Can this wait? Post coital bleeding

[Limeslime]

The doctor just rang me back and my CA125 is raised at 57.
I’m
So so frightened now

[Sunshinegirl82]

Aww limeslime I can imagine what you’re going through but there could be plenty other reasons for the raised ca125 il sure it’s 50 or under that’s normal and yours is only slightly raised. What did the gp say they want to do going forward ? Have they arranged a ultrasound ?

As for me I don’t think I’m out for the woods yet who knows what’s occurring yet, she gonna review after bloods have come and told me to book in for review.

[Limeslime]

Anything over 35 is raised.
He just said the gynaecology team will arrange referal for TVS or hysteroscopy etc when I see them for my colposcopy in 2 weeks 😢😢😢😢

[Sunshinegirl82]

There can be a lot of reasons for the raised ca125 fibroids etc as well and it’s defo not 100% reliable especially in pre menopausal ladies. I have read a lot of posts on here with ladies as same issue as you raised ca125 which didn’t turn out to be anything sinister.

[Linze16]

Hi both! Sorry, I’ve only just seen your replies! I hope you’re both getting some answers now?? I’m still worried about my “bruise” because I just want to know it’s not, “you know what!” I also get really bad anxiety just going for the examination!! The Dr I saw last time really hurt me!
Health anxiety really sucks doesn’t it??!!
What is the ca125 test that you’re both talking about?
The Dr I saw is fairly new, and not my usual Dr. I’m going to see my GP tomorrow afternoon to ask his opinion and hopefully put my mind at rest a little until my appointment comes through.
My Drs have been pretty good with appointments throughout. You can usually get seen within the week. I live in the Isle of Wight, and it’s quite small, so maybe that helps!
I’ll let you both know what he says tomorrow.
Any words of advice to calm myself for the 2ww referral appointment?! 😩

[Limeslime]

Hi Linze!

The ca125 is a blood test that is often used to identify tumour markers for ovarian cancer.
Anything over 35 is high. My result came back as 57. So yeah, as well as my colposcopy, I’m also gonna need to have my ovaries checked. The fear is just piling up!

Like you, I’m also in the depths of a 2 week wait. The first couple of days were the worst, I could barely eat or sleep. I feel a little better today, but it’s still really scary though so I don’t feel I can offer much advice cos I’m barely coping myself!
I’ve been making anti-inflammatory smoothies and drinking raspberry leaf tea to try to help heal anything “benign” that may be causing my symptoms, and going for walks.
I hope you get the answers you need from your GP this week. I really don’t think your bruise sounds worrisome at all though!

How are you coping with your 2ww?

[Linze16]

Limeslime, bless you. I would be just the same. It’s the waiting and you just want answers so that you can put this all behind you! I did read up about the ca125 after, it does seem that it can be an indicator of other things that aren’t a worry. So you still could have a reasonable explanation for what you’re experiencing.

Just keep reminding yourself that there’s still plenty of possibilities.
I too have been eating much healthier and anti-inflammatory foods! Trying to heal or not let it get any worse! It’s the not knowing and the waiting.
I was definitely worse the first few days after seeing the dr. I couldn’t eat a thing and I was having trouble sleeping! Still not falling to sleep very easy. Every food I look at, I’m thinking whether it’s good or bad for me!!
But what I’ve decided to do during the wait time - is focus on looking after myself, eating better, and being more appreciative of my family. Maybe we need these scares to put us back on the right path. And let’s pray that’s all it is, just a scare!

Has you dr told you to chase up your appointment at a certain time? My GP’s secretary called on Wednesday to give me my booking reference and the direct number. She said to call by Friday if I hadn’t heard. I wasn’t sure if she meant this Friday just gone - that seems too soon, or Friday coming. I just want it over with so I can put it behind me! When I rationalise it in my head, a bruise doesn’t sound worrisome. It was just this drs de memoir. She really worried me! Hence me going to see my GP today, I know he will be straight with me, I just hope I can take it!

Just out of interest, do you know why you suffer so bad with health anxiety?
I’ve always been a worrier, but I know mine is because of loosening my mother. For the first time since she passed - almost 17 years ago, I’ve actually contacted a charity that helps with grief. I need to deal with how I react every time something like this happens. So I’m also trying really hard to focus on that too.

I really hope you don’t have to wait much longer, and that you have a good outcome after your appointment. At least they’re giving you a full MOT! That’s definitely a good thing. Just try to focus on when this is all over, and you can breath a sigh of relief.

Please keep us updated. Xxx

[Limeslime]

Thank you for such a lovely reply. You’re so right about this health scare making us appreciate our health and family so much more!
Like, today, I went for a walk to the farm and it was raining. I went to put my hood up, then paused and realised how much I loved the feel of the rain on my skin. I realised in that moment that I was appreciating life in a new way. I left my hood down, got wet, and it felt so good!
I guess it’s the little things ey!

And I feel the same about foods too….I had a smoothie for lunch and a salad for tea! Im a size 16-18, and I love carbs, so this is so strange for me. Im not even trying to eat well, I just WANT to. I want to look after my body like never before.

In answer to your question, I think I have health anxiety due to working as a nurse.
Lots of medical professionals suffer with HA but keep it quiet. I guess you can’t be subjected to so much pain, suffering and death and not be affected by it. The NHS doesn’t look after it’s staff in regards to mental health, so yeah….that’s it I guess.
Im sorry to hear about your mum. Was she ill before she passed? My worst fear is leaving my kids without a mum, so my heart sank to hear you say you lost yours.

I haven’t heard anything about my referal yet. I only saw my go on Thursday though, so maybe I’ll hear something tomorrow. 🤷*♀️

Oh…another coping mechanism I used today was to go mad on Klarna and buy lots of nice clothes! That really did cheer me up for a couple of hours!

[Sunshinegirl82]

Hi both, you guys are both in my
thoughts and I’m sure you’ll both be fine the thing is as hard as it is to believe and I am victim of this myself as well ,there are other things other than the dreaded C word that can cause this but our focus is on the dreaded C all the time.

Honestly I feel since my health anxiety I have more knowledge about illnesses than before which doesn't help at all, all these excessive googling habits have not helped what so ever, there is so much information out there and it all eventually leads to to cancer. And then I start relating my symptoms to the stories I read and think well if it’s happened to them then why not me as the same thing is happening to me and logic goes out of the window, we don’t see that each case is different.

My husband recently has something called eye prolapse before he got diagnosed I googled the hell out of it thinking what is it and it came up with lots of different diagnosis, I was so worried that he had cancer as what he had others had which turned out to be cancer. Long story short we went to hospital found out it was an eye
Prolapse and would you believe that didn’t once come up I’m my extensive search !!! I asked
My husband were you not worried that it might be cancer and his like not really at the end of the day it is what it is just got to deal with it … oh how I wish I had that attitude.

I have also had scans for a lump at the back of my knee which felt like a lump clinically looked like a lump everyone thought it was a bakers cyst, I had two ultrasounds and both came back as normal apparently it’s just the way my tendons are.

I truly believe health is wealth especially since my dad passed away, my utmost priority in life these days is mine and my families health and just makes me appreciate things in life
More.

As for me she’s told me to go and get tests done half way through my cycle and low behold
Period not rocked up now so no idea what I’m gonna do. So now I’m thinking was that spotting my period which came very early on cycle day 20 never had a period like that before 🙄

[Limeslime]

Sunshine, your hubby sounds like a rock!! I wish we could all be a bit like him!

I guess it’s a reassuring thing that your previous bleed was a period. Yeah think I’d prefer that to any other type of bleed! Periods can come early/late/light/heavy and just be a blip!

Ahhhhh man. I’ve just had a text from my GP to say my referral has been submitted and I should hear from the hospital within 4 weeks!!!

FOUR!!!!!

I can’t cope that long 😢😢😢😢