Hello and welcome to XXXXXXX

Thank you for writing to us.

Frequent periods (more than normal) or an intermenstrual bleed (bleeding between cycles) can be caused due to various reasons. Let me list the most common causes out for you:
-Stress (causes release of a hormone called cortisol which influences hormones that are responsible for regulating a period)
-Hormonal imbalances
-Peri-menopause (nearing menopause, as is your age; irregular bleeding is commonly seen, but you will have to still be supervised by a doctor)
-Medications (eg. hormonal supplements, birth control pills, blood thinning medications, etc.)
-Intrauterine devices (contraceptive devices inserted can irritate the endometrium earlier than usual)
-Sexually transmitted infections/diseases
-Fibroids or uterine polyps (abnormal growths)
-Thyroid abnormalities
-Conditions like polycystic ovarian disease/syndrome that also result in a hormonal imbalance, that can cause irregular bleeding

These are some of the most common causes of frequent bleeding, that you are experiencing. I would request you to kindly visit your gynecologist for a thorough evaluation and accordingly treatment of your condition. Also, please get screened for all sexually transmitted diseases although you are currently sexually inactive.

I hope you found my response helpful and informative. Do write back to me for any further clarifications, and I would be happy to help you.

Best wishes.

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Hello once again.

Thank you for appreciating my answer, I am happy I could help.

I understand you are worried about a more serious condition due to the family history you have provided, but do not worry. There are numerous ways of screening and ensuring your health status. Although you have not mentioned the type of cancer (location and type) that your father was diagnosed with, I am assuming it was in the abdomen and pelvic region. A simple ultrasound scan of the abdomen and pelvis will certainly be able to pick up any abnormalities. But, an ultrasound can at times, miss a few structures, these can thoroughly be visualized through a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis.

If there are/is any abnormality present in this region, it can be visualized and even diagnosed with a CT scan. You could request for this, for your satisfaction.

Now coming to your complaints, the difficulty in urinating is usually seen in all the conditions listed in my previous response, and this could purely be a urinary infection/problem; completely unrelated to cancer.

Pre-menopause is a troubling time, both physically and emotionally. It can present in different ways in different women. These pains are sometimes completely normal and related to menopause. But, before we draw such a conclusion, we will have to rule out all other causes of this abdominal pain. If even after these investigations, no cause is found, it should indeed be due to peri-menopause; and will subside gradually.

Please go ahead with the ultrasound examination first (as it is more cost-effective), and only if you require complete satisfaction, you could go about a CT scan as well.

Do not worry, a family history of cancer does not mean you have to inherit it, you could go on to live a completely healthy cancer-free life.

I hope you found my response helpful and informative. I would be happy to help you clear any more doubts. You can close this discussion and rate my answers when you are satisfied with the response.

Wishing you the best.

Take care.

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