Hi, thank you for sharing your post. I am happy that you gave alot of info. :happy:.  I am pretty much in the same boat as you now, basically stressed and scared to death. I am 37 with 2 kids 5 and 8. I have ALWAYS had regular periods and only ever missed it once or twice in my life, probably in my teens which is not uncommon for the most part. More than 5 years ago I discovered a very tiny little lump near the opening of my vagina, kind of like a pimple under the skin. It was NEVER painful or anything. I never got it checked out which is totally stupid of me looking back now. However, over the past year I started experiencing a little discomfort during sex, otherwise it never hurts. Then approximately 8 months ago I missed my period for 3 months which was EXTREMELY UNUSUAL for me, so I went to the GP and they said maybe I am pregnant or it could be due to stress or other lifestyle changes which I totally doubted. I certainly was not pregnant as I had taken multiple pregnancy tests. The GP also examined my lump and said it was most likely a Bartholin cyst as it had been their for a while. Due to covid everything was postponed. My period did return after 3 months and then stopped again after 2 months. I went to hospital about 6/8 weeks ago when the initial spotting started and they tested for pregnancy which was negative and the doctor used a speculum to look at my cervix but said she could not see where spotting/bleeding was coming from. She said my cervix looked healthy but it wasn't really a thorough exam if you know what I mean. My spotting stopped but it started again, the same brownish sort of discharge for up to 2 weeks. I thought it was my period trying to start but it stopped again after 2 weeks. Then about 3 weeks ago the same spotting started and gradually it started to become heavier and heavier and it was mostly bright red, which alarmed me. I also had about 4 clots the size of a pound/50 pence. I have always had small clots/bad cramping with period since childhood. My spotting for 2 weeks/(period I think 5/6 days sine spotting started which is normal period for me) has now stopped but my MAJOR concern is the little twinges/ dull cramping/backache/leg pain I get now. Sometimes when I go to the bathroom now I see a little brown spotting or watery discharge but other times nothing. I will be going to see the Gynaecologist on Tuesday for exam/further tests. I should point out that I had a smear done in February of this year and it was normal. I have had 3 smears done since 2003 and they were all normal. I am totally freaking out right now. I also recently did bloods and I was told that the GP will call me next week Friday as I might have BORDERLINE HYPOTHYROIDISM, this can also affect my periods. I have loads of symptoms for this for more than 10 years. Please try not to stress out too much as this could all be nothing. So sorry to write such a long letter but I am trying to give as much details as possible. I just feel SO HELPLESS AND DEPRESSED at the moment. I am sure we will be OK. 

Hi TG1983, thanks for the reply and all the info!
Apologies for me late reply though! 
 

Does sound a lot similar to me. I  haven't noticed any big clots to be honest, small ones yes but nothing that I've worried about or out the ordinary for me. I had never noticed anything different during sex but I haven't had it for ages due to this whole situation.

I'm not due on my period for another 9 days, but the past 3 days or so I've had mild (what feels like) period crampy twinges again. The brown spotting I get seems to become less about ten days after my period ends, but there's always some speckles with really pale almost pinky/yellow discharge??? I don't know how to describe it to be honest but I just keep thinking my period is taking too long to clear itself out. I've never missed a period, but it's never been super regular, like it's often late or early by a couple of days but I've never been worried about it. 
 

What blood test did you do to find out about the thyroidism? I'll have to look up symptoms online to see if it could be an option for me too.

They've never offered me any different blood tests apart from the basic one after I asked about it. I hear of people getting a CA125 test which I think flags up if there's any infections, and I think there's also a blood test they can do that checks hormones I think? 
 

How did you get on with your other tests? Have you received any more information?

Hope all is well and hope to hear from you soon! 

Hi, I just did my pelvic exam yesterday which included using the speculum to see my cervix and also having a look at my lump near my vaginal opening. It was all round GOOD NEWS, THANK GOD..... My lump was determined as a Bartholin Cyst and they will do minor surgery to drain it as it is causing issues when I have sex, otherwise it does not hurt. Secondly, the Gynaecologist said my cervis looks healthy and he did not see any polyps or anything else for concern. Thirdly, the blood tests that I did came back as NEGATIVE for HYPOTHYROIDISM, but I have very low IRON, which sounds about right as I have no energy sometimes and I have been ANAEMIC lots of times in the past. I just ordered some iron tablets that won't make me constipated. You need to ask your for a blood test that checks for thyroids. Lastly, just for my peace of mind, I have asked the Gynaecologist to do a scan just to see if there might be anything on my ovaries or lining of my womb as I still haven't found an explanation to the missing periods and brown discharge/pain in lower abdominal area. I have.not felt any pains/cramps for the last 24 to 36 hours and my spotting has finished for almost 2 weeks. Next period is due 2nd to third week next month so I will keep fingers crossed to see if everything goes back to somewhat normal for me. Also, I only feel pain during sex, right where the.lump is. And no pain otherwise, so hopefully minor operation will fix this. I will call hospital to see if they can give me any dates on operation/scan. Honestly, I am just relieved that I am OK. I am still somewhat a little stressed in the back of my head until I do scan and minor op. I will ask doctor to give me CA 125 blood test as well. I want rule out every possibility for any issue going unchecked. What tests/scans have.you done

So glad things are looking positive for you so far!!

I had multiple exams/swabs which came back with no STD's, first one I had the nurse said I had BV so gave me a weeks course of anti biotics but nothing has really changed so I don't think that was the issue. I've had swabs/physical exams since then and things were fine. I wondered if I maybe had BV for a while and it developed into PID, then the weeks anti biotics wouldn't have been enough to get rid of PID. But when I asked my private dr about this she basically just shot me down and said it can't be because my swabs came back fine. But I've also read on google that swabs don't always pick up PID. But who am I to question a private healthcare doctor.

One of the physical exams done by NHS dr said she maybe felt possibly a fibroid so referred me for an abdominal pelvic ultrasound, but the drs said all looked fine.

and I've had a normal blood test that just checked for iron levels and stuff and that was fine.

the private healthcare doctor prescribed me with 3 months of Microgynon contraceptive pill to see if it will regulate everything incase it's hormone related, I'm almost finished the first slip of pills but it hasn't changed anything so far. Quite hesitant to wait the whole 3 months incase there is something more serious underlying but also unsure if i just haven't gave the pills a chance yet.

she said if this doesn't work we will do a hysteroscopy but I really don't want if, read so much horror stories about them so I want to see if there's an alternative procedure instead.

Hey Lauram10x,

Can I ask why you're scared of a hysteroscopy? What stories have you heard? I definitely know that being on a new pill or changing your pill routine can cause you to spot for a few months so  you may find it stops after another month or so once your body gets used to it. I had to try changing my pill from having a 7 day break every 21 days to taking it every day to help with the pain i was in and to see if it helped with the inflammation and painful sex but i'm 10 months on now and there's been no improvement and now i have brown discharge every day. I do wonder if it could be the contraceptive but then i was in pain for a long time before the change.. Have you made a diary of your symptoms? It makes the doctors job so much easier when they can see if there is any pattern when when you bleed, when you have brown discharge (more or less) and have pain etc.. 

I've had a laparoscopy in the past because they thought it might be endometriosis and the doc told me the only way to really diagnose that is a laparoscopy. The good thing is, being under private doctor, you may well get faster results. So if they think hysteroscopy is best next step, wouldn't you rather do it just to know whats causing the issue? 

Hi!

Just the stories I've read on google to be honest. Get major anxiety when it comes to procedures like that, took me long enough to go for my first smear! 
 I'd rather be knocked out for the procedure if I could! I know it might seem daft but just how I am I suppose!

I did hear that the pill can cause spotting but as I was spotting before going on the pill, it doesn't seem to make any difference so far. 
 

I do take rough notes down when I experience symptoms yeah, I've told them before when I seem to notice them.

Thanks for the reply!

Yeah it's definitely difficult when it comes to sex. My partner is really understanding though but she is also going through issues down there so we're both sort of in the same boat. We actually thought our issues were related somehow but not sure what it could be because we've both been tested for STI's and have both been together for almost 2 years, so not too sure. That's why I thought it was maybe PID related as BV can be passed on which may then progress to PID if it isn't treated quick enough or something like that. See I got treated for it and when she first started getting issues they said her balances were just slightly higher than what they should be so they gave her anti-biotics just incase she had slight BV, but even though we've both been treated for it our symptoms have still continued. We do have different symptoms but both can be PID related. I did try to mention this in my private healthcare appointment but the doctor just looked at me like I was daft or probably asthough she was like why are you asking me about your partners problems

Just felt like she was super quick to just give me the pill incase it was hormone related when I would have preferred if she took bloods or something to check if it was hormone related first so we weren't wasting time.

what op are you getting? Or is it just after your laparoscopy?

Yeah i was diagnosed with BV end of last year when i thought i had symptoms of an STI and i haven't got any STI/STDs but i do think a lot of the same symptoms relate to them or PID which makes me think thats what i have too.. But with PID they just give you more antibioitcs don't they? Which then can give you thrush lol There is no win!! 

I'm having a blood test done a few days before my laparoscopy to find out if i do have endomeriosis or fibroids or whatever it is thats causing the pain and bleeding.. Fingers crossed i will be a new woman come next month!!

Yeah I think you get a longer course of anti-biotics for PID, but not too sure. It's supposed to be quite difficult to diagnose I think. 

I don't have much pain at all, sometimes feel a bit bloated/uncomfortable if I prod about at my abdomen but not sure if I just imagine it or not. I sometimes wish I had more symptoms so it was easier for them to fix it. It's been about a year since I've had this weird discharge happening! Started off just occasional but seems to be more and more often now.

Fingers crossed for you, keep me updated please!