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Diagnosed with cervical cancer :(

Posted , 5 users are following.

amys13
amys13

Hi.  I am actually writing this on behalf of my sister.  She was diagnosed with cervical cancer this week.  I feel quite guilty as I have been along with her for the ride, loads of GP and hospital appointments and was never picked up but I knew in my gut something wasn't right and feel I should have pushed harder for her.

Her symptoms - erratic bleeding, from no bleeding at all to passing massive clots and bleeding a huge amount but blood tests were always fine.  Lower back pain that comes and goes.  Abdominal pain that comes and goes, like a contracting pain.  Occasional nausea and feeling full very quickly.

Her journey - September was when the bleeding got really bad although things had been erratic for a couple of months before that.  We got her an appointment at the local emergency doctors as it was the weekend and they referred her to a and e.  They examined her, took swabs etc etc but no smear test.  She was sent home.  Couple of weeks later back to the hospital again.  They asked her if she had pain or bleeding afetr sex which she didn't.  Her smear was still not due for a couple of months so again was left at that and sent home with transhemic acid for the bleeding.  They did an ultrasound which found a small cyst and they put everything down to that, even though she was getting pain on the other side to the cyst.  Eventually got seen by gynaecology outpatient team in January who just so happened to do her smear, thankfully she was not bleeding that day so they could do it.  Came back as severely abnormal cells, seen in colposcopy who said eveything looked fine but did a biopsy 'just in case' thank goodness they did as that's when it came back as cancerous.  

They are thinking they have caught it early, in fact stage 1b going by the biopsy but will not know for certain until she has her scans.  The general plan now is hysterectomy with or without radiotherapy, again, depending on scan results.

I guess my question is, are all the symptoms she is having 'normal' for such an early stage of cancer?

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2 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • ATG1
    ATG1 amys13

    Posted

    Hi, the symptoms sound very much like Endometriosis, I have suffered with this for years and also had cervical cancer.

    I can't say whether the symptoms your sister are going through are typical of Cancer but, I know that I went through the same thing and it took ages to get diagnosed, I unfortunately had to have part of my cervix removed and then had further treatment.

    If your sister still has lower back pain and problems with her period after treatment she may well have Endometriosis and will need to have additional treatment.

    Don't beat yourself up, there really isn't anything you could have done, it takes ages to get diagnosed unless you go private in which case you get the results in I time at all.

    I wish your sister a speedy treatment and recovery. Your sister is lucky to have you there supporting her.

    Chin up! X

  • sharon1980
    sharon1980 amys13

    Posted

    Hi Amy ,

    Sorry to hear about your sister ... I am of know help answering your questions as I have not been diagnosed with cervical cancer.

    I have joined the group well preparing myself really.

    I read you post and it just sounds so familiar ...

    I had noticed from time to time sex was painful on an off going back over 6 months ,thought nothing of it .... last 3 months I have had bleeding a bit like having 2 periods a month ... lower back ache and stomach ache ... in the lower stomach its more like reeeeally painfull cramps , they comea and go so one minute im fine and dandy the next minute booom I get this shootig that pain that makes me squeel.

    Click here to view image

    • Hannah_10005000
      Hannah_10005000 sharon1980

      Posted

      Hi I am reading this and have had very similar symptoms recently - may I ask what your diagnosis was?

      Many thanks

  • ann64687
    ann64687 amys13

    Posted

    sorry about your sister, hard time for both of you, i had been bleeding for 32 days, they give me tablets, took me off HRT and took my coil out , both i just had about 8 months. all my tests came bk clear but now had the same test as your sister and im waiting on the results, ive had heavier periods on and off from last year, ive just turned 50 and going through the change of life, so i have the same questions to ask, and do you mind me asking, how long did your poor sister wait on her results.x
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