Hi Laura. 

I keep seeing replies from you on many posts. It's very reassuring.

I am 26, I have two children 9 and 5. My periods have always been weird due to being on the implant. But I think in December it lasted a few days longer than normal. Fast forward to this month, I had my period as normal. It lasted around 10 days which is normal, then 4 days later I started bleeding again and bled for a week. Classed as spotting as it was never enough to wear a pad or anything. I phone my GP, explained everything and she didn't seem too worried. She booked me in for my first smear (haven't had one due to Covid) and also said she'd take some swabs 'to be on the safe side' (don't know what they're for?) 

Since speaking to her I've noticed I have lower back pain in a morning which eases off throughout the day. I have groin pain pretty much constantly, it's just a dull ache and I also noticed I had stomach cramps the day after having sex. Te cramps were pretty painful. They eased off in the evening. 

I don't have any smelly discharge, no bleeding during or after sex, no bloating, I'm not off my food and I don't think I've noticed any changes in bowel movement either.. 

Just looking for some reassurance really. My smear is booked for 10th March but I'm ringing to ask if they can bring it forward. I'm due on on the 10th march and all this worry is really affecting me. 

Hi, sorry I didn't see your post until now! I hope you are doing well and you've found out what is going on. At your young age I wouldn't think your issues would be cancer related but it is always good to follow up and keep tabs on things.  Please message me if you need to. 

Laura xx

Hi Dawn,

That wasn't long to wait, but having to chase up results isn't good. How long did you leave it before chasing them up?

I got my blood results back yesterday and all came back normal, my GP also arranged for me to see a physio about my back pain, saw physio and she doesn't think the pain is muscular, she looked at my lower back and the right and left side when she put pressure on it was painful and tender. Did you experience that kind of pain?

Jo xx 

Good morning jo, glad your bloods came back ok, i havnt had any back pain just odd twinges when I've sat still or lay funny, just pelvic pain and a few spots of blood x

Good morning I had my ct last Friday and still havnt been contacted with results, ive tried ringing but the nurses phone keeps going to answer machine, is it normal to wait this long they said a couple of days, will they give me a stage and tell me if it's spread I can't take much more of this worry it's making me ill ! X

Morning Dawn

Mine took around a week to come back. They need all the scan info before deciding on stage, so the mri and ct results need to go to the mdt. If they guess at stage, they might be wrong if they don’t have all the info. For example, initially my gynaecologist said I would have a radical hysterectomy but the scan results meant that wasn’t possible, A couple of days for any scan results would be unlikely in my experience and I’ve had many! The ct should identify any spread, yes, and the mri gives the size and location of tumour. Both of these factors have a big impact on what treatment will be done, so I’m afraid you will just have to hang in there for now. If worry is making you ill, have you tried any methods of reducing your anxiety while you wait? xx

Hi Minska I've been on escitalopram for about 4 years with anxiety and panic attacks, they do help but this is a whole new level of worry, thanks for the information not long to wait now I suppose the MDT meeting is on Tuesday xx

Hi Dawn

I was put on sertraline at my very first gp appointment at the start of this because I was suffering from anxiety and panic attacks before I even knew I had cancer and think it did help. I also did deep breathing to calm myself, and used the Headspace phone app for mindfulness and living in the moment. Very useful. 

Hopefully you will hear quickly after the MDT. I had a face to face appointment to discuss stage and treatment, and was able (pre covid) to have my partner with me, which was invaluable for picking up on things that were said. It can all be a lot to take in. But once stage and treatment plan are established, things will start to move along much quicker. xx

Hi Minska the nurse has just called me from the hospital no results as yet but said some doctors like to have all the scan results in front of them before giving out information, I asked if she thought I could be treated she said they were optimistic I could and that lots of women respond well to treatment which had calmed me down a little x

Hi Dawn

They really do need all the scan information to make a treatment decision, as without everything the picture is incomplete. And the treatment does vary considerably depending on stage, although treatment for each stage is pretty much standard. For example, they wouldn’t want to assume on the basis of limited information that surgery would be possible when it might not be, and would cause more issues than it would solve. Lots of women do respond very well, and it’s good that the nurse was optimistic.xx

My case went to the panel yesterday for discussion, I can't get it out of my head that they are going to tell me I'm not going to make it, has anyone else had hardly any symptoms apart from a few spots of blood and very bad looking cervix to being told there is nothing they can do x

Dawn, advanced cervical cancer gives a lot more symptoms than an infection in the cervix and a few spots of bood-honestly.  It is always a possibility with cancer that it cannot be cured completely, but you should really try to stop thinking you’re not going to make it, when you don’t even know what the treatment will be. I’m concerned that you are so negative already this will have a very bad impact on whatever they tell you from the MDT meeting, and trying to stay positive is a crucial factor in dealing with the challenges of both cancer and its treatment. 

I had a large-ish tumour, visible to the naked eye on examination, but I refused to let myself think I wouldn’t make it. And I’m still here! There is always treatment, from surgery to palliative care depending on stage. Always. xx

Dawn, advanced cervical cancer gives a lot more symptoms than an infection in the cervix and a few spots of bood-honestly.  It is always a possibility with cancer that it cannot be cured completely, but you should really try to stop thinking you’re not going to make it, when you don’t even know what the treatment will be. I’m concerned that you are so negative already this will have a very bad impact on whatever they tell you from the MDT meeting, and trying to stay positive is a crucial factor in dealing with the challenges of both cancer and its treatment. 

I had a large-ish tumour, visible to the naked eye on examination, but I refused to let myself think I wouldn’t make it. And I’m still here! There is always treatment, from surgery to palliative care depending on stage. Always. xx