Got a bit of a shock today, my consultant phoned me to tell me that the biopsy I had last Friday was positive for Cancerous cells, I suppose I half expected it but still a bit of a jolt! Hopefully it is all contained within the uterus He thinks as does my GP that it is, I have to have a total hysterectomy, just waiting for a date, just wondering has anyone else had a similar diagnosis? I am fairly upbeat about it basically as I now know which direction we will be going in, everything has been a bit up in the air for the past few weeks.
How was this diagnosed?? X
Hi Greavsie, I had a Transvaginal ultrasound about 3-4 weeks ago which showed the wall of my uterus was thickened (I'd had a really bad bleed which lead to this, I already had previouslydiagnosed polyps which had been 'quiet' for years), got appointment to see consultant last week and he did a biopsy, got the results today as I say, I half expected it.
Dear Phoebewhite,
I hope that everything goes well for you whatever you choose to do, but you be rest assured that you are in my prayers as I can just about imagine what you are going through. please stay in touch on the forum.
Remain strong and positive you will definetely come out on the other side. I forgot to mention I have not experienced this, but I have had several diagnosis on fibroids.
Oh OK, thanks for your reply, I just wondered as I'm having some problems down there myself, I hope everything goes well with the op, and u make a speedy recovery.☺
Thanks for your kind words, I most definitely will stay in touch as it is good to keep talking about these things so that you don't bottle things up.
Hi again, hope you get sorted out soon, what us ladies have to put up with, I don't know, I also suffer with panic attacks so even going for these appointments hasn't been easy, think I've squirted so much Bach Flower Rescue Remedy on my tongue it's a wonder I haven't failed a breath test lol, I like to think it helps though. :0)
Hi again, I bet it came as a shock but like you say, you are now on the path to getting treatment and withl a full hysterctomy its the best way to go. Wishing you all the best and thinking of you
Hi again back at you, I had half expected it so not too much of a shock, it's a weird feeling though, perhaps it hasn't completely sunk in, I'm quite upbeat about it, my hubby not so much so I am trying to jolly him along.
How about you? Have you seen consultant yet? I know you were waiting for an appointment.
I was in your exact situation earlier this year and was diagnosed with stage 1b endometrial cancer, (confined to the womb only), but I was absolutely devastated and very upset about it, because I've never had any problems down there at all, and felt completely well. I was 52. I had a total hysterectomy in May, by keyhole surgery and felt really well, if a little fragile. If the surgeon had told me they hadn't removed anything I would have believed him, because I didn't feel any different, and this pleased me greatly, because I was dreading it so much. I really thought it would age me and would mean a lifetime of gynae check ups for ever more, which I loathe, having had a bad experience many years ago. However, I had just one check up 3 months after op and surgeon said if I was unhappy about coming back I could forego them and give them a ring if I notice anymore bleeding or spotting. So now I'm a free person again, and hoping I stay clear.
The very best wishes for your operation. You sound very much braver and calmer than I was. Have a speedy recovery and let us know how you get on.
Hi Informed, many thanks for telling me your experience, I don't know if I am brave or just not admitting whats going on to myself yet, my consultant was a little surprised by my reaction as well, perhaps when I actually get into hospital the reality will hit me. Like you I don't feel ill at all then I started bleeding about 7 weeks ago and that was that, though I was diagnosed 15 years ago with polyps they never caused any previous problems. Can I ask you, did you have to have an MRI scan at any point?
Glad you have/are recovering well.
Hi, you sound a lot like me, you know its got to get done and you are going with the flow and like you say i half expected the advice i was going to get from the consultant. I had my consultant app a few weeks back and the fibroids have grown quite a bit and also a few more have appeared so the only option is to have an abdonimal myomectomy to get them all out, which means 6 weeks rest and 3 nights in hospital and like you i am feeling good about it as just want them out as they are causing a lot of discomfort. But hubby is being all weird about it, everytime i mention something like i need to buy stuff for my stay in hospital, he gets all strange like i should not be talking about it.
Men are funny creatures, my hubby keeps asking me about the actual hysterectomy and how it will be done and if vaginally how do they get all the instraments in LOL! silly man, he has always been a bit 'green' about ladies stuff a bit sqeamish if you like so now I am having to give him a belated (he is 65) biology lesson
Yes I did have an MRI scan, eventually. You have been very quick off the marks having your symptoms for only 7 weeks. I had spots of blood and discharge for about 7 months before I could pluck up the courage to go for investigations. I'd had a very bad experience with a speculum in the past and this was a major factor in me not getting assessed earlier. When I did go to the hospital, I found the experience brought back so many bad memories, I got up and walked out in the middle of the appointment. It was another 3 months before I could get back into the system again, so I had a very difficult time in coming to terms with it all. It was all made so much worse by the lack of information and explanation, and a refusal to discuss anything from all involved. You are pushed through the system, told you'll be getting a hysterectomy, like you've won a prize draw and assumed to be happy with this arrangement. It was a terrifying time for me, and I kept asking to have things explained to me. That's when I started going online and getting information from forums, when really my medical team should have been doing this. I found out that all cancers have to be staged 1-4 and the MRI scan does this job, although I think they already have a good idea about the stage, anyway. I was in the machine for an hour, and about half way through, injected with Gandolinium contrasting agent which shows up any cancerous areas as a grey fuzzy mark, but the radiologist won't discuss any of this with you at the time. Because my hospital had a backlog of MRI scanning to clear I was passed to a swanky private hospital to get this done, but on the evening before my scan, I got a phone call at 7.30pm to say their machine had broken down, and my scan had been put back another 10 days. It was so upsetting, because I knew there would be no time to see the scan before my hysterectomy date. However, in spite of my terrible time, the hysterectomy went very well. I was home the next day and very relieved it was all over. Just a little sad that my womb, which had carried two babies and never given me the slightest trouble in all my life, had to be excised in that way.
Phoebe and Fibroidy, I have two teenagers at home and I found it very difficult to explain about my womb cancer to them. Even though I was terrified inside, I had to put on a brave face at home at all times, and make out the operations were very minor. I would have to drive off in my car to a quiet place and have a good cry.
Were you conscious throughout this? I was given a GA, and was very alarmed by this as I thought they'd go the whole hog and do a hysterectomy there and then.
Hi again, I first had symptoms 15 years ago and was diagnosed with polyps though no further action was taken at that time, all went quiet and I had no symptoms again until 7 weeks ago, I didn't 'spot' I flooded and was also losing clots the size of ping pong balls (no kidding), this went on for almost 3 weeks, my haemaglobin level went down to 6.4 (normal is about 12-14), I will add now that I am agoraphobic so going to the surgery is a big deal for me so the length of time going to see my Dr was my fault and believe me going to a hospital is an even bigger deal so my hubby bless him is paying for me to go private, I have refused an MRI as they would have to anaesthetise first, my consultant did tell me it wasn't vital so that is good. I am now waiting to see yet another consultant and then hopefully get a date for my op, I am actually quite disappointed in Private healthcare they don't seem to keep you informed of what is going on though manage to keep sending bills! I am alwasy asking questions about certain things I think they are getting fed up with me, I was an auxilliary nurse when I was younger so am not afraid to query things and a lot of these professional aren't prepared for it.
Sorry you seem to have had a rough time of it but so glad you are on the road to recovery.
I am lucky in as much as my 2 boys are grown up (37 & 39), I appreciate that it couldn't have been easy for you trying to explain things.
Do you mean the ultrasound? if so then no I wasn't given a GA either for that or the biopsy later on.