Can someone help me understand results after Lletz treatment :( Some information would be really helpful

Hi

i am so sorry to hear you are going through this difficult and, by the sounds of it, confusing time. I’m not a doctor and I’m not going even to try to explain the technical bit but I know someone who should be able to help. Try calling Ask Eve, thd nurse-led information line run by The Eve Appeal. Here’s a link: https://eveappeal.org.uk/supporting-you/ask-eve/

I think the referral to the gynae department is probably routine. The colposcopy is ordered by a doctor, carried out by trained technicians and then the sample is examined by a specialist doctor. This specialist then sends the results to the doctor who will carry out any treatment you might require. Does that make sense? 

I am not surprised you are feeling vulnerable and emotional. I would be too. It’s ok to feel like that  and it’s good to share that here. My best advice is to try to keep busy, try not to google too much as you’ll just scare yourself, and take things one day at a time. I know how hard that is. I don’t know what the doctors have seen but it sounds like they are acting quickly and that’s good news. 

Meantime, here’s a big virtual ((((hug))))

xxx

Hi Daloni, 

Thank you for your message it meant a lot to me. I got diagnosed with cervical cancer today, the most surreal oddest day of my life think maybe I'm still in shock. Just wanted to let you know your words were kindly appreciated. I will be having an mri this Friday to see if it's spread I presume have you ever had one of these? I hear there not the nicest machines to be stuck in :(. I hope all is well with you too as I know this forum brings people together with one of the worst illnesses, you never expect it to happen to you huh xx

Hi Daloni, 

Thank you for your message it meant a lot to me. I got diagnosed with cervical cancer today, the most surreal oddest day of my life think maybe I'm still in shock. Just wanted to let you know your words were kindly appreciated. I will be having an mri this Friday to see if it's spread I presume have you ever had one of these? I hear there not the nicest machines to be stuck in :(. I hope all is well with you too as I know this forum brings people together with one of the worst illnesses, you never expect it to happen to you huh xx

P.s 

So for 25 I'm pretty shabby at technology I just wanted to say I managed to work out how to read profiles and wow have you been through some b.s. Your story is genuinely inspiring you have been through so much I can't imagine. Xx

Hi  and welcome to the group. I can completely identify with the shock you feel and how surreal it seems to get this diagnosis. It is a shock, and it takes time to sink in. 

I was very worried about the mri scan as I’m claustrophobic and I’d had one many years ago but it wasn’t as bad as I imagined, as my whole body wasn’t in the machine. The staff were lovely, recognised I was worried, and provided me with an eye mask and headphones. I had an injection first, which I was told was to settle my bowel, and they reassured me that I could stop the process at any time-I had a buzzer in my hand to press. The radiographer could also talk to me via the headphones and reassured me as the scan went on, telling me there wasn’t long to go etc. 

It’s a little uncomfortable lying still for so long-I guess it took about half an hour-but I did it and felt really pleased with myself! I just imagined I was lying on a beach, which is where I actually should have been at that time, and remembered my last holiday..visualising the Indian Ocean and imagining myself in it. That helped me, and made me calmer. 

Each process is another hurdle...having CT scans, preparing for radiotherapy and starting treatment, but I see each hurdle as a step closer to being well again. 

Once your team have the scan and any other test results they can decide on a plan of treatment and then you will start to feel more in control. At the moment things are scary and out of your control, and waiting for results is very difficult indeed. All I can say is try not to let your mind race away ahead with negative thoughts. Once you know what you’re dealing with and how you’re going to be treated and when, you start to feel more focused. 

I have an appointment with my oncologist today, then start radiotherapy tomorrow and chemotherapy on Friday so am a little way ahead of you in this process. Please keep posting and ask any questions..we will help out where we can and there is some lovely support here. xx

hi

What said! 

I did have an MRI scan and although it was not fun, it was not painful and I just counted my way through it, from one to ten and then start again. I find it soothing to count when I am anxious. Imagining you are somewhere else, as Minska suggests, also works. The radiography staff are, in my experience, very kind and help you through and make you feel at ease as much as possible. 

Hang in there. You can do this! 

Good luck with your treatment Minska. Keep the heating on and get the knitting or crochet out is my best advice for getting through this treatment. It's good to keep both hands and some of your brain busy with whatever works for you. 

xxx

Thank you for your kind wishes . One of my daughters suggested crochet-I used to do it years ago. Never quite managed to get the hang of knitting though!

I asked the consultant today how long the chemo treatment lasts each week...he said 6 hours..but sometimes it feels like I’m dragging the information out of him!  And yet he suggests I write questions down and take them in when I see him.

I’ll read, do puzzles and maybe watch some stuff downloaded on the iPad while I’m sat there...oh, and snack. I’ll bring snacks! My partner will be bored witless....but insists on sitting with me for treatment. Maybe we could both crochet.....:) xx

Hope you are a little more reassured about the mri scan xx

Hi ladies, thankyou for replying and staying in touch with me, I don't know anyone in my life with the c word (still can't say it out loud). I had my mri yesterday and you know it wasn't as bad as Ihought your advice was really good I just shut my eyes and thought I was somewhere else. It did take longer then I thought but I suppose it needed to be done. I have a question I'm not sure if you'll know the answer but it can't hurt to ask. I had my bloods done to see if my kidney function was okay to have dye put in to see my lymph nodes but on the day they didn't do it and I've had pretty persistent back pain on my lower left side for weeks.. Do you think that's why because somethings up there too? I know it's really bad to think but I can't help but expect the worst. Sorry for waffling xxx

P. S ipad and snacks sounds like the perfect time spender x

Hi . Glad your scan went better then you thought- that’s something else to tick off the list. As far as the contrast dye stuff goes, for me that was done when I had my CT scan, which was a few days after the MRI scan. It’s a different machine, and doesn’t  take so long. Also it doesn’t have most of your body going into it. They described it to me like a polo mint or a donut before I went for it and it was really straightforward. Again you’re lying on a table as still as possible and the machine scans, but is not noisy like the MRI. 

I had a cannula in my arm where they put in the dye and it feels really strange in that it makes you think you need the bathroom as it goes in! I was convinced I had wet myself but I hadn’t! Gave the staff a laugh though. I had to raise my arms up behind my head but nothing was painful or uncomfortable. Have you got an appointment for a CT scan yet? 

Dont apologise for waffling. No question is a silly question and I have found on occasion that staff assume you know more than you do. I have asked my nurse to slow down and explain things in terms I will understand rather than medical jargon. 

I had my first chemo all day yesterday followed by my radiotherapy and it was fine. My hospital has free WiFi, so I could use that and also watch my downloaded tv. A nice recliner armchair, lovely staff and regular offers of tea, coffee and a nice choice for lunch. I felt great afterwards, came home with more pills, and body cream for my skin. Today I felt fine- taking my steroids and anti sickness on schedule but I did feel tired this afternoon so went for a lie down. Don’t know if that was an effect of chemo or just me being lazy! xx