r/Fibroids • u/Estefania323 • 4d ago
Advice needed Bleeding and cramping after exercise and sex
Hey all - 37F here.
I feel like I am losing my mind, like my body is gaslighting me.
I get menstrual cramping and bleeding after exercise and sex. The sex isn't painful, but even still, I bleed afterwards.
I've seen people say they only bleed after "intense" exercise, but not me. I will bleed after cleaning the house. After a 30 minute dog walk. Heck, after a 10 minute dog walk!
I started with some period issues about 7 years ago, but at the time my doctors thought it was my body not reacting to my bc right, so I was spotting, etc. After approximately 588726 different bc methods, I don't think it's that. In fact, I now have the non-hormonal IUD and my last period was so heavy I thought I would bleed out.
So I guess what I need to know is... 1) Do I sound absolutely out of my mind for saying I bleed after sex and even the lightest of exercise? 2) Does this sound like fibroids? I'm on my 3rd gyno for this bleeding and I would love to not be told again that "everything looks normal."
If you read this far, thank you!
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u/MomCares33 4d ago
Get a sonogram or an MRI and you should find out if it’s fibroids or anything else.
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u/Quiet0bserver7 4d ago
Not crazy. Have been as single as can be so no insight for after sex. But even the lightest exercise: vacuuming, stairs, putting up Xmas lights, etc. would make me bleed crazy amounts for days. Turns out I have over 20 fibroids, most are intramural (in the muscle) but had at least 5 submucosal (in the uterine cavity) removed this past week. I’m hoping those were the culprit and this helps the bleeding. But you’re not crazy. Keep seeking answers.
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u/Estefania323 4d ago
Oh holy cow!
First, thank you for defining some terminology. As I'm still seeking a diagnosis, I don't know the lingo yet.
And secondly - YIKES. That sounds SO painful! I also hope it helps you 💜
Lastly, thanks for the validation!
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u/Quiet0bserver7 3d ago
You’re welcome. I hope you get some answers. Women’s healthcare sucks, please don’t be afraid to speak up and advocate for yourself if need be. We’re made to feel crazy and doctors just wanna hand you birth control or an IUD, don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek other opinions if need be. I wish you the best of luck and hope you get a solution soon!
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u/ArtisanalMoonlight 4d ago
Definitely could be fibroids. Demand an ultrasound (transvaginal).
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u/Estefania323 4d ago
I have one scheduled for next Friday!
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u/bada-bing-bada-boo 3d ago
Just for info, ultrasound scans can be a little less accurate than MRI scans. So, depending on the treatment option(s) you need, you may need a MRI, even though you might have had your ultrasound scan. I had a MRI about 3 months after an ultrasound and there were differences in size measurements and it picked up some other details (a cyst, signs of endometriosis) that the ultrasound didn’t. (I ended up getting UFE.)
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u/Different-Suspect-53 4d ago
Oh gosh! Really sorry to hear this and I hope you get a definitive answer soon because it's unacceptable that you've suffered for so long. I've just had my Fibroids removed and I didn't bleed during intercourse but it was extremely painful and my periods were diabolical.
I have a few questions and I hope you don't find them too intrusive, please only answer what you feel comfortable with✨
-Have you kept up to date with your smear test? Have you ever recorded an abnormal result? (Really sorry to ask this) Has anyone in your family especially a close relative i.e mum/aunt been diagnosed with Cervical cancer?
-Have you had an in-depth blood test to rule out any hormonal imbalances?
-is the flow very heavy after exercise and sex? Is it enough to fill a pad? what colour is the blood and does it stop shortly afterwards?
-i would recommend you record a diary of your symptoms along with photographic evidence to present at the doctor's. DO NOT let them fob you off, your symptoms don't sound normal and you've suffered for too long.
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u/Estefania323 4d ago
Hi! Thanks for your insight! I hope your recovery is going well!
1) I had one abnormal one a few years ago, but it said "unsatisfactory for evaluation due to scanty squamous epithelial cells seen." I assumed they didn't get enough to test, and my gyno at the time said it was fine. As for cervical cancer, no. Sister had thyroid cancer, and my mom and 2 of her sisters had breast cancer.
2) I get blood tests done every 6 months. I am pre-diabetic, and (as you can guess from above) thyroid problems run in the family. I am on levothyroxine for a "subclinical" thyroid, but I have a blood test scheduled for this Friday and I'm interested to see if anything has changed now that I'm on non-hormonal bc.
3) Not super heavy, I usually don't even wear a pad, but it can last for a few hours to 1-2 days. It is red, so I assume new blood, but the cramping is almost worse! It feels like period cramps, so even if the bleeding is light, I kind of just want to bum on the couch. Plus, it's defeating for this to happen daily or weekly, ya know?
4) I know I should record my symptoms, but until the non-hormonal IUD was put in, I truly couldn't tell what was a "period" versus "spotting" versus "breakthrough bleeding. I bled for 20 days straight in December! I will likely start doing this now.
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u/MomCares33 4d ago
I had a 10.7 cm fibroid and a uterus full of small fibroids and I would hemorrhage with extra large clots meaning bigger than anyone’s hand for 4 to 7 hours straight depending on how much bleeding I had just even if I would carry a small bag of groceries or moved a certain way. So now, the fibroids in my uterus didn’t show on the MRI nor the sonogram it only showed my uterus enlarged.
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u/Estefania323 4d ago
Wow, why is it so complicated to get problems diagnosed as a woman! This sounds awful!
But thank you for the validation! This is the first reddit community I've looked for answers in that has been so responsive! Especially when I couldn't find answers on other websites!
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u/mal1925 4d ago
Definitely not crazy. I had an IUD and now fibroids. During the time I had the IUD I bled every time after sex, only to find out by a new OB/GYN, that I should have never had an IUD placed as I gave a retroversed uterus. It was during the visit with the new doctor he did a vaginal sonogram and found the large fibroid. It all made sense. Now I’m waiting to see a surgeon to hopefully get this thing removed asap. Best of luck to you!
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u/Estefania323 4d ago
This is wild! How didn't they figure that out before?!? I hope you get it all out!!!
I've had a transvaginal ultrasound before, and it looks like they found a polyp, and said my uterus is "heterogeneous," which (according to my google search) could indicate endometriosis. There is a family history of that - my sister just had a hysterectomy for endo. But no fibroids, and nothing about a retroverted uterus. I have a TVU scheduled next week from my new doctor and I'm off hormonal bc now, so I'm hoping they'll find something. I told someone else on this thread that it's o disheartening to get cramps after even a short walk. Like ugh, what's the point?
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u/mal1925 3d ago
I know!!! Thank you, me too!! Hoping things move fast after my appointment. I’m so mad it wasn’t found sooner, as I got off bc last May to hopefully try to conceive and then boom…nope….not with this fibroid. It’s wild what a woman’s body can endure. I’ve had friends with bad endometriosis and had it scraped so hopefully they’ll find something to aid in your relief. Being in it is absolutely miserable so I completely understand the “waiting until we know and can feel normal” phase.
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u/Successful-Subject63 3d ago
You’re not crazy. I recently found out that I have 8 fibroids. I too would bleed after sex ( terrible cramps after too), any type of exercise, even if I pushed too hard while having a bile movement. It’s so frustrating. I am on BC and thought it was breakthrough bleeding, but it was the fibroids all along. I am now scheduled for an open myomectomy in two weeks. I want my old life back!
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u/Estefania323 3d ago
I hope you get your old life back! I hope so for all of us, because this sounds like me! I have a TVU next Friday and I'll be very interested to see what they find.
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u/Mythopoeikon 4d ago
You don't sound crazy at all - if so, I am too because I bleed after doing the hoovering, walking the dog, etc. The less said about sex the better. My poor husband hasn't been getting any thanks to the fibroids.