Post Menopausal Bleeding - Suspected Endometrial Cancer

Heya,

First thing is, stop googling things. If you Google any symptom anyone has ever had, you will find sites saying it could be cancer. 9 times out of 10, it isn't. Sometimes, it's just a common cold. So Google is not your friend right now.

Your GP hasn't tried to do the same thing a hysteroscopy tries to do, and it's rarely done with local anaesthetic. Usually it's just paracetamol and ibuprofen you take an hour before your appointment time. The GP can check up to the cervix, the hysteroscopy goes beyond the cervix to look into the womb. This needs a camera, and can't just be eyeballed, and generally GP practices don't have that sort of kit.

I'm not sure why your Wed appointment has been cancelled. Yes you'll see someone and then be referred on, but exactly the same thing will probably happen after you see a gynae. So it seems like the meddling from the GP has actually set you back some more.

From my experience, I'd say your holiday is safe. By the time you see the gynae, then see the hysteroscopy team, that'll either be right before your holiday, or the hysteroscopy may even be after. It then takes a couple of weeks for the results to come back again, and they'll either call, write a letter, or you'll get an appointment to go in and get them face to face - it just depends on how your hospital works.

So concentrate on the holiday to distract yourself, clean out a cupboard, do the garden, whatever it takes to take your mind off the wait for appointments. You're in the system, they're investigating, and worrying isn't going to change anything other than the wait - and not for the better. So distraction is def the key!

Lass

XX

Hi, I'm not going to tell you not to worry because it's probably nothing. What I am going to tell you is don't worry that things are not moving quickly enough. IF you have womb cancer, and you may not, it is usually slow to grow and usually contained in the womb. My gynae consultant said that if you have to get cancer, womb cancer is the best one to get. 

I had Stage 1A womb cancer two years ago, and thanks to my totally inefficient GP surgery it took five and half months from first appointment to my eventual hysterectomy. Even after all that time it was still at first stage, all completely removed by the hysterectomy and I have had no problems since. I am on the 5 year follow up phase. 

Don't panic, even if the hysteroscopy shows there is a problem it can be dealt with, and it will be dealt with. The gynaecologists know what they are doing and they will give you the best advice. 

Good luck, and best wishes for whatever happens next. 

My appointment was cancelled on Wednesday because they said they consultant would refer me most likely for a hysteroscopy and that appointment would take at least three weeks from seeing consultant.  Under the 2 week fast track I will get that hysteroscopy appointment quicker, so thats their reasoning...I’m just so stressed and I know that stressing and worrying won’t make the outcome any different..my sister lives abroad and I have no friends locally so I’m just finding everything so difficult..my husband is his usual “no point worrying until we know the outcome”

Hiya Midsomer, firstly I'm going to second what Lass said about not googling.  It's a rule here!  It's just about the worst thing you can do when you're waiting and wondering.  The scan you had would have shown up any polyps, fibroids or a thickened lining.  Although you say your lining was slightly thickened it sounds as though it wasn't significant which is supported by it coming back green.  And  I guess this is why the medics have taken their feet off the pedal, somto speak.  I'm not a medic but I know enough to know your scan was not suggestive of cancer.  Nonetheless, a hysteroscopy will put your mind at rest..  endometrial cancer tends to be slow growing - indolent was the word my gynaecologist used.  So try not to be too anxious.  I used to find smear tests so terribly painful that I actually gave up going.  So I was dreading my womb biopsy (similar to hysteroscopy but without the camera).  In the event although it was not the most comfortable experience it was quite bearable.  I think this is because a gynaecologist has so much more experience of doing these things than a gp or even practice nurse has.  I know your mind won't be completely at rest till youre sure but hope you can get your worries in perspective.  The discharge you're experiencing could be due to various things and hopefully you'll get some answers soon.   In the very unlikely event that it is caused by cancer, youncan be reassured that when caught early, as it usually is, it is be really completely curable.  But many ladies visit this group feeling very anxious like you and find that they do not have cancer.  Xx

My womb lining was 6mm, the cut off is 5mm so I was only just outside but because of my PCOS, my weight  and never having had children I’m at a higher risk..I was happy enough after the scan but then read that even if scan looks clear cancer can’t be ruled out until you’ve had a biopsy and of course my head went into overdrive again..I’m a born worrier which also doesn’t help and having lost my mum to cancer just 8 weeks after she was diagnosed there is always that nagging doubt at the back of my mind...I know ultrasounds and TVUS can occasionally miss things like polyps etc so it could be one of those causing the problem..who knows!

And I’m most annoyed that I couldn’t go to the nice hospital, because my BMI is too high, ironic because since February I’ve been on a caloried controlled eating plan and have lost over 2 stone, onlneeded to lose another half stone and I’d have been allowed to go there, they did my new knees (even though I was overweight) but sadly their admissions policy changed at the end of last year so thecouldn’t see me

Hi I know how you are feeling I am 43 been having very heavy outbreaks of bleeding,had a scan everything looked ok just a slight thickning womb,gp referral to gynagolgist who sent me for a urgent refferal for hystercopy which it took 6 weeks till I had it done ,got no polops which my doctor said I put money on it that's what I got they took some biopsys of my womb now waiting for results never been so scared I have totally fried my brains going on Google .

I’m hoping mine won’t take another six weeks but it wouldn’t surprise me.  I hope you get your results soon. I’m now thinking every ache and pain means things are spreading and getting worse, I suffer from anxiety at the best of times...many years ago I was convinced I had a brain tumour because of dreadful headaches, I had panic attacks when I went out and every part of me hurt....it was stress and the headaches were cured through chewing gum, I just hope this time there is an explanation as well..

I suffer from anxiety to so I have got myself in a right frenzy been in alot of pain ,and burping alot with lump in throat for a couple of months doctor as give me medication for it don't seem to be calming it down so I am getting really worried about that to , waiting for results is driving me crazy but the worse thing for me is when I got to open that letter hope you get a appointment very soon x

I have just heard from the hospital and I’m booked in for a hysteroscopy next Friday afternoon, just within the 2 weeks (when you take out the two days off for Easter), not looking forward to it and I will be glad when it’s over, then another wait for results.