Hello! I am sorry for the long post and thank you for reading :)
I am 36 and I was diagnosed with stage 2b medium differentiation squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix in Sep 2013. I never had any symptoms up until a week before when I had irregular bleeding for the first time and I immediately called my gyn. Biopsy came back one day before my Christian wedding and two before my daughter's baptism. The wedding was postponed (still is) but we went through with the baptism exactly as planned!
I had 30 radiation therapy sessions, 3 brachytherapy and six rounds of cisplatin. Next MRI in February 2014 was clear.
In May 2014 MRI and pet scan showed recurrence in two par aortic lymph nodes at kidney level and a left iliac one. I immediately started chemotherapy. Six rounds of cisplatin/ taxol and avastin every 3 weeks.
Unfortunately, in August, after the fifth chemo round I suffered severe vomiting which led to dehydration, acute kidney failure, high blood pressure, and an epileptic episode that I do not remember. Doctor told me I had loss of consciousness and they had a code blue alert.
Sixth chemo round was delayed for two weeks as to recover. I had it as inpatient and went fairly well.
Follow up MRI and pet scan in late October showed that the iliac node was gone and one par aortic had shrunk a lot. But the par aortic lymph node had increased and some nodes on pelvic bone showed some signs of disease.
While we were discussing treatment options with my doctors, I mentioned some problems I had. I had another CT which showed that the par aortic node had increased so much that it pressed my bile causing liver failure. I had jaundice. I was again in hospital where I had a stent fitted to keep bile unblocked and restore liver function.
After that, I managed to start treatment in November. I had iMRT radiation therapy which finished the week before Christmas.
Luckily, around that I also stopped vomiting regularly (I did almost every day which caused my stomach to move up in the diaphragm). Last week I eventually got meds for a bone inflammation I have been suffering from due to my sleeping while sitting (due to stomach).
I am much better now. I am no longer in constant pain. I haven't taken any codeine tablets for more than a week :)
But... Tomorrow morning is my follow up MRI and I am scared. I have a small lump which seems to be an enlarged bubonic node... I terrified at the thought of another recurrence. I have lost a lot of weight due to stomach problems and I am afraid of chemo side effects...
Has anyone been through anything similar? Sorry for the huge post... I needed to talk....
