uterus cancer

Hi Mimi1951, so glad you put it down in writing it really does help. I had one big bleed no other symptoms, so this does happen. If you can try not to second guess anything,  and wait til the op is over and done with and conclusive results are available.  One hurdle at a time. I was diagnosed in August 2018. Had treatment after but not everyone does, this is the hardest part I think, waiting for op and your results. Dr Google is very tempting but try to only go on Macmillan or Cruk  both excellent sites for clear info.  You should have been asigned a CNS  they are usually pretty good at answering all you questions. 

Please take care of yourself, remember to breathe properly ! Might sound silly but it does help.

LC 

XX

Hi Mimi

Please try not to worry too much (although I know that's easy to say but not easy to do).

I was diagnosed with cancer of the uterus in September and until the results of the biopsy and MRI scan came through, I was very scared, just like you are, about how long the tumour might have been there and how advanced the cancer might be.  The lining of my womb was 17mm, even thicker than yours.

However, the initial staging was 1a (and a Grade 1 type of cancer, the least aggressive).  The staging will not be confirmed until the uterus and anything else they have to remove (ovaries in my case) have been biopsied after being removed (called a histology study).  In my case that confirmed the cancer was stage 1a and had not penetrated more than 50% of the thickness of the wall of the womb.  So I will not need any further treatment such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy, I just have to have six-monthly checkups for the next two years.

Just because we hear that awful word "cancer" it doesn't, as we tend to assume it does, mean that we're terminally ill.  So Happy New Year to you too, and the odds are overwhelmingly in your favour, if you're a betting woman.

Thanks so much for responding. I really appreciate it. 

Mimi

Thanks I haven't talked to anyone except my OBGYN  and he tries to tell me not to worry but I still do. I guess I will know more after I see the specialist on Jan 10. I will update then. Thanks for answering.

Mimi

At this stage you’re thrown into a world you’re completely unprepared for. Once you talk to the doctors and know what the next stage is it will be easier. Just try to take one step at a time. Good luck!

Thanks for answering. How did all of you tell your family. I just don’t want everyone to start looking at me like I’m dying 

I told my family and close work colleagues and friends straight away. Most of them were brilliant. Emotional support is vital. There is a lot of information out there for patients as well as carers. Talking about it openly really helps. I couldn’t have coped with keeping it all to myself.

Hi Mimi, 

Sorry to hear you're going through this too. I had a very quick and unexpected diagnosis too, so understand exactly where you're coming from. 

Just wanted to share about what I found helped with telling people, as at first I was too overwhelmed and didn't know how many people I could/wanted to tell.

I started with a couple of very close friends and my mum, then housemates and colleagues. I felt like every time I was telling someone, it was making it more real, and so I asked each person that I had told if they could share the info within their own circles, if they were comfortable with it. My mum told my whole family (I couldn't face telling my brothers myself), some friends offered themselves to talk to other people on my behalf, so I wouldn't have to 'break the news' to everyone directly. 

It definitely helped to have people relay the word, and that way I didn't feel like it was a bit secret that we couldn't talk about, whilst keeping some of the weight off my shoulders - it's something small, but people are happy to help in every way they can!

Hope this helps. 

I’m going to tell my kids after the holidays. Didn’t want to ruin it for them. Not sure about my work friends yet. 

That makes sense. I might try your way.