What is menopause?
Menopause is the general term used to describe the time in a woman’s life when you may experience symptoms related to fluctuating and ultimately falling hormone levels, when you will eventually stop having monthly periods. Medically, menopause is defined by the day following 12 consecutive months without a period.
Many women do not know when their last natural period might be as they are on hormonal contraception, HRT or have had a hysterectomy.
Stages of menopause
1. Perimenopause
The time when hormone levels start to fluctuate and you may experience menopause symptoms which could include anxiety, low mood, hot flushes, brain fog and vaginal dryness, amongst many others. Periods can change and become heavier, lighter, closer together or further apart.
2. Menopause
Defined by 12 consecutive months without a period.
3. Post menopause
The time in your life after menopause.
What is bleeding after menopause?
Your final periods can be irregular; to be diagnosed as having gone through the menopause you will not have had a period for 12 consecutive months or longer. Unexplained bleeding, spotting or unusual discharge experienced after 12 months is called post-menopausal bleeding.
It is not normal to bleed, spot or have unusual discharge 12 months or longer after your last period.
Nine times out of 10 the cause of bleeding, spotting or unusual discharge after menopause is not caused by a serious illness, however it is important to discuss your symptoms with a healthcare professional to rule out womb cancer.
East Lancashire Hospitals’ self-referral service
Patients registered with a GP in Pennine can now self-refer into the Bleeding After Menopause Service, which means you do not have to go to your GP in the first instance. Referral into the service is via an electronic form which can be completed online. The form takes approximately 15 minutes to complete, and you will need a list of any medications you are on and your NHS number. If you meet the criteria for self-referral PMB following triage you will receive a text message asking you to book an appointment into one of our clinics.
Please complete our online self-referral form.
This service is only available if you are registered with a Pennine GP.
What happens once you have completed the self-referral form?
If you meet the criteria for the service, your form will be reviewed by one of the gynaecology team. You will receive a text message with a link to our choose and book system, which allows you to book the next available date or a date/time suitable for you.
If you are offered an appointment at one of the clinics, it will consist of an ultrasound scan, followed by a review with a healthcare professional.
Prior to the appointment you will be provided with detailed information about the ultrasound scan, what to expect and how to prepare for your appointment.
Our aim is to complete all your required investigations in one visit, however if the healthcare professional feels any further examinations, investigations or tests are required following your appointment, these will be explained during your appointment and will be arranged for you.