Hi - it's been a rough week.
I've had a quick chat with my consultant over the phone and he's confirmed I have stage 2 cervical cancer. He's told me not to panic and it's curable, we just need to go over options. I have an appointment next week. Are there any questions I should be asking, or anything I should be prepared for?
Have a family, so fertility isn't a concern for me.
Any advice or info on what I could expect would be nice :)
Hi Sarah I am also stage 2.
From what I have read and the treatment I will be having stage 2 usually means chemotherapy and radiation followed by brachytherapy (internal radiation) i had an appointment on Wednesday and she checked me over and examined me and I have been sent an appointment for a planning scan for my radiotherapy which is on Wednesday. From what I am told this treatment is very effective :-) Theres lots of information to take in so definitely take someone with you for a second pair of ears xx
Thanks for the reply! The consultant wants to perform a hysterectomy, and I'm not yet sure if there'll be any radiation or chemotherapy. But now I know to ask :) I assume there'll be an mri as well, but the waiting to find out and ask questions is so frustrating...
Hi there,
I was diagnosed 2b with lymph involvement in October. I had 25 external radiotherapy (painless, just boring and gave me the runs) and 5 chemo (didn't have much of a problem with this, no nausea..no hairloss just funny taste in mouth) and three internal radio (brachytherapy and not as bad as it sounds)
Easy to say but try not to worry. Keep busy, batch cooking for your freezer etc on the off chance you get fatigue (mine kicked in on week three of radio) stock up on netflix or books/crafts.
Loads of support on here, it saved my sanity.
Kate xx
Thanks Kate - will keep this mind. Will find out tomorrow I guess if there's radio/chemo... It sounded like it was just surgery. Will defo be looking for box sets to binge ;)
I have just been told I have stage 2 with a spread to a lymph node.
I will be getting 6 chemo sessions and 25 radiotherapy with two internal. It sounds horrific and I’m scared of side effects. Doesn’t feel real yet.
Hi there
i had stage 2b with a suspect lymph node.
i had similar treatment to you and it’s very very doable.
i did get the ‘radiation runs’ and the chemotherapy constipation, but it was very well controlled with the medication the hospital gave me.
i had no skin or foof soreness but I put that down to using lyonsleaf marshmallow and calendula ointment immediately after the radiotherapy session and regularly during the day.
i did check with my oncologist and she said it was fine to use as it was all natural product( you can’t use E45 or aqueous cream as it’s got zinc oxide in and this reacts with the x rays)
i had a little walk every day and I carried on working and drove myself every day to radiotherapy, chemo days , my husband dropped me off and picked me up.
dont hesitat to ask the nurses if you have even the smallest conc- they will give you everything you need to cope with any side effects.
take magazines and food from home on chemo days and drink loads every day to protect your kidneys .
brachytherapy is a scary thought, but not as scary or bad as you think
its very doable and believe me, I was petrified and I’m a real baby about pain.
they give you any pain relief you may need and make you as comfortable as possible.
message me if you want to ask anything- but it’s all no where near as scary as you think and will save your life, so worth every day of treatment.
the doctors and nurses were so kind and reassuring
good luck and try not to worry x
Thanks for the replies everyone! I've been busy having appointments and mri's and everything...
Little update, mri showed no spread out side cervix. Had a hysterectomy on Thursday and am now recovering at home. Surgeon is happy that clear margins have been achieved, and no further treatment is needed, but waiting on pathology results to confirm.
So fingers crossed, that might actually be it...
Well done, now you relax in the sun! If you are very unlucky and the worse news come and it's in the sampled nodes you will be most likely spared the dreaded brachytherapy and just have external radiotherapy and chemo. So if you have to have it (like I did) at least the hysterectomy gained you something! Hopefully though, that's you done and dusted!!
Karen
