Fear of uterine cancer

[Tui76]

I'm new to this forum but not new to anxiety. I am almost 42 and have suffered from health anxiety since my 30s. I've "had" ALS, MS, colon cancer, brain tumour, etc. You get the picture.

Well, for the last year I've had gynecological symptoms and I am now convinced I have uterine cancer. It's not that I am afraid of having it, but I am afraid that it is being missed by doctors.

My symptoms started 5 years ago with a change in my monthly cycles after the birth of my second baby via C-section. Basically, my cycles became regular 25-28 days (instead of 30-45 days as I always had) and I started suffering from ovulation pain and heavy discharge during this period. I had a laparoscopy about 4 years ago to remove an ovarian cyst.

I lived with these symptoms until last year when I started seeing streaks of blood on the toilet paper during ovulation. This took me back to my gyno who performed a physical exam and 2 ultrasounds. On the first ultrasound they found fluid in the uterus, on the second the fluid was gone but now I had 2 ovarian cysts. He dismissed all this as hormonal.

Last cycle though I had a period that lasted for 12 days! I am now truly freaking myself out as my symptoms are obviously getting worse, not better! I am taking myself back to gyno next week but I am Googling, finding all sorts of scary information out there and driving myself crazy!

My mother went through menopause at 47 and my grandmother at 45 so I am truly hoping I am in the swing of perimenopause, but at the same time I have convinced myself I have uterine cancer.

Needing some words of reassurance please...

[WiseMonkey]

Hi,

At 42 you may be pre-menopausal and periods can be longer or shorter for several years. This is because the hormones can become erratic.

If you've had ultrasounds, your gyno can see the thickness of the uterine wall. If it's a normal thickness (yours is) then all is fine. A thickened uterine wall and very heavy bleeding can be a pre-courser to UC, you don't have this either so again you are fine.

As long as your pap tests are up to date and normal then all is well. It will just be hormones.

ps. Hi from another New Zealander :)

[Scass]

Hello, my periods changed a lot after I had a csection. They became heavier, more painful and I got ovulation pains too.

I assumed it was due to the csection or childbirth. Also as I’m 46 I thought I was probably starting peri menopause too. You’ve had checks with your gp too. Are you smear tests up to date as well? If you’re still unsure then go back to your GP and let them know categorically what you’d like them to test for.


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[jojo2316]

I am 41 too and almost everyone I know post 40 is having period weirdnesses. And what’s more they don’t seem to worry about it!! (As a fellow sufferer of health anxiety I cannot relate to this bit!) It sounds like you have been (and are being) thoroughly checked out... so I think a sinister cause is very unlikely
X

[Leslie735]

This all happened to my mother in law when she began peri as well.

[Blonde123]

I’m 42 and having something similar. Like you said jojo when you have HA everything is worse!