Hi, I’m new to this page .Im 53 post menopausal had a partial hysterectomy nearly 10 years ago due to heavy periods and cervix and ovaries left .For past 3 years been feeling generally unwell whichI put down to menopause ,then put on HRT then thought it’s maybe making me feel worse until now when symptoms have been extreme bloating ,painful sex ,fatigue ,pelvic pain into tops of legs,clear mucus type discharge ,constipation in fact list goes on and finally decided to see to doctor when she felt a mass and said she thought it was my ovaries or bowel .My ca125 was normal range ,stool sample ok and vaginal swabs no infection but referred me for a scan before referring my to gynae which was tonight .The radiographer said that he would refer me urgently to gynae as further testing as my cervical stump looked abnormal and bulky and if I hadn’t heard within a week to contact my gp .I had a smear about 3 years ago and came back all ok .I obviously started reading about c
cal cancer and it says mainly due to hpv virus .Ive been with my hubby 30 years got 3 grown up children and now head all over the place thinking all sorts .Sorry if this is so long and I am jumping on here before I even have a diagnosis but any time I googled (know you shouldn’t ) bulky abnormal cervical stump after partial hysterectomy it’s all that came up and cannot sleep for worrying .
Hi Eve1064 and welcome to our group.
I’m sorry to read you’ve got a lot going on right now and appreciate it must be very worrying for you. It’s always difficult to be in that limbo of waiting to have referrals and test results to come back to you can get some answers.
The first thing I would recommend is something you’ve already discovered-please don’t use Google to diagnose yourself, as it just leads to increased anxiety and being no further on with answers. The sleepless nights are not worth it!
The main cause of cervical cancer is the hpv virus-only a tiny proportion of cervical cancers are NOT caused by hpv, but it doesn’t mean that anyone in a relationship has been unfaithful. The virus can remain dormant in your system for decades and sometimes it reactivates again, so it is possible to have the virus for years without it causing any issues with changes to cervical cells.
I appreciate that you had a smear test 3 years ago, but when you have symptoms which need to be investigated, an smear test is not a diagnostic test (it’s a screen now first of all for the hpv virus) so it’s much better you are having a gynae referral.
It’s not possible for any of us in the group to speculate on what a bulky cervix after a partial hysterectomy could mean, as we are mostly current patients with cervical cancer, or have been cervical cancer patients an£ had treatment so we don’t have medical knowledge as such, just our own individual experiences to share.
So, although it’s very tough to wait, I think you’re going to have to sit tight until you get your referral through and get examined. My best advice is to take one day at a time for now, and try not to let your mind rush ahead with thoughts of what things might be. It’s better in my experience to concentrate on the facts as you know them so far-you have some unexplained symptoms and you are having those investigated, that’s really all yo7 now for now.
Please feel free to ask if you need any help, or have questions. Many of us have been in the same position of worry so we understand what this feels like. I hope you don’t have long to wait until your referral and get an some answers.
Sarah xx
Hi Eve1064
I think there’s a lot of worry caused around the hpv virus and what it might mean, but ultimately it is a virus which probably infects at least 80% of sexually active people at some point in their lives. Most people will never know about it and will clear it naturally through their immune system, and for some of us it can cause cervical cell changes or other cancers.
We will never know how we got the virus or how we were infected, so it’s not something I thought much about to be honest. I’m pleased it might help you knowing a little about the virus to stop you worrying about how it came about.
Please let us know how you get on with your referral.
Sarah xx
Hi Eve1064
I hope you get your appointments through quickly to help find out what’s going on. I’ve not had full body scans before, except a PET scan, but these will give much more information for you.
It sounds like they can’t say much at the moment because they don’t have any answers for you, so it is best to wait for the scan results. Your gp cannot say at the moment if there is a problem with your cervix so I’m not sure why she has said this would not be cervical cancer. You haven’t had your cervix removed, so it’s something that needs to be ruled out.
You mention you are trying to read as much as you can about your insides, but I’d honestly not recommend trying to read and diagnose yourself on Google. It can lead to more confusion and be out of date and plain wrong. It’s more likely to make you anxious than be helpful.
The best thing to do is make a list of questions you want to know more about or are unsure of so that your gynaecologist rather than your gp tells you more. The fact that you did not have a complete hysterectomy previously should be explained for example, so you know why it was done in this way.
It’s very difficult to be waiting and not knowing any more information-I understand what a horrible time this will be for you. Hope things start moving soon with your appointments.
Sarah xx
It’s really difficult when we keep second guessing ourselves, that’s true of most of us I suspect!
Scans can rule things out as much as rule things in, and when you have a number of unexplained symptoms which need to be investigated, it’s standard to need scans to check.
The word “urgent” can worry us unnecessarily sometimes too. But if any kind of cancer MIGHT be suspected, then an urgent referral is the quickest way to get things done, and much faster than an ordinary referral. You’ll get answers quicker, and that’s a good thing. It doesn’t mean you have cancer of any kind.
Thank you for your kind words-I am glad to be doing well.
Sarah xx
