Aa
Why do I have vaginal bleeding after a BM?
For two months now I’ve experienced spotting/bleeding after a bowel movement. I’m 33 with one child born 3 years ago. I’ve had normal paps for 4 years now. When it first started I was having bleeding or bloody discharge after a bm, even if I dont strain. The blood can range from bright red and watery to thick and brown. It happens after each bm and then tappers off and stops until the next time. I saw my gyn who did a pelvic exam, pap and pelvic ultrasound. Pap came back normal with inflammation, my cervix bled a ton when she touched it. The ultrasound showed a tiny cyst on my ovary and a couple tiny fibroids on my uterus. They also found a benign cyst on my cervix. The gyn and radiologist all called the results within normal limits, stating that nothing needed follow-up and that none of those things could cause bleeding. The fibroids were nonimpeding and everything was small. She put me on birth control to see if it would help and it did for a couple weeks and now it’s back. I’m terrified that I have something that has been missed and this is driving me crazy. Anyone else have similar issues and gotten answers?
COMMUNITY LEADER
You have multiple things going on so the cyst is just one of them. Those are typically harmless and treatment is usually not necessary for a Nabothian cyst. https://www.medhelp.org/posts/Anxiety/What-are-some-ways-I-can-stop-working-about-my-heart-rate/show/3043224.
That they did a pelvic exam and found all of those items and didn't find polyps or other issues is probably really good news. Remember that the cervix can be very vascular and immflamation on its own can cause bleeding. You could have something called endometrial disorganization (yes, that's a medical diagnosis, as if I wasn't disorganized enough already on my own!). Simply having a sensitive cervix can cause this bleeding. Did the doctor prescribe anything to reduce inflammation? Positive you don't have a yeast issue going on? Did they diagnose you with vaginitis which causes inflammation (and can cause bleeding)? Same for cervicitis.
Fibroids and an ovarian cyst also contribute to the issue. Ovarian cysts normally pass on their own and I guess a wait and see with fibroids is the path they are leading you down. They could possibly do more for those. Are your hormones in balance by the way? They are attempting to manipulate them with the pill--- you definitely should circle back with your doctor and report that it briefly helped but no longer.
Since you have unusual bleeding, I'm sure you worry about uterine cancer in particular and possibly endometrial. https://www.medicinenet.com/uterine_cancer/article.htm. It sounds like they did the proper things to screen for that. But you can follow up if you are still concerned.
Hope this does get better. Keep working with your doctors (this or others) and I always think that squeaky wheel gets the oil. They don't know it is still a problem and their fix didn't fix it unless you tell them. Hang in there.
That they did a pelvic exam and found all of those items and didn't find polyps or other issues is probably really good news. Remember that the cervix can be very vascular and immflamation on its own can cause bleeding. You could have something called endometrial disorganization (yes, that's a medical diagnosis, as if I wasn't disorganized enough already on my own!). Simply having a sensitive cervix can cause this bleeding. Did the doctor prescribe anything to reduce inflammation? Positive you don't have a yeast issue going on? Did they diagnose you with vaginitis which causes inflammation (and can cause bleeding)? Same for cervicitis.
Fibroids and an ovarian cyst also contribute to the issue. Ovarian cysts normally pass on their own and I guess a wait and see with fibroids is the path they are leading you down. They could possibly do more for those. Are your hormones in balance by the way? They are attempting to manipulate them with the pill--- you definitely should circle back with your doctor and report that it briefly helped but no longer.
Since you have unusual bleeding, I'm sure you worry about uterine cancer in particular and possibly endometrial. https://www.medicinenet.com/uterine_cancer/article.htm. It sounds like they did the proper things to screen for that. But you can follow up if you are still concerned.
Hope this does get better. Keep working with your doctors (this or others) and I always think that squeaky wheel gets the oil. They don't know it is still a problem and their fix didn't fix it unless you tell them. Hang in there.
2 Comments
Thank you so much for your response. The gyn that I saw that ordered the ultrasound and gave me the results was not my usual doctor. I'm going to make an appointment with my regular gyn to get her thoughts on the results and see if I can convince her that further testing is needed. I'm curious about my hormones as well since the birth control stopped the spotting for 20 days before it returned the day before I started the inactive pills. I'm on my period now and will be starting my next pack of birth control tonight and I'm curious to see if it again, stops the spotting. Although if it does, I'm not entirely sure of what that is indicative of other than something hormonal.
My greatest fear is cancer of the ovaries, uterus or cervix. They assured me that everything on the ultrasound was benign and insisted that none of it needed biopsy or treatment. I've tried to find comfort in that, reassuring myself that if they had any indication that any of the cysts or fibroids may be something sinister that they would call for a biopsy. But I find it most frustrating that I was told that none of those things would cause my spotting and that the spotting is just kind of unknown but nothing to worry about :( I was hoping that someone had similar symptoms with a benign outcome...
My greatest fear is cancer of the ovaries, uterus or cervix. They assured me that everything on the ultrasound was benign and insisted that none of it needed biopsy or treatment. I've tried to find comfort in that, reassuring myself that if they had any indication that any of the cysts or fibroids may be something sinister that they would call for a biopsy. But I find it most frustrating that I was told that none of those things would cause my spotting and that the spotting is just kind of unknown but nothing to worry about :( I was hoping that someone had similar symptoms with a benign outcome...
Many people do have similar stories and benign outcome. We have a post here with over 200 responses. Here is one I just found with 16 responses. https://www.medhelp.org/posts/Womens-Health/vaginal-bleeding-with-bowel-movement/show/32315. The original poster in that thread was diagnosed with the thing I mentioned earlier (confirmed what I'd read!) with disorganized endometrium. You aren't alone.
COMMUNITY LEADER
They didn't think it was worthwhile to do anything about the cyst on your cervix? I'd look into the possibility of having cervical polyps, and if your doctor can't be bothered to go to the trouble of reaching a diagnosis, I'd find a different doctor. Here's a link describing some things that could relate: http://www.healthcommunities.com/cervical-dysplasia/nonmalignant-cervical-disorders.shtml
2 Comments
Thank you! So they called it a nabothian cyst https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/nabothian-cysts-a-to-z
It’s apparently benign and common and they don’t cause bleeding or any other symptoms. So I’m stumped. And still worried
It’s apparently benign and common and they don’t cause bleeding or any other symptoms. So I’m stumped. And still worried
Your doctors have labelled it as something that doesn't cause bleeding, but it's bleeding! So you have to assume (or at least be open to the possibility) that they made an incorrect diagnosis. The link I posted said "can cause vaginal bleeding when having a bowel movement," which is more accurate than your doctor's apparent statement of the facts. See if your doc will order you an MRI of the pelvic area. If not, in your shoes I would seriously consider going to a different doctor.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Women's Health Community
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
Normal vaginal discharge varies in color, smell, texture and amount.
Bumps in the genital area might be STDs, but are usually not serious.
Chlamydia, an STI, often has no symptoms, but must be treated.
From skin changes to weight loss to unusual bleeding, here are 15 cancer warning signs that women tend to ignore.
