Hi everyone,
Just thought I'd share my story.
Back in Jan 2012 I started to notice that after going to the loo there was a darkish yellow on the toilet paper. Only after wiping. Didn't think too much about it at first. I put it down to maybe strong urine or the lighting lol. I had also been getting sporadic twinges around my overies again, put it down to pre period pains. This went on for a few months and I started to realise that this was discharge of a yellow colour, no odour, and mild aches and pains in my legs, back and hips. I finally went to my GP in June/July. He booked me a smear and swab test. He told me that he thought the twinges were irritable bowel, and aches fibromyalgia which I believed looking up the symptoms.
I had the smear and whilst waiting for those results headed back to GP for swab results. He told me I had an infection and prescribed me antibiotics. When the smear test results arrived in the post I was relieved to read NEGATIVE. Carried on trusting my results and GP. Symptoms started again, yellow discharge on going to the toilet. No bleeding so stupidly carried on, time passed and it wasn't until summer 2013 I started get more pain in my hips, especially in a morning finding it hard to get down the stairs and noticed the discharge on occasion was brown in colour. I put it down to my period and hormones. Thinking the worst by now and panicking but trying to put it to the back of my head.
In October, my periods became longer and just seemed different and heavier. I started getting pale pink discharge when wiping after the loo. I went to see another GP. She told it could be hormonal, my smear test was negative and to come back after my next cycle if it carried on. It did, so in December I went back, she did an exam and noticed what looked like a small blood vessel and referred me to a Colposcopy on the 19th January 2014. I had a lot of bleeding at the colposcopy and two weeks later told I had cancer of the whomb. This would be treated with a radical hysterectomy. MRI two weeks later, another week on and told its not what they thought but I had cervical cancer.
Following a PET scan I was diagnosed with stage 2b cervical cancer and two nodes effected. The internal exam confirmed the tumour to be 4cm in diameter. Treatment started beginning of March 2014 and ended 6th May 2014. (name removed) I have to say are amazing. Exeptional care and treatment.
I've learnt to always listen to my body and trust my instincts. They were right all along.
Nicky xxx
Hi Nicky,
thanks for sharing your story. It's my first day on here! I'd put off coming online and reading about it all til I was ready. (Although I'm nearly at the end of my treatment!) Did you had radio/chemo/brachy? If you don't mind me asking? Have you had counselling? I must say I found it a huge help and my CNS told me I'd benefit from the support at this time between the end of my treatment and the scan in August that will hopefully give me the all-clear.
Best wishes to you!
Mandy x
Hi Mandy,
Lol I was the same. All through my treatment I was afraid anything that might fill me with dread and put off reading anything, especially all the booklets given me. Yes I had radiotherapy, chemotherapy and brachytherapy. I haven't had any counseling and haven't really thought about it. are you getting the counseling through your hospital?
I've got my scan sometime in September. I must say It feels a bit strange not going to hospital every day. I'm not sure what's happening to the tumour whilst being at home. At least you knew you're being treated and blasting the little devil every day.
How did you find the treatment Mandy? Did you have any side effects?
Here's to us both getting the all clear in August and September!!!!! :-)
Hugs and best wishes.
Nicky xx
Hi Nicky,
Our stories are almost identical, even the same hospital! The only difference is that I'm a year ahead of you as my treatment ended on April 30th 2013 and I was already post menopause. If you need to ask me anything please do, you can message me if you prefer.
Sue
Hi Sue,
Yes our treatment sounds identical! How did you find (name removed) I found the staff very friendly and professional. My Doctor is lovely, however the traveling was rather tiring and some very early starts lol.
I think I've had a few hot flushes already and my sister ( who lives with me) is gearing herself up for my potential mood swings. Menopause here I come!
Sue, did you have the same outcome with your smear test? I have been told that my form of cancer Is the same as yours was, adenocarcinoma. Typical of me to develop a cancer that can't be detected *tut*. Nevertheless, I find it strange that whilst presenting with symptoms it could still be missed.
Anyway thank you Sue, I'll keep in touch and ask you anything I need to know.
Positivity and hugs :-)
Nicky xx
Hi Ladies,
My story is similar, i was told i had CIN 2 in 2008 after having abnormal smears, had LLETTZ done, 2 weeks later was told it was actually stage 1A cervical cancer what they'd removed, was told they'd got it all and that no further treatment was required apart from yearly smears...still continued having brown discharge in between peiods, would be there some months and not others, every year i went for a smear i was sure to tell them, every smear came back normal, so then in 2013 started getting a sudden gush of blood when i peed, bleeding after sex, periods more heavy, lower back pain, lower abdominal pain, was back and forwards to GP, was told it was probably my hormones was sent for an ultrasound was told evrything was normal that the lining of my womb was thickened 10mm, went back to GP was still told it was age and horomones, wasn't convinced, think GP got sick of me keep going so in May 2013 was referred back to Gynae who then did a colposcopy where they did smear and biopsy of lining of womb, still was told results were normal, was offered an ablation to lining of womb to lighten periods, told them i would rather have a hysterectomy given all my past problems, went for a total hysterectomy in Nov 2013, 2 weeks later was told i had stage 1B1 cervical cancer, was referred to oncology at another hospital and was told they'd seen nothing like it, that all my smear tests and colposcopy 7 month earlier could come back normal, they think that in 2008 i actually had CIN 3 and not CIN 2 and that they haven't cleared it all back then, they think cancer has been slow growing for 5yr, it's so upsetting to think that even though i've never neglected myself, this could have cost me my life, if i hadn't of kept going back to doctors it would have been to late, i believe my smears have been mis-read, how can this happen? had further operation in Jan 2014 to remove fatty tissue where cervix was, lymph nodes and vaginal cuff, results were all good the cancer hadn't spread, no further treatment required, check-ups every 3 month
Mandy xx
Hi Mandy, usually when you are diagnosed with cervical cancer they do a review of your past smear tests to see if anything was missed. I got a letter from my local hospital (not the one I was treated at) about 6 months after my diagnosis asking me if I wanted to know the results! They are supposed to go back 10 years but they actually went back 30 with mine to the birth of my first son. I had CIN1 in 1997 that I received treatment for but it was squamous cell that time and not related to my cancer which was adenocarcinoma. The doctor told me that it upset her with cases like mine where I had gone religiously for my smear test but still developed cancer! My last smear was clear and my next one wasn't due until July 2015!!
Sue x
Hi Nicky,
I haven't been on here in a while and didn't get a notification that you'd replied.
Well, treatment was challenging! Lol but I got through it. Side effects were the usual sickness, runs, tiredness. Bowels improved for a while but now having problems with pain in my hips/back which my CNS said is common in slim women who've had radio. I've started hrt which, after a month, has started to relieve my 'crazy lady's symptoms lol. But I have tingling fingers every day which is a side effect, possibly also causing the period pain-like symptoms. Have my scan 15th August, results on 20th!
Have you had a bone scan yet? Going to chase mine up tomorrow, should've had it by now! As for counselling, I got it through my CNS at the hospital, ask yours, it's free and I'd say it's been a huge help for me. How are you doing now?
Best wishes, Mandy xx
Hi there, your story sounds so close to home to me.
i am 28 and have two kids. But ever since the birth of my first chils in 2006, I had irregular bleeding, brown discharge, a weird orange oil discharge when I was pregnant with my first.
I bleed after intercourse, cramp as well and after every internal exam I get my periodine whether it was due or not it just comes, heavy and painful.
i used to be religious with my smears, but I was slack after my son was born and had my last one in 2010, i never got the results as my doc left the practice within days after my smear and no new doc took up my case. So I don't know whether it was clear or not.
i had a smear two weeks ago and then when I had a consult with a gyno for my ovarian cysts and pain she had a look at my cervix and found bad cells and took two biopsies but told me nothing.
So now I am waiting on the results and am perplexed as to how I had a clear smear to only then be told two weeks later that there were abnormal cells and what looked to be high grade ones.
Hi Alyssa, How did you get on with your results? Sorry...I didn't see your reply :-)
Hugs
Nicky
19 Jan 2013 diagnosed with cancer of the whomb
MRI changes diagnosis to CC
PET/CT confirms lymph nodes affected
Internal exam in GA confirms CC stage 2b
March 19th started 28 internal radiotherapy
5 cycles of Cisplatin chemotherapy
3 brachytherapy
Treatment finished 6th May 2014
Three month PET/CT and MRI 11th/13th August
4th Sept No sign of disease.
