Post coital bleeding (ladies only, please!)

[Helen1973]

Hey everyone. I'm really hoping that anyone else who has experienced bleeding after sex can advise me.

On Friday morning I had sex with my husband and afterwards found that I'd bled. Sorry to be TMI but it was mostly brown with a bit of red in it but it was not what I'd call spotting, but still not a gush. As I've said I have mentioned this before and the last time was August of last year and I know this has happened to me in the past (pre HA) and I would put it down to being due on in the next few days.

What's freaked me this time is that it happened on day 23 of my cycle and so 5 days before I'm due on! Has anyone else had bleeding after sex that many days before a period is due?? I've had a tiny bit of brown spotting since Friday but no signs of my full period yet. I would really appreciate your thoughts on this. Also I would love to know what is meant by 'heavy bleeding' when on your period? My last period was a bit heavier than normal and while it didn't worry me at the time, now I'm wondering. I wasn't soaking through a pad in a hour or anything, but it was definately heavier than normal for the first three days.

Just for info, I'm 36 and do not use any kind of contraceptive since my husband had the snip after our third child and not much before then either. My last smear was in Sept 08 which came back normal and I had a pelvic scan in December and that was fine too.

[Stressed32]

Hi Helen- I get this more often than not. Most months, about a week out before my period, I get brown that turns to pale pink about 3 days out, then pale red 1 day out, then red the day of. I have also had it several days after my period when having sex. Brown means old blood. You are fine. It is just some left over stuff from last month that did not quite come out yet and all that great sex your having brought it out early Seriously, relax, I have had it for years, I am not on the pill either, and nothing is wrong. Hope you feel better about it soon.

[Helen1973]

Thank you so much for the reply, Stressed32! I tend to over-overreact when it comes to this stuff ever since I went HAballistic last autumn when my smear was done. I just wish I'd come on, but I think I may have stressed it away. *groan*

[lindzanne]

When Im not on birth control I also spot 3-5 days before my period. Like stressed 32 said, i have read that if it is brown it is old blood you are getting rid of before the real thing starts! I also asked my doctor about it cause it kind of freaked me out and he said it was all part of the normal range of what women go through. Also every once in a while bleeding can be normal after sex depending on position and roughness it happens to me very rarely. remember the cervix is kind of a sensitive place!

[Helen1973]

Thank you for reply, Lindzanne! I should have expected that I would have such a negative reaction to having this happen. I went through such a bad time anxiety wise while waiting for my smear results--which were normal--that I'm hyper sensitive on the issue. I guess I have some excuse in the fact that the medical profession insist on painting bleeding after sex as being such a majorly bad thing that you should rush to your doctor over it. I guess they're trying to educate the general public to create awareness and don't want to water the message down by saying that 'sometimes it can be perfectly normal' *sigh*

[happyone]

Hi, I had this for a while. I was having it every time I had sex. I went to the doc and had a subsequent hospital check up. It turned out I had a very common condition that I can't for the life of me remember the name of! I think it might have been cervical erosion. The nurse/doctor explained it very well and said to imagine the cervix like your mouth. The cells on the outer part of your mouth, your lips, are different from the inside. Sometimes, the cells from the inside make their way to the outside. They are more delicate. In the case of the cervix, this is very common, especially after childbirth, but in no way harmful at all.
I had offending cells cauterised (not painful at all) and the bleeding went. I don't get it at all now.

This may not be what you have but it is a possibility, especially if you get it after every time.

Happyone

[Helen1973]

Thank you too, happyone! Wow! In your place I would have been catatonic with panic . I'm so so glad that it's all turned out so well for you . I have heard of cervical erosion and will bear it in mind. I'm going to try and relax about this now and go to my docs in midcycle in a few weeks to discuss this once and for all. Not that I'm so sure it will be worth it. Either they will admit that it isn't so unusual close to your period to bleed after sex, or they'll just shrug and say let's see what happens over a few months (and oh what fun those months will be--and just when I was getting my sex drive back *sigh). I don't do 'wait-and-see' very well .