hi i am new and confused

hi i am 53 and i do not live in the states i am from europe so i don't really new all the terms in english. i am having some problems and i would like some of your experiences so i can understand what is happening to me and if it's normal. for the past couple of years i seem to be going through mentapause but when i think it's over, then it might start after 4 months. i don't really have a lot of bleeding but there is some. so i went to check things out and i was told to take some hormones to keep it coming because i was having major hot flashes. so i took the pills for a month but then after another exam they saw my uterus was too thick. so i had a scrape (if that is what it is called ) and they found some polypods. they were not cancerous so we thought everything would be okay. so now after one year ( i don't take any kind of pills anymore ) i still have an irregular cycle. it's been over three months since my last period and i went for another check up and again there is thickness around the uterus and i have to have another scrape or whatever it's called. the first time it was 14 and now it's 12 so my doctor says we have to do the procedure again and do a biopsy again. does any of this sound familar to anyone? could this be cancer knocking at my door eventually? do i suggest a hysterectomy even if they don't find cancer just to be on the safe side? i am so confused i don't know what to think because from my father's side of the family we have had a lot of cancer victims. men and women. thanks ahead of time if anyone can explain some things to me.

Hello Rosi & to HysterSisters

I'm sorry you are having the problems with bleeding and the thickened lining of your uterus. Here's a link about the scraping technique you mention: Dilation & Curettage

Women with a thickened endometrial lining may be diagnosed with Endometrial Hyperplasia, which is an excess of cell growth involving the lining of the uterus. There are different degrees of hyperplasia, so it's important to know how abnormal yours is - specificially, whether yours was with or without 'atypia'. Your doctor will have this information available from the pathology report done at the time of your D&C.

Hyperplasia with atypia is more abnormal than without, but any hyperplasia requires strict monitoring since either has the potential to change to precancer/cancer.

Some women do have good luck with hormonal treatment, others may not, or may not want to deal with the constant worry of whether the cells are changing etc. Any time the risk of cancer is suspected, it's a good idea to see a gynecologic oncologist - (a doctor that specializes in diagnosing and treating cancers of the female reproductive system) because it's their specialty to identify who is at risk and make recommendations for what treatment they feel is necessary to keep you safe from a cancer-risk viewpoint and whether the risks of a major surgery are necessary.

Before making any major medical decisions it is always a good idea to get a 2nd or 3rd professional medical opinion.
I hope you find the help you are looking for and the good health you deserve.

Best wishes & gentle s
Beth