My mom has cervical cancer

Hello,

I'm writing to you seeking help and information. My mom who is 67, was just told she has cervical cancer, stage IIIB. She will be starting radiation next week for the next 5 weeks and Monday thru Friday and Sunday she will have chemo. I was told by the chemo nurse, this chemo will not make her hair fall out because is mild and is used in conjuction with the radiation so it may work better. Her oncologyst told us she has a 20 - 40%. I work and have made plans to possibly stay with her the Monday after her chemo and my brother who lives with us who is disabled (emotional problems) will probably help her in the house and will also drive her for her radiation therapies. My mom is in good health except for occassional anxiety attacks wich she is taken medication. I have also heard, a lot of people with her size of tumor and radiation have had rectal failure and needed a colostomy bag? I don't know, I guess my mind is a sea of confusion and I'm trying to keep everything together. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this and answer.

Comments

  • beckyracn
    beckyracn Member Posts: 322
    Sorry to hear about your mom
    Sorry to hear about your mom nartime...but welcome to the right place for sharing, seeking answers, support, etc. Your mom and all those around her are about to step on a roller coaster ride that doesn't stop to let you off when you feel you've had enough.
    I was diagnosed with stage IVA last April, have survived all the treatments, and have been in remission since Dec. '08. The first thing to remember is taking it all in one day at a time or it can become overwhelming very fast. Write down your questions as they pop into your head so that you can speak with her doctor on the next visit.
    The radiation can cause a multiple of problems...deal with each one as it arises. Diarrhea/GI distress being a tell tale sign the radiation is working. My docs had/have talked about me getting a colostomy throughout my journey, but by paying attention to what my body was doing to me and adjusting my diet...I have been able to avoid one. In the event your mom does need one, just remember...it could be worse...she's still alive!
    Cisplatin is often the chosen chemo for cervical ca, not sure if this is the one your moms doc with use, but I didn't loose my hair (did loose pelvic hair from radiation). I have read posts where people have lost their hair from this chemo...each persons journey is different. I did experience alot of nausea, occassional vomiting, but eventually the docs found a combination of meds that helped this greatly.
    It's good to hear your mom is in good shape prior to starting treatment and that she has support. I drove myself to all my radiation appts. (except internal radiation), but did accept a ride for chemo. That one kinda wiped me out. Fatigue is the one side effects that seems to hit everyone. Your body is fighting a courageous battle and it gets tired easily!
    I know the % the doc quoted is a very scary thing...I live with it on a daily basis and so do many others here. But many have beat those odds...I plan to be one of those! My husband and I have always talked about buying a mobile home when we retire (which is many years down the road) and just travel...I have not given up on that dream! One day at a time!
    Keep posting...it's very therapeutic!!
  • nartime
    nartime Member Posts: 2
    beckyracn said:

    Sorry to hear about your mom
    Sorry to hear about your mom nartime...but welcome to the right place for sharing, seeking answers, support, etc. Your mom and all those around her are about to step on a roller coaster ride that doesn't stop to let you off when you feel you've had enough.
    I was diagnosed with stage IVA last April, have survived all the treatments, and have been in remission since Dec. '08. The first thing to remember is taking it all in one day at a time or it can become overwhelming very fast. Write down your questions as they pop into your head so that you can speak with her doctor on the next visit.
    The radiation can cause a multiple of problems...deal with each one as it arises. Diarrhea/GI distress being a tell tale sign the radiation is working. My docs had/have talked about me getting a colostomy throughout my journey, but by paying attention to what my body was doing to me and adjusting my diet...I have been able to avoid one. In the event your mom does need one, just remember...it could be worse...she's still alive!
    Cisplatin is often the chosen chemo for cervical ca, not sure if this is the one your moms doc with use, but I didn't loose my hair (did loose pelvic hair from radiation). I have read posts where people have lost their hair from this chemo...each persons journey is different. I did experience alot of nausea, occassional vomiting, but eventually the docs found a combination of meds that helped this greatly.
    It's good to hear your mom is in good shape prior to starting treatment and that she has support. I drove myself to all my radiation appts. (except internal radiation), but did accept a ride for chemo. That one kinda wiped me out. Fatigue is the one side effects that seems to hit everyone. Your body is fighting a courageous battle and it gets tired easily!
    I know the % the doc quoted is a very scary thing...I live with it on a daily basis and so do many others here. But many have beat those odds...I plan to be one of those! My husband and I have always talked about buying a mobile home when we retire (which is many years down the road) and just travel...I have not given up on that dream! One day at a time!
    Keep posting...it's very therapeutic!!

    Again thanks for replying
    When you wrote you were able to avoid a colostomy by adjusting your diet, would you please share how? This seems to be a big possibility in my mom's case as the doctor explained from the radiation and the size of the tumor.
    Again, thank you.
  • beckyracn
    beckyracn Member Posts: 322
    nartime said:

    Again thanks for replying
    When you wrote you were able to avoid a colostomy by adjusting your diet, would you please share how? This seems to be a big possibility in my mom's case as the doctor explained from the radiation and the size of the tumor.
    Again, thank you.

    If the doc is telling you
    If the doc is telling you this already, then it's a distinct possibility. Colostomys can be reversed...maybe that is a possibility also.
    The natural peristalsis of my GI completely stopped due to the radiation...I won't go into detail, but lots and lots of fluids with a cocktail of pills is what got me through.
    HUGS
  • chdewan
    chdewan Member Posts: 3
    Hi.
    I was dx'd with cervical

    Hi.
    I was dx'd with cervical ca 9/05. Had hysterectomy, chemo and radiation. For me the radiation was the worst. At that time, nobody ever mentioned colostomy. I had a recurrence June 06 and was told my only option was a radical surgery, pelvic exeneration. My bladder, vagina and part of my bowel removed. Before the surgery I was told I would have a urostomy and a temporary colostomy, to be reversed in a few months. The 'few months' turned in to a year when it was finally reversed. However I was back in the hospital, the reversal did not take because my insides were so damaged from the radiation, the connections wouldn't hold and would never heal. Anyway, I have a permanent colostomy. Sometimes I HATE it, sometimes I am okay with it....but I am alive. I am 41 and want to see my child grow up, so I accept it.
    I guess what I am saying is that its not that bad.
    Good Luck to your mom....I hope she does well.
  • This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • rock4mom
    rock4mom Member Posts: 3
    How is your Mom doing?
    I am curious to find out how your Mom is doing now. My own mother was just diagnosed with cervical cancer on 10/17/09. She is receiving radiation Monday-Friday and chemo every Monday. They have not given her an actual stage yet but I know that her tumor is very large and that there may be some slight lymph node involvement. How large was your mother's cervical tumor and did it spread to other areas?
  • mahboob804
    mahboob804 Member Posts: 5
    beckyracn said:

    If the doc is telling you
    If the doc is telling you this already, then it's a distinct possibility. Colostomys can be reversed...maybe that is a possibility also.
    The natural peristalsis of my GI completely stopped due to the radiation...I won't go into detail, but lots and lots of fluids with a cocktail of pills is what got me through.
    HUGS

    My mom Peristalsis was stopped for 2 months post radiation

    I am writing this on behalf of my mother dated august 28,2015 at 10:41pm .She had undergone bypass in 2011 march and hysteroctomy (cancer)the same year in may.Her surgery was very complicated and finalized after physician panel discussion.She was doing very well after her two surgeries.In 2013 december she had sudden bleeding from her vagina,we exane her and the cancer was again spread to her vagina.We gave her radiations on doctor advise (both internal and external radiation course for 2 months) after which her condition deteriorated ,her bones crippled ,spinal cord became weak.She was barely walking.She fell don twice in the bathroom.One day she fell in bathroom so badly that she broke her femur .She is totally bed ridden in 2015 april.One day she had raw cherries and that night she has stomach bloating and extreme pain.It continued for 2 months ,she was under excrutisting pain ,her peristalisis stopped she was vomiting and had severe bloating and unable to pass gas.She was on lots of medicines ,she was hospitalized twice doctors said she developed adhesions in her intestines thats why there is a blockage causing that pain ,vomiting and impacted faeces.Unable to ber pain one night she took 9 restyl tablets to commit suicide to get relieved rom that hell pain.Luckily she survived.Any ways after 2 months of pain and bloating her peritalisis started on its own.Now she is ok.But risk is still high.Her legs and feet are swollen most of the time.

  • annett
    annett Member Posts: 45

    My mom Peristalsis was stopped for 2 months post radiation

    I am writing this on behalf of my mother dated august 28,2015 at 10:41pm .She had undergone bypass in 2011 march and hysteroctomy (cancer)the same year in may.Her surgery was very complicated and finalized after physician panel discussion.She was doing very well after her two surgeries.In 2013 december she had sudden bleeding from her vagina,we exane her and the cancer was again spread to her vagina.We gave her radiations on doctor advise (both internal and external radiation course for 2 months) after which her condition deteriorated ,her bones crippled ,spinal cord became weak.She was barely walking.She fell don twice in the bathroom.One day she fell in bathroom so badly that she broke her femur .She is totally bed ridden in 2015 april.One day she had raw cherries and that night she has stomach bloating and extreme pain.It continued for 2 months ,she was under excrutisting pain ,her peristalisis stopped she was vomiting and had severe bloating and unable to pass gas.She was on lots of medicines ,she was hospitalized twice doctors said she developed adhesions in her intestines thats why there is a blockage causing that pain ,vomiting and impacted faeces.Unable to ber pain one night she took 9 restyl tablets to commit suicide to get relieved rom that hell pain.Luckily she survived.Any ways after 2 months of pain and bloating her peritalisis started on its own.Now she is ok.But risk is still high.Her legs and feet are swollen most of the time.

    I am glad your Mom is doing better.

    Hello, I am so sorry your Mom has to have this disease. I also suffer from below the belt female cancers. I will send lots of hugs and prayers her way! Lovingly Annett

     

  • alyvia0575
    alyvia0575 Member Posts: 4
    I am a survivor of cervical

    I am a survivor of cervical cancer that had spread to 12 lymphnodes in my stomach. I recieved 25 rounds of radiation and 4 rounds of chemo. Please just focus on your mother at this time and dont go by what anyone else except your doctor has to say about what can possibly happen. Each individual has their own journey. The important thing is to do what she needs to keep her comfortable and strong during her treatment and deal with what comes one day at a time. You cant second guess cancer or try to figure out what it might do to your Mom. I am a woman of Faith and I asked God to give me the strength to endure each day and I can only believe that with HIM I was able to keep my sanity and push through each day. Please reach out to me if you need to talk or have questions.

  • mahboob804
    mahboob804 Member Posts: 5

    My mom Peristalsis was stopped for 2 months post radiation

    I am writing this on behalf of my mother dated august 28,2015 at 10:41pm .She had undergone bypass in 2011 march and hysteroctomy (cancer)the same year in may.Her surgery was very complicated and finalized after physician panel discussion.She was doing very well after her two surgeries.In 2013 december she had sudden bleeding from her vagina,we exane her and the cancer was again spread to her vagina.We gave her radiations on doctor advise (both internal and external radiation course for 2 months) after which her condition deteriorated ,her bones crippled ,spinal cord became weak.She was barely walking.She fell don twice in the bathroom.One day she fell in bathroom so badly that she broke her femur .She is totally bed ridden in 2015 april.One day she had raw cherries and that night she has stomach bloating and extreme pain.It continued for 2 months ,she was under excrutisting pain ,her peristalisis stopped she was vomiting and had severe bloating and unable to pass gas.She was on lots of medicines ,she was hospitalized twice doctors said she developed adhesions in her intestines thats why there is a blockage causing that pain ,vomiting and impacted faeces.Unable to ber pain one night she took 9 restyl tablets to commit suicide to get relieved rom that hell pain.Luckily she survived.Any ways after 2 months of pain and bloating her peritalisis started on its own.Now she is ok.But risk is still high.Her legs and feet are swollen most of the time.

    Medical brutality and Negligence make our life atrocious .

    Medical brutality and Negligence make our life atrocious & is worse than dying by Mahboob ali khan MHA,CPHQ,HQM Phd Harvard.

    Indian perspective for cancer treatment at government facility

    Rajiv Gandhi Linear Accelerator Block M N J Institute of Oncology And Regional Cancer Center at Hyderabad is the pink unit of Dr.Ramakrishna (HOD) and Dr. Salma his assistant Oncologist , Who treated my mother Ms..Kausar Khan age 75 yrs residence of humayun nagar Hyderabad 500028,for recurrence endometrial carcinoma both external and internal beam radiation in the year January 2014 till may 2014.My mother has passed away on September 22 at 6:20 pm ,in extreme pain and morbid condition. As a renowned healthcare quality consultant i have witnessed that the radiation therapy given at MNJ Linear Accelerator Block does not regulate the radiation doses and is a brutal killing machine. Firstly radiation doses were not monitored pre and post treatment was given,The staff is usually on locum who just train and goes off, imagine such young staff at deadly radiation area giving us radiation (god save us) the radiation level was so strong that my mother eating spoon could glow sometimes during night due to large doses of unregulated radioactivity. Secondly the internal beam radiation dose is completely out of proportion and is given in a brutal manner. In my mother case her vaginal wall was tore by Dr.Salma and respective staff of pink unit of early 2014.She used to bleed too often even after completing the treatment from rectum and vagina.We were never given proper reply upon calling those doctors.Dr.Ramakrishna (was head) of pink unit 2014 January and her assistant Dr.Salma never spoke to us properly and sometimes even abused us in public. My mother died in a horrible and painful state. Her intestines, rectum and vagina was infected, ruptured and bleed most of the times due to the medical negligence of these oncologists. First her bowel moment was obstructed for 3 months and started suddenly so fast that she was having very severe diaharrea all the times. Finally she developed recto vaginal fistula and later septicemia (uremia) due to the medical negligence after Dr.salma’s violent physical examination of my mother rectum. My mother had informed me before dying that Dr.Salma and Dr.Ramakrishna of pink unit MNJ are evil in disguise of doctors, She even told me that Dr.Salma had violently did physical exam (vaginal and rectal) of my mother with a rusted instrument and was very abusive. She died due to classical case of medical negligence by the pink unit doctors of MNJ Hospital Hyderabad. People have cancer but they never suffered like my mother did. There are no patient safety measures in place .so that justice can be done and safeguard the poor aarogyasree patients from going to hell . Any way I lost my mother but shall convey my mother sad and brutal ending story to the social media So before going to MNJ take care and God bless us all.

    Author-I am Mahboob ali khan s/o late shrimati  Kausar Khan .I can be reached at mahboob804@yahoo.co.in