Cervical cancer with help

Hi Granny55 

Yes, everyone should have a CNS (Cancer Nurse Specialist). They may also be called Macmillan nurses or key workers depending on your hospital. I was given a card with the name and number of my nurse when I was first diagnosed. 

You will have a consultant, and he/she will have a secretary so I’d phone them to ask for the name and number of your assigned nurse is, and contact them. They are often in clinics so you may have to leave a message, but mine was very responsive and also called me every week during my treatment. If you don’t know the number for your consultant, call the hospital and ask to be put through to his/her secretary. 

I know you will be heading for combined chemo and radiotherapy next, and we have lots of experience of that in the group. The chemotherapy this time will be Cisplatin, which is a low dose which enhances the performance of the radiation. You do not need a cold cap for this, as you won’t lose your hair-it is different to the chemo you have already been on. Chemo is a weekly session and will last for several hours. Not all of the time is spent receiving the chemo-there is the set up, getting the cannula inserted and then having other infusions for things like magnesium and anti sickness drugs.

Radiotherapy will be once a day on weekdays only, so one of the days you will have chemo and radiotherapy. The radiotherapy sessions are very short and painless but there can be a lot of waiting around which can increase the time you are there. Your bladder needs to be at the correct size, but you will be told what your hospital protocol is before you have the treatment. 

Please feel free to ask as many questions here in the group as you need to and we’ll do our best to help.

Sarah xx

Hi Thankyou Sarah 

your posts have been very inspiring and informative and of great help . I am lucky in the fact my hospital has a maggies there and it has lots of classes etc and advise . I am going to go there at the beginning of my rads . Thankyou once again and I wish you all the best . 
val x 

Glad you are finding this helpful Granny55 

You're lucky to have a Maggie’s to go to -I hear people speak very highly of their experience with them.

When you get to speak to your CNS you may want to check on exactly which type of brachytherapy you will be having to see if you can get some reassurance about it. There are different types, and hospitals have different equipment, which will determine the treatment you have.

Until you have confirmation about the type of brachytherapy you will be having, I’d avoid making assumptions about anything from Google if you search for information there. Some ladies have it done as an inpatient and need to be lying in bed with the treatment being delivered over a period of time, while others have a number of shorter sessions. 

Sarah xx

I don’t know if every cancer centre ,but most of them has a team of CNS - I’ve been given number where to call if I have a questions and always nurses called back and gave you all the information you need or worry about.