I am quite concerned. I have been on Tamoxifen for nearly three years now and I have developed some brownish thick discharge in the last few days. I am very worried about having endometrial cancer. The situation is as follow. Wed I spotted some brownish discharge on my panties, called my hospital, Royal Marsdem and the nurse told me to make an appointment with my GP. (Am sorry but I find this unbelievable, if I have developed bleeding as a site effect of the medication they recommended me why the F*** o have to make an appointment with my GP, why they don’t offer annual pelvic examination for woman on tamoxifen if they really consider they are offering excellent care?). My GP gave me an appointment for next Tuesday. The bleeding goes on, so on Friday night I decided to go to UCH hospital where after nearly 3 hours waiting this doctor-magician, who probably won his qualifications in a tombola told me that is not endometrial cancer as endometrial cancer presents very heavy bleeding. I checked the information on endometrial cancer on the National Cancer Institute website and guess what, heavy bleeding is a symptom but usually endometrial cancer presents itself just with a thicker vaginal discharge, ( I don’t know if I should send this piece of information to this doctor for him to complete the course hi clearly started online). I went to the Royal Marsdem today to try to see a doctor and of course I couldn’t. I was told to make an appointment on Monday. I tried NHS direct and it was a waste of time as although I got to see a doctor I could not get anything done.
Sorry for the length of this message but, as you could easily understand I am quite distress and what I cannot understand is WHY WE ARE NOT OFFERED AN ANNUAL PELVIC EXAMINATION?. Why the standards of care are so low? If U.K is doing so badly in the statistic of cancer survival rate compared to the rest of Europe it must be a reason and a reflexion upon this poor performance is necessary.
I’m sorry you’re going through this and can understand why you feel angry. You could get a private appointment with a consultant gynaecologist if you want expertise and to get seen quickly - usually about £150 to £200 for an initial appointment. Otherwise I expect your GP would do you an urgent referral.
I think whatever this is you need to know what it is and not get fobbed off.
I had severe endometriosis and was put on high dose progesterone treatment for years. No breast exams given and then got breast cancer which was 8/8 PR+ . I had the same feeling - why wasn’t I given breast exams given the high dose. I do remember a previous GP saying I might develop 2 heads as I was having so much treatment.
The only way I can cope is not looking back at what could have been done. To me that would be the route to madness. What you need is get this sorted out and get an appropriate referral. After a previous cancer diagnosis I think most of us fear the worst. Hopefully this will be nothing serious.
Bleeding can be a side effect of tamoxifen. I had what seemed to be a light period in August, two years after chemo stopped my periods, and 22 months after starting tamoxifen. Like you, I was terrified it was endometrial cancer.
Post menopausal bleeding is treated like finding a breast lump - your GP should do an urgent referral to a gynae consultant who will do tests. My appointment came within two weeks of seeing my GP. I was given a biopsy of my womb on the spot (a bit like having a smear test) and then I had another appointment soon after for an internal pelvic untrasound. Nothing sinister was found, and it was put down to a tamoxifen side effect - just one of those things that sometimes happen, and nothing to worry about.
Here is the thing. I have a internal scann done today. The results showns some abnormalities that can either be hyperplasia or a pre-cancerous lesion or cancer. The doctor tends to think is more likely to be a pre-cancerous lesion due to the Tamoxifen. I am feeling quite shit right now, specially when I had the same results the first time I had the internal scann several months ago and my G.P failed to refere me for futher examination. I am going to make a formal complain and try to make it legal. I really want to sink that bitch. If I make a mistake at work the repercusions in the life of my customers is minimal but, when a doctor makes a mistake that is a murderer.
Hi happynipple.
I had Endometial cancer diagnosed in June and a hysterectomy in July. I had been on Tamoxifen about 3 years and asked for a pelvic ultrasound as I know Endo.CA can be a side effect. I had an u/s last year which showed thickened lining. Can’t really say I noticed any symptoms except for slight creamy discharge. I was then sent for a hysteroscopy and they took a sample which turned out to be hyperplasia (in Nov). I was not told to stop Tax but stopped myself in Feb 09. I asked for follow up and was again sent for hysteroscopy and I could clearly see a tumour. I had the op almost immediately and it turned out to be Stage 1A the very earliest stage and it had not invaded uterus at all so was just in the lining. Phew!
So, you have to keep asking and asking your oncologist to refer you for ultrasounds, etc. They don’t give us checks because only 1 in 4000 of us will develope Endo Ca. Unlucky me.
This month I am 4 years clear of BC and have not taken ANY anti ostrogen drugs since Feb although I was 8/8. I feel fine.
Weren’t you offered Arimidex or any other drug?. I also thinking of stopping Tamoxifen. Even is is hyperplasia I won’t be calm any more untill I have a histerectomy.
I am not taking Arimidex because I have osteoporosis and the aromatase inhibitors decrease bone density even more. I take Calcium and Vit D every day and TRY to keep active, although I should do more. I have been advised to take a bisphosphonate once a week but I have real trouble swallowing pills and you have to swallow them and not eat for 2 hours etc. etc. so I’m not on them at the moment. I have had my ovaries removed and 3 years Tamoxifen so I am hoping that I’m cured! If I decide to take anything again it will probably be Tam as it protects bones, but I need to discuss it all again with my Onc.