Welcome to the forum Kittie although I'm sorry about the symptoms you've been contending with for the last 2 months.

I know this must be scary, but I'm glad you've been to your GP and have been referred for a scan. Hopefully the scan will be able to provide some answers this time around but until then I just wanted to let you know we're thinking of you and sending our support your way.

Hopefully some of our members who have been in a similar situation will share their advice and experiences with you soon but in the meantime, I hope these tips will help you whilst you wait.

Kind regards,

Steph, Cancer Chat Moderator

Hi Kittie, how did your scan go? Did you get any answers? Im in the same situation. On desogestrel/cerelle nearly 5 years. Not bled once in that time. 9 days ago I suddenly started bleeding and it hasnt stopped. The pains are awful and im worried sick :cry:

Hello Smoore921,

Thankyou for replying to my post. One thing that I have learned reading these forums is that so many people are going through health concerns/symptoms and it is easy to forget because day to day no one would know or talk about it. 

I am wondering if the Mini Pill/Desogestrel is to blame. I have been reading a lot of people reporting to similar to our experiences. I don't understand why after 20 years I am suddenly having these reactions! 

At the end of July, I actually fainted at work. I am still bleeding heavily and often the blood is black and lumpy (sorry for detail) - I called the GP and they prescribed me something called Tranexamic acid - I take 3 tablets per day and it reduces the bleeding. If I stop taking it for a day, the bleeding returns. The pain is very bad, from reading your message I think you (and others) can relate. I am quite brave but it knocks me and I need to lie down.

Good news is that an appointment for a scan came though and it is on 17th Sept. GP says they will be looking to check if lining of uterus is thicker than it is supposed to be. Again, I don't know if that suggests something sinister or if it could be the Mini Pill. I was told to keep taking the Desogesterel for now, so I'm not sure what happens next.

I would recommend that you and anyone else contact their GP if they have bleeding/unusual for you. They ran some blood tests after I had fainted in case I was anaemic, but the tests were clear. I think they check for maybe ovarian cancer marker (?) but I am also worried that there are other cancers and I just don't know how worried I should be eg endometrial cancer.

Thanks for listening

Kittie

Thank you for your reply. I have spent hours reading all the posts in this group related to this and one thing Ive noticed is alot of the time people dont come back to say the outcome. I never know if thats a good or bad sign :confused:

My bleeding started 9 days ago and I have my first GP appt tomorrow. I really have got myself in a mess, googling constantly and finding it hard to think of anything else. Are you like this too? I suffer health anxiety quite badly so something like this terrifies me so much :cry:

Im sorry you are still bleeding and have the pain too. I get stabbing pains in my uterus area before I bleed and I can tell when its going to happen. Ive never had pains like this before. To not bleed in nearly 5 years then have this is so worrying. Im sure you feel the same! I stopped taking the pill a few days ago. I never asked the doctor what to do so maybe I shouldnt have! 

I pray the doctor doesnt see anything wrong tomorrow when she examines me. Il probably not sleep tonight at all :cry:

Hello again Smoore,

I will let you know what happens with my scan next Friday, I don't know how long it takes to get results or what they will say.

The last time I spoke with a male GP on the telephone ( I needed to request another prescription for the tablets to reduce bleeding). He was fine about that, he says they are safe to keep taking for now day to day. He advised that these types of gynae problems are difficult to diagnose, so they are really working their way through a list to rule out things. He said that the scan should show if the endometrial lining is thicker than it is meant to be. He said that if the scan doesn't show anything, I will be referred to Gynae clinic at the local hospital.

My understanding is that first GP (female) felt my stomach and checked me inside. She said everything looked okay. She took swabs which came back okay - I think she was looking for signs of infection or something visually "wrong" in the first instance.

I was sent to get bloods after the fainting episode and I understand they were all okay.

Like you, I tend to worry/read a lot to try and work out what is happening - I am still anxious that something is very wrong for me and that there is something inside that they haven't detected yet/hasn't shown up. Hopefully the scan will help.

Like you have described in your own post too, the pain is unbelievable. I need to lie down if it is bad, it makes me lightheaded. I think this is to do with the womb lining or blood clots (hence the black stuff coming out!) . . I never had periods like this as a teenager.

I had foolishly hoped that not having children would mean that I didn't have to deal with all of this stuff! Thinking of you and others in the same situation, will let folk know what happens.

Kittie x

Hi Kittie, 

I just want to wish you good luck with your scan tomorrow. I ended up paying privately for an ultrasound. She did an external and internal one. She told me everything looked okay. Then yesterday (the day after the scan) she phoned me and said she had another look at the images and thinks in some areas my womb lining looks too thick and theres quite alot of blood. She wants me to get a repeat scan in 2 weeks to see if it changes at all. So now I dont know what to think. I dont know how she can think all is ok then change her mind. Ughh more worry! 

Hope all goes good for you! Has your bleeding eased at all? 

Hello Smoore921 and anyone else following this thread,

I am pleased you managed to get a scan done. I had a pelvic ultrasound (internal) this afternoon. The radiographer was nice and everything, but she didn't tell me very much. I know they are not allowed to, she just told me that she would write a report and send to my GP within 2 weeks. She was looking at/for something and taking photos on the scanner.

I was telling her about my symptoms (pain, bleeding black stuff) and she said that she could see that the uterus was distended with blood, etc inside. So I said "What does that mean? why is it happening? Is that bad?" etc . . .she just said she is not a Doctor and she can't comment as she doesn't know my medical history. I started reading too much into things and worrying. I told her that something is wrong and it doesn't feel like my body anymore :cry:

I did a quick Google in the carpark on my phone and was diagnosing myself with fibroids, adenomyosis, etc  . . .no point in speculating I guess . . . .just need to see what GP recommends and maybe she will refer me to Gynae clinic. 

It sounds similar to your scan, in that they can get an idea what is going on inside. Maybe things change a lot, so getting a repeat scan in 2 weeks sounds like a good idea. 

I am learning that there are so many different conditions and it is hard to know what to do. I have also spoken to a few work colleagues who have had their own experiences so that kind of helps.

Unfortunately my bleeding is much the same, so still taking the tranexamic acid tablets to reduce it.

Thanks for thinking of me,

Kittie

Hi Kittie, 

I'm sorry you have this worry. It's difficult when they make some comments but can't elaborate. I end up doing the same as you and googling it trying to find an answer. It doesnt help though and usually makes me feel worse!

I'm thinking now that I should have paid privately to see a gynae instead of just getting a scan with a radiographer. At least the gynae could have answered questions and would have known if it was normal or not! The radiographer told me the womb changes throughout the month and is thicker at different times due to hormones and if you are due a period etc. That's why she wants to wait 2 weeks and see if it gets thinner or not. Thing is, I stopped taking the pill 2 weeks ago so I have no clue where I am in a cycle as such. I'm just trying to put it all to the back of my mind until I'm rescanned, but if it shows a problem I think I'll panic a bit. 

I hope you can try and put it to the back of your mind as you wait for the results. Please let me know how things go. 

Hi Kittie, 

Have you had any results yet? I've my repeat scan in 2 days and I'm nervous. She said my womb was thick and full of blood yet I havent had any bleeding since that day. So I dont expect this scan to look any better. I dont even want to go because of my nerves ughh. Hope you are keeping okay 

Hello Smoore,

I'm so sorry that you are worried about your scan, it's horrible just waiting and not knowing what is going on. I do wonder if we are experiencing the same thing. 

From looking online (again!) I am wondering about fibroids or something like that?

I called the Doctors but the results weren't back yet. I have been advised to call back on Wednesday to speak with the GP that I spoke to the first time about the bleeding and pelvic pain. I suspect I am going to be referred to gynaecology which is maybe for the best as they might be able to explain more.

I don't know enough about the different forms of cancers which is why I am on the forum trying to understand. I am most scared of endometrial now, because I am convinced that something feels "wrong" inside and that it must be my womb. I also feel guilty in case it isn't that serious because people are going through much worse, if that makes sense.

Thinking of you, let me know how the scan goes,

Kittie5117