endometrial thickening

[Gopmom]

I'm 55 years of age and menopausal.  Last week I had an vagibal ultrasound showing endometrial thickness of 18 mm.  My ovaries were normal.  Just 7 months ago I had a vaginal ultrasound and it was normal with my endometrium 2.9mm.  I was on birth control pills at that time and have been taking them for over 10 years.  I have no vaginal bleeding or discomfort.  I started Prempro last month for a month, but stopped due to symptoms of bloatness and weight gain.  I am scheduled for a D&C next week, but I am very apprehensive and concerned if this is cancer.  In such a short time, how can I have developed this endometrial thickness?  Could it be a fibroid or polyps?

[leolady87]

Have you had a where the doctor looks inside your uterus with a camera and takes a biopsy of it.  My lining was 10mm and  the biopsy came back as abnormal cells, probably hyperplasia.  Finally I had a MRI which showed innumerable fibroids, cysts in my ovaries/fallopian tubes.  I also had many Nabothian cysts on my cervix.  At the time I was 54 and only 6 months without a period.  Those are the two tests I would recommend you ask your doctor(GYN) about having done.  The pelvic US was not as definitive as the MRI.  The pictures from the hysteroscopy will show some abnormalities.  Good luck.

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

It is good that your doctor is going to check your uterine lining to see why it is thick. The good news is that it usually takes up to 10 years of uterine thickening to turn into cancer. So while cancer of the uterus is possible, most likely it won't be. But it still needs to be diagnosed and treated.

Talk to your doctor about lower dosages of estrogen and progesterone that might not cause the bloating. Alternative choices are also available. Working with your doctor should end up with a good outcome for you that is both effective and comforable.
Machelle M. Seibel, MD