I was diagnosed on February 16th with cervical cancer. I’ve had 2 MRIs and a CT scan and it is a 2cm tumour that hasn’t spread. My local hospital referred me to Sheffield and then Sheffield has since referred me to the Royal Marsden for a trachelectomy as I am 31 and we don’t have any children yet.
I am glad that at the moment we are hopeful the trachelectomy will be possible in April however I am petrified at the thought of lymphodema after the surgery, I am scared for the scarring which I will have which I know is superficial but it bothers me.
I am getting myself so worked up with worry I am constantly crying. my husband is a great support but I am struggling with not seeing my friends and family and having any form of face to face support from anyone else.
can anyone offer thoughts on the surgery, the lymph node removal and risks or good news on this or the post surgery aspects of a catheter etc as I am really struggling with overthinking and thinking of the worst
It's very normal to be feeling the way you are - I was there in 2017. There are so many unknowns in the beginning and it can feel very overwhelming.
For the lymph node removal you could ask if there's any possibility you could have sentinel lymph node removal which reduces the risk for lymphoedema. I asked about it but was told it wasn't on offer - that was over 4 years ago and there have been ladies on this forum since who have had sentinel node removal - possibly as part of a trial.
Lymphoedema was one of my biggest fears and I was one of the unlucky minority to end up with it. It's important to get lymphoedema diagnosed and treated as soon as possible so if you were to start getting symptoms you should seek referral to a lymphoedema clinic.
If affordable, there is a microsurgery called LVA which if performed in the early stages can potentially prevent lymphoedema. Assessment for suitablility for LVA includes an ICG lymphography scan which enables a diagnosis of lymphoedema even before symptoms appear. One centre that offers ICG lymphography and LVA is The Oxford Lymphoedema Practice (OLP) - see link for their website: https://olp.surgery/
Thank you for your reply. It's just all so overwhelming, I will ask the consultant regarding the sentinel removal, I think he mentioned that in my phone consultation.
Don't be afraid of surgery. I endured the anesthesia well. If the surgical operation is laparoscopic, the recovery will be faster. Lymphedema is not a common complication.
Much more often there are problems with the bladder and intestines. These problems can be solved. After surgery, there may be numbness in the groin area, which may persist for quite a long time after a trachelectomy. All this is a small thing, it is a low price to pay for getting rid of cancer.
KJB90, your condition is normal. Everyone's been through it. The brain does not accept the fact of the disease, as if it is not happening to you. Then there is a wild fear. Fear is overwhelming. Pull yourself together. Read specialized literature. This will help you analyze the situation. Formulate questions to the doctor to avoid the risks of progression and complications.
Any surgical operation will have consequences of varying degrees. This is the stress of milking the body. Get ready for surgery. Switch to easy-to-digest foods. Try to get enough sleep. Questions about recovery are more logical to solve after the operation.
