Recently diagnosed

Hi I was also diagnosed with stage 2b on the 9th September. Just had a consultation with the oncologist who has given me my treatment plan don't know start date yet as have to have a ct pet scan. I am having 7 weeks of treatment 5 weeks of daily radiotherapy alongside 1 day chemo then last 2 weeks brachytherapy. I haven't properly had a cry yet trying to keep it together and stay positive for my children but do feel alone and scared and angry as why did it happen to me. Xx

Hi Trudy

I know how you feel I to haven't cried yet and I to have days when scared but you mustn't think why me, just take strength from your family and stay positive you are not alone We WILL get through this.

I have read many stories on here that has helped me 

Thinking of you all the best 

DLT

Hi @DLT and @Trudyf I’d like to welcome you both to the group.

I was also stage 2b at my initial diagnosis and many of us here have gone through the standard chemo/radio/brachytherapy treatment.

The waiting does seem endless at the start of the process, but this will improve once treatment gets underway. Your teams just need to make sure that they have a full picture of results to plan your treatment exactly.

Please feel free to ask any questions in the group, and there will be advice from our experiences, and support as you both go through treatment.

Sarah xx

Hi Sarah

Thankyou for the welcome and support 

It does feel like a endless wait and with information from doctors on how long you are supposed to wait for results etc. You don't know what's happening. I feel abit left in the dark.

Do you call and chase them up or just sit and wait It does help having someone to talk to that has been through it.

Hope you are doing well now and all good

DLT

Thanks Sarah and DLT for the welcome. Just to put into context after having my colposcopy with a lletz procedure on the 23rd August the wait was too much for me. After a week I chased the biopsy results telling them I was getting very anxious and not sleeping they were so lovely a few days later the doctor who examined me told me I had cancer but didn't know the stage. He stressed that usually I would be invited in to be told but I wanted to know. He was so kind and reassuring. Then I had another wait for an MRi and CT scan.  My stage was confirmed on 9th September. I am now trying to prepare myself for daily hospital visits for 5 weeks. I would love some advice on whether others travelled alone to appointments I have friends who have kindly offered to take me but I am sure I will be ok on the Radiotherapy only days. I will doing a hour round trip. I have two teenage children and my husband works from home. Many thanks T

Hi DLT

I did just sit and wait, I have to say. I had a week to wait for biopsy results, then had an mri and Ct scan quickly after that. It was about 6 weeks from diagnosis to treatment starting-there was the planning scan for radiotherapy to do, and obviously the results of the mri and Ct to confirm stage and no spread, but it did feel like long time. 

Sarah xx

Hi Trudyf

It’s difficult to know how you will feel with treatment until you start to go through it. I had a 1.5 hour drive each way to hospital, and as I can’t drive I had to be taken. The effects for me of radiotherapy were cumulative and started from week 3, I had bladder and bowel issues, plus extreme fatigue, so was glad not to have to think about the daily journey. You might be ok, but you won’t actually know till you start and have been through a number of sessions. My advice would be to take help where you can.

I had 32 radiotherapy sessions in total, and although the treatment itself doesn’t last long, the effects can be quite debilitating. For me it meant losing bladder and bowel control, and extreme fatigue. I was glad to be taken by my partner for treatment, but it’s really hard to know how you’ll feel until treatment starts.

Sarah xx

Hi Sarah 

Thankyou for the reply 

I think I'll sit and wait for them to call, its just that I have no patience and it doesn't help when family and friends keep asking if I have any news and you have to keep saying no.

How are you doing now after your treatment, have you recovered from the side affects and feeling like your old self 

Hope so

DLT 

Hi Trudy

Hope it all goes well for you and you do not feel to bad after Radiotherapy and you can manage your appointments alone 

Let me know how you get on 

Sending you best wishes  

DLT

Hi DLT

If you click on my name you can read my story. Unfortunately I had a recurrence, so I’m a different scenario really. Although my first line treatment did give a good result at the time. Side effects from chemo/radio did subside pretty soon after treatment though.

Sarah xx