Senior, post menopausal bleeding - Cancer: Uterine Message Board

Marise5 · 12-14-2005, 09:53 AM

Hi. I am a newbie here and just turned 70. My health is generally good, except for some high blood pressure for which I have taken three medications for some years. I have had bleeding now for about 3 weeks (it is 20 years plus since menopause!) I should get the results of a pap next week and am going for a pelvic ultrasound on the 29th.
The research shows that only about 28% of pm bleeding turns out to be cancer, and someone mentioned that medications can be a cause of this bleeding.
What kinds of medication? and what other causes are there?
Would appreciate any information you can give me.
Thanks, Marise

welshterriermom · 12-30-2005, 09:30 PM

I am sorry you are going throught this and glad you've consulted your doctor, as all post-menopausal bleeding requires investigation.
A shift in hormones can cause post menopausal bleeding. HRT (Hormone replacement therapy) could cause this, as can other medicines that might affect a woman's hormones. (My 74 yo mom had a new onset of hotflashes when she started her osteoporosis medication.) Our fat cells can also produce estrogens, so some women can have PMB related to weight, or a change in weight. Sometimes those women might have a Progestin Rx'd to keep the estrogen in balance and help keep the uterine lining healthy.

On the other end of the spectrum, too little estrogen can cause Vaginal atrophy (thinning of the tissues) and dryness can make the lining more suseptible to bleeding much the same way a nose bleed can occur. Sometimes adding a small amount of vaginal estrogen helps keep the vaginal tissues healthy when this is the cause. (I use a prescription cream.)
Did your doctor do an endometrial biospy during your pap? (Procedure is very similar to the sample taken from the cervix, but the sample is taken from the inner lining of the uterus and sent for pathology to look for abnormal cells.)

I hope your ultrasound is okay and hope nothing serious is found. Whatever the cause, I think it's important to be diligent about your follow-ups. Good luck with your work-up. Please keep us posted.

Sending prayers & a hug your way.

Marise5 · 12-31-2005, 09:12 AM

Welshterriermom, Thanks very much for a taking the time to reply. Like most of us I did have HRT around menopause but not since. I am a little overweight so estrogens may be the cause. I was moving heavy furniture around my apartment for a few days before it started - so it's possible the strain could have released a buildup of the lining?? I think I do have atrophy but the Doc.said everything looked "healthy" when he did the pap.
No biopsy - it was hard enough doing the pap (I am such a coward!).
The US took a long time and the technician was very serious - took lots of pictures and ending up looking at me with great sympathy as I left, and wishing me "good luck". It's funny how you look for these clues, is'nt it.
Doctor also has me scheduled with a Gynecologist pending the US results.
I don't have friends I can confide in and I don't want to worry my son with this until I know something for sure. Anyway, thanks again for your thoughtful reply and support.

Marise5 · 01-04-2006, 03:53 PM

Hi. I went for results today, pap was normal, estrogen was high, my doc was all set to put me on progesterone until he saw the US results. Not good!Apparently I have a 5 cm mass in the lining of my uterus and a 7 cm one in my right ovary. The report says they are "suspicious for carcinoma". Doctor said probably they will do a hysterectomy and got me an appointment with a Gynecologist next Tuesday.
I am going to ask him about getting a PET scan, because if it is cancer that has spread already then I want to know the extent before deciding on treatment. PET scans advertise that they can do a whole body scan and see a lot more detail than US or even MI. Only drawback is that they are not covered by ohip yet so I would have to pay.
I told my son that they had found "something" suspicious and I may have to have an operation. I also told him about one of these posts about a 73 year old having an hysterectomy and still going stong at 87. So he is concerned but not too upset. I am surprisingly philisophical about it so far, or is the word "fatalistic"?
I hope you don't mind my posting in detail. I thought it would be good for any readers in the future to see the whole story.

dvrosie · 01-04-2006, 04:46 PM

Hi i'm trying to find out answer to something.......i had an ultrasound done because of post/menopausal bleeding (i've been on HRT's for about 15 years and never had this untili now).........dr. says i have 7mm thickness and wants to get tissue biopsy. Says 4mm is "normal" but since I'm on HRT's maybe 7mm is normal? She didn't know. Any way i can find this out. In the meantime, i have a choice to be "out" for this procedure or using vicodin and something to make me sleepy. I DO NOT DO PAIN. Last time she tried to do this it hurt too much, but i had no meds. Thank you.