Upcoming procedure

Hello Double G,

I had vulva cancer in 2022 and my cancer nurse referred me to the complimentary medicine team.  My anxiety levels were through the roof as I had never been in hospital since I was born 61 years ago!  I had tried prescription tablets from the GP but they just made me feel out of it.  The complementary medicine team made an inhaler for me (cedar oil, ylang-ylang and lavender, I was to use it ever time I could feel my anxiety rising.  It was marvellous and I don’t think I would have got through everything without it.  Could your cancer nurse advise you on this or maybe try the Macmillian nurse, they are excellent and if they don’t know something they will find out for you. All the best Sharon x

Hi Sharon, Thanks for the reply, I’ve never heard of this, are you in the UK? In fact i’m going in for my pre-op tomorrow so i can ask then. If it works then that’s great!

Hi, yes I’m in the UK,Essex but because my cancer was so rare (it was growing outside the body) my case was taken over by the Royal London. The complementary medicine team were fantastic. Another thing they do which helped me is meditation which brings down your stress levels. It’s on YouTube, search Neil Browne, he runs the department and there are 4 sessions, I found them very good. Please let me know how you get on tomorrow.

Thanks for the info, i wonder if there’s a complementary medicine team at most hospitals, if if it’s specific to the royal london? i’ve heard meditation is supposed to be good. Thanks for asking, it’s only really to see if you’re fit for the op, no reason why i shouldn’t be, but not to say nerves might kick in. I think i get this fear from my dad, a big butch ex rugby player but scared of hospital, he needs stuff sorting now, but won’t go, would rather suffer in pain daily.

The Royal London comes under the group of hospitals, Bart’s Trust and the complementary medicine team are based at another hospital, Whipps Cross.  If you have any cancer charities near you that offer therapy’s like reflexology they would be able to make the inhaler up for you.  I went to the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity for treatments and they was wonderful. I also had a course of counselling because I was so angry due to the errors that had been made in my cancer journey by my GP surgery and the local hospitals.

Good Luck and please let us know how you get on.

Thanks Sharon i’ll have to look into that, there’s a macmillan office based at the hospital which i’ve yet to visit, perhaps they can help me. Just trying to take it all in. Went for pre op yesterday and i have a date for the 10th of october so really nervous.

Hi Double G 

If you can, try and pop in to the Macmillan office at your hospital. They will have lots of information that they can direct you to. None of the hospitals I’ve been treated at have a complementary therapy team, which is a shame, but I was able to find out about a charity centre fairly local to me which does have lots available in terms of complementary therapies, gentle exercise classes etc, and a cafe. 

Sarah xx

Thanks Sarah, i’ve been meaning to go it was shut last time i was there, i will try and get in touch with them and see what they can offer.