My mum was diagnosed with endometrial cancer a few months ago. She’s about to start chemotherapy this week. It’s a bit nerve wrecking but we are staying positive especially as the first stage of treatment (surgery) went well.
She’s being treated at Guys St Thomas and she was invited to a group call where the nurses discussed what to expect from chemotherapy. My mum liked being in a group setting and said that it helped her knowing there are others going through something similar and she’s not alone. She’s more open to joining a support group. I know that there are Maggie’s support groups, but the nearest centre seems quite far.
She’s open to face to face support groups but I also think a virtual support group could work well as something she could access without needing to travel (especially at times when she may not feel up to it)
Does anyone know of any virtual support groups for women? I’ve seen support groups for other types of cancers but aside from online forums I’ve not seen any groups for endometrial cancer.
Are there any resources out there that can provide more information on local support groups?
If anyone has any tips as we head into the chemotherapy stage of her treatment that’d be appreciated
Hi Rlove95
It is worth checking via this link to see if there is anything local for Mum.
www.macmillan.org.uk/.../in-your-area
This link is for the Peaches Trust
Peaches Womb Cancer Trust | Awareness. Support. Research
These other links may be helpful.
Womb Cancer Resources And Support Organisations | Cancer Research UK
Contact Us | Go Girls Support Group
We are the leading gynaecological cancers charity - The Eve Appeal
This link is for the Macmillan Chemotherapy booklet.
Understanding chemotherapy booklet | Macmillan Cancer Support
I had chemotherapy myself for womb cancer and the best advice I think is to go with the flow. They tell you of all the possible side effects and it can be quite scary when they do but in my experience I only had some side effects. The side effects I did have were mainly managed with medication.
Mum will have a 24 hour cancer helpline to call and please do use it. If only for reassurance. Mine was brilliant at giving advice, managing medication and getting me in when needed.
Mum will be given a booklet and it is a good idea to write in each day which meds she has had and how she is feeling. I found that with each cycle there was a similar pattern. This also helps with the reviews she will have each cycle.
It is important to listen to her body and have plenty of rest, particularly in the first week after chemo. By the second week I would generally start feeling a bit better. Lots to drink. Eating small meals regularly and anything she fancies. I found it better to have my main meal earlier in the day. With nausea medication I found it best to take around 30 minutes before meal times. It felt easier to prevent the nausea than deal with it once it started.
I did have a lot of fatigue and it did increase with each cycle. Mum will have regular blood tests to keep an eye on things.
The first cycle was the worst for me as you don't know what to expect, it gets easier after that.
Lastly I would suggest getting an accurate thermometer and keeping an eye on Mum's temperature. Any changes up or down could indicate infection and would need to contact the hospital. There is a real risk of an infection becoming sepsis if it is not dealt with at an early stage. So if in doubt call the hospital.
Hope this helps a bit. I wish your Mum well with her treatment. And we are here if you need us.
Jane
