Being treated for uterus cancer

Hi katmatt,

I'm 37 and was diagnosed with womb cancer in June 2017 and had an open surgery hysterectomy in august 2017 to treat my womb cancer, my womb was too big for keyhole surgery, my surgeon examined me and said he could try keyhole but it was likely he would have to convert to open surgery so I just told him to go for open. The op and recovery was nowhere near as bad as I feared it would be, I was imagining being laid up in bed but I was up and showered and dressed on my own the morning after my op, I was slow, but I done it. i got home after two nights in hospital and I only needed ibuprofen and paracetamol for pain at home for about a week. Your movement is restricted and you can't lift or twist but you can walk a bit and and fetch a drink or snack, etc. I was driving our automatic car and going out for lunch with friends by three weeks after the op and by six weeks I felt a stepped improvement. I was back at my desk job after three months, if I had needed to go back earlier I could have but I'm really glad I didn't need to. 

Menopause wise the hot flushes hit but have got better with time, summer is worse for them, if I keep cool and layers on I can manage them better, I also have a rechargeable hand held fan which was great for stopping them in their tracks. The worst bit of menopause for me (everyone is different, some folk breeze through) was the emotional fall out, I wasn't emotional all the time but the dips were pretty low, I went for some counselling arranged by my CNS, to my gp and my local menopause clinic, there are some treatments available but I'm still going cold turkey to see if I can ride it out, again, it's getting better with time.

ill stop rambling now but feel free to ask me anything and when you are ready we have lots of tips to help prepare for the op.

lots of love

xx

Wow Arla, you were so young!! I’m 48 and am told I’m too young to be going through this but you were so so young. I’m glad it all went ok for you.  Thank you for telling me your experience, it’s good to hear from someone who’s been through it.  Three months sounds like a long time to be off work. I work in a school, they’ve said take what time I need. I will have my op then two weeks later it will be the 6 weeks holiday. In my head I want to go back to work for the new school year in September but my health and my own family come first - if I need more time I will take it. You said there are  tips on here to help prepare for my op. Do you know where to find them please? X

Dear Katmatt

i am sorry to hear that you are having really tough time. Ladies on this forum have a lot of knowledge and experience. Then me. I was diagnosed almost a year ago. I had open surgery. My cancer was high grade and stage 4.

i had to have a chemotherapy which was very tough but do able. I feel great and am very well. 

Please do not google too much . Every case and situation is different. You need to be strong and positive. Once you will have scanned and MRI results. Your consultant will be in better position to decide different options . 

Try to be strong and there will always be someone to answer your questions. 

Lots of prays and hugs

Rahman x

Hey katmatt,
We usually just note our favourite tips individually but I'll try and remember them all and note them here for you then see if I can add a link to an old thread too, to try and cover all the bases! I had a phased return back to work which was good, I thought I felt great till I tried a half day at work lol, my first week back I done two half days, then built up from there over four weeks, second week was four half days then two half and one full, etc. I managed to use holidays to work a four day week for a while too with a wed off, that was fab, the surgery  left me a bit fatigued. 
So tips, earplugs are great as hospital is quite noisy, the nurses were in my ward checking everyones bp and things through the night. Lozenges as I woke with a really dry throats and coughing pulls a bit on your belly. A cushion to hold against your belly when you get up and down and for the car ride home is great, it stops any pulling and makes things more comfortable. Windeez for the post op wind were great, I sent my husband out looking for them, and if you only listen to one tip, it's this one - stay on top of your bowels, I waited four days to act on my constipation and it wasn't good, prune juice sorted me out and I had some of those orange fibre drinks too, the prune juice works overnight. The constipation and wind were the worst bits for me, so hopefully if you are prepared it won't bother you much. 
I was sent home with some lovely surgical stockings, they made me wear them for six weeks, if you are asked to wear them too see if you can get a spare pair for washing, it was a faff washing them through every day. 
I went into hospital at 7-30am for pre op checks and they didn't take me until about 11ish, I couldn't concentrate on my book so I'd recommend a magazine or game of some kind if you will have a wait. I was in the ward for 4pm-ish, I had prepared my hubby for a long wait to hear anything but I don't think he thought I would be quite so long, he was on the phone a second time when they wheeled me past reception. My friend had a similar op and hers took 8 hours so she had warned me it can sometimes take a while. 
I woke up with a catheter in and I was glad of it as it meant I didn't need to get out of bed, it came out painlessly the next morning, then they make you save your first pee to check your bladder is working as it should. 
Before my op I was advised to keep active so I was walking and doing a 5 min abs video from you tube, they gave me Physio exercises to do after my op which helped my abs to recover and build up again. Oh and you can start your pelvic floor exercises now, they tell you to do them a few times a day after the op.
The others usually recommend getting any spring cleaning out the way, if jobs will bug you when you can't do housework after surgery. Getting pants which are a size or two bigger for the post op bloat is a good idea too. I wore soft leggings and a dress after surgery but my leggings band sits a good bit above my belly button. I was able to wear my loose pyjamas but I had some night gowns with me too. For the first night I was happy in the hospital gown. 
If you are still awake after all of that you deserve a medal lol, here is a link to one of our old threads!
https://community.macmillan.org.uk/cancer_types/womb-cancer/f/womb-cancer-forum/169289/my-operation-for-hysterectomy-in-monday?pi5520=1#1264490  

Any other questions just ask, everyone is happy to share and help.
lots of love
xxx

Hi, I second all of that advice. Only thing I would add is slip on shoes because you won't be able to bend to do up laces or buckles. And the baggy clothing ...you swell up like a beach ball and then some! At least two sizes bigger! I had robotic surgery but they had to open me up along my caesarean scar to get womb out..too big and bulky. Hope everything goes well for you. God blessx

Your words about wanting everything to be normal again really hit home with me. It’s 6 months since my surgery and the emotional side of things has recently hit me hard. I’m still having a lot of pain and I’m not back at work. I went back on a phased return at the beginning of May but couldn’t cope and cried at my desk every day. I didn’t cry at all through the diagnosis or treatment.  I’m amazed when I read people have gone back to work after 3 months and now feel there’s something wrong with me. This new normal for me is awful. I thought I’d have the surgery and radiotherapy and be the same as I was before. So be prepared for a rollercoaster. Wishing you a successful outcome x

Hello ,

A belated welcome to you. I second everyone's advice I don't think you can match real life experience and especially when you have just been diagnosed, its a whirlwind. But everyone here has had different stages, treatment and a wealth of realise knowledge which I found totally invaluable when I was diagnosed in June 17 aged 37 as it was just before my 38th birthday, I was terrified, I lurked on site for a bit and realised that others have been though it going though it and had some lovely advice and lots of virtual hugs to go around. I was stage 1a grade 2 my only treatment was a total hysterectomy with my ovaries removed and on the 10th July I will be two years post op. I celebrated my 40th birthday last week and I look back at the last two years and think wow did all that really happen? The surgical menopause does hit very fast and this hot weather really doesn't help but I found keeping the room as cool as possible and cotton sheets and wearing cotton keeps me the most cool. With the post op advice again as been said no bending, no lifting or stretching for a while be gentle on yourself you will feel more fatigued then you may expect and don't be tempted to get carried away doing things too some, I threw a few stitches internal ones just reaching for the kettle, it taught me a big lesson indeed. I had part abdominal part keyhole as my womb was bulky as I had fibroids too. 

As you can already see that there is lots of ladies here willing to share their experience and ask as many questions as you like as I am sure you will get lots of support. Fingers crossed for the 9th and sending you a gentle hug.

Sorry to hear your struggling Galanthophile , the new normal can take some getting used too and everyone is different. Some go though treatment and bounce back very quickly some can take that little bit longer. One thing I was told and this is for everyone too "don't judge your recovery to others" I think we can all be too hard on ourselves at times but the difference is we understand.

Sending a gentle hug to you Galanthophile too

Thank you! X