Aa
AUB, thickened heterogenous endometrium, possible polyp?
Hi, went for an u/s for AUB for a month, 40 years old, u/s shows the endometrial cavity thickened at 13.1mm and is heterogenous and that there is a hyperechoic area within the cavity that is 17x8x14- mean= 13mm, and may represent an endometrial polyp. Had a biopsy done and awaiting results, with talk of a hysteroscopy, d&c, and ablation after biopsy results. Does this seem like anything to be concerned about or seem like a normal result for a polyp?
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Yeah, its possible you have a polyp that behaves normally. What is a bit surprising they apparently can't tell for sure. Do they think that maybe it's a blighted ovum? (I assume you took a pregnancy test somewhere along the way?) "May represent a polyp" is kind of a wishy-washy diagnosis, and wanting to be certain might be why your doctor is suggesting a surgical approach.
Have your periods been irregular for a while? Have you been monitored with some hormone tests? Rather than go immediately in a surgical direction, if you haven't already gotten your hormones tested, you might ask if the doctor thinks putting you on progesterone for a while and then stopping it, will give you a period that will clear the lining out. It wouldn't be invasive like a surgery, and would clear the interior of your uterus for better imaging of the assumed polyp.
I could see going with a D&C for this, but don't see the need for an ablation unless your periods have been horrible, irregular and heavy for at least a year, and ESPECIALLY don't get an ablation unless you never intend to or want to get pregnant after this. Women who have ablations and then get pregnant can actually jeopardize their lives, as the embryo can burrow into the uterine wall if it doesn't have an endometrial lining to nest in. Please decide carefully about the ablation suggestion.
In your shoes, I'd first consider whether the item in the uterus could be something like a pregnancy, probably failed but check to be sure that it's not a current pregnancy (take a home test, it will be accurate at this stage). If that's a no, ask the doctor to order some lab work of your hormone levels, maybe several times in your menstrual month, to see if your progesterone isn't stopping when it naturally would stop. That can cause the lining to keep growing. (If it's a polyp for sure, it is very common for them to interfere with the changes in hormone balance that cause periods.) I'd then okay a D&C. But I sure wouldn't do an ablation in the same operation. Only do one with careful consideration of the pros and cons. So many women have written here who regret their ablations.
Good luck!
Have your periods been irregular for a while? Have you been monitored with some hormone tests? Rather than go immediately in a surgical direction, if you haven't already gotten your hormones tested, you might ask if the doctor thinks putting you on progesterone for a while and then stopping it, will give you a period that will clear the lining out. It wouldn't be invasive like a surgery, and would clear the interior of your uterus for better imaging of the assumed polyp.
I could see going with a D&C for this, but don't see the need for an ablation unless your periods have been horrible, irregular and heavy for at least a year, and ESPECIALLY don't get an ablation unless you never intend to or want to get pregnant after this. Women who have ablations and then get pregnant can actually jeopardize their lives, as the embryo can burrow into the uterine wall if it doesn't have an endometrial lining to nest in. Please decide carefully about the ablation suggestion.
In your shoes, I'd first consider whether the item in the uterus could be something like a pregnancy, probably failed but check to be sure that it's not a current pregnancy (take a home test, it will be accurate at this stage). If that's a no, ask the doctor to order some lab work of your hormone levels, maybe several times in your menstrual month, to see if your progesterone isn't stopping when it naturally would stop. That can cause the lining to keep growing. (If it's a polyp for sure, it is very common for them to interfere with the changes in hormone balance that cause periods.) I'd then okay a D&C. But I sure wouldn't do an ablation in the same operation. Only do one with careful consideration of the pros and cons. So many women have written here who regret their ablations.
Good luck!
4 Comments
No chance of pregnancy, I’ve had both my tubes completely removed (4 kids!). My ovaries looked completely normal they said, the uterine thickening and the polyp is all they mentioned. I do have some family history of cancer and am overweight so I think there was some concern there possibly for high risk, but the mentions of “possible polyp” when reading the report is what got me too. In the office they just mentioned that it was on the bigger side and mentioned the thickening, and said they wanted to proceed with a biopsy. I’ve had irregular periods for a while but this is the first I’ve had prolonged bleeding like this, no hormonal testing has been done. Thanks for all your input, it was very helpful.
Post back when you get the biopsy results, if it's before the end of the month. (After May 31, the site turns into read-only; no one will be able to post.) When you say the family has 'some' history of cancer, how close in the family tree to you? If your mom had uterine cancer, that's more to the point than if, say, your great-uncle had lung cancer.
My grandmother had uterine cancer, and grandfather colon cancer. I did get biopsy results todays and the results just showed no malignancies or hyperplasia, and showed endometrial polyp, so they said they would like to proceed with the Hysteroscopy, D&C , and ablation.
Again, I'd ask the doctor why the ablation; a D&C sounds like it would be adequate to the situation. Have you had a uterine MRI? They can show a lot. In your position I would not agree to an ablation as part of the package with the D&C, I'd wait and see what happens when they remove the polyp.
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