Cervical Cancer

Hello -

I was diagnosed with stage 2A cervical cancer 3 years ago.  I had 26 rounds of external and 6 rounds of internal radiation along with chemo.  Due to a bleeding event prior to my diagnosis I was not able to have surgery. I know how scary a diagnosis can be, the treatments,waiting for results,  the recovery.  If anyone would like to ask me questions about my experiences, please do so. Obviously everyone's cancer is different and only doctor can give medical advice,  but sometimes it helps to talk to someone who's been through it.

Prayers to all that are facing this disease.

Laura P.

  • Hi beau, I'm sorry to hear you've had such an ordeal. It's awful when doctors don't listen to us or take us seriously. We know our own bodies and when something is not right. Have you been to colposcopy for cervical biopsies? I would recommend really pushing for that, even if you have been already as they do miss things sometimes. It's really reassuring to hear your ultrasound was clear though. There was an area 34mm at its widest point on mine, which is why I finally got a 2 week urgent referral.

    It does sound like you could possibly have endometriosis. Unfortunately it's not the easiest of things to get diagnosed. The only was to get a definitive answer is laparoscopy. I was referred for suspected endo last year, but was told the waiting times in my area are 49 weeks. I'm just so relieved to have gotten my new gp or I likely would never have gotten an ultrasound and still be none the wiser as to whats wrong.

    Keep pushing your doctors. Don't let it go. I work with someone who paid for private scans (she has previously been diagnosed with fibroids so doctors are not interested) and they mixed up her results so she is currently waiting to have them done again. So don't be too quick to spend money, especially if you can't really cant afford too.

    I really do hope you get some answers soon. There's nothing worse than being stuck in limbo with doctors totally unwilling to help. Please do keep us posted on your progress. X

  • Afternoon Laura, 

     

                              i may have to seek some advice from you regarding my wife, we are awaiting test results coming back, but shes lost 2 + 1/2 stone in weight in last 9 months and has pain during sex,back pain, hip pain and is smearing, shes been thru the menopause (lasted ages lots of night sweats etc), very worried its cervical cancer, shes 52 yo and we have a 25 yo son who is 24 hrs care and relies on his mum 24/7, so so scared

  • I will keep pushing as I just need an answer, fed up of bleeding all the time and bloating, thankfully the pain is eased by the pill but fed of just being left. 
    So pleased you think it sounds like endometriosis, not that it's a great thing to live with but the thought of cancer scares me like it would anyone. I keep telling myself it can't be cancer of it was surely the doctors would be pushing for more and more tests, but they have all said they don't think it is. But if they don't then tell me what it is, as I have always been regular on my periods then out of the blue this happened xx 

  • Hi AMF,

    Glad you are post treatment and on the mend. Keep us posted on how you are doing.

    Laura xx

  • Hello,

    I am sorry you and your wife are going through this right now. Let us know what you find out and we will be happy to offer any insights we can (non-medical, of course).

    Laura xx

  • Hi just needing to vent, I had a smear test 4 weeks ago came up with HPV positive and abnormal cells I had an urgent referral for a coloscopy and had LETZ treatment. The gynaecologist said it's not cancer at the time, but as usual they do biopsy.  Just had an urgent telephone call today to go back to the gynaecologist on Thursday. I was so worried I asked if she could tell me and explain why after having Letz I thought they got it all out. She was reluctant to tell me on the phone bits it's Cancer built do not know what stage it is. She said my Cervix looked normal but the cancer cells are on the inside of the cervix. I so worried I'm seeing her on Thursday, have been booked in for scans, my mind is racing if it has spread. I have a 10 and 13 year old sons. I would just love to connect with people that have gone through this or going through this. I have so much support but not someone who has actually physically been through this xxxx. ♥️

  • Hi Kim,

    Sorry for the delay in responding. I hope you are doing ok and have found more out about your situation. I had stage 2A cervical cancer and had chemo/radiation. What have you found out? Feel free to message me directly if you'd like or respond here. 

    Laura xx

  • Hi Laura thankyou for responding I had my Gynaecologist appointment on Thursday she said from the biopsy it looks like stage 1b1 but I need MRI and pet scan to make sure it's nowhere else. If not it's a radical hysterectomy so scared just incase it's somewhere else every little pain I get I feel like it's all over me. I had no symptoms no bleeding, no pain whilst have intercourse or blood. The gynaecologist was shocked as she said my Cervix looked normal. It's just a really worrying time at the moment. It's very small 10mm by 6 mm xx

  • Hi I just come across your post and thought firstly I'd say I hope you're ok and thank you for sharing your experiences and secondly to ask you opinion on my own symptoms please?

    I haven't had a smear for 7 years due to carious reasons my periods and bleeding have been very strange since 2020 but I put it down to having my youngest son in 2019, I have 5 children.

    I bleed at random whenever my body feels like it sometimes once a month sometimes twice but I went for a snear because sex is painful during and after and I bleed every time after sex, I also get pain in lower back and lower pelvis the pain in my back almost is a mirror image of the pain in pelvis if that makes sense the nurse did swabs as well and they've come back clear another nurse today looked at my cervix abs has done an urgent two referral due to my cervix being inflamed and having spots, she said they could be cysts but an urgent referral is needed she said it's not black so she wasn't taken aback but it needs further investigation what do you make of this and does it replicate anything you went through please x

  • Hi Shiv087

    I’m not a medical professional, so I don’t feel it would be appropriate to give an opinion on your symptoms-I’m just a cancer patient. Our circumstances are also very different in that I was post menopausal when I received my cancer diagnosis, so in a very different scenario to you. In that respect, I didn’t have similar symptoms, but in any case it can be less than helpful to compare symptoms with others, as we are all so different, and not every cervical issue or bleeding indicates cancer.

    The nurse has made the 2 week referral, so you will be seen by a gynaecologist who will be able to examine you and decide if further investigations are necessary. I know it’s hard to wait for this, and it’s tempting to consult google and look for similar experiences, but it’s not actually helpful in my opinion to try and diagnose yourself with something on this basis. 

    I hope you get your appointment through quickly and can be reassured. x