Hello Ladies, (womb women 
),
I hope everyone here are doing well and getting the great support this group gives as at times we no we shouldn't but we do and that is Doctor 
Google most times worries the heck out of you and then we come on to MacMillians Womb Community and get back our sensible hat 
through the advice and knowledge that everyone of us have or still having issues on SO LET ME START Unfortunately for the last six months after my Radical Hysterectomy I have been having issues with UTI (Urinary Track Infections ), Stress Incontinence, Period Type Pains, Hair falling Out (getting thinner) Tiredness actually not Tiredness more like total Exhaustion sor fatigued I could hardly get out of bed without forgetting information when my sexy hubby or daughter have said something as well as Pins and Needles in my hands and fingers as well as Spasms in them too, and so easily Irritated not to mention rotten Headaches, so eventually after about six or seven weeks my husband got me to send a Consultation to the GP's as what was worrying me most was my hair falling out completely just like my dad's and auntie Beanie as I always remember her having a wig on.
Within half an hour I got a email and then a phone call from the surgery saying or morke like asking me if I could come in the next day at (which I said yes ). Next morning I sat in the surgery waiting to see the GP.
The GP was a new partner and really on the ball she wanted to do more than just a full blood count but other tests to and increased my pain relief as well as booking me for X-ray's the next day to look at my shoulders as I was still having issues with them.
Three or Four days later I get another phone call to see if I could come in the following afternoon, to see the Doctor, so.
The appointment was very informative she mentioned that I had lost a lot of blood during my operation that left my blood count on borderline and that I wasn't far from a blood transfusion due to the amount I had lost, she explained when I left the hospital my blood count was 160 but now it was 84 and that I was Folate B12 Anemic, she explained that due to having a deficiency in B12 / Folate my body was producing abnormally large Red Blood Cells that do not function properly as the red blood cells carry oxygen around your body using haemoglobin but due to the large blood cell my haemoglobin can't do the correct job transporting the oxygen around my body hence all my symptoms as well as my shoulders showing increased calcium and arthritis she had sent my prescription over right away marking urgent so that I could pick them up and start taking them that night so the Folic Acid tablets and Iron tablets Ferrous Fumarate as well as the increased pain relief, she then informed me that she was writing back to the Gynaecologist, explaining everything that has happened since my hysterectomy but also a letter to the Gastrointerologist just to check that I am not bleeding and why my system is not absorbing B12 as I might have Celiac or anything else as my Iron levels should have being going up and not down within the last six months.
I also wanted to ask if anyone has had the a smear called Virginal Vault and how was it for example more painful than the original smear test and if you needed painkillers before the procedure.
Hi Wilma
Welcome back. Am sorry to hear you continue to have some issues since your womb cancer and it is good that your husband encouraged you to go to the GP to be checked.
You are having a lot of symptoms that are unexpected after a straightforward hysterectomy and they do need looking at. It sounds like the doctor is being really thorough which is great to hear. Hopefully you will be feeling much better soon and get some answers. It must feel tough at the moment.
I had to have a lot of further treatment after my hysterectomy and my chemo did do a similar thing with my bloods and I became very low in haemoglobin and quite a few other bits. I did have a blood transfusion and that did have a noticeable effect on how I felt within the first 24 hours. Hopefully the folic acid and ferrous fumarate will help bring your levels up so you can avoid one. To give some reassurance my levels were around half yours, but they did come up with treatment. Its good that its been found and can be treated.
A referral back to the gynaecologist and also a gastroenterologist does sound a sensible idea. With any cancer, whatever stage or grade they do like to double check everything to make sure there is no recurrence or no progression/new cancer. It would be normal to check that there is no bleeding going on somewhere that could be causing the blood problems. They always rule out the more serious potential causes first. If there is an issue then it is better to find out earlier.
A vaginal vault smear is part of the same thing. So its like a cervical smear but is taking a sample from where the cervix was. For endometrial cancer this is an area where recurrence can sometimes happen. I have not had this done because I had 2 years of check ups where I was examined every 12 weeks.
If you do need a vaginal vault smear then perhaps check with the nurse before hand as I am sure it would be ok to take paracetamol first- but just check.
I hope that you can get some reassurance soon, but it is very sensible to get it all checked out.
Good Luck
Jane
