At 54 it's been over 2 years since I had my last proper period, which was the most awful, heavy, painful period I've ever had - this came 11 months after the previous period. Apart from that I just sailed through the menopause without any problems at all, as my periods just became more and more erratic until they just tailed off, finishing with the one from hell! I had a smear 5 weeks ago (for which I still haven't got the results) and happened to mention that in the intervening 2 years and 3 months since that last period I've had 3 episodes of spotting. The period was in Oct 14, then in May 15 I had a week of spotting, as if a period was starting but it didn't. In April 16 I had one day of light brown spotting, then in Sept 16 I had literally a few pale pink spots which lasted a couple of hours, and that was it! I wasn't at all concerned but the GP sent me for an ultrasound which was today. They couldn't find the endometrium very well, so gave me a transvaginal ultrasound (for anybody else reading this, it's absolutely nothing to worry about, way better than a smear and I was so relaxed I could have fallen asleep [cheesygrin] ). The endometrium was found to be thickened...apparently the guidlines say that anything over 3mm should be investigated, and mine is 6. Now I am to be referred to a gynacologist..obviously I'm concerned but is it possible that it's actually nothing at all? Has anyone else been in this situation?
Thank you, Louise x
Louise,
Obviously what this means is that while you aren't producing enough estrogen to create regular cycles, your wonderful ovaries are still prodicing some estrogen!! Good for you. And yes, this will stimulate the lining. Possibly if you had your levels tested, it would show a strong estradiol blood level for a menopausal woman. (Top end of the ranges).
So it makes sense to get it checked out. But I wouldn't be on the worried sick side of things. If your doctor is concerned you could do a round of vaginal progesterone, which would help sluff off and reduce your lining.
Hi Louise
Yes, I was in exactly that position (feet together, knees apart - ha ha ha!) last year. My lining was 10mm - had a hysteroscopy and biopsy and all tests came back normal. Just an oestrogen surge according to consultant; the ovaries' last hurrah. Good to have it checked out just in case but probably nothing to worry about. Keep us posted. Jane x
Thanks for your reply Gailannie. I wasn't remotely concerned and thought it was just a hormonal thing (my GP was talking about the bleeding and I had to correct him to say that it wasn't blood as such, just brown/pink spotting) but he referred me to be on the safe side. Hopefully the thickening is as you suggest. Oh, and I got the smear result this morning and it's fine, so I don't have to worry about that at least! Thank you x
Thank you for such a reassuring reply Jane. That's fantastic that all your tests came back as normal, do you require and follow up or further checks? It's good to know that all is well with you when you had a 10mm thickness, I was in a panic thinking that 6 must be awful! I'll update this when I have my next appointment, but thank you x
Just to add, my GP surgery called today to ask me to make an appointment with my GP regarding the ultrasound result. I told the receptionist that the hospital were already going to arrange a follow up appointment so she said she'd leave a note for the GP when he is back on Tuesday, to let him know. I'm now wondering why he thought he needed to see me, and why the hospital said I'd receive an appointment letter within a fortnight (although the appointment won't neccessarily be that quick). Is it usual that the hospital arrange the follow up, and I wonder if they always tell you exactly what they have seen? I was told that the endometrium was thickened, and she also said that she'd seen fibroid-type changes but didn't seem concerned about that. Nothing else was mentioned though...
I am 50 and still in perimenopause. I now have a condition where I have a thickened endometrial lining due to unopposed oestrogen . i.e Progesterone has dropped off but Oestrogen still remains high. This means it continues to thicken the lining on a continual basis. I haven't started the hot flushes yet as my oestrogen is still high. Now my endometrial lining was recently 3.5 cm thick on the anterior wall and over 1.0 cm in other places. This led to them insisting on a biopsy. But my biopsy still came back negative for anything nasty. I have been told it can progress over time to uterine cancer but apparently it takes years for this to happen. I also get the spotting etc that you have mentioned so it is not necessarily out of the ordinary. Could it be that your oestrogen is still quite high and so no hot flushes yet and a thickening of the lining? A question to ask the consultant.
I shall do Sam, thank you for that. Interesting that you mentioned not having hot flushes - I never had them at all, and it's now been over 2 years since the last period. Like most people I was anticipating some problems during menopause but apart from the one horrible heavy and painful period that I mentioned above I seemed to just sail through it. (I did experience anxiety but Evening Primrose sorted that out beautifully). Interesting and I shall definitely ask the consultant about that, thank you x
Hi. I'm in a somewhat similar position to you Louise. I am 55 and its been 4 years approx since I've had a period. I am taking HRT - an estrogen tablet and a progestron tablet. On Christmas Eve I started bleeding a little but, while I knew it should be happening, I didn't worry too much about it. I went to see my doctor after Christmas and its since then that I have been worried sick. She said it is an urgent matter and that the first thing that must be done is to eliminate cancer - I hadn't even thought about cancer. Early this week I had abdominal and transvaginal ultrasounds carried out (simple procedures as you say) and the result have shown a thickened lining in my uterus. I got such a shock I didn't even ask how many centimeters - I didn't even realise I should ask that question! Now I am being sent for an 'urgent' biopsy (urgent meaning within 2 weeks I gather). I am not really bleeding any more, except after a bowel movement, otherwise it more like dried blood specks any time I wipe after urinating (apologies for the intimate details). Tonight I have lower abdominal pain and am terrified I am going to start bleeding again or that something weird is going on inside. I feel like I've stepped into a nightmare that I can't wake up from. Waiting for the biopsy and then the pathology results terrifies me.
If anyone can offer me some practical advice on how to get through this I would be extremely grateful. I am trying to think positively but not making a great job of it much of the time 
Hi
Sounds very similar to my case,
My vaginal scan last week showed 8mm endometrial wall thickness, I am scheduled to see consultant and also have biopsy next Friday.
I have smear test done recently which was clear.
Just worried in case its cancer, the waiting till then is so worrying.
Hi Shazanne
I know what you are going through, I am 61, I sailed through the menopause, Just before xmas out of the blue my problems started as followed
Sexual intercourse excruitating pain which lasted a week, back ache, no bleeding. immediately saw my doctor, who carried out blood tests to rule out ovarian cancer, my ca125 is ok,had scans last week which show uterus lining 8mm, so appointment scheduled for next Fri to see consultant and hysterscope, I am petrified it endometrial cancer, the waiting till then is worrying,
Hi Shazanne
You have a good doctor who is looking after you and anything sinister will be caught in its early stages. Try to take some comfort from that.
How long have you been taking hrt?
I started hrt patches last september, after no periods for 3 months, and it made my periods come back. Now I have regular spotting and like you when I wipe.
My doctor has referred me to gyne, appt on 25th. Mainly to discuss way forward as I have fibroids. I'm thinking it's the hrt causing my bleeding and will try a different one.
Try to keep busy, pamper yourself, and don't google!
Hi Louise
No one said anything to me about a follow up so ... I guess not. (Should I be worried about this?)
IMO the care from the NHS is very good but their admin and communication is hopeless. So your confusion about follow up and different letters from different depts saying different things is pretty standard for them. I wouldn't read too much into it - it's better that too many Drs take responsibility for you than too few!
I've been taking HRT for 4 years with no problems.
Did all the Googling before I ever went to the doctor and most of it referred to the 'C' word - but I didn't pay much heed to it as I was convinced it was just something minor like my HRT needed to be adjusted. It was after I went to the doctor that I started really worrying!!!
Exactly - the waiting is driving me crazy. I am not a patient patient! I will be thing of you on Friday next and wishing you well Caroline. X
Thanks Shazanne
Had hysteroscopy, curettage and polypectomy yesterday under ga, all went really well, surprisingly immediately after surgery,i had no pain whatsoever, afew hours later i had very slight abdo pain, which was relieved with paracetamol,
After surgery my doctor explained that the 8mm endometrial thickness, which had displayed on my scan, was in fact only due to a large benign polyp, which they removed,
Relief from worry at last x
When diagnosing this, it takes a highly skilled pathologist. Since most will over diagnose to be on the safe side and this could case unnecessary procedures. The best test could be a hysteroscopy. Based on what you described you should have more testing and let the doctor rule out something serious. I would go to a top notch hospital (you can google this). I did it was 6 1/2 hours away from me and in network. It's worth it.
Hi Kimberley.
I haven't updated my post for many months so here goes...
I saw a well respected gynaecolgist at a major teaching hospital - he did a pelvic and internal exam and took some biopsies from the uterus. It was uncomfortable but not painful, only took a minute, and there was minimal bleeding afterwards. A hysteroscopy was scheduled, and that was done by a wonderful and very experienced lady gynaecologist. She explained that the initial biopsies were inconclusive, mainly because they were slightly too small,
She did the hysteroscopy, which was immensely painful but only for a minute or two. Two tips for anyone about to have it done...they tell you to take 400mg Ibuprofen an hour before, which I did. If I were to have it again I would take a higher dose, plus co-codamol! Also, try to watch what they are doing on screen as it happens - it seems to help with the pain for some reason. The results of the biopsies (all 12 of them!!) were thankfully all clear and it was explained that the uterine wall thickening I was told about - at 6mm - was only in one place. At the top of the uterus the thickening was 27mm, but it was due to fibroids in the uterine wall, which need no treatment at all. am SO glad I wasn't told that measurement when the ultrasound was done as I would have been beyond worried.
The bleeding after the hysteroscopy was very slight and I was able to go a shopping trip right after leaving the hospital.
Vagifem was prescribed and the consultant told me it was not HRT, but would deal with any spotting I might have. When I read the patient info leaflet it WAS described as HRT, so I decided against taking it.
Thankfully, there have been no more spotting episodes in the intervening 8 months and I am 100% fine. I'm sure the spotting was just nature's way of winding down, after all, it makes sense to think that not everything will stop right after the last period as there must be residual hormones, despite what the medics say. My spotting was never like blood, more brownish/pinkish and very light. I was told that was not normal but I'm not so sure about that, as it appears to have been normal for me. I hope anyone else reading this will be able to take some reassurance and won't worry unneccessarily until there is actually something to worry about 
Hi, I’m going through the same been having awful pelvic pain, happened to be it’s thickening of my uterus I’ve been menopause for 2 years, Does this creates pain? GYNtold me there’s no symptoms for thickening of uterus my stomach has gotten blooded, she wants to put me on provera for 3 my nthsbut read about it , it’s a lot of side affects!!! Any suggestions?
Just looking back on this post Caroline - I hope all went well.
Do update if you feel you are able to do so!
Regards and hugs, Louise x