Introducing myself

Hi L2025 Louise and welcome to our group.

I’m glad you’ve joined us and hope you’ll get any support you need in the group. Things look to have moved pretty quickly for you so far, so hopefully you won’t have long to wait until your surgery.

A number of ladies in the group have had this surgery, so I hope you’ll be able to connect with them to share experiences. There will be differences in the recovery time between the laparoscopic and open surgery but you’ll need to take it easy afterwards whichever type is done. I’ve had open abdominal surgery twice with my cervical cancer, but I’ve also experienced laparoscopic surgery for gallbladder removal and the experiences were very different! 

I hope your appointment goes well tomorrow and you find out more details. Keep in touch, and can I thank you for completing your profile page. This is incredibly useful for others replying to you and very helpful to see what’s brought you here and where you are in the process. 

Sarah xx

Hello L2025

Thank you for your post. I have been through very similar myself as you will see from my other posts and profile. I am older than you, post menopause but the surgery experience will be similar from what you say. 

I had a Radical Hysterectomy  a year ago. They did an abdominal incision. 

Hope your appointment provides you with all the information. 

Serena77 x

Hi L2025  

I hope you are keeping well sounds like everything is moving forward nice and quick for you , I was diagnosed 1b2 squamous cell cervical cancer one the 1/11 and had my radical surgery 2/1 although I was advised to keep my ovaries as I’m 35 that was my surgeons advise. I’m 3 weeks today post surgery still bit sore but recovering well with good days and bad days but there is light and the end of the tunnel! 

should you have any questions or anything about the surgery or recovery afterwards please don’t hesitate to message me on here. 

lorzy x

Hi SarahH21 Serena77 Lorzy321 and thanks for your replies. It’s so reassuring to have contact with other people who are or have been in a similar situation - your kind words are very much appreciated. Louise x

Hi

I'm just wondering how you got on and how long your referral took if you don't mind me asking.

I think I'm being referred there for a radical hysterectomy 

Hi Sodo7985 

My local hospital referred me to The Christie on 17th January, I had my first appointment at The Christie on 23rd January (met the surgeon & my allocated specialist nurse, talked through the procedure, all my questions answered, brief physical examination, signed consent form), my pre-op appointment was on 28th January (blood test, urine test, MRSA swab, height, weight, blood pressure, ECG, medical questionnaire, met the recovery team) then my surgery was on 11th February. I was discharged from hospital on 14th February then returned to the day unit on 19th February for the catheter to be removed. I’m now awaiting histology results to be ready then I’ll have my post-surgery appointment, which is expected to be at the end of this week or the start of next week. So, all quite quick really (I was diagnosed at my local hospital on 8th January).

Louise x

Thank you so much for reply.

I'm having issues with my hospital, so spoke to the christie today and I can't believe how nice the lady was, saying we put our patients needs first. She's happy for me to get my records sent over, just hoping I'm not waiting to long as scared of spreading.

Feeling a little more at ease  

I'm a little worried also about the incision 

Hi Sodo7985 

It’s good your contact with the Christie was so positive. Have you been in touch with your consultant at your nhs hospital to let them know what you might be planning? 

Sarah xx

Sorry you’ve been having problems with your hospital and I hope that the referral goes smoothly with not long to wait. (I was referred to The Christie just because that’s where my specific surgery is usually done rather than at my local hospital.)

I’m glad to hear that you’ve had positive first contact with The Christie. That certainly matches my experience - I have always felt listened to, all my questions have always been answered, I’ve never felt like I’ve asked a silly question, if I phoned and left a message with a question between appointments I never waited long for a call back, I was well looked after in hospital and I have received good after care since coming home. I hope that you have the same experience. 

I had an open abdominal radical hysterectomy (with ovaries, fallopian tubes and lymph nodes removed) and my incision is vertical from just below my belly button to my pubic area. I was surprised but pleased when I was told at my pre-op appointment that there would only be internal stitches then glue with no external stitches/staples to be removed afterwards. I’d never had surgery before this so I wasn’t sure what to expect - the incision is much neater than I expected and just a straight line down (I thought it would look worse and be more painful, especially at first).

I’m happy to share anything from my experience if you have any more questions (obviously with the usual note that I’m only talking about my personal experience, I don’t know how typical my experience is and everybody’s experience can be different based on their own circumstances). 

Louise x

Thank you  

I've been referred now so just waiting for everything to go through.

If you don't mind me asking who was your surgeon because it sounds like you was looked after, and that's good that your incision is neat and I didn't know they could glue them. I got told I would be stapled and I said I'd prefer stitching but I got told it's not my choice