What the Polyp is that.........

"What the fuck is that...... " I said when the nurse who was giving me a smear test announced whilst she was at the business end "oh you have a large polyp". Apparently I have a large Polyp in my vagina wall, its a lump (yes another fucking lump) that thankfully is benign....phew.....sigh of relief. The nurse promptly ran off to bring a Dr (thankfully a woman Dr) to take a peek at my neither regions and she confirmed what the nurse said. So a Polyp is a bit like a skin tag but downstairs, and mine is very big and is actually pushing on the walls of my insides, I've been feeling uncomfortable downstairs for sometime and I thought it had something to do with the menopause and a possible prolapse womb, but no I was wrong its a lumpy thing. Urghhh...... of course I panicked as soon as she said lump and had to wait for the Dr to come and take a look before I could breath a huge sigh of relief. Anything lumpy will always take me back to that day 6 years ago when another large lump was found on my lady hump leaving me in a state of sheer terror. So I've googled Polyps and found out the following information:

The exact reason that polyps form is unknown, but swings in hormone levels may be a factor. Estrogen, which plays a role in causing the endometrium to thicken each month, also appears to be linked to the growth of uterine polyps.

What are cervical polyps?
Cervical polyps are small, elongated tumors that grow on the cervix. The cervix is the narrow canal at the bottom of the uterus that extends into the vagina. The cervix connects the uterine cavity and the upper portion of the vagina. It acts as the passageway for sperm to fertilize an egg, which could result in pregnancy. During labor, the cervix becomes thinner and wider. This allows the baby to pass through the birth canal.

Polyps are fragile structures that grow from stalks rooted on the surface of the cervix or inside of the cervical canal. If someone has polyps, usually only one polyp is present, and two or three at most.

Cervical polyps are usually benign, or not cancerous, and cervical cancer rarely arises from them. Most cervical cancers are due to the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is also the cause of genital warts.

Symptoms of cervical polyps
Polyps on the cervix may not cause any noticeable symptoms. However, see your gynaecologist right away if you experience vaginal discharge of white or yellow mucus, or abnormally heavy periods.

You should also call your doctor if you experience vaginal spotting or bleeding:
after sexual intercourse
between periods
after douching
after menopause

Some of these symptoms can also be signs of cancer. In rare cases, polyps represent an early phase of cervical cancer. Removing them helps reduce this risk.


Why polyps occur?
It isn’t fully understood why cervical polyps occur. Their formation may be linked to:
increased levels of estrogen, which is the female sex hormone
chronic inflammation of the cervix, vagina, or uterus
clogged blood vessels
High estrogen levels

Estrogen levels naturally fluctuate throughout a woman’s life. Your estrogen levels will be highest during childbearing years, during any pregnancies, and in the months leading up to menopause.

Man-made chemicals that mimic estrogen are present in the environment. For example, xenoestrogens are in commercially produced meats and dairy products. Chemical estrogens can also be released into food that’s heated.

So there you have it bloody fucking Estrogen again..... WTF....... god I'm sick of these dammed hormones.

On a plus note I've decided after chatting with the nurse today and with the Polyp in mind that probably the best decision regarding ovaries is to have the bastards out, and whilst they are taking those out they can remove said polyp. 

The Estrogen Effect (EE)

Ok so been up since stupid o'clock with usual migraine to greet the day Nice NOT!!
However, the plus side to being awake at this un earthly hour is you see some cracking sunrise's and you think a lot. This morning brain wave was about Estrogen and what I've noticed so far in relation to estrogen rich cancer (cancer cells that feed off of it ie ER+ my path is 4/8). It doesn't make any sense as a female your body produces estrogen it not only informs your gender its beneficial to bone health and a  load of other very important things. So why has my body decided to use the very thing that makes me a woman to feed the rogue cells???? I suppose its the million dollar question isn't it but it just doesn't make any sense at all, its not pro life in any shape or form. A few other things I've noticed about estrogen are:

When on Tamoxifen or any other estrogen blocker my mood is better I mean its really better I am happy smiling and content even though I should be depressed cause I've put on 5 stone and don't look like myself anymore YET I am happy.

The last point was tested when I all of a sudden had a period last month (first one in 4 years) just prior to the period my partner noticed that I was visibly spotty, moody, angry, depressed and generally down in the mouth he said "its like you were before you got cancer" this statement kind of took me back, when I thought about it I wasn't very happy or upbeat before cancer I was very very depressed. So it's got me thinking that if its such a important part in making up who we are what sex why is it a case of can't live with and can't live without?

What Estrogen doe's for your body?
It's a chemical messenger carrying information and instructions from one group of cells to another. In the human body, hormones influence almost every cell, organ and function. they regulate our growth, development, metabolism, tissue function, sexual function, reproduction, the way our bodies use food, the reaction to our bodies to emergencies and our moods. In more detail they:
Feeds your bone's
Determines metabolic rate (how well you burn off fat)
Informs your body how to regulate your heat
Is the most feminine of all the hormones helps us to have babies and feed them on milk
Personally makes me feel like shit, depressed, angry, moody not happy, spotty chin and jaw line

If you block or stop estrogen what are the repercussions?

Brittle Bones and Joint Pain (Osteoporosis)
Ageing (in my case prematurely due to early menopause)
Weight Gain urghhh...........
Hot flushes again urghhh.......
Facial hair (thankfully I've not experienced this joy)
Unaturally Happy moods even in the face of death!!!

I'm calling this the Estrogen Effect any thoughts on this please share in a message.
xx