bleeding every two weeks - Cancer: Breast Message Board

losingit · 10-08-2003, 12:14 PM

Hi Everyone,
Sorry this is a pretty long read.

I am a 30 yr old mother of two. Ever since I had my youngest 7 yrs ago I have had problems with cysts. I am not on B/C because of health risks. 2 yrs ago my husband and I were surprised to find out we were pregnant again!
My doc at the time did a pelvic exam which came back abnormal. I had never had one come back abnormal before. I am a very anxious person and at that time financial stress and recovering from a dissabling back injury was about all I could handle. I had an ultrasound and after seeing the baby, finally my husband and I felt happy about the situation of a new addition.
Sad to say after news of the abnormal pap and that my doc wanted to do a colpo, I lost the baby. Destroying me emotionally for awhile. A different doc did the D&C and told me that there was nothing left for a colpo. A month later my regular doc talked me into doing the colpo. I was scared and still suffering the loss and quilt I felt about the baby. My Doc, although probably with good intentions scared me to death! She said the best I could hope for was dysplasia. Well long story short after the biopsi results came back I had nothing wrong with my cervix or anything else.
Relieved, sure.. That was on 3/13/01 I have not gone back and have not had a pap.
I have been having horrible periods for the last year. Last month I suffered 3 periods lasting 4 days each time. Heavy flow and lots of clots (gross sorry about that) I just started another period today I have only been getting about a two week break between bleeds.

Now to get to the question. Can anyone tell me what I might expect from a doc. I don't have insurance anymore and I know I need to get this checked out. I've moved away so I'll have to get set up with a new doc too. Any help or advice would be greatfully appreciated, as I am terrified.
losingit

Lindarella · 10-08-2003, 01:07 PM

It sounds very much like a hormone problem. Too much estrogen or nor enough progesterone can cause symptoms such as yours. Fibroid tumors and cysts can also cause such things to occur. Cysts can interfere with the production of hormones and mess up your periods royally. Since you’ve already had this problem before, taking a guess, it’s the most likely scenario.

I would guess the doc will do a complete physical, pap smear, listen to your menstrual problems, she/he will press around to see if they can feel any abnormalities/cysts/growths. They're very good at being able to feel abnormalites through your skin. They may do some blood tests for hormone levels.

Make sure you talk to the doctor about you being without insurance so that they don't do unnecessary tests. Most doctors have many tests available to them to help in diagnoses. If they know this is coming out of your pocket, most are usually very accommodating about not picking the most expense ones.

Good luck to you.

hollygirl05 · 10-08-2003, 07:20 PM

Hi Losingit, I have been going through the same thing as you. I had my 4th child 6 six yrs. ago and had my tubes tied right after her birth. Everything was fine up to a year ago, I started spotting between periods, ignored it, had that for about 6 months then a few months ago I started having periods between periods. I wasn't having any pains with the periods or spotting. I finally went to the doctor and she did all kinds of blood work and did a pelvic ultrasound and a pap. I'll find out the results on the 16th. I thought maybe I was going through early menopause or some kind of hormonal problems. Maybe even pcos or endometreosis(msp). My doctor wasn't happy when I told her I haven't had a pap since before my 4th child was born.
I just hope what ever it is, is good news because I haven't been having the best of luck lately. Keep me updated. Becky

losingit · 10-09-2003, 02:32 PM

First off I would like to say thank you to all who replied.

Linderella: That is true my last doc told me he thought that I was not producing enough of the hormone Testosterone. Although I did not have him do a pap or anything, but had told him about my periods being all messed up. I could see how hormones could cause much of what is going on.. Thank you for being so understanding, and for giving me something else to consider rather than cancer.

Hollygirl: Please keep me posted on your results on the 16th. I had always been very vigilant to have a pap done every year since I first became sexually active, but after what happened in 2001 I think it just reminded me of a bad time. That and I havent had insurance since then.

I don't know about if you wanted menopause or not but I have wished for that. I suffer horrible pain during mine and even worse during ovulation, but I've been one of the cursed to have started my periods when I was 8 soo it has sucked forever. Good luck and keep us posted I will look for you on the board.

losingit

PaNik5717 · 10-09-2003, 03:58 PM

Hi Losingit,

I am so sorry to hear about your colpos and your miscarriage. Both processes separately can be very traumatic. To have the happen at the same time is terrible.

I haven't ever been pregnant so I can't empathize there, but I have been through hell down there the past year or so. I have been through the abnormal pap side of it and the bleeding side. I have been bleeding almost daily since the end of June. It hasn't been like a real period because it will all flood out in a few hours and then slow down and stop and start at another time the next day. I finally had a D&C yesterday to try to stop the bleeding for a while and to get a look at the lining of my uterus.

Anyway, your kind of bleeding is common after having been pregnant. It is also common in adolescence and peri-menopause. Hormones get all confused and sometimes need some help getting back on track. It is also common with ruptured cysts and things you probably already know. The standard treatment for abnormal or dysfunctional bleeding is bcp's. I know about the risks, but the bleeding is really risky, too. They will usually try pills before they do any tests or try anything else. That's what I would expect if I were you. And you can expect a pap. It is worth having done if it means that they can stop cervical cancer in it's tracks and you can be with your family much longer.

I hope this has answered a few questions for you. You can probably skip a lot of tests and try bcp's to regulate you. It would be cheapest and I know it is always the standard route.

Nik