Menopause :: Endometrial Atrophy
Jan 19, 2015
I wonder if anyone has been diagnosed with endometrial atrophy. I am 52 and post menopause. After 14 months without periods, I bled fairly lightly for about 5 days in December 2013. I went straight to the doctors and was sent to gynaecologist for scans and biopsy. All came back normal. 11 months later, November 2014 it happened again, but this time was like a full on period. On both occasions I had sore breasts etc beforehand and the hot flushes disappeared. Again, just before Christmas I went back to the gynaecologist and again repeated scans and biopsy. This time they diagnosed Endometrial atrophy as the lining was very thin. There was nothing nasty, no lumps or fibroids etc and the lining was normal, just very thin. The gynaecologist prescribed Vagifem pessaries for 6 months to put a coating on the lining as she said it was due to low oestrogen. I really didn't want to go down the route of HRT as I am a bit nervous of it, so decided not to use the pessaries as the bleeding had cleared up. However, I now am bleeding again and so I guess I don't have much choice but to try the pessaries. I know there is a lot less risk with them as they are not systemic. I have had a white discharge too for a few months and my GP took a swab last week to rule out any infection. I was just waiting for that to come back before I started to use the pessaries, but began bleeding a couple of days ago. I have read that when the lining is very thin it can become ulcerated and presumably that's why it bleeds. Has anyone experienced endometrial atrophy on here, and if so, was you prescribed the pessaries and did they work?
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can frontal lobe atrophy cause headaches and pressure all over your head and pain behind eyes come from this have a appointment with neurologist on 16 of January have had stroke but no severe ....
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My Mother is 60 years old and recently she is diagnosed with cerebral atrophy. We have consulted neurologists for the same and all gave same opinion that physiotherapy is the only way to minimize the effects.
Then we heard that stem cell therapy is the solution, which will not cure this disease but one can live normal life with this. Please suggest is stem cell therapy really works that ways?
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I have some symptoms that don't seem to come up on here so I'm not sure if they are uncommon LS symptoms or something else. I'd like to do some research but am not sure where to turn. I believe self education is important but there is that balance between exhaustive reading of everything and walking away from the research to try have some time where this disorder isn't consuming all my time and energy, because as you know, we aren't supposed to get stressed out. I want to put this out to this amazing group to see if you can send me in a direction to help narrow down my research instead of spending hours trying to sort through everything out there. The doctors only have what I tell the to go on and what they see and I'm getting some answers that are inconclusive. To be fair I am early in my treatment and have another referral to see in about a month so we simply may not be there.
I am recently diagnosed and now am quite sure that I have had this all my adult life. I thought I was well educated on sexual health matters, which is why I was surprised (and angry) at this diagnosis this late. Generally it showed up as splitting in my 20's to which I was told "don't have such active sex" and then would go away for years at a time. When I started perimenopause in full force (47-50) is when symptoms started. I had itching and a tingling in my vulva. I get oral cold sores and the tingling I feel on my vulva is similar to tingling that signals a cold sore is on its way. Generally the itching wasn't terrible, instead annoying. I had an irritation (tingling) focused on my clitoris which made me feel like I was permanently aroused. Diagnosis: "it's hormones" and "you've left a sexless partnership you are simply rediscovering sex". (A lot of truth to the latter!) I had a few years of high sexual activity while things were atrophying. I'm now postmenopausal at 51.
My labia minora were always small and now are non existent. I believe my clitoris is disappearing. Not being covered over, simply shrinking. Atrophying. Where other LS patients have skin growth that closes over their vaginal opening I cannot see how that would happen to me. My labia majora seem to be receding. I have recently been given estrogen which may restore some plump and perhaps this receding I see is simply 'deflated' labia. I'm not too worked up about this. What is there, is what I've got.
Since starting the steroid cream, my skin is returning to normal appearance. I had finally calmed my mind down from my initial reaction and worry that my clitoris would melt away overnight. Then last weekend, I attempted to have intercourse which flared everything up. For the first time I had plaques. It was terrible burning, papercut like splits on my clitoris. I believe it's calming down so quickly because of the information I've learned and implemented from this forum. Thank-you all!
The other issue I have is a strange feeling in my pelvis. It's not cramping, but rather like an irritation. From what I know of lichens sclerosus this makes no sense (but I don't know everything!) I have gotten it in my mind that it is the irritation that I feel on my vulva when things are active, simply inside my pelvis. I have recently had a pelvic ultrasound which I believe was normal. I've since fired the doctor who sent me there (for many reasons but not the ultrasound) and my new doc is getting the results so hopefully soon I will know something.
I also have self diagnosed lichens planus inside my mouth. I'm attempting to get a diagnosis on this.
So my questions to you are:
- atrophy. Is this something that is separate from lichens sclerosus or something that just not a lot of people get? Treatment tips specific to atrophy?
- the pelvic tingling. Anyone else have this? Thoughts on what to research?
And thanks again for all your contributions and the things I've picked up from you.
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My arms and legs feel tired/weak/exhausted for the past month and 2 weeks. Feels like as if I did a gym session or been out in town all day/night and legs feel like they want to drop. I am also tense and have been diagnosed with anxiety a year back. It scares me a lot too and i want to feel normal again.
I went to a neurosurgeon and couldn't find anything wrong with my whole spine after checking the MRI. Just mild disc degeneration.
He thinks it may be anxiety. I've just moved countries, and no job and haven't been doing anything for months on end, and just been lazing about, no exercise and eating not too healthy, smoking, and drinking 4 coffees a day. I have been stressed out lately and I feel I need to have a diagnosis. Is it anxiety/stress related? Is it muscle atrophy? (due to me lazing about and doing nothing for 3 months)
I've been to 3 different neurosurgeons with all similar answers, Been doing physio on my lower back, and been exercising every day for the past 2 weeks. Been taking no medication (which I don't want to).
Can anyone relate with me? Or have an idea? or which specialists I should visit?
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3/21/13. Just for reference, I'm 48 with 2 kids and have never had any health problems of any kind. 71 days ago, I had a fibroid resection by hysteroscopy followed by a Novasure balloon ablation - and haven't had a single day without either spotting or bleeding since. I'm very upset - and am wondering if there are others out there like me? I'd love to hear what kind of followup information you've gotten.
I'll try not to write a novel (knowing me, it'll be close), but here's how it all went down: in December my doc ordered an ultrasound to look into why my periods had gotten heavier over the past couple of years. I didn't bleed for very long (4 days exactly every 28 days) but I bled a lot and it was getting to be sort of worrisome, not to mention inconvenient, and while I was only borderline anemic, I was often tired and got out of breath easily. The ultrasound showed a small, submucosal fibroid (only about 2cm) so my doc referred me to a Seattle hot-shot gynecological oncologist to remove it. Because I have always taken a conservative approach to my healthcare, I asked my doc if I really needed to remove this thing and she proceeded to terrify me with a story about one of her patients whose fibroid had prolapsed and she'd begun to hemorrhage and ended up in the ER, after having nearly bled to death (she'd told me the same sort of horror story when I wanted to try a vbac after my first c-section - needless to say, I went ahead with the second c-section - AND the fibroid removal).
So I went to see this hot-shot. After he explained in detail what he'd be doing to get rid of the fibroid - going in vaginally to re-section with a metal scraper thingy then using a roller-ball to cauterize the site AND my entire uterus, I realized he was describing a second procedure as well... an endometrial ablation. I didn't actually understand this until I was sitting in his "library" (don't all hot-shot docs have Libraries?) waiting for my pre-op instructions from the nurse. I saw those two words: endometrial ablation on the consent form and realized that was the procedure my doc had been trying to get me to do for a couple of years and I'd always declined (in her office, they use the Her Option procedure so I'd not known it by any other name. I'd said no several times over the years. My period's not THAT bad. Like I said, I take a conservative approach. So anyway, here I am realizing the hot-shot (who actually specializes in female cancers, not necessarily fibroid removal and endometrial ablations) has tacked on something I didn't want done, without asking me, without explaining to me, without giving me any literature about it nor briefing me on possible risks or complications. So I called him back into the Library and asked point blank: "Is this something that needs to be done?" and his response: "Well yes, see, we want to go in there and do this now so we don't have to go back in in two years"... Now, I took that to mean this rollerball procedure was necessary for the successful removal of the fibroid and would prevent others from forming in the 4 or so years I have until menopause. So, once again, I fell in line with blind faith and went ahead and let them schedule me for surgery.
The fear was the worst part of the procedure. I'm not that comfortable with hospitals and even the idea of general anesthesia makes me sweat (I'd never been all the way out before) - but all seemed to have gone well because I woke with essentially no pain and no bleeding and laid low for a few days (which I never let myself do so that was a luxury). The only complaint I had at that time was that while I was coming back out of the anesthesia, hot-shot went out to the lobby and told my waiting husband that I was to be on pelvic rest for 4 weeks (news to me) which meant no sex (fine - hey, my husband and I have been married for 18 years, what's 4 weeks?) but also, no riding my horse (not so fine). He'd never mentioned that I'd be grounded from the saddle - my horse and I are in training. It's kind of a big deal to suddenly stop what we've been working toward for a month. I was upset - why the hell didn't he me this BEFORE the surgery (we discussed my equestrian pursuits during the consultation appointment)? But oh well - I scraped together the pennies to pay my trainer to ride my horse while I recovered.
But it was on the 5th day that I began to feel I'd been hoodwinked.
It was an easy day at the barn - no riding, just grooming, bending over to pick hooves and lifting the blanket up to slide it on and off my horse - when I suddenly felt a GUSH. When I checked, I found that I'd just bled about 2 tablespoons worth of pink/red blood. Because I'd been given nothing to read, no handouts, no followup literature or online links to help me know what to expect post-procedure, I called the office to ask if this was normal. The assistant who answered (she was apparently brand new there) decided it was probably that my "sutures" from the fibroid removal had dissolved and sometimes there's a gush of blood after that happens. Not to worry unless I started flooding a pad in the space of an hour. I was only spotting by that time, so I tried not to worry. But from that point on, I started doing my own research and was HORRIFIED to discover SO MANY negative after-effects of this procedure! I felt like kicking myself for not digging deeper beforehand - and mostly, for being so careless with my own body that I put it wholly and completely in someone else's hands, hot-shot or no.
During this research, I discovered that an ablation has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with whether or not a fibroid removal is successful. And it certainly doesn't prevent the recurrence of fibroids. I hadn't needed to have this done. I'd gone into this whole thing completely uninformed. I actually wrote hot-shot a letter outlining my dismay at the lack of information I was provided prior to this surgery. I was upset and I let him know it. I let my doc know it, too. After all, she was the one who referred me - and she sent me to him specifically for the removal of the fibroid - NOT for an ablation. But, I figured, hang in there. What's done is done and he said the worst that could happen was that I would still get a period. Since I actually hadn't gone to him intending to get rid of my periods - only to get rid of a fibroid - that didn't seem like a very bad worst-case scenario to me...
Well - it CAN get worse. And it has.
During my follow-up visit at 5 weeks (at which time I was still spotting daily and had already had a post-ablation period - which was about 2/3rds lighter than my pre-ablation periods - still more than any of my friends bleed when notes were compared, but lighter for me), I learned that hot-shot didn't end up using the roller ball after all. He said after he removed the fibroid, my uterus looked so smooth and well-shaped that he used the global method of a Novasure thermal balloon instead. So not only had he not gotten my INFORMED consent to even DO an ablation, he didn't use the technique he'd told me he was going to use. Next - I found out the assistant who took my call on day 5 was mistaken - that gush of blood couldn't have been from sutures dissolving - because I didn't even HAVE sutures! I was starting to have a very bad feeling about this...
And my gut was right. Hot-shot called last week to see how I was doing and I proceeded to tell him that I haven't had a single day since surgery of NO blood (that's 71 days today!!). Some days are worse (like around ovulation when I dump a bunch of brown, mucusy stuff over the course of 5 or 6 days - sorry, TMI - and have to wear tampons to keep from having embarrassing leaks) while about three days a month consist of just a tiny bit of pink or tan on the toilet tissue. Every other day is blood. Pads. Tampons. Using them all.
Turns out, this isn't normal. Surprise surprise. He tells me: "Of all the patients I'd especially want this to work for, it would be you since we sort of got off on the wrong foot." Yeah. No sh*t. Alas - not the case.
Not only did it not "work", but it has made my life worse. Where I bled for 4 heavy days once a month before - and always on schedule - I now never know when a gush is on its way and I have cramps with nausea at least half the month (I didn't have cramps before this. At all.) I wear either a pad or a tampon at all times and sex? We weren't worried about 4 weeks. But 10 weeks is starting to feel like some kind of sentence.
I'm scheduled for an ultrasound in a month to see what's going on. Hot-shot wants me to go through a third post-ablation period first because, as he put it, "if I look into my crystal ball, I really feel this is all going to clear up on its own." But his next guess is this: the balloon didn't properly cauterize the site of the fibroid removal so it is still an open wound and just as it starts to heal, the shedding with my period proceeds to slough off any scab that might have formed. On top of that, the reason I'm still having a period, his words: "sometimes the balloon doesn't reach all the way up to the top of the uterus and some endometrial tissue can be left behind." Really???? Then why the hell use it??? Why didn't he use the roller ball he told me he was going to use? If these turn out to be the reasons for the continued bleeding - guess what? We do a repeat procedure. Hospital again. General anesthesia again. A month off my horse again. $30,000 again. Seriously, this all cost $30,000! We would then be hitting $60,000 - for something that really never needed to be done in the first place. Unbelievable!!! And we wonder why our health care in this country is in such crisis??
The whole thing was not only a bust, but has rendered me a slow-leak mess. I've been keeping a daily diary since day one and I'm exhausted. I'm sick of having to write down every dribble, smear and gush. I'm tired of describing all the different colors. I'm discouraged, depressed and angry. I feel like suing for malpractice. Some hot-shot, huh?
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I had my the lining of the womb taken away 9 weeks ago. I still have bleeding everyday. It's not heavy but mild to medium. It's everyday.
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I am a 35 year old woman who had a tubal ligation 10 years ago and an ablation about 7 years ago due to heavy periods. I am the mother of 2 wonderful daughters and do not plan on having any others. I have read a lot of postings about women who haven't had a period since their procedures, however I still get my period. My system has always sort of been out of whack (periods every 2 weeks or every 2 months). Recently I have been concerned about the lack of my period (almost @ 7 weeks) and wondering, if by some chance I was pregnant, what that would mean? Tied tubes and lack of uterine wall surely cannot equal a pleasant outcome. I have taken a pregnancy test which turned out negative but if my system is out of whack, how accurate could it be?
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I had an endometrial ablation back in July and bled for over 3 months the consultant put me on ESMYA to stop this. I stopped bleeding after 2 wks of starting the tablets which was mid October however over a week ago I started bleeding again. I am not sure whether it is a normal lighter period or whether I am going to go back to constantly bleeding again. Is anyone else on ESMYA and having similar symptoms?
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Hi All - I had a Polyp removed in March where they discovered I had a 12 cm Fibroid - I had an Endometrial Ablation to remove the fibroid and I went for the option of keeping my fertility, this Op was at the beginning of July, since this time I have had only 4 days where I haven't bled. I have just had my 3 month check up with the consultant and he has suggested that the Fibroid is growing back and to start taking ESMYA saying that this will reduce the fibroid and will stop bleeding.
I believe that this is a stop gap with the intention that I will take the tablets for 3 months but once the bleeding starts again I will probably have to have a full Endometrial Ablation.
Has anyone else had an Endometrial Ablation with similar effects and has ESMYA stopped the bleeding? AS you can imagine bleeding for over 3 months solid has become somewhat frustrating.
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22 yrs old unmarried and endometrial thickness is 17mm.
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I had this operation done 18 days ago. To remove the lining from the womb. I am still bleeding. It isn't as heavy as it was before operation. But still like a light to normal period. I suffer with very lower left back pain, this has been worse since I have been bleeding heavy & it is still there. Anyone else had endometrial resection?
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I have had a bit of a journey over the last 3 years, increasingly heavy periods, which are now 2 - 3 weeks long, with severe clotting (sorry tmi). I have had a laparoscopy (GA), mirena coil (twice), right ovary and tube removed due to large cysts, and I have a large fibroid. I have tried tranexamic acid which had no benefit. I am now being offered an endometrial ablation or a hysterectomy. Having read some stuff on forums, the experience of EA doesn't seem to be good. I am inclined to go straight for the hysterectomy in the sense that it gives complete closure to this whole sorry experience, and the on going post op pain with an EA seems well documented. Just wondered if anyone could offer any helpful insights?
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Three weeks ago, to my great surprise, I started to bleed after one year. The 2-3 weeks preceding this, my breasts were so sore, I was bloated and I has the typical "stringy" discharge that I used to get before my period. I was really not expecting another period but the bleeding was heavy and lasted for just over a week.
I saw my doctor a few days ago and she that she is obliged to send me for an ultrasound and possible biopsy if the lining looks thick. She said she is not worried but I am freaking out.
Can anyone share a similar experience? I read on one website that it is actually possible to ovulate and have a period after you stop menstruating for a year. I have not had any spotting - just this one "period". Of course, everything I have read says how abnormal it is to bleed after menopause and now I'm scared that there is something serious going on. My ultrasound is booked for two days from now.
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I'm 42 and recently had blood work to check my hormones. My GYN said my labs suggested post menopause. I have yet to stop having a monthly. My periods are starting to range from 30-45 days but I've yet to skip a month. My husband and I were considering trying one last time to have another baby. Very confused
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I'm 36 and have recently had a blood test at doctors to check for menopause, came back that my estrogen is non existent! I have a very long list of symptoms that made me convinvce the doctor to do the test. She told me if I can cope with the symptoms it would be best as she didn't agree with issuing HRT due to the risks, what are the main risks? Google is a good place to assure yourself your dying (maybe a bit extreme lol) but all I seem to find is contradicting risks and benefits, I was wondering if anyone else has any experience with taking HRT at such a young age and what exactly the "risks" are, I am so depressed at feeling like I do and I just want to "feel myself again" it seams so long since I felt like me
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I'm 52 and been suffering years now with the menopause thought I was just going round the bend but after reading these posts I don't feel like that now, My periods just stopped 3 years ago and never seen or spotted again so in that way I have been lucky but mental health wise anxiety and depression hot sweats vomiting without warning have blighted my life. I've only just bothered going to see a doctor as I just thought I couldn't cope any longer but didn't really get anywhere I take Paroxetine and diazepam and trying to control such negativity and weird thoughts in my mind. I worry about my health and dying and loosing my husband but assume that's the menopause after reading some posts I feel like I'm just waiting to die I have some agoraphobia and can't leave the house alone but will go to the shops in a car with my husband. Can I ask when you use the term peri or pari what does that mean ? Also how long do you think menopause symptoms carry on for ?
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OMG after my bladder totally settling down after going on HRT and a bladder med I had a few glasses of wine on Saturday for my birthday!! First drink for weeks and weeks...bladder now upset again. Nothing like it was but upset none the less. Why did I do that!!!!! I hope it settles again...anxiety is raging!
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Why do we have this chest pressure discomfort after we eat something as simple as Mac and cheese doesn't make any sense I just want to feel better feel myself again across my breast just is so uncomfortable magnesium bcompkex primrose and vit d any more suggestions on how to feel better
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I have not gotten my period yet for the month of January, only a 2 hour slight brown discharge...never missed before either. Being 49, almost 50 in a few months, I am not surprised that I have missed a period at this age. Really looking into peri menopause, I think I have dealt with it for years, but always chalked it up to something else.
Right now this is what concerns me.....I have had feelings of the "phantom period", but than again, the month isn't over just yet, so maybe I still will get a period this month. I have some PMS symptoms, but the irrablitlity which was always a huge thing for me has not surfaced, that to me just does'nt seem normal since so many women make that their number one complaint. Oh trust me, I had it all the time, just not this month....yet...lol...
Now, my newest thing is extreme bloat! Holy Cow, I feel like I am cramming myself into my pants, yet my weight has not fluctuated only by 1/2 pound!
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My menopause nurse has changed hrt from everol to levial I started first pill today but my gp gave me fluoxetine last week cause I was depressed.I am wondering what is one of drugs don't agree with me I will not know what one is causing the prob so am I better of not taking fluoxetine just to see if levial helps with my depression.
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