soon, I will be watching out for you on here to see how you go on in recovery xxx
Ancientrunner that is exactly what I am going to tell my GP on Tuesday :)
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Just thought I would update....been to the GP and my iron is 105 for haemaglobin and 130 for ferritin so I am now on 210mg ferrous sulphate 3 times a day.
GP agreed to referral for hysterectomy - don't know if I am scared stupid now or thrilled to bits, actually I feel so ill today I couldn't care less, tired, headache and hormonal. Tranexamic acid gave me a little rest over the weekend flooded out this morning now settled to a steady bleed.
Hysteroscopy on Thursday - just hoping it won't make anything worse than it already is
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:tulips2: Hope Thursday goes well for you.
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Hi there,
It's good that you've got your referral for your hysterectomy. I was scared/excited when I decided to have one. It's a huge decision to make but, when you're quality of life is so unbearable due to bleeding, I personally think it's the right decision. Well, for me it is.
I'm sure you're hysteroscopy will be fine tomorrow, I found mine no more uncomfortable than a smear. Just relax as much as you can while they do it. Straight home after for a curl up on the sofa with a hot water bottle and lots of tlc :)
Will be thinking of you xxx
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Hi there bleeding girls!
Sorry to hear about all this unwanted flow.....
Just to add that instead of hysterectomy it is possible to have an endometrial ablation instead which is far less drastic - several women have had it who post on here but off hand I can't remember who. You could post a thread with this in the title or do a search?
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/periodtreatments.php
"Surgical treatments-Endometrial ablation or resection. Your doctor may suggest, assuming the womb lining is normal or only has small fibroids, that you undergo a procedure which will ablate the womb lining. This can be performed under either a local or general anaesthetic as a day case procedure in hospital. The intention is to make the periods very much lighter and many women will find their periods go away, or at least are significantly reduced".
Hope the hysteroscopy went OK - mine was OK too - I took painkillers beforehand as advised. I guess you've had it by now ....
Hurdity x
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Well no hysteroscopy didn't quite go to plan....
As you will see I threw everything at this bleeding over the last week or so and miracles do happen I stopped bleeding last night, not even a spot today.
So as I was expecting a pelvic scan first then decide whether or not on hysteroscopy I was a bit suprised no scan first, no just straight to hysteroscopy. I said to the nurse specialist who was doing it will I bleed only I just stopped today....and from there it went downhill all the way because yes I will bleed and it might be for a few weeks and the best thing would be if I just had the mirena fitted while I was there because if my womb lining is fine no need to have a hysterectomy mirena will have me sorted within 6 months. I was like is there no other way we can get the information we need less invasively and she said that since I hadn't got my head around a hysteroscopy there was no point wasting her time.
I have got my head around a hysteroscopy, happy to have one but the very day I stop bleeding? After 5 solid months of it? And why does everyone keep wanting to put a mirena inside me when I keep saying I don't want one?
I have decided I am going to pay for an pelvic and transvaginal scan to see if there are fibroids, polyps or thickened lining still and then back to Gynae on 7th June to see what he says. I cannot help but think as someone else said on here that the cerazette is thinning a thick lining hence all the bleeding. Maybe it got a grip of itself, maybe the hysterectomy referral calmed me down, who knows? I just know I am so tired and hormonal I need sleep more than I need answers at the moment
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Gosh you poor thing :(
It's great to hear you've stopped bleeding but it sounds like you had a tough time at your appointment.
I paid for an ultrasound and tv scan which showed up my problems. My options were another hysteroscopy or hysterectomy.
You need to be kind to yourself, take time to rest and think. Go with your gut feelings. I'm here if you need to talk xxx
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Clairylou thank you you are right that what I need is to rest and think xxx
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You're very welcome. Just take your time. I wrote a list of pros and cons with a hysterectomy and the same for other available treatments. It helped me to put it all down on paper, I was able to think more clearly and come to my decision.
Wishing you well xxx :foryou:
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Well I am surprised that they said you would bleed - but perhaps in your particular case as you have a thickened lining? I had a slightly thickened lining for post-meno and was not told anything about bleeding and nor did I - after hysteroscopy! Anyway the hystersocopy would check whether, as you say, there are any abnormalities present like fibroids or polyps, so stopping bleeding isn't actually going to tell them that, and as you also say, you have been taking progestogens and other medication to stop the bleeding - but the ongoing cause should still be investigated!
Did you see what I said in my post about an ablation? This is another option for some women.
Also if it was a choice of hysterectomy or Mirena (to control bleeding) then I would definitely go for the latter, at least at first, synthetic progestogens or not - as hysterectomy is irreversible and not without its potential long term issues.
Hurdity x
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Hurdity I understand that hysterectomy is irreversible and causes long term problems but for some there is no other choice :-\
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Yes of course - but I wasn't talking about women who don't have a choice - I was talking about choice between Mirena and hysterectomy if there was a choice, and specifically about TalullahsMom's situation! And as I said there appears to be another option - an ablation - which I was pointing out to TalullahsMom.
Hurdity x
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Hi Hurdity
Yes my lining was 23mm at my last scan in November so I thought we were going to start by scanning to reassess whether the progesterone has thinned it, and see whether any fibroids or polyps are showing up as so far I have a perfectly normally shaped normal size uterus with no polyps or fibroids. I think they are being cancer careful and that's a good thing I know, but for me, this is the only solid break in bleeding in the last 8 weeks and I had only had a 2 week break before that after a 12 week bleed. I think my iron being so low and my hormones so out of whack is what is making me irrational, and I know I am being. If she had said you might bleed a little or no you won't bleed I would have been in that chair but I think she thought I was bothered about it being painful. Not bothered about that - I was offered it under GA but lots of women on here have said it was okay so I just wanted it done 2 weeks ago if the letter had got there when it should have and I was bleeding past myself or even in December when the GP forgot to send the letter :-\
I know Mirena is wonderful for loads of women that want to try it but I have a prolapse already, and react badly to a lot of medication so the idea of having a coil in that I can't take out myself if I am not comfortable with it is not something I want. Yes I have looked into the ablation but for a lot of women who have continual bleeding at my age it can come back or doesn't work. I personally think I have a hormone imbalance due to perimenopause and I have a very stressful life. Unfortunately the stress cannot go away and I am really struggling to cope with day to day activities which makes me more stressed and I am in a vicious cycle.
Anyway I have booked a TV scan for next Saturday so will see how that goes and hopefully my 10 days of iron and fingers crossed no bleeding will make me more rational. I would settle for a D&C at this point in time if it was offered. xx
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Good luck for tomorrow TallulahsMom, I hope the scan can give you some answers and put you on the path to making your decisions.
Let us know how you get on xxx :foryou: