Hi, I found out on 17th July that my LLETZ has came back positive for cancer. Originally my smear result showed ? Glandular Neoplasia of the endocervix. Colposcopy carried out followed be LLETZ. Dr wrote to my GP and said ‘colposcopy confirmed probable high grade precancerous changes to the cervix’. She also said nothing abnormal noticed in surrounding area and nothing abnormal when she felt inside.
9 days later I was called into the hospital where cancer was confirmed and a huge whirlwind of information and scan appointments given. I had MRI Sunday and CT Tuesday. MDT meeting isn’t until 30th July so 10days after MRI. Should I have heard something before then? Would they have informed me if they needed further testing or progressed with anything before the MDT if something like stage 4 was on the scan. I’m absolutely terrified. Trying to be normal to keep my children protected and not to worry my family but I’m absolutely drowning in fear. I’m 39 and had spotting in May otherwise have been fine and wouldn’t have known anything. I’m so thankful for any insight or even some coping mechanisms or some real life (not google) experiences of what I’m expecting.
Thank you so much!
Hi Tracy3210
Your fear absolutely comes across in your post, but let me try and look at what you’ve said and see if I can make you feel a little bit calmer about what’s been happening for you. I can’t take away your fear, but looking at things step by step might help you see things in a less scary way. I know the words are frightening, but at the moment you are letting them overcome you.
Originally the doctor thought you might have pre cancerous cells, and she couldn’t feel anything inside or see anything abnormal. Unfortunately the biopsy identified cancer when the cells were analysed, but that’s all that’s a certainty for now. The standard next step is scans and you’ve had these now.
Results from everything-biopsy, CT scan and MRI- all need to be reported to the MDT so that the next steps can be discussed and decided so this is the perfectly normal process.
The timing of the MDT depends on your hospital and when these are carried out - they are typically held weekly. You won’t hear anything before the MDT as the decision on what’s next needs to be made there and then you’ll have an appointment to be told the plan.
Normally the scans and biopsy are all that would be needed to make a decision and no other testing is needed. Some ladies also have a pet scan, but not everyone has this (I didn’t need this as part of my diagnosis).the MDT would not tell you what the results show before the MDT takes place, so you need to wait until after this meeting where everything is considered together.
Stage 4 cancer is advanced cancer which has spread to other parts of the body, but you have only had some spotting, you feel well, and the doctor neither saw nor felt anything abnormal. With a stage 4 cancer, it would be expected that you would have a number of symptoms including heavy bleeding and perhaps significant pain, and that something may have been seen by the doctor in the form of a tumour.
None of this has happened.
it would be better for your state of mind and mental health if you could try and focus on where you are today and what you know now rather than worrying about what is in your imagination. I know it’s very hard waiting for answers from the MDT-we’ve all had periods or waiting as part of this and it’s tough.
Please try not spend your time in a panic about advanced cancer, giving yourself all that unnecessary stress and worry-that’s borrowing tomorrow’s worry and going through it today when you don’t actually know what’s next.
Some coping mechanisms I tried were distraction-even just watching box sets on tv to take my mind off things, using apps on my phone to help calm myself like Mindfulness (Headspace is a good one), listening to music and apps with calming sounds like the ocean to try to get to sleep. All these things helped me, and they may help you.
Remember, there will be a plan for you you, and you will deal with it because that’s what we have to do. The priority will be getting this sorted out, getting you well again and then moving on. All of that is very possible!
Sarah xx
