Can this wait? Post coital bleeding

[Limeslime]

What on earth is going on with GP appointments right now?! It’s actually terrifying that you can’t just ring and book an appointment any more!
I haven’t been to the doctor in nearly 2 years, but I used to be able to book my appointment online! I wish that was still an option!

[Linze16]

Hello Limeslime and Sunshine! I’m new to this site. I came on here just to stop myself from googling symptoms of cervical cancer 😭 I’m going out of my mind with worry. I had a clear smear in March 21, and always had clear ones before that. But on Boxing Day, I bled after sex. TMI, but my husband immediately said that he thought it was because his nails were a bit sharp (he’d just cut them) and he’d done it during foreplay. I didn’t actually notice until the morning. Then I saw blood in my underwear and totally freaked out! I was t a huge amount. I had a bath and that seemed to be it. Then on Thursday I had some brown discharge, just when I wiped, then pink and yellow. That last for a week. I saw the Dr yesterday, praying they would say it all looks fine. It hurt when she was examining me. I don’t know if she was just being a bit rough! But when I asked her if it looked ok, she said I’ll speak to you in a minute! Then she said I had obvious ectropion, and that was noticed on my last smear too. But she could also see like a bruise type patch on my cervix. She draw me a picture and said it wasn’t what typical cancer looks like, but she wanted to get it checked out. I’m just hoping and praying that my husband just caught me, and the bruise she could see was it just healing up! It was right on the time of ovulation, and if I have ectropion too, then my cervix is extra sensitive. Anyway, she’s referred me to the 2 week cancer route referral. She gave me the option of that of a colposcopy, but that was an 8 week wait, so I said yes to the 2 week option! But I’m absolutely petrified!! I’m feeling all kinds of symptoms now! Which I’m hoping are just in my head!
I bled a little yesterday after she examined me. She did say it may even have been her that caused it when she used the specula. She also said cancer usually covers the area of the cervix, where as this was just one small area, and it wasn’t all bumpy like she would expect it to look.
What do you think???
Does it sound likely that my husband just caught me (I didn’t feel pain at the time, and we had sex after. But I was half asleep by that point!) and she was just seeing the wound??
It’s never happened before and sex isn’t usually painful, unless I’m a bit dry! Im period is due in a couple of days.
I’m so scared! I haven’t eaten all day, and I don’t even feel hungry!

[Limeslime]

Aww Linze you sound like you’ve been through a lot!
I think the nurse was absolutely right though….cancer does not present as a smooth bruise, so it’s more likely just an injury. She’s just being thorough by getting it checked out, but it deffo does not sound like cancer. If I were you, I’d be feeling really reassured by that examination!
Seriously though…how did you get seen so quick?!

[Sunshinegirl82]

@linzie16 so sorry you have to go through this but just think if it was something sinister she would not give you a choice to have a colopscopy in 8 weeks time she would have referred you straight away. I know it’s hard to believe and I would be the same in your situation as well but 2ww referral does not mean cancer just last month my mum was referred for something under the 2ww turned out to be nothing and also my father in law under 2ww and that turned out to be nothing either. So don’t worry hopefully you’ll have more answers soon.

@limeslime after trying for 2 hours and 134 calls (kept cutting me off) luckily working from home I got through and because I wanted a certain clinician only because she knows my health anxiety and knows how to basically deal with me. They said I will get a call from her tomorrow morning. I’m still bleeding but I’m also thinking my period might be on its way tbh I’m so tired of it all now. Ive literally after years of having b12 deficiency got it up to a level where I don’t need injections any more and now this excess bleeding I don’t want it to bring deficiency problems as well. Reading in to this as I started spotting on cd21 I’m thinking it might be hormonal as in low progesterone but who knows. Let’s see what my gp says tomorrow, the only positive I’ve got to hold on to is I had a Normal ultrasound and normal smear in 2019. My ibs is having a field day atm as well because of all this stress! I had some bloods done last year sometime and at that time my thyroid came back as satisfactory so no idea of that is an issue my mum has under active thyroid. Also early menopause runs in my family my sister was over and done with the whole thing at 38 and my mum in her early to mid forties so who knows it might be that. I’m just trying not to thing of the C word tbh at the moment don’t wanna fall through that hole again

[Limeslime]

Oh Sunshine, I’m seeing some similarities here! My bleeding started on CD21 too (Xmas day)
it was mostly watery pink stuff when I wiped, or fresh red streaks in discharge. That lasted until CD26 when period arrived (maybe *slightly* lighter period than usual but not hugely remarkable.) then a couple of days of spotting when it finished too.
I guess the main difference for me is that I’ve had a little bit of spotting after sex over the last few months too 😬
Anyway, I did the same as you today…got up at the crack of dawn and persevered through long call ques, hold music and being cut off before finally managing to book a telephone consultation with a GP for this afternoon! As our GP practice is at crisis point due to staff shortages, my only option was a male GP, but I’m just glad to finally have the ball rolling.
🤞🤞🤞

[Sunshinegirl82]

Oooh I’m glad you got through do let me know what they say and how you get on , yes mines same discharge with red streaks so it makes it look pinky though mine has lasted longer my cycle days are 28 to 35 days on an average and since may I’ve had brown spotting end of period for a day or so as well. Hopefully it’ll be just a blip for both of us x

[Limeslime]

Brown spotting at the end of period is totally normal. I get that too for 2-3 days. It’s just the body flushing out old blood from your period

[Limeslime]

I’m in the GP waiting room now. So scared!

[Limeslime]

Ok, so 2 week referral for colposcopy for me too.
The doctor said, because I’m over 35 and had bleeding after sex for more than 4 weeks, it’s an automatic referal.
He took vaginal, cervical and urethral swabs. Took bloods (including CA125) and urine and pregnancy test.
He said there was a blood clot “coming through on the right” of my cervix but didn’t really say much else about the appearance of it.
He said it could be nothing but need to get it checked.
And so the waiting begins….

[Sunshinegirl82]

Oh limeslime I’m sorry you having to go through all these tests, I think he is just being careful and being extra thorougher which is good. He did say he doesn't think it’s anything so that’s a positive.but I know what you mean the waiting test and then the results are the worse a constant worry . It’s good they met you face to face mine is a telephone consultation so no idea what will happen. With me I’m really
At pelvic examinations as well can’t hack them I finally managed to get a smear in 2019 after so many year so that’s the added anxiety as well.