Newly back and terrified

Cervical cancer post treatment and side effects
1

Hi ladies
Hope you are all well.

I find my way back home to Jo’s in a time of feeling blue and hope you can help.

I was diagnosed with 1b1 CC in March 2011. My tumour was 7mm but only 2mm deep so i just just crossed the boarder from 1a2 to 1b1.

I had a knife cone biopsy and a bilateral lymphendecomy …The biospy had huge margins (over 1cm both sides) and my nodes were clear. I was very very lucky.
I was super lucky that i went on to have two children after surgery, falling pregnant in the same year (2011).

All has been fine, two babies, years of breastfeeding, clear colposcopies, smears and never any HPV found again.

Last year i stopped breastfeeding my youngest who was 2 at the time and my periods returned. They were all over the place!!! Understandably.

My GP referred me back to my consultant gynaecologist, who had just discharged me!! He wasnt worried at all and reminded me i had had a clear smear in Feb 2016.

Fast forward to now, i have had another apt to see my consultant, again he isn’t worried my cycles are very predictable, every 24 days with some mid cycle ovulation bleeding.

I am now due another smear back at my gps office for the first time since i was diagnosed and i am TERRIFIED.

I know my gynae isn’t worried, he is happy to discharge me but my loopy periods have me worried. I am so concerned that something is wrong that i am seriously considering paying for a private colposcopy.

I feel as though being discharged is both a blessing and curse.

I have spent all day googling flipping recurrence rates for my stage and could just sob.

Lots of love xx

2

Hello! Firstly, reoccurrence is very rare from your staging - Google is also not the greatest informant, because statistics are always at least 5 years out of date and scans, tests, treatments are advancing all the time. If your consultant isn't worried, then I'm sure you are fine. All that said, if you really feel that something isn't right then pushing for further investigation is the right thing to do. I now know that my cc started around the time I had my children, hormones all over and run down from breastfeeding/sleepless nights. Unfortunately I didn't know all that was going on, plus I had adenocarcinoma that happens further up the cervix and isn't always picked up on a smear. However, even with that 'scary' tale, my initial tumour was 1b1 12 years later and treatable. I guess my point is, you are really, really likely to be fine and utterly cancer free. But, if you don't feel right, push for a colposcopy to put your mind at rest - you need to be enjoying your little ones, not fretting about cc. Take care.

Anne xx