Hello cancer chat world,

I was just looking for some advice from anyone who has had a similar experience to help me decide what I could do.

I'm approaching 39 this month and I am using the contraceptive pill. I have been using it for about 7 years now and never had a problem with bleeding on it before now. I was advised by my nurse that I could use them back to back a little over a year ago and it was safe to do so. I've been doing this for about the last 7 months back to back and not had any problems with it. I had started off with taking 3 months worth back to back and then having the suggested amount of break days my nurse suggested and then continued for another 3 months and all was fine during those times, so I decided to try it for longer than 3 months. All was going well until 2 weeks ago. 

I woke up one morning with a little blood when I wiped and didn't think much of it. I figured it could well just be pill related. I'm not necessarily worried about it yet, but I've never bled more than 6 days before, on or off contraceptive. Today is day 13 and it has slowly progressed from just when I wiped and not needing to wear any protection to a moderate period for me and having to wear protection. On day 1, because it was just a really small amount, me and my partner had sex, which did makes it worse but didn't worry me at the time as I figured it was to be expected if it was just break through bleeding. 

Running up to this bleeding happening I have experienced some other slightly unusual for me things that could be linked and may be completely separate. I've had a slight ache feeling to my cervix, which can be random and last varying lengths of time but nothing too bad. I have had occasional sharp pinprick type pains occur at random times. An ache and sometimes sharp pain under my right pelvic bone, possibly around my ovary area, that can hurt a lot and last random amounts of time and come whenever it feels like it. This can also spread to round my side and lower back. Occasionally it will be in my left pelvic bone/ovary area.. but not as bad and doesn't seem to spread. I do feel bloated more often, usually I will only feel bloated when I have a period/ withdrawal bleed. These have all been little things that have been happening for around 4-6 weeks. I also have random moments of feeling nauseous which I've never suffered with before, these are quite random too but typically in the morning I can feel quite nauseous. I do also get the usual period type pains as well, which I assumed is normal as I'm bleeding and it could just be break through bleeding, which could still go on it's own. Hence why I'm currently waiting it out before seeking professional advice.

A little of my past and family history in case there is any relevance for any advice I may receive.. I had CIN3 after the birth of my second child 19 years ago which was removed with what I believe to be cold coagulation and seemed to have solved my problems. I knew at the time I had something wrong because it hurt to sit down or have the pressure change from sitting to standing. Nothing like now. I also knew the smear I get after every birth would pick anything up and it was all sorted pretty quickly. 

I also had abnormal cells after the birth of my 3rd and last child 16 years ago, which I believe to be CIN 1 and was left and monitored and healed on their own. 

Since then I have had HPV which healed on it's own after 2 years of monitoring and diet and exercise changes. I've had at least one more biopsy with abnormal cells found at a smear since which again came back as able to leave and monitor. My last smear was clear and free and I was put back onto 3 yearly checks, woohoo!  Then covid hit and I can't remember exactly how long it's been since I've had a smear. I think it could be approaching smear time again sometime soon though and was just wondering, should I ask for it to be bought forward rather than wait to be notified I need one? My mum had to have a hysterectomy as she had pretty bad bleeding problems that led to a cone biopsy and on the brink of stage 1 cancer as her biopsy results. My sister has also had plenty of abnormal cell results and treatments over the years. Cancer does seem to run in our family as my nan died of breast cancer, and years after my mum's ordeal, she died of lung cancer, amongst others. 

I am not trying to over think things and worry myself. I am a single parent with 2 out of 3 children with additional needs and I work. I only want to worry about something else when I really need to. I was just looking for advice and if anyone else has a similar experience to maybe share their opinion with me? I know it can be a multitude of things before it could be early signs of cervical cancer, possibly even be caused by my pill with cervical erosion, infections etc. 

Any responses are welcome as I'm sure there are many of us out there with the same problem.

Thanks for reading/sharing!  Have a great day!