What were your symptoms before endometrial cancer diagnosis...

Hello Nit.Thu57

Welcome to the Online Community. I am sorry to see that you have had some concerning symptoms but it is good that you are getting these checked out so. Hopefully you will not have to wait too long to get some answers.

You have asked about symptoms- mine was a sudden and heavy bleed, passing clots. Before that nothing in particular. Looking back I was probably a bit under the weather but I had had covid quite badly the month before so put it down to that. From that first bleed to my surgery was 4 weeks exactly. The two weeks before surgery I did start feeling a bit uncomfortable and achy. Bleeding pretty much had stopped but had a watery/bloody discharge on and off. Not very much. 

I hope this helps. If there is anything else you need or would like to ask please do so.

Jane

Hi Nit.Thu57, I’m 63 and was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in November 2021. My one and only symptom was a very very slight pink tinge to the loo paper when I wiped after a wee. I was diagnosed with predicted grade 1, stage 1a; after my hysterectomy the grade stayed the same but the stage was revised to a 2. I felt totally well at the time. As well as my surgery, I had radiotherapy and brachytherapy. After my treatment I had people asking me if I was okay now and said I looked well. Truth is I felt fine when diagnosed and all the way through. Feeling well doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have cancer, and having lots of symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you do! 

Hi Nit.Thu57, welcome to the group. In June 2022 I noticed a very slight pinky discharge when I went for a wee. A few days later there were some small spots of bright red blood. I was 69, I didn't have any pain and felt well. I initially went to the GP where I saw the nurse as I thought I might have a urine infection. She referred me to a fast track gynaecology appointment. 2 weeks later I had a transvaginal scan after which a consultant took some biopsies. A week later I attended a follow up appointment when she told me I had endometrial cancer. I had to wait till early October for my hysterectomy which went well. I hope you get some answers soon regarding your symptoms. 

Welcome.

I am 71 and like MarmiteFan59 my only symptom was a little bit of blood pinkness when I wiped after a wee. The second time it happened I consulted my GP who put me on the 2week path. I had various tests, hysteroscopy which removed a polyp. This was November December 2022. I then had MRI and on 11 January received diagnosis of endometrial cancer. Grade 1 though there was concern that it had spread to my cervix. I had a full hysterectomy in March including removal of a bunch of lymph nodes.

As one showed signs of cancer cells. I am now having radiotherapy followed by brachytherapy. 

So, it is possible to have a slight symptom that turns out to be cancer. I am just grateful that I acted on that streak of blood.

Re mothers and risk. Certainly there can be a genetic predisposition and my mother died of ovarian cancer (we think as she ignored symptoms and it had spread when she was hospitalised. I was offered genetic screening in order to identify. No results back yet but I have given blood and have a telephone appointment later in June. 

Hi @Nit.Thu57 about two years ago I had a very slight bleed, I was post menopausal about 5 years. Went to the doctor who diagnosed a urine infection. One course of antibiotics and I thought nothing more of it, no pain, generally fit and well. Last year I noticed yet another slight spotting. I already had an appointment at my GP’s because I had a bad arm, I couldn’t see a doctor at the time but went to the nurse practitioner. I mentioned that I thought I had another urine infection and when I told her my symptoms she said “Oh no that’s not right”, and put me on a two week pathway. I had a transvaginal ultrasound and a biopsy was taken and was told I had cancer but it looked to be at a very early stage, and classed it as 1a. I had a full abdominal hysterectomy on 20th October 2022. The final diagnosis was stage 1a grade 2, and as it was contained in the womb, no further treatment was necessary.  I am due for my second follow up next week. I do sometimes wonder if things had been different had I been sent for a scan the first time I spotted, but it’s not worth brooding about it. I’m just thankful that if there had been pre-cancerous cells the first time, that it was very slow to grow. 

Hi I had extreme blood loss last xmas  and my doctor gave me pills to lessen the bleed  this year i went to my gp and the locum sent me to the hospital immediately for post menopausal bleeding and now i am stage 2. Thank god for locums

Hi there Nit.Thu57.  I was aged 56 at diagnosis and, I think, a few years since my periods had stopped. I had persistent nagging lower-abdominal pain, a long-standing brownish/blood discharge, and occasionally more dramatic bleeds like a brief but heavy period which were over within hours.  I had less energy - I could not run as far or as fast as my usual training buddies.  I had lower-back pain which I ascribed to posture/furniture/old age.  There may have been other symptoms too but it's a few years ago now so can't remember everything.  Some time after surgery I realised that the back pain had vanished so that's when I thought it must have been related to the cancer.  As soon as allowed, I began running and cycling again and after about 18 months I was back to my usual standard so that's when I looked back and realised my fitness had been slowly declining before diagnosis. I hadn't thought it was anything serious.

Hi Nit.Thu57 

I had been having a brownish discharge for a few weeks but was starting to have pelvic pain which prompted me to see the GP. It was Christmas time, I rang the surgery and was given a telephone appointment. The GP assessed me and asked me to see her that afternoon. I was examined and referred to Gynae at my local hospital. When the GP was completing the referral she ran through symptoms on the list and I thought, aw bl**dy hell, I've got every one.

My cancer was thought to be simple and able to be treated with surgery alone. However, after tests it was found that it had abruptly transitioned to aggressive. The full story is in my profile, just click on my username to read.

Looking back, a few years before I had had unusual watery discharge. I'd seen the GP but she had been a bit nonplussed and just offered to examine me, which I declined. I now know that this is a symptom. About a year before I had had blood after passing water, which I thought was a bladder symptom. I had a camera investigation and all was well. I put this down to training too hard as a runner, which can happen. I now wonder if the blood was vaginal. Anyway I can wonder all I want, it doesn't change anything as it now stands. I was 52 and post menopausal when diagnosed. Best wishes to you

A x

Thanks everyone .

My gynecologist called me today .She confirmed endometrial cancer and that it's a higher grade.  They will be getting Mr in for surgery within the next few weeks.

Not really shocked , but still hard to hear  

Hello Nit.Thu57

I am sorry to hear that it has come back as endometrial cancer. I understand that even if you are prepared to get the diagnosis, it is still hard to hear.

How are you doing today? If there is anything that you need please just ask. 

My surgery was April last year and I was also high grade, although that wasn't confirmed until the post op pathology. It wasn't the best year but it was doable and it really helped me sharing on here and getting support from others in the same position. I hope that you do not have to wait too long to get your surgery out of the way. Mine happened 4 weeks from the first symptom and by that time I was just relieved to get it taken out.

Take Care

Jane