Hello!

thank you for responding- we are in the same boat. I am annoyed with myself for not going to GP earlier - I now look at symptoms and so many things should have told me to go to GP and I simply went cause I could not shift a water infection. May I ask what prompted you to go to GP? I had to wait ten days for my scan - but I drove home from that scan and as I walked through front door my GP phoned me to say I was on cancer pathway via NHS - go back on 17th but I cannot fully remember what she told me. I will call tomorrow and see if she will repeat what she told me on Friday.

I am 54 - post menopausal, can remember the GP telling me lining of womb was in excess of 10mm. I did have to call hospital and progress my appt for scan and they had the wrong address for me - apparently hospital has different database to GP!! Letter went to where I lived four years ago! So glad I phoned to find out what was happening. Take care to you too and maybe it’s worth phoning hospital to check your referral is there?

hi laney

Appreciate your reply

I thought my `pains` were part of my ME / CFS, so did not really think they would be anything else, cos got sick of being told ` its the CFS / ME / FM`.  We also had a lot of upset with my dad recently being very ill very quickly and subsequently being diagnosed with leukemia - thankfully all is going well for him at the moment, with monthly check ups etc.  I had pelvic pain, which i put down to pelvic arthritis issues, hip arthirtis etc, but then started with agonising pain in my rectum at the same time as the frontal area.  When pains were bad i had frontal discharge which was pinky, and not pleasant.  I went to GP and had an ultrasound which showed a polylp and thickening of the endometria / womb lining .  Went for hysteroscopy, the polyp was too large to take out in an outpatients setting, so did biopsies.  A week later got a call on a friday aft to see consultant on monday.  Told womb cancer, biopsies `very abnormal` - treatment  needed within a 4 week period.  Went for MRI to see if spread to other pelvic areas , etc, thankfully has not.  Got my pre-op date and pencilled in surgery date - all just one day over the 4 wek period.   Hoping the hysterectomy can be done by key-hole, quicker recovery etc .  Thanks for your response, take care, x

Hi All

I had my last period in late summer 2017 and a Small spotting in 2018.  GP told me probably fine but if it happens again to go back.  It happened again this August so am now about to start tests.  I guess you don’t know until you have tests however does anyone have knowledge or advice on how long cancer takes to develop to the various stages?  Or is it  different for everyone?   

It’s reassuring to find this thread.   

Xxxxx

I'm not sure the GPs always have all of the information.  I think most of them follow a set of guidelines (if they are diligent) and refer you to the specialists who do all the tests and put the results together.  The doctors are trying to do what they can but are generalists.

The GPs only get a summary and not the full scans to interpret.  I went to GP for some reassurance and came out in tears as he reinforced that they were looking for cancer.  The hospital on the other hand say they trying to rule it out as the cause, and need all the test results before coming to any judgment as its often a different cause.

Yes i guess you're right GP's are not specialists, but i guess it's just the way they handle the situation. Like yourself, i left the surgery in tears.

I'm now just waiting for my hysteroscopy which is booked for this Friday and then await the biopsy results. Does anyone know how long it takes for biopsy results to come back? Is it 2 weeks?.  Agonising wait!!! 

Hi Abbiie

I hope you're ok. If you dont mind me asking how did the hysteroscopy go.  The reason i am asking is because i have also been told i have a 16mm thick uterine lining and GP told me to expect the worse!  I have been fast tracked for a hyteroscopy booked for this Friday and then i will need to wait for the biopsy results.  Can they say anything after visually just looking during the hysteroscopy ? i guess not, i am just at a loss and looking for answers. I agree the waiting is the most painful.

hi

Niki26 , Daphne1 & all who are reading :-

i am 47 , previous history of numerous health conditions such as CFS / ME / PCOS/  OVERWEIGHT, always had irregular periods, but did not have one ofr over 4 months :-

Had smelly discharge for over 6 months, just though was stress as one parent was seriously ill, had worsening pain in my anus which over a couple of weeks got unmanageable, tried IBS meds with no reduxction of symptoms.  You know your`e own body better than anyone!

i had a ultrasound which showed a polyp and some thickening of the lining of the uterus,

was referred within the two-week time scale, had a hysteroscopy where they could not remove the polyp becos it was too big, uterus lining was thickened and they took a biopsy - just uncomfortable / crampy pain for a couple of minutes whilst sample was taken.

I received a call from the GYNA team on a firday  to go for my results  on the monday ,which was less than two weeks & was fitted in, so i knew it did not sound good, told i had ENDOMETRIAL / WOMB CANCER,

Had key-hole hysterectomy 4 weeks later, was in hosp just overnight, managed on paracetamol as pain relief for one week, was just uncomfortable, not agonising at all.  Whole team were great with me.  I have only 4 very small scars to show for after the surgery

4months down the line i have a few menopausal issues, no pain have had a recent discharge infection which was treaed with antibiotics.  I had great support from the GYNAE TEAM, from the consultant, nursing team, Macmillan specialist nurse.

My womb cancer / endo cancer was caught very early and was lowest grade, surgery was the ONLY treatment i needed.

Your symptoms may be minor, or even non-GYNAE, but youv`e done the right thing by going to your GP, i kept saying to mine that the symptoms were different to what i usually had, it`s not IBS, i was in pain, etc, you know what`s right for your body and what feels different.

hope this helps

take care

Hi Snoopy47 and hello to all in this thread

I am on this pathway too having been recently diagnosed at the end of August. I too had thickened womb lining of 16mm and which led to a diagnosis of stage 1a endometrial cancer. It was a huge shock at the time and at the age of 54 had put my symptoms down to menopause. 

I have had my preop and am now booked in for sugery just inside the target date of 31 days since diagnosis.

snoopy47 - I have a similar history to you and good to hear your experience to date and gives me some comfort for my op which is planned to be open surgery with a total hysterectomy so expect my recovery time to be a bit longer :(

I know this is a forum that we all would rather not be contributing to but it is good to find somewhere that others have had relatable experiences to mine.

As earlier posted I reiterate listen to your own body and don’t dismiss anything unusual for you. I had seen my GP 8 months before diagnosis with my symptoms and was met with a dismissive response and only because I had to go to OOH with pelvic pain that I was encouraged to go back to my GP and insist on further investigation.

Best wishes to you all

Hi everyone

Thank you Snoopy and Tinkabelle.

I have been going to the GP since last year and each time my symtoms were dismissed as menopausal.. I agree please listen to you bodies. 

Well today was the day of my hysteroscopy. I am still in pain and bleeding. Biopsy was taken and she also found a polyp.  Unfortunately she couldnt remove the polyp today as she did not have the equipment.  Si being fast tracked for removal of the polyp within 2 weeks.  Consultant said i would need a GA or spinal anesthetic for the procedure.

The waiting continues, endometrial biopsy done today and then will need to wait for the polyp biopsy.  This is the most angonising bit of the journey.

I am so grateful for these forums. I am seen as the solid supportive person who is always there for everyone else. I am always picking up and supporting others, i cannot break down and talk to them. They all have so much on their plate. :-(

I wish everyone best of luck  on this difficult  journey xx

Hi Niki26

I agree the waiting is the worst part along with the feeling that you’ve somehow missed the point or not being told everything? (In my experience anyway, but then that’s me!) I too am the stalwart of the family and my stance was that whatever the outcome I had to be positive for them. I took some time for me - I work fulltime in quite a high pressured job and am the main breadwinner (just for added pressure :confused: ) so have started to exercise more and eat more healthily so I could get through this. Though at the time I didn’t have anyone else to talk to I felt that to get through this I had to be strong mentally and physically. So be kind to yourself, have a plan and you will get through this and don’t forget that you have a strong team that are working for you in the NHS and that they deal with this every day. 

All the best for good results :) 

After the nurse found a polyp 2 months ago I ended up on the 2 week pathway, where they also found cysts etc.  I never had the GA hysteroscopy and polypectomy I was due to have in the end, the recommendation changed to a full hysterectomy which may well  be by open.  Then I get the biopsy results and take it from there.  I am terrified of having a major op but the last 2 months has been so slow and stressful, and I still don't know if I actually have a malignancy or not, I am hoping it will reduce risk of going through this again as I'm 50 and if they do the ovary removal which was originally the plan, and then find endometrial biopsy not clear I will have to go through it all again!

Hi Snoopy47

I have some of the symptoms you described in your post particularly PCOS, being overweight together with the rectum pain, so am interested if your hysterectomy improved any of these. 

I appreciate it if this is too public arena but would be genuinely interested and if you would rather reply privately that would be good.

 Thanks x

Hi Snoopy47

I have some of the symptoms you described in your post particularly PCOS, being overweight together with the rectum pain, so am interested if your hysterectomy improved any of these. 

I appreciate it if this is too public arena but would be genuinely interested and if you would rather reply privately that would be good.

 Thanks x