Hi,
Since late July I’ve had (or I thought I had) irregular heavy periods and severe period pains. I also experienced some incontinence. It wasn’t as bad first, I just thought as I’m 40 I might be seeing hormonal imbalances or I suspected I might have endometriosis. I went to see a gynaecologist this past Monday and upon examining me, they did an ultrasound and confirmed a 5cm tumour on my cervix. I felt like the world started to spin. I haven’t (foolishly) been up to date with my Pap smears so I don’t know how long this has been growing. I was referred to a hospital and a biopsy was done. I’ve had my first meeting with oncologist and they have ordered a PET-CT scan for me (should happen in the next two weeks) and I have an MRI booked for 2nd January. The doctor has said they will phone me in the 3rd and ask me to come in (most likely day after) and then I will get all the results.
I’m petrified that it might have spread, 5cm is large and my thoughts go to worst case scenario.
I live on my own (and I live abroad) without my family close by. I have a dog and I’m worried about how I will be able to look after him during the treatment. Doctor has said it will most likely be surgery to remove lymph nodes and then chemo and radiation. My world has just been turned upside down and I am petrified.
Hi LOO1 and welcome to our group.
I can read the fear in your words, and can completely understand how this feels when you don’t have all the information you need yet. It does seem very scary when you’ve been told your tumour size but you need to have the results of both the pet scan and mri to know things for certain. I’m not sure why you have been told you’ll be having surgery to remove lymphnodes before you have had these scans. How do they know the lymphnodes are affected before the scans?
The size does not mean it has necessarily spread, but the scans will confirm whether this has happened or not. One of my friends had a 7cm tumour and it hadn’t spread, and she was diagnosed in 2018, just before I was. Her treatment was successful and she has had no recurrence.
As you’ve said you live abroad, your plan of action may be different from the UK and most, though not all, the ladies in the group have been treated in the UK. It just something to bear in mind when you read posts or receive replies here.
Many of us, including myself, have been through chemoradiation, so we can help with advice and support from our own experiences of going through this. Some ladies find they can go through this with little side effects, and for me the main side effect was fatigue, with some diarrhoea and cystitis as my radiotherapy progressed. The treatment is intense over a relatively short period of time but can be very successful. My side effects improved by a couple of weeks from the end of treatment and I had no lasting effects.
Have you got a support network of friends who can support you through treatment if you need some help, since you don’t have family close by? Do you live near to the hospital where you will be treated? Radiotherapy treatment is done daily so it can be tiring doing these hospital visits, and it can be helpful to get lifts.
Please let us know how you get on with the scans and get your full diagnosis and staging. We will be here to help with support for you going through this. I know you’re frightened right now, which is perfectly understandable, but I’d encourage you not to think of any worst case scenarios at this point-take things a day at a time and concentrate on the facts you know, rather than thoughts which may or may not be correct. Our minds are very powerful and can make us think the worst, but you need to hold tight and get the results of your scans. Things really do get better when you know what the plan is.
Sarah xx
Lots of us have been through chemoradiation successfully, so please hold onto that thought. I’ve even had my cancer recur in 2019 and am still here!
I’ve not seen anyone else post in the group who has had lymphnode removal as a first course of action, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen-approaches are tailored to the individual so our treatments can vary.
The hardest time for me was the waiting to know more at the start and that’s common for many of us. We are scared, imagining the cancer has spread, all sorts. Getting staging and a plan gives us a focus to move ahead and get on with what needs to be done.
Sarah xx
