Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: pricey on January 13, 2021, 01:22:06 PM
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Hi ladies,
I'm frantic with worry. I'm on the waiting list for a hysteroscopy with a presumed cervical polyp. I currently have Covid and have been pretty unwell last few days, lots of coughing. My period started on time, very heavily, eased with ibuprofen. I felt discomfort inserting a tampon and was worried I had one in already, so had a tentative feel. The shape of my cervix didn't feel at all right, not like it did a couple of weeks ago. It is like where my cervical os should be there is a bulging soft lump which has literally popped up from nowhere. It feels too big to be a polyp. I am quite familiar with how my cervix should feel having used a diaphragm in the past and utrogestan vaginally in recent months. I can't get an appointment with my gp until next thursday. I'm frantic this is something sinister. Or has the coughing made the polyp prolapse? I'm terrified on top of everything else going on.
X
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Hello Pricey, I am so sorry you have this worry and can't see anyone quickly. I thought I would reply because it might help you to know that I have a friend with severe covid who has given herself a prolapse through all the coughing. From your description I would guess that is maybe what has happened to you. Hopefully someone else more qualified will be along soon. xx
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Pricey, not qualified at all but I know how you feel with the worrying. Does your surgery offer a phone system? Even a practice nurse may put your mind at rest? Thinking of you.
Padine
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A prolapse can happen if 1 has been coughing a lot. Is it soft and squidgy? that's how I imagine 1 would feel.
My polyp bled on contact, then disappeared at peri ::)
How do you feel over-all? with C-19 etc.? Have you had a test?
Keep drinking and eating little and often. Rest and sleep as your body demands.
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Hi ladies,
Yes I have had a test. What I can feel on my cervix has appeared suddenly as if the polyp has dropped through. Some of it feels moveable. I'm so frightened.
X
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I'm thinking the polyp may have prolapsed through the cervix. I believe this can happen. The doctor described it as over the cervix on the scan. She was absolutely not concerned when she referred me for hysteroscopy. She must have been aware this could be several weeks due to the pandemic. I'm just imagining all sorts of scenarios: that it isn't what she thought; that something far worse is going on, etc. Then, the other part of me is thinking I'm having my period anyway, my breasts are sore, etc, perhaps what I think I feel is polyp plus bulky uterus. I literally can't make sense of it. I have the phone appointment with my doctor in a week. It made sense to talk to the one who ordered the tests. In the meantime, I'm so panicky and low.
X
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OK, so this is just a possibility, I've no idea how common this is. Poking about inside one day a couple of years ago I felt a bulge. It didn't feel like a lump in the vagina, more like something outside the vagina pushing against it and making the vagina wall bulge inwards, about the same size as my cervix, but to one side and a little lower down. It was a fibroid on the outside of the uterus on a stalk, probably been in there for a long time, but had moved, drooped down so that it was sitting against the vagina wall. Maybe just gravity, but i'm sure coughing could do the same?
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Thank you Befuddled. Every time I feel it seems different. But I am very hormonal, still bleeding lightly, very sore breasts.
I'm frightening myself about cervical cancer now. Always had regular smears, always normal, last one coming up to five years ago as I'm now over 50. Surely the doctor would have wanted to rule this out? Would it have shown on the TVS? She was certain nothing sinister and that it had the features of a polyp. What if she was wrong? I'm at such a low ebb recovering from Covid and my thoughts are spiraling out of control.
X
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Oh Pricey, we're all so good at thinking the worst, and we're almost always wrong. Keep reminding yourself of what the gp actually said. It really doesn't sound so bad when you do that.
This is what you should try to focus on - "a presumed cervical polyp" and this "She was absolutely not concerned when she referred me for hysteroscopy." and this "She was certain nothing sinister and that it had the features of a polyp." All very reassuring, and i really think if she had been concerned about cervical cancer she wouldn't have said those things. Doctors don't tell us lies just to make us feel better. And the fact that it turned up out of the blue, so seems likely to be something that was already there and has moved. And you described it as a bulging soft lump and as moveable. And the fact that polyps/fibroids/cycts are so common. A lot of very reassuring things.
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Befuddled, I read this in the early hours of the morning (still keeping some strange hours due to Covid recovery) and it was so wise and reassuring to have you echo my words back to me and be the voice of reason. I feel so low physically and emotionally. My hormones are obviously kicking in as my breasts are extremely sore. I do think the coughing has just maybe caused what was there to descend a little. I'm also still bleeding and this feels cyclical as the last 3 months have been to the date.
I suppose I just have to take a deep breath and be sensible about all this, recognise I'm at a very low ebb and overthinking.
Thank you for calming my frayed nerves! :-*
X
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Hello Pricey, what a reassuring message indeed from Befuddled. When our nerves are frayed it is impossible to think straight and we can't escape from that impending feeling of doom. I have health anxiety and wanted to share something that helps me and that's just to live in slots of a few minutes at a time. That way I seem to be able to stop the ruminations, bit like a hamster going round in his wheel so do our thoughts keep cycling. So if I can say right the next five minutes I am going to empty the dishwasher and just keep my mind totally focussed on that and nothing else. Then I move onto the next little job. Maybe it might help you. Sending calming thoughts.
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Hi Gnatty, yes indeed!
My usual coping tools are yoga and meditation, but being poorly with Covid I have not been able to access these. I've done some short mindful meditation practices that don't focus on the breath as that in itself was more anxiety-provoking. The Medito app (it's free) is comforting. Like you say, I need to break the day down into manageable bite size pieces.
:-* x
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Now I've hit denial stage. I feel so overwhelmed, debilitated from being ill, and low, I just feel I won't say much to the doctor when she rings. My hysteroscopy is in 3 weeks and whatever is going on I would have been oblivious to had I not rooted around. Even if she fast tracked me I might only bring my appointment forward by a week and at the moment the thought of leaving the house and going to work feels overwhelming. Do you think I should talk about how I feel generally and focus on maybe getting some reassurance?
I did manage an extremely gentle yoga session yesterday and meditated afterwards. It helped. But mostly I want to sleep. And cry.
X
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Pricey, where are you with regards to menopause? So many women find that they suffer with crippling anxiety during perimenopause and menopause and this is often alleviated with HRT. I am one of those women! The trouble is some GPs tend to go down the antidepressant route which for sure can help but HRT can benefit us in other ways too. I think it would be a good idea to discuss with your GP if you have time.
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Make a list prior to the call. Tell the GP how awful you are feeling and then read out the list.
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Hello, Gnatty. I'm 56, still peri. I tried various HRT over 4 years. The only one that overrode my cycle was Elleste Duet, but the headaches were debilitating. I felt better on others but would get the withdrawal bleed plus cycle. When I had an extended bleed in July-August I decided to try coming off HRT. The bleeding them went crazy, hence the scan and suspected polyp found. The GP didn't want to resume HRT until after I'd been seen by gynae but it's been a 14 week wait. As it is the appointment just seems to be for hysteroscopy, no consultation etc.
I've had 3 cyclical bleeds since stopping the two weeks of norethisterone to deal.with the prolonged heavy bleeding in September-October. I also seem to have a very light bleed on a cyclical basis 2 weeks before that- although this could be the polyp..My flushes are manageable, my bleeding is heavy at times but not as bad as it was by any means, but my breasts the past week during my period have been incredibly sore. I have no idea what any of this means but I still seem to be very much peri and I'm a bit dismayed to have just had the HRT rug pulled from under me while I wait. I work full time in a senior role and it's a stressful job.
Thanks for listening.
X
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I am so sorry Pricey I only just saw this message. I do hope once hysteroscopy is sorted you will be able to find a HRT which suits you. It seems that during peri our bleeds can be all over the place! I am on a conti regime but periods are not suppressed. #to be honest, I care far less about that, I m just so glad not to be in a continual state of anxiety x