I visited the gp last week after odd bleeding and today had a colposcopy. The doctor and colposcopy nurse were lovely, but unfortunately identified a growth on my cervix. It looked huge to me, but they did point out that it’s greatly magnified. I was told that I will now need scans and the team will decide on treatment options. Needless to say I’m absolutely terrified. I was told that the mass is all on the surface of my cervix - she pointed out the part that looked normal as well. I assumed that hysterectomy would be the treatment, but was told radiotherapy and chemotherapy are often used and surgery isn’t necessarily the best option. She kept repeating that it’s all on the surface - is that a good thing (relatively)? She also said it’ll dominate my life for the next few months, but that I’ll be ok…I want to take reassurance from that, but don’t know if they were just being nice - and can they tell how bad it is from the colposcopy? Sorry, bit of a ramble.
Anne x
Hello Anne
Sorry you found yourself in here, it's a terrible shock when you get your diagnosis! I'm newly diagnosed so Ive no idea whats going to happen but didn't want to read and run!
The ladies on here are little books of knowledge and are so so helpful, any questions just ask away!!
Take it easy,
Michelle xx
Hello hun, i am newly diagnosed aswell, had symptoms like discharge that had a smell to it thought was just an infection at first, got told last week its 90 percent cancer so i was prepared for it i had a ct scan and a mri pelvic scan , went back today for the results to be told yep it is cervical cancer the tumour is at the neck of the womb and its at stage 1....will be having both chemo and radiotherapy withing 7 to 10 days....so scared but have to be strong. Im a 26 year old girl.never thought id be a cancer patient, but its so helpful coming on sites like this they make.you feel like you are not alone.
Tasha xxx
Thanks for replying Michelle and Tasha - sorry to 'meet' you under these circumstance. i hope treatment goes smoothly for us all.I think, from what I saw, that mine is at the entrance to the cervix - but I haven't got a number yet...I guess that comes at scan stage.
Take care.
Anne x
Hi ladies
im sorry you have had to find yourselves here as this is such a confusing,hard difficult time. It's so hard to understand everything that is going on and what happens next.
My advice is stay away from google it will scare the crap out of you and make you even more confused. There are ladies on here that will be way more qualified then me as I am a new member myself. I was recently diagnosed with cc stage 2 b last month and just started my treatment this Monday. I will be having 25 external rad,4 internal and 5 sessions of chemo.
You will find more about these things if that is your treatment plan. But pls try not to panic. Do not think the worst. One day at a time!!! The scans are to see how bad the cancer is and hopefully its still early stage. Cervical cancer is very cureable!!!
Stay positive and remain calm!! Panicking will just drive you crazy. It's a crazy ride but we are all on it together.
Morning ladies :-)
Unfortunately I am in a dreadful rush this morning and don't have my normal amount of time to sit and write long thoughtful posts. I just want to reassure all of you that this is a VERY treatable/curable cancer and that you will be fine. Absolutely fine. The treatments, all of them, are manageable. Yes this will take over your life for the next few months but you will all be celebrating Christmas with this behind you. Stay well away from Google, just chat here :-)
Catch up with you all later.
Be lucky :-)
Tivoli
I am newly diagnosed too 18/7/16 so know exactly how you feel. I'm sure this group will help us and we can all beat this together.
Kim X
Hi Kim. Sorry to hear you are in the same boat. I seem to sway between blind panic and hysteria at the moment and I'm just exhausted with the anxiety. I think when I left the hospital after the colposcopy I had the words "you're in the system now, we'll look after you" in my head and was ready to get it sorted. Now, a few days in and not having had any news or scan dates, my thoughts are getting bleaker and the reassuring nurse seems further away. I keep rereading the encouraging posts above to keep me sane!
Anne x
Hi Anne :-)
Can you phone the nice nurse? When I was briefly in UK seeking counselling I was allocated a specialist cancer nurse and was given her phone number in case I ever wanted to chat about any of it. I hope you have the same.
Be lucky :-)
Tivoli
I think I was given a card, so perhaps I'll give that a go. Thanks Tivoli. X
There are apparently no detailed notes on the system, so the nurse couldn't talk me through anything in case she said the wrong thing. The biopsy is still waiting on results and there isn't an appointment date for the mri scan yet - although she did say it's been requested as the colposcopist wanted to be ahead of the game and I should hear in the next 10 days. She sounded a bit annoyed - I guess the colposcopist maybe told me more than they like and I should be waiting for the biopsy result without having already been told so much. Aaarg.
Anne x
All this just adds to the stress and anxiety. Waiting is so horrible.
thinking of you
Kim x
I am so sorry that the nice nurse was not able to reassure you as I had hoped :-( All I can do is reiterate that this is a really curable disease and the treatments turn out to be not nearly so bad as you imagine. You are going to be just fine :-)
Be lucky :-)
Tivoli
Still no scan appointment, grr, but the colposcopy nurse rang me today as she'd heard that I'd rung in and was panicking. She told me that she's checking histology daily for me and making sure I'm 'moving along'. The advice was to eat and put a bit of weight on plus build up my iron - in case of surgery at some point. Short walks wherever I find distracting to help my head keep itself together, but no heavy lifting. I asked about the thing she'd said about the lesion being on the surface and she's clarified that as far as she could see it was confined to the cervix and no sign of growth into the vagina or upwards. I said I was feeling heavy and needing to wee more, but she pointed out that she'd seen that I was carrying a fair amount of bleeding in my cervix and that this can cause dodgy feelings and sensations - plus the anxiety and not being in usual routine for eating properly and moving around. I asked if she was still on the curable side and she, very vehemently, said YES, never off that, it is curable. So, until tomorrow morning's meltdown, I'm in good spirits. Just thought her advice might be useful to the others currently waiting on more info and worrying about symptoms.
Anne xx
Hi everyone,I am in the same boat as you,found out on Thursday and biopsy results confirmed today. Annelouise,my growth seems the same as yours,shes convinced its confined to the cervix. I have mri and ct scans booked for 9th August. Fingers crossed for no spread. this seems to be the place to be for advice and words of wisdom. Everyone has been so nice,i have a feeling that candy crush has just been ditched in favour of you lovely ladies .
tracey x
Hi Tracey. I've got an mri booked for 8th August, although no ct mentioned yet. It's going to be a long week!
Anne x
Hi Anne, yeah it's going to be a very long week and a bit. How are you today? X
Hi Tracey. Not too bad, although had really bad cramps in the night so a bit tired - I think the takeaway curry was maybe a bit much for my suffering insides! How are you? Did you have the lietz/loop biopsy and have you had any aftereffects? I don't seem to have had the bleeding that others have suffered - ironically, as i was bleeding beforehand - but I am still getting twinges in my pelvic area like needle pricks and the tops of my legs feel a bit odd. Not sure if that's the result of the electrical current, or if I'm imagining it! I only had a biopsy, not a full on lietz treatment. How do you plan to distract yourself/remain sane for the next week? I suspect I'll be mostly reading Tivoli's posts as a daily pick-me-up, as she does know how to hit the nail on the head and makes me giggle.
Anne x
hi Anne
I am feeling a bit calmer today,for now haha! Just had last nights tea so at least my belly isnt rumbling.
I just had biopsies taken,bled like mad for the first two days but its calming down now. Just feels a little crampy now again,not worth taking pain killers for. I keep getting paranoid about getting an infection now,and keep sniffing after wiping...so gross lol.
I am having s duvet and movie day today,that should keep my brain busy for a bit. The next few days its up to my hubby and friend to keep me going. I am going to work onTuesday,hopefully i will get through my shift without any wobbles. how are you keeping your sanity? Its hard eh?
Tracey x
