Scared about heavy bleeding - cysts. Is this common?

[betty72]

Hi I won't go into detail but I'm 38 with 2 kids and have for the past 4-5 months have had irregular periods (skipped a couple, spotting on and off then would have a period and another period a week later that sort of thing). I've had blood tests for menopause and other things and all came back normal. Had an pelvic scan which showed a cyst which was just a bit bigger than it should be but she said it was common and nothing of concern. They were going to arrange another appointment to see if it had burst. Since then I had a period for a few days and then again a week later. The thing that is worrying me is that I've had my period for 5 days now, the first 2 medium and then got very heavy the past 3. Also yesterday I was in quite a lot of pain even though I've had a little pain since they started. This is all abnormal to me as I've always been regular and they've only lasted 3 days until now. I'm seeing the doctor wednesday just to see if it is because the cyst has popped. I'm not panicking about cancer as its clear (I hope but us anxiety sufferers never believe it!) but just wondered if this is common if you have a cyst or maybe its pre menopause. Would that show up in the tests? I'm changing a pad every hour roughly as its not easing off but its not worse. Also how many days is it normal to be heavy? Thanks for your help.

[countrygirl]

I started at exactly same age as you when I started getting spotting between periods and became iregular - I had the tests - camera in womb and scan etc and all was well it was just the very beginning of wonky hormones and after a couple of years I went back to nromal but then I hit 45 and started to get exactly same symptoms as you.

99% of the time the cause is your hormones out of sync as you stop ovulating so don't produce any progesterone and become oestragen dominent hence the very heavy bleeiding and the bleeding that goes on for ever - i once have bleeding every day for 3 months ending with a period that I honestly thought I was going to bleed to death!

Its always best to have the tests if its the first time its happened to you so maybe ask for a referral to gyny and they will have look inside your womb with a camera to check all is well - as you have already had a ultrasound then its unlikely anything is wrong in there but they can te completely sure if they look and take a biopsy.

I was offered following options - hrt ( no way) - hysterectomy ( bit drastic)- live with it and hope don't get aneamic or have a mirena coild fitted which has artifitical progestogen in it ( yuck) .

I decided to use natural progesterone cream from a private Dr and it has worked quite well. Still very irregualr periods but not as heavy. I am now 49 and hoping that I get to the menopuase soon!

I also had an ovarian cyst when I was at my worst hormone wise and was told the excess oestragen was to blame but after 2 months of the natural prog cream the cyst disappeared??

its very scary when it starts to go haywire but believe me after a few years its becomes normal - I can understand why so many women go on hrt or have hysterectomies.

[countrygirl]

Sorry didn't answer your questions just told you my story!! My Gp told me that if you are changing a pad every hour for more than 4-5 days then best to see them as you will be at risk of aneamia. There is a drug that can lessen the bleeding hugely - I had to use it once. I know this is disgusting and the squemish turn away now! but can you feel the blood pouring out of you every so often??? This is what happened to me and is very scary and called flooding. Again the cause for me was my hormones being wonky and the right hormones were not being produced to tell the womb to stop bleeding or so I was told by GP.

Certainly see your Dr on Wed if not before and if you start to look pale and feel tired weak and dizzy see a Dr straight away as you could need iron pills.

Good luck

[debs71]

Hi betty,

Sorry you are having a difficult time. Just to reassure you, I had almost exactly the same symptoms as you...spotting between periods, pain, non-existent periods, then a period like bleed for 2 days and nothing more. I was petrified. My main worry was that this was premenopausal symptoms. I am 39 and have not had kids, but would desperately like them if I can, and haven't lost hope.

I had a transvaginal scan which showed ovarian cysts on each ovary. I was told that they should resolve on their own, and like you, I had to go back after I had a period (apparently my womb lining was thick, so I should have had a proper period) to check if they had gone.

Well after another 40 odd days I DID have a proper period, went for the scan and the cysts had gone. I was told that the cysts seriously mess with the body's hormone levels so periods go all out of sync, and they should now settle down again.

Thankfully, they now have.

Like countrygirl said, if your heavy bleeding continues, please see your doc as your Hb (red cells) levels may lower due to all the bleeding.

From the fact you are bleeding heavily now, my assumption would be that the cyst may have burst and what you are having is a very heavy period which is a backlog of blood which should have been released during your periods you missed. The nurse who scanned me said that it is common to experience heavier bleeding after resolved cysts as the body is catching up as it were.

Hope this helps. Best of luck and keep us posted.xxx