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Menopause, Anxiety or Cancer???!

Posted , 13 users are following.

alice1209
alice1209

Hi all....

I've listed about this before but is seems like my saga continues. I'm 49 and after having streaky blood in my discharge for about two weeks I decided to go to the doctor.... my usual doctor wasn't available so I saw a different GP.

I've been on citalopram for 8 years now for my health anxiety that came after the birth of my second child. Anyway, I explained the problem to the GP and she immediately said we better take a Pap test, I said I'd had one 5 months ago and thought it may be menopause related, she stated that as my periods have been regular to date, it can't be that, and she was more concerned about cervical cancer....so of course that sent my health anxiety in in to total overdrive!!!

I then explained to her about my increased anxiety and mild panic attacks... and the feeling of being detached, unable to sleep, she then said my anxiety was worsening and I had to see a psychologist...

So, my periods started yesterday ( 5 days early), not quite normal, they seem to be starting and stopping... but I have the usual cramps and sore back etc.., however I'm now in a state of constant anxiety as I'm convincing myself I have cervical cancer ( even although I have a pap every year and they have always been clear) and its not the menopause .... !!

Any advice please ladies!

1 like, 21 replies

21 Replies

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  • becky53379
    becky53379 alice1209

    Posted

    Hi Alice, I went to five doctors before the last one told me that I was in perimenopause. She did not look at my bloodwork, she said it was peri because of my age and symptoms and then she hugged me (because of course I started crying because someone finally gave me the answer). I was 48 at the time. I believe that you are in perimenopause but of course to ease your mind get your tests done. Im sure that all will be well. I will be praying for you. Take care!
  • Guest
    Guest alice1209

    Posted

    Sounds like peri for sure. But to put your mind at ease request a vag ultrasound. But if your pap was good just a few months ago, you're ok. I was told by many docs that I wasn't peri, went to the psychiatrist as my doc recommended and SHE was the one to say I'm peri with provably EBV. And she was totally correct! I love the way these doctors tell us it couldn't possibly be peri. Makes me so angry.

    • alice1209
      alice1209 Guest

      Posted

      Thanks so much for your reply... I'm so stressed at the moment!

      I had an ultra scan on my ovaries at the same time as my Pap test a few months ago.. they were checking to ensure everything in that area was ok and it was.

      I'm just so upset that when I quite evidently had severe health anxiety they just casually mention cancer... in fairness my own doctor would not have done this as he knows how to manage my condition.

      Thank you

    • Lillioui
      Lillioui alice1209

      Posted

      Hello Alice

      First I believe your doc is a bit awkward!

      I don't understand why she frightened you that way ! You had everything done 5 months ago and you're old enough to have the first symptoms of perimenopause. Of course your doc is right to check first if everything is fine but no reason to scare you !

      I've been bleeding lightly for more than one month now ( I'm 51), I really was worrying a lot when I saw my gynecologist on Tuesday but he didn't behave the way yours did !

      I had vaginal ultrasound and everything was ok then he did a pap ( the last one was one year and an half ago) and said not to worry because I had one to do and it was time to make a new one .

      Of course the pap could show something wrong ( and that s why all women should have it done regularly) but he didnt add to my anxiety and said Im probably experiencing perimenopause.

      Your bleeding could have many explanations that are not relating to something bad !

      Be quiet and wait for the result but if everything was fine 5 months ago I don't see why it could be bad today.

      Let us know how you feel

    • ImagineOneDay
      ImagineOneDay alice1209

      Posted

      Dear Alice, please do not worry. GPS are very ignorant to patient's need. They don't understand peri symptoms. Fir them it is all to do with one random blood test. You GP sounds even worse and insensitive. Knowing your health history they should have been kinder. But please please try not to worry. Worrying will make you worse. It sounds like you are just starting peri nothing more. Get it checked of course but try to ignore what gp said to you. All the best.

  • aimee1970
    aimee1970 alice1209

    Posted

    Hello

    I'm also going thru it my GP told me no peri and so me if I have hot false or dryness. He did want me to test me for hormones test he said it will be neganetive for menopause. Also for the first time my period was odd. My period on June 28 last 4 days then I was suppose to have it in July 24 but I had it July 11 for 6 days and I'm gonna watch is i get it on schedule time. My Pap was normal but it said I have severe inflammation . And that was that . I have multiples ultrasound vaginal and in the abdomen and everything is normal. I get ansiety for the unknown .

    • Lillioui
      Lillioui aimee1970

      Posted

      If your pap shows severe inflammation you've got to have a treatment for that, haven't you?

    • aimee1970
      aimee1970 Lillioui

      Posted

      They basically told me to check it next year but I'm a little worry. The Pap show no malignant but it was a severe inflamation . My clinic that I go to don't believed in perimenopause

  • littleme1969
    littleme1969 alice1209

    Posted

    I would say at your age its most deff Peri.. and how a doc can say otherwise is stupid.  Like alot of people on here ive had constant syptoms for years before my periods became iregular.. About 4 years of weird aches pains burning skin gut issues etc.  My doctor did acknowledge that my hormones where about 50% there for full menpaosue when all this started 4 years ago but he didnt say i was in peri.  I got weird brownish discharge with a bit of blood for about 6 years before my periods started to miss.. Also regular upto a year ago when my periodds stopped all together for 4 months and then the heavy menopause symptoms hit like a brick wall so iw ouldnt worry.  But its always good to get things checked for your own piece of mind. Most women on here will say the same about their cycle in peri , there are few that just stop altogether.  Most it takes years of weird symptoms then they often get closer together like mine did for 18 months.. then back to 4 weekly for another 18months..then bang... stopping and starting.. 2 in 2 weeks .. then miss another moonth... drives you nuts rolleyes
  • Lotti1966
    Lotti1966 alice1209

    Posted

    Hi Alice😊stress can make a lot of things worse so first of all dont stress.

    I would follow up with your gyn, schedule an ultrasound and go from there.

    Could be cysts, could be inflammation, could be any number of things.

    We tend to think the worst with our anxiety especially when someone throws the worst at us. Think positive and try to be proactive. Have the tests done as soon as possible to put your mind at ease.

    Praying for the best for you?

  • Takingtime
    Takingtime alice1209

    Posted

    Hi Alice,   First off, I doubt it's cervial cancer, for the fact that you had one a few months ago and it was normal.  Here where I live routine paps are ordered every three years.  (I don't necessarily agree with that) but from what I understand is it takes a long time for cervical cancer to grow.....Interesting you say this, because I just had my pap a couple weeks ago and since then I had streaky blood on and off, and then got my period a few days early....I too start to fear the worst, I think when our body is forever changing we fear it is something more because it is not normal, but I am learning that perimenopause, and menopause doesn't feel normal.....I have had more doctor appointments in the last year than I have in 5 years put together, and that is because I am getting all these weird symptoms.  

    • natallia04776
      natallia04776 Takingtime

      Posted

      Exactly! You have just said it! I checked everything and even my bowel and now just stopped my period and my tummy is bloated and painful 😕 why? Very uncomfortable.

      Just let's talk about it here and share our experience.

    • Takingtime
      Takingtime natallia04776

      Posted

      Yes,  that's all we can do.  I still always fear that there is something they are not finding......not that I want them too of course, but I never had all these weird things pop up ever.  Mine started with severe anxiety and nausa I lost 20 pounds over several months without trying, then I would get short of breath and pressure in my chest, I went to ER, and they said I was having an axiety attack and anxiety was the cause of my symptoms....(losing weight) they concluded this through routine blood, and a chest x-ray. So I started working on relieving anxiety and worked with a natural practitioner, and it helped a great deal....then after that was fixed, then I started experiencing bladder issues, frequent urinination, urethra irritation, and vag burning....again, back to the doctors, after 2 ultra sounds, and a referral to a urologist and gynocologist, many urine cultures were done....nothing found.....so again I started doing alternative healing with this, acupuncture, and chinese medicine, I got that somewhat controlled, then I started getting terrible bloating, upper back pain (shoulder blades), chest pressure, and feeling that I have a lump in my throat....so back to the doctors, they are going to be cheking my heart I am on my final day of wearing a 14 day heart monitor then I go for a heart echo...I have been getting palpatations on and off for 8 years, but now this chest pressure is new.....(it could very well be bloating) who knows, but better to get it checked out.....I started going back to my chiropractor and I have been reffered to a physiotherapist one for pelvic floor and one for lower and upper back....I just feel like my social life is running to all these places just so I can feel somewhat like I used to.  The only thing they all chalk it up to is my body is changing and preparing for a new chapter in life.  I just wish these new symptoms would stop, I get one looked after only to have something else pop up. 

    • alice1209
      alice1209 Takingtime

      Posted

      So, Pap back, all all clear... my periods have also started after weeks of spotting .... BUT they are so heavy with load more clots than ever.... is this'normal'... 😫

    • Guest
      Guest Takingtime

      Posted

      Linda, I'm you. Except I also sacrificed my gall bladder this year. I finally figured out peri caused EBV to reactivate (no thanks to 10 or more medical docs I went to). You might want to have yours checked. Make sure the lab does all 4 tests (3 IgG and 1 IgM). Your symptoms are exactly mine to a T, i went on to have more.

    • Takingtime
      Takingtime Guest

      Posted

      Hi Suzanne, I will mention this to my doctor when I see her in a few weeks.  I have had a lot of blood test done over the past year, but not sure if they checked for EBV.  At times I often wondered if there was a virus laying dormant, I get this little red dots all over my skin, I have brought it up to doctors and they say they are normal, but when I read about them they say they are triggered by a virus.  I did have shingles back in the winter months, and although I got over them quickly, I often wondered if the back pain lingers from that, however I have had this on and off for years...I find when I have stress, or anxiety it seems to flare up, also in the summer months when I am not wearing the proper foot wear.  Regardless, I just keep finding ways to relieve it all until we figure out what exactly it is, my one friend said she thinks it's fibromyalgia....only because she has it and we have very similar symptoms....always a guessing game, and I tend to feel like a hypocondriac when I go to the doctors with a new complaint.......however, one would never imagine these symptoms to pop up out of nowhere.

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