Hi
Had robotic laparoscopic hysterectomy on the 4th August 2026 for Grade 1 stage 1 endometrial cancer. Symptoms were blood spotting x 2 (I'm 4 years into menopause and age 53) and excessive clear vaginal discharge. Surgery went well and at my recent post op appointment the consultant confirmed grade 1, stage 1a and all clear. Now on surveillance every 3 months. I just feel flat emotionally and numb! I feel guilty as I know this is positive and other people are much worse off. I am struggling with what I eat and drink and products I may use in case it can cause the cancer to come back. I went through a year of high stress prior to diagnosis due to a parents diagnosis of dementia and I am scared to feel emotional as stress may affect recurrence etc so blocking this out. I know these thoughts and feelings may sound irrational but wondered if other ladies have experienced this and how to overcome them. Struggling to get off to sleep and then stay asleep and feel anxious most of the time.Thinking of returning to work but unsure ?
The body heals much faster than the mind. I often say to people that in my opinion there is no fight against the cancer. That fight is up to our teams and they are good at it. Our fight is to stay sane. I am over seven yers out of treatment for throat cancer. A treatment that is so painful and intrusive it leaves lots of us with PTSD. My mental fight is over save a tiny flicker that simmers and pops making me very aware of my body and changes....BUT I can easily live with it.
In the early days that fear is acute and I discussed this with my oncologist in one of my online reviews during Lockdown. He simply said I would have to get used to it.... helpful, eh?
Then I found this and I pass it on to lots of people struggling just after treatment end. It's a piece by a psychologist caring for cancer patients. Give it a read, you might find something there to hold onto
Hi Beesuit
That article is so amazing isn’t it? Millibob first sent it to me some time back and I often look back at it…
In the middle of chemotherapy earlier this year I saw the launch for Sir Chris Hoy’s Tour de 4 and thought..yes , that is the goal I will aim for to get myself back into some semblance of fitness.
Six months later I was in Glasgow taking part in the static bike challenge!! I exceeded my target for distance ( helped enormously by the encouragement of a real life Olympic Gold Medalist riding next to me) and raised over £1000 for Prostate Cancer UK and met some wonderful wonderful people along the way (all of us stage 4).
I won’t ever be cancer free but I am not going to let it define me.
Stay positive, be strong
KrisPy
