Perimenopause—urinary incontinence, brown spotting

[Anonymous]

TMI, but I’m 51 and in perimenopause and have developed a urinary incontinence problem. I also seem to be spotting or peeing brown blood almost every day while still having periods—the spotting isn’t noticeable when I wipe but visible on a pad. I’ve gone as long as three months between periods but recently have been having them every month, very heavy for two or three days.

I’m making an appointment with a new GYN (mine is becoming OB only) but has anyone dealt with anything like this?

[Anonymous]

i spot but i don't pee brown - are you peeing it out or spotting?

[Anonymous]

Huh, I spotting and I definitely see it when wiping before it stains my underwear. Usually it's on the toilet paper but not my underwear.

I'm confused how the urinary issue factors in.

But you likely will be told by your gyn you need an ultrasound and endometrial biopsy and possibly a hysteroscopy, if it's uterine bleeding.

But is there something going on urine wise? maybe this could be from bladder? confused

[Anonymous]

fibroids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i spot but i don't pee brown - are you peeing it out or spotting?

I think it must be spotting because my urine is normal colored. But it’s confusing because the issues arose at around the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i spot but i don't pee brown - are you peeing it out or spotting?

I think it must be spotting because my urine is normal colored. But it’s confusing because the issues arose at around the same time.

I'm confused. Your urine is normal color and you don't see blood when you wipe, yet you know you're spotting?
Incontinence at this age is super common and so is spotting, but you shouldn't be peeing brown. Can you explain what it is you see?

[Anonymous]

I’ve been wearing a pad for the incontinence so see the dark brown spotting there. It is sometimes fairly significant. But not enough to be apparent when I wipe.

I did get an appointment with a urogynecologist but not until July.

[Anonymous]

Please get this checked out ASAP. You’re probably fine and this is just peri. BUT. Urinary urgency, incontinence, and mid cycle bleeding (aka spotting) can be (some of the only) symptoms of ovarian cancer. That is VERY UNLIKELY but worth urgency on your part to get ruled out. Ask your gynecologist for an appointment and if she can’t get you in immediately, ask her to order imaging and labs (CA-125) while you wait to see her.

[Anonymous]

Don’t assume this is all perimenopause. Get a checkup with the doctor.

[Anonymous]

Following, because this happens to me, as well. PAP was normal.

[Anonymous]

There's urge incontinence and stress incontinence and I believe one of them is receptive to vaginal estrogen treatment. I can't remember which one, but honestly vaginal estrogen is so helpful for so many things I think everyone should be on it in peri and beyond.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's urge incontinence and stress incontinence and I believe one of them is receptive to vaginal estrogen treatment. I can't remember which one, but honestly vaginal estrogen is so helpful for so many things I think everyone should be on it in peri and beyond.

NP. I had both kinds of incontinence and vaginal estrogen cured it. I never would have suspected that it was capable of fixing urge incontinence! The urge incontinence was torturing me. Not trying to derail thread, just wanted to put this out there in case it helps anyone.