37 premenopausal and womb lining is 18mm

Hi,

I understand it can be worrying having tests and being informed that you may need to go back for further tests naturally causes anxiety amongst a lot of people. Pelvic Ultrasounds to measure uterine lining for individuals who are premenopausal can be a little harder to interpret as the uterine lining natural thickens each month for those who have a regular menstrual cycle.

After ovulation, usually from day 14-15 onwards in a standard 28 day cycle the uterine lining starts to thicken naturally so from cycle day 17 you would expect a thicker uterine lining which then sheds on the first day of a period. This is why they have probably asked you to return as they would expect to see a thinner uterine lining in the first half of the cycle. Some people can develop a condition named hyperplasia where the uterine lining can be consistently thick which can be due to a hormone imbalance, this is not Cancer in itself but most times they will want to treat it as some hyperplasia can develop into cancer down the line if left untreated, but not all cases. Sometimes polyps can also cause thickening in the lining with the majority of polyps not being harmful in the sense of a serious concern.

The take away from this is that it doesn't necessarily mean in your case that it is something more serious, however you did the right thing by going to get it checked out either way.

Take care and try not to worry too much.

Hi Pleasehelp31

Welcome to the Online Community and the womb group.

I am sorry to hear that you are having these symptoms and have a thickened womb lining. I remember how worrying it was when I was having all my tests. It is natural to worry especially with 3 young children and it is hard to focus on much else. We do have a Support Line that I can recommend calling, if you feel like chatting things through would help. The number is below. 

Endometrial Hyperplasia: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

This link takes you to some information that explains a bit about why a womb lining may be a bit thicker than normal.

The heavy bleeding and back pain can have different causes, most will not be cancer but a referral to a gynaecologist would be sensible as it will let them take a closer look. The RDW and low iron can be due to heavy menstrual bleeding. The hyperthyroidism is not something I know about. 

I would imagine that they want to repeat the ultrasound as during your cycle your endometrium thickness will alter after you have your period. If they do decide to offer a biopsy, mine was done as an outpatient. There is no harm in requesting a biopsy to be done if you feel that it is what you want. 

I also wonder whether there is a chance your symptoms could be due to beginning an early perimenopause. I did notice similar changes in my periods during this time. There maybe blood tests that could show this. 

Hope this helps a bit. I know it is a worry, hopefully your second scan will bring some reassurance and if not then being seen by the gynaecologist would be a good next step.

Jane