Hi ladies
I finished treatment for 2b back in August last year and was put in remission in November, I’ll admit I never did the dilating often, a month or 6 weeks maybe, still making love with hubby too. The other day after sex we noticed blood, worried about it, looked on here and found other similar stories. So thought would,leave it to heal maybe, then start dilating again. So I did it today,and there was blood on the dilator when I pulled it out. It never hurt either. Sorry for TMI, but I maybe just need my mind put at rest before,I ring my cancer nurse tomorow.
Thanks for,reading, I really appreciate it xx
P.s I hope you are all doing well xx
Hi Tracy,
Ive been told that it's common to have a bit of blood when you use the dilators as the tissue in the vagina is paper thin after radiotherapy, and if you are not using them regularly then you can get adhesions. I mentioned this to my team but they weren't very interested, so I guess it's ok, but best to check.
Hi rachel
thanks for reply, I spoke with my cancer nurse today and she said the same, also could be a list of things, annoyingly that includes what I don't want to hear, but she said that happens 9 times out of ten. Worried because I have back ache now, which was what I had at the very beginning :( probably worrying over nothing, but can't help yourself really can you, part and parcel of all this I suppose.
Anyway sorry for for going on, lol feeling bit pants at moment, but again thanks for reply xx
Hi Tracy :-)
Sorry to find this so late, I hope you are still here. It is scary, you will likely worry for a year or two before you really relax into remission. If it helps, I never had dilators, hubby and I gave up the nookie completely a couple of years ago and when I went for a pap smear last week the gynae told me there was spot of blood. As Rachel says, radiotherapy really reduces elasticity in the vagina walls and makes them quite prone to bleeding but it doesn't signify a recurrence.
For instance, my mum is 85 now, still charges around like a bull in a china shop but finds that the skin on her legs is much more fragile than it used to be so she bleeds like a stuck pig whenever she crashes into something (usually the dishwasher door!). So it's like your vagina has aged a bit and has become a little more like an old lady ;-) As long as you aren't too rough with it, give it plenty of exercise and enough lubrication you should be fine for years and years :-)
Be lucky :-)
Tivoli
