4 week spotting?

Is this a mini-period, sutures dissolving or possibly both? I have tender breasts, lower ab pain, slight bleeding (quite dark) and I could bite the head off a kitten. Any ideas? Needless to say, I am not pleased to see blood.

Had an abdominal supra-cervical 2/9/05

Hi Ekosh,

It could be some post-op spotting. I have seen some cervix-retaining ladies post that they had post-op spotting up to 6 weeks.

And it sounds like it could be a mini-period also?? Did you have your cervix cauterized during surgery??

I am 11 months post op and I just had my monthly PMS since my ovaries are still working okay. I do not get a mini-period since I had my cervix cauterized. And...at "the" time of the month..I get tender breasts and some irritiabilty and some consitipation.

I could suggest you call your Dr. and talk to him also.

Best wishes,

Mary

Hi ekosh,

It sounds like you are having a bad day. Don't get too worried about the blood. When it is dark it means it is old and not fresh like when you see it bright red. That is a good sign. Since you kept your cervix it is possible you will get the miniperiods, but it is also possible a stitch has come loose or dissoved and released some old blood. If it continues and becomes bright red you might want to check with you dr.
The tender breasts and the lack of tolerance is probably a sign of some hormonal fluxuations. I don't know if you are on anything, but it isn't unusual for there to be some shifting of the levels. This is something you will want to talk to your dr about if it continues or gets worse.
I hope you feel better soon. Let us know how you do.

's, Rita

Call your doctor and ask about your bleeding and specifically about whether or not your surgeon removed all endometrium either by coring out the cervix or cauterizing.

You won't know for sure if this bleeding is cyclical for at least two more cycles, as sutures are still dissolving and may be releasing pockets of old blood for some weeks. Some women who get cyclical bleeding (mini-period) find that it dissipates over time and is gone within a year or so.

After a few months, if you're still experiencing it, you can consult your doctor about cauterizing, freezing or silver nitrate treatments to get rid of the bleeding.

The good news (if you like looking at things this way) is if you have breast tenderness and other premenstrual/menstrual symptoms is that your ovaries are working!

Take care.

Ah, once again, thank you ladies for the fountains of information.

I did call the on-call doctor as advised (not mine but I know him) who said it could be a mini-period given the other symptoms. He said the amount of swelling and pain I'm having at this stage is not typical but that I did have a rough time with bladder laceration and a nicked ureter requiring a stent, which is still in until next week. He said that could be causing most of the pain.

I'll see my doc early next month and find out if he did the cauterization. I may have to cauterize him if he didn't...

I wasn't thinking I would have period like symptoms if I kept my ovaries - gosh there is a down and up side to everything. It's not like it was for sure, but it kind of stinks!