Dilators anyone?

I was wondering if any of the ladies who've had the pleasure of using dilators following surgery & readiotherapy, can tell me if you ever get to stop using them or is it for good?  I've been using mine since treatment ended about 7 months ago and at my last appointment with the oncologist she said to keep going with it.   Any ladies out there had any experience of this?

Hi I was told I would need to use them for years. I have been lazy over xmas using them and can tell a difference so they do help x x 

When Di you have to start using them? I'm 4 days today into radiotherapy and nothing's been mentioned as yet. Is it at the end if treatment?  Thanks lea xx

Hi I was told you have to use them for at least 5 years after radio and you don't start to use then till radio has finished, I too was lazy over Xmas so have had to down size 

Laura x

I used them regularly, until 18 months ago when I started using replens 3 times a week. I got the replens on prescription.

I now use it once a week just to check nothing has changed and I have not closed up!

The consultant told me after 6 months i could stop using it so i did for 3 weeks, and then I thought i'd check to see if all was ok

shock horror i had closed up! I pushed and shove and eventually broke through! I has a small area that was dodgy due to radiation.

So in answer to your question yes I think we do have to do it for life, even if its only to check everything is ok, every now and then!

Hi katie63,

Sorry,can I please ask whats replens???

 

Many thanks

Hi ladies. Dilators have been a real pain fir me. I finished chemo radiation in july and started using them in august.  I found them really uncomfortable and always had slight bleeding. I found this stressful as my imagination was saying it was tumour that was bleeding.  I had my scans in Nov last year which thankfully showed I was in remission.  However my oncologist examined me and said I had some stenosis at the top of my vagina so he couldn't see my cervix.  He said I had to be more forceful with the dilator as this would help break this down but that it may already be too late to reverse. He also said that my lack of boyfriend wasnt helping and tild me to go have lots of sex lol! I have only just managed to get up to the third sized dilator and I find this a stretch and I still have small bleeding every time I use them. The nurses say this is normal for some women but my question to you ladies is does anyone still get bleeding when using them?? Thanks xx

This is my first post on the forum. I finished my treatment of 28 external/3 brachytherapy/5 chemo in April 2013. I am doing well and my MRI came back clear. I had my third three month check today and my lovely consultant said that she can examine me well as I use my dilators. The large one is intimidating, so I use the third one after a lot of persistence and sylk which is wonderful stuff. Persistence is the key but easier said than done, I use my dilators Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday. I think of using my dilators as cleaning my teeth... YOU'VE GOT TO DO IT!! The more you do it the easier it gets. I do hope this helps, I have not found this easy but you will get there. X