Hi Ana39

I was diagnosed with stage 3a cervical cancer back in April 19

I underwent 6 weeks of chemo delayed by 2 weeks after week 4 as I needed a blood transfusion as my red and white cells dropped drastically (I'd been severely anemic at the point of diagnosis) and 31 radiotherapy, 28 external and 3 brachytherapy (internal given over the 4th and start of 5th week) I then needed a further blood transfusion at the end of treatment after my last brachytherapy.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask x

Hi Juhls…thank you for getting in touch….I’m still pretty numb right now, but not so numb I’ve not totally overhauled my diet, and supplement regime. How did you find brachytherapy?. I only ask as some oncologists seem to think it a little outmoded, and prefer to use noninvasive radiation delivery systems such as IMRT and SBRT - were you offered any alternatives?. And if not, was brachytherapy generally considered a more targeted alternative?

At the time of my diagnosis this was the chosen treatment. The only issue I had with the brachy was the 1st one, I was the last out of 4 of us having bracy as it went in alphabetical order, I had to fast from the night before and didn't go down for my treatment until mid afternoon. I take migraines and if I don't eat I would get one, to add to that the spinal injection didn't work and I had to have a general anesthetic, these also make me sick so that night I was really ill with a horrible migraine and was vomiting all night.

Thankfully the next two treatments the doctors brought me down first so I wasn't left waiting for hours

I opted to stay in hospital overnight when I had my brachy as there could be complications afterwards but it was just a precaution as after that first one I was fine the other two times.

I've never heard of IMRT or SBRT

I just put my trust in my consultant and did whatever I had to do at the time

At the time of my diagnosis this was the chosen treatment. The only issue I had with the brachy was the 1st one, I was the last out of 4 of us having bracy as it went in alphabetical order, I had to fast from the night before and didn't go down for my treatment until mid afternoon. I take migraines and if I don't eat I would get one, to add to that the spinal injection didn't work and I had to have a general anesthetic, these also make me sick so that night I was really ill with a horrible migraine and was vomiting all night.

Thankfully the next two treatments the doctors brought me down first so I wasn't left waiting for hours

I opted to stay in hospital overnight when I had my brachy as there could be complications afterwards but it was just a precaution as after that first one I was fine the other two times.

I've never heard of IMRT or SBRT

I just put my trust in my consultant and did whatever I had to do at the time