I started noticing a change to my normal period, which increased from 5 to 8 days. They were getting worse and worse each month, in terms of the pain and the heaviness. They went from 5 days and maybe needing ibuprofen on one day, to four days of heavy bleeding and nauseating pain and four days of lighter bleeding. I couldn’t leave the house. I’ve always tracked my periods and the difference in my cycle was night and day really when you compare the ‘usual’ to how I ended up. I was told my hormones were fine, so I was put on tranexamic acid, which is used for heavy periods.
I started noticing watery fluid, I thought I was incontinent, to the point of having tests for it. I am a Nuclear Physicist, so as a scientist I decided to use my skills and write a personal spreadsheet to keep track of all the fluid coming out of me. I already knew about period tracking apps, but I wanted to see if the amount/colour/consistency was anything to do my actual cycle, but it wasn’t. I hate wearing single-use liners, so often it would go into washable period pants (which are all black lined) and it’s hard to see the actual volume and colour. I didn’t really know what the fluid was *until* I started wearing a period cup all month long. For two months I was filling up my period cup within an hour at my heaviest. The amount of discharge was sometimes a full cup (40 ml) in four hours. No wonder I thought I was incontinent! It was using a cup all the time that made me find that out. And the amount and colour of the discharge was independent of my cycle.
With this information, I spoke to my doctor and was offered an IUD and an ultrasound the following month. I pushed back the ultrasound another month because I was bleeding so much. They were fine to do the ultrasound whilst I was bleeding, but I was too anxious to do it, given the nausea, the pain and that I would have filled a cup with blood on the journey alone.
The ultrasound showed an ovarian cyst and fibroids in my womb and thickening of the womb lining (endometrium). When I then got the referral for the hysteroscopy my GP said, “try to not worry too much, you’re too young to have cancer”.
Each period became my new worst ever period, I became anaemic. Six months after I started tracking my fluids, I was diagnosed with stage one low grade womb cancer. I was offered a hysterectomy. I wanted to keep my ovaries due to my age. Another four months later, I was told it had progressed to stage 3a and I had my ovaries removed. Menopause sucks!
Reflecting back, I thought I was just perimenopausal. I didn’t know the symptoms of womb cancer. I thought 39 was too young for perimenopause really, but when the doctor said that my hormones were fine, I went along with it. After my diagnosis, my GP called me to say they had never known someone so young get womb cancer. I have started six weeks of radiotherapy with chemotherapy and will be having more rounds of chemotherapy in the Autumn.
Now I tell all my friends about knowing the symptoms. I think it should be taught in schools! I am an educated cis White woman who can advocate for herself but what about other people who can’t?
I knew something wasn’t right with how my periods changed and I knew that writing it down with as much detail as possible would help me to get this across. Keeping going back to the doctor is hard work! But I believe that being able to advocate for your health is important.
If I was to give someone advice I would say, if your periods change, if you bleed in between periods, if you get watery discharge, or if you bleed after menopause, go see your doctor and put your foot down!
I’ve found The Eve Appeal to be absolutely incredible through all of this, and they continue to be so.
Tips for Tracking Your Bleeding
If you have any questions or concerns about any symptoms you are experiencing or a gynae cancer diagnosis, our Ask Eve nurses can help with free and confidential advice and information on nurse@eveappeal.org.uk or 0808 802 0019.