I was diagnosed with cc a couple weeks ago. Last week, I had my PET/CT scan. The results showed there was definitely cancer, but thankfully, it has not spread, and I'm at stage 1.
My doctor now needs me to choose a treatment option - either radical hysterectomy or chemo/radiation. Both are equally effective.
I keep going back and forth with my decision... surgery scares me with all the complications that can arise (not to mention that they'll take the top of my vagina). But at least with surgery, it's over and done with once. Chemo is once a week for six to eight weeks, with radiation five days per week for about the same duration.
I'm really torn... and I've done so much research.
Can anyone please share their experience? How was recovery from surgery? Is chemo as bad as I think it will be?
I am sorry to hear your news. In my experience I was not able to have surgery first. I did have radiation and chemo but had a reoccurrence. I did end up having a pelvic exenteration which was made more complicated because the healing process is made much more difficult after radiation because of damage, lack of blood flow/circulation and thing just being bound together. I am getting better every day.. Looking back if I had had the option to do sugery because my Tumor was smaller I absolutly would have. Once you have radiation in one area you won't ever be able to do it in the same area. These are just my personal feelings and you need to do all your research and do what you feel in your heart is right for you. I wish you all the best either way you go kick some butt!!❤️❤️
I had the rad hyst and wasn't offered anything else at stage 1B1. I can't say personally regarding the chemo/rads but from what I've read on here over the last couple of years I'd take a surgical option first over radiation/chemo.
As Meicha says you can't have radiation twice in the same area, so if you have a hysterectomy you'll have the chemo/rads in the back pocket in the unlinkely event of a recurrance.
It's totally a personal choice though, did your consultant give any advice at all? Usually at stage 1 it's just a hyst and lymph node removal but every hospital/person is different.
The recovery on the whole depends on if you have keyhole or open surgery. Do you know which it will be? Again, everyone is different. Some ladies are up and running about at 6 weeks, for others it can take longer.
Personally I think chemo/rads are a very damaging process to go through if surgery is an equally effective option for you. But that's just me and I'm looking back with the benefit of being of not being in the inital stages of your diganosis.
I'm sure plenty of ladies will come along with advice and i wish you all the best whichever option you choose :)
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis.
I was 1b1, I wasn’t given a choice, just told I needed a radical hysterectomy. I was in hospital 2 nights with it and my recovery was very good. I was back at work 7 weeks later and 2 years on I have no significant long term effects. My bowels are a bit up and down but I also had 3 doses of internal radiotherapy so that may have contributed. I also had to use a dilator afterwards to keep the vagina open, started off 3 times a week but I now only use it about once a week, mainly because I forget! Again I think this was due to possible scarring from the radio, rather than the surgery.
I believe my experience of surgery was a good one, I was lucky!
Do your homework, talk to the doctors and then go with your gut instinct.
I'm really sorry you have this difficult decision to make. I was given no choice in the matter, had a rad hyst followed by chemo rads. I have been extremely lucky and suffered no apparent side effects and no recurrence after three and a half years. I don't like the look of my post-surgery abdomen but it's a small price to pay for a full and active life. I really don't feel qualified to offer another person advice about anything as monumental as this and I have drafted and deleted this post many times before committing this final time. I think if I had the choice I'd have the bloody thing cut out and thrown away as soon as you can. You can always follow it up with chemo rads as belt-and-braces later if you so wish.
Wishing you all the very best
xxxxx
Tivoli
PS it's really good to hear you sounding so strong Meicha!
Thanks for all the advice! I was unaware that radiation can't be done in the same place twice.
Initially, my first thought was surgery, to just get it out of me! Then I thought chemo and radiation would be a quicker recovery.
I'm back to leaning toward surgery. I have an appointment on Thursday with my doctor to discuss again. I'm not sure if the surgery is keyhole or abdominal, but it's definitely something I'll ask!
Ask everything! Ask the doctors to spell out each different option in all it's detail, whether it's repeatable, what the side effects could be, how often those occur. Every scrap of information they have. This is a much bigger decision than a flippin' job interview!
I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in November 2014 and had a radical hysterectomy on 13th January I was stageg at a 1B2 but after my op staged down to 1B1. I have had no chemo/radio. I spent 3 nights in hospital and the staff were amazing. It's very early days for me but on the whole I'm doing great. I just wanted everything taken away and don't regret it for a moment. I hope all goes well for you. xx
Hi,i was diagnosed with 1b1 18 months ago,I had radical hysterectomy by keyhole surgery, I also had my ovaries (i have my family) and some lymph nodes taken and also 2cm off the top of my vagina,my chemo/radiation was for 5 weeks,everybody heals and manages their recovery very differently,the same with the treatment,I was dreading how it was going to be and the effects it would have on me and my family,listen to your body rest as much as you can and let people help you,I was back at work after 8 weeks,maybe a bit early,and worked while having treatment.18 months on im still here and feeling not too bad,i've even signed up to do Race For Life with my daughter & a friend,there's alot of love & support in this site and we all understand what you're going through,any other questions you mite have I'm more than happy yo answer them if I can,sending you a big hug-cj xx
I was able to talk to my doctor today about treatment. Once again, I'm back to thinking that chemo/radiation might be best for me. She explained that while both options are likely to be equally effective, if I have surgery, there's still a chance that she might see something and would have to do radiation as well. And the complications from surgery sounded pretty terrifying to me - bowel and bladder problems, blood clots, etc. Plus, I likely wouldn't be able to work for at least a few weeks, whereas with chemo/radiation, I can probably work during treatment (it's not just about money, I enjoy my job). Next week I'll be talking to the radiation doctor about that option.
Also something new I learned today - apparently my tumor is a weird shape. I'm not sure how it's different, but it's unique!
Again, thank you all for sharing your stories and for all of the support! I'm sure I'll be back to talk about my decision.
