Lifeline begins with an apology to several readers who must have wondered at the lack of response to their specific communication. Some letters were misplaced. Having found them, Lifeline will make responding to them a priority.
DEAR READERS,
B from Mocho, Clarendon, is deeply concerned about her health and also issues concerning her mother. This week Lifeline will try to assist B's mother.
B's mother is an elderly lady in her 70s who has complained to her doctor several times of vaginal odour and a bloody, watery, but painless, vaginal discharge. The doctor told her that she has an infection, but B is worried that this is not an infection but a sign of cancer in the womb. B doubts her doctor but says she has no money to take her mother to a herbalist at this time.
Well, instead of a visit to either the herbalist or another general practitioner, Lifeline encourages B at this time to take her mother to the gynaecology out-patients department of the nearest government hospital.
SEE A PHYSICAN
Any post-menopausal woman who after several years (even six months) begins to see blood from the vagina should see a physician urgently! B's fear of cancer (cancer of the cervix or cancer of the uterus) is certainly a real possibility. However, some elderly women are also still sexually active.
If this is the situation with B's mother, she could, indeed, have a vaginal or womb infection which requires adequate treatment. However, the most frequent cause of post-menopausal vaginal bleeding is cancer in the pelvis, and cancer of the cervix or endometrium (tissues lining the womb) accounts for up to 50 per cent of these cases.
Other causes of post-menopausal vaginal bleeding are:
Prolonged use of oral oestrogen hormone (used to treat menopausal symptoms)
Atrophic vaginitis
Cervical or endometrial polyps
Prolapse of the uterus associated with ulcers
Vaginal injury
Infection
Bleeding from an atrophic womb can occur due to thinning of the previously functional layers which can leave the small blood vessels almost exposed and likely to rupture. Post-menopausal vaginal bleeding can be painless or painful and due to any of the above causes but a misdiagnosis of cancer could be fatal.
Investigation of abnormal vaginal bleeding could include a Pap smear, a pelvic ultrasound, a dilatation and curettage procedure in the uterus, and possible culposcopy, and investigation should be requested urgently.
Treatment could be medical or surgical and could even, in worst-case scenarios, involve total hysterectomy and oophrectomy (removal of womb and ovaries) and radiation treatment.
B's mother should see a gynaecologist now.
Write to A.J.M.
C/O Lifeline,
P.O. Box 1731,
Kingston 8.
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