Uterine Cancer

Ottobar

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1697709#Comment_1697709

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1697707#Comment_1697707

Quiltergal

Did a lot of work around the house this weekend. I am so tired. It’s 7 weeks past hysterectomy. May have over done the activity I have lower back pain😕

cmb

With warmer weather here, it's tempting to get back to doing what you did before surgery. But it was major surgery and your body still needs time to heal. You'll eventually be able to do what you did before, but it does take time.

Harmanygroves

Ottobar, I'm so glad you are here and the angels of the CSN board are lifting you up! It's so frightening and stressful. Would it make you feel better to get a pedicure? do it. Talk to a counselor? do it. Come in here a lot and write? do it.

Do whatever it takes to slow down and smell the roses. Drink some herbal tea, and just be like a little green frog jumping one lilypad at a time. Just one appointment at a time. Just one.

Best,

Deb

Quiltergal

So many on this board have been through so much and yet, you are here. Life is a gift from God. Hang in there get well and live every day in gratitude!

Question. Does the tube dr. Inserts in vagina stay in till treatment is over for brackytherapy

kansasgal

Quiltergal -

The "tube" is placed inside you for each treatment. It takes a while for the catheter to be inserted and then for the technician(s) to get the "tube" positioned correctly. When I underwent brachytherapy for UPSC in 2009 (!), I was then wheeled into a small room and left alone there for the radiation. It took just a few minutes except for the first time when they were having trouble with their monitor. The other times I was only in the radiation room for about 10 minutes. Finally I was wheeled back out and all the equipment was removed. Some women are draped from the waist down but keep their shirt and socks on. Others are fully gowned. Try searching brachytherapy. There is also a long thread about radiation which includes several discussions of brachytherapy.

Hugs!!

Kansasgal

NannaK

Hello... I am new to this and not even sure I'm posting my comment in the right place. In any event, here goes... I had a uterine biopsy on July 6 and found out on July 11 that I have Grade 1 uterine cancer. I'm scheduled for a laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy on August 5. I am very overwhelmed by all of this though thankful it was found at an early stage. I'm postmenopausal and had been told to be mindful that this type of cancer can be relatively common in women 50-65. I'm having a hard time processing this. My daughter is being incredibly supportive and thankfully we don't live too far apart. My husband means well though he does struggle to know how best to respond to my moments of fear and frustration. I'm just very scared. Has anyone had this type of surgery? I'm curious about recovery time, etc. Again, I'm sorry if I'm posting in the wrong place.

cmb

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1698288#Comment_1698288

A cancer diagnosis is always shocking, so your mixed emotions are to be expected. We’ve all been there.

Laparoscopic surgery for uterine cancer is very typical as it takes a shorter time to recover from after the procedure than the “open” surgery that is used less often now. This link talks about surgery-related matters.

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/320841/tips-for-surgery-and-after

Come back to ask any questions you have as you get more information about your next steps. We're here to support you during this time.

RDGV

I’m new to this board. I am post menopausal and had abnormal bleeding. It took a while to get in, but i saw my gyn, who scheduled me for a sonogram. They saw a small mass in the uterus (2.5cm) and I had a D&C. Just found out Monday that it is MMMT carcinosarcoma. I am scheduled to see the gyn-onc 8/9. Scheduled to have an MRI to help w/ staging and plans for robotic surgery sometime in late August. I didn’t find any current MMMT threads going… but if there’s anyone out there who is coping with this, (we are rare, apparently) I would love to get in touch. I’m dealing with a lot… My husband has Stage 4B prostate cancer and is undergoing chemo, with some good results. I am scared but determined. I want to live! I have good support, but am emotionally starting to struggle as the reality sets in.

Forherself

Welcome RDGV. So sorry to read you have been diagnosed. But everyone here has and we want to help. It is a very upsetting time right now. The unknown is almost worse than the known to me. There is a group of women on here who have MMMT. I think they have a page on FB if you have an account. Our board has been quiet recently, but I expect someone from the group will speak up shortly. You have posted to the bottom of a long discussion and sometimes its hard for people to find your post. If you click on the blue plus sign on the right side of this page you can create a new post which more women will see. Sorry to hear about your husband. It seems that prostate cancer can be a long term condition and I hope that is what he has. It must be a lot to deal with. Hugs to you.

Sue

RDGV

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1698462#Comment_1698462

thank you - I found the facebook group... and will continue to learn here, too. Glad I am not the "cancer unicorn" I thought I was...

ConnieSW

That’s why we are here. I was diagnosed 10+ years ago and to this day members here are the only ones I know who have/had the same type I did. My gyn-onc says he has only treated one other person in my community of 20,000. It would have been so lonely without the support here.

NoTimeForCancer

Wow - I was away for a week or so and I am trying to catch up with all the new ladies on just this one thread! Ladies, if possible, please do not be afraid to start a new thread for yourself so we can reply with support accordingly. Hugs dears!!! Please let us know how it is going, what you want to know, etc. You are not alone.

cmb

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1698445#Comment_1698445

I was away from the board for a few days, but I wanted to respond that I was also diagnosed with Stage 3B MMMT (uterine carcinosarcoma) in 2016. I have been NED (no evidence of disease) since treatment was finished almost 5 years ago. I did have a different chemo regimen than is typical. You can read about it on my profile page by clicking on my user name.

I'm not on Facebook but I'm glad you find that site as well. Since MMMT is a rare form of uterine cancer there aren't as many women here who have had it and are still active members. But there are a few of us. Come back to ask any questions you might have. Keep in mind that the usual treatment for MMMT is often the same as the treatment for the other aggressive cancers, so we can share experiences with surgery, chemo, etc. that would be applicable to your situation.

woodstock99

Sending healing thoughts your way . Glad you found this group. 🌞

Ottobar

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1697732#Comment_1697732

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1697732#Comment_1697732

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1697682#Comment_1697682

Good Afternoon Ladies;

In early June I went for my yearly gyn check up. My pap smear came back abnormal with possible uterine cancer cells. I had an ultrasound and then a biopsy which showed high grade endometrial serous cancer. I was able to get an appointment with a gyn surgeon near where we live and he performed a laparoscopic hysterectomy this past Wednesday. We are meeting with him on Thursday to go over the pathologist report but he did inform my husband that the tumor was small but that "something" was found in the lymph node or nodes.

I am sure I will be needing chemotherapy and was wondering what questions I should be asking the surgeon.

Thanks so much,

thatblondegirl

Hi, Ladies

Welcome to our new members. It’s such a stressful time with a cancer diagnosis. I’m glad y’all have found us.

There are so many threads on our board dealing with all the concerns of new patients…diagnosis, surgery, chemo, radiation…and everything in between! Following cmb’s ideas - posts listed at the top of our board - about how to access information is so helpful! I read dozens of threads when I was first diagnosed and it helped me so much. Our stories, our bodies, and our pathology are all very unique, but many surgeries and treatments are common to us all. Lots to learn here! And TONS of HOPE!

We’re here for you! Hugs All Around!

😎, A

cmb

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1698552#Comment_1698552

Once the doctor has discussed the pathology report, I’m sure he’ll discuss the specific types of chemo that they’ll be using. Typically, this is Paclitaxel/Carboplatin. There are many posts that discuss the different issues associated with this chemo regimen. Keep in mind, however, that most women have been able to tolerate this treatment reasonably well, even with some side effects (that vary by person).

Then I would ask if he is planning to have a port inserted before chemo starts. Ports can really help during infusions since it allows you to move around more easily than when you’re hooked up through a vein in your hand/arm. Some oncology centers also use the ports for the regular blood draws (although mine did not).

You can ask if your center provides support for icing the heads, hands or feet. Some women have found that icing helped with hair loss while others felt they were able to minimize the chance of developing neuropathy in the hands and feet that can impact some (not all) women.

And I would also ask if they performed any genomic testing on the tumor during the pathology process. As new therapies become available, some may be more suitable than others, given the nature of your cancer cells or even a genetic inheritance. I learned that I had inherited a predisposition for cancer, so I keep up with colonoscopies and other tests to try to catch any other cancer that may occur early.

Ottobar

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1698555#Comment_1698555

Thanks so much!

NannaK

Good morning... I'm scheduled for my total hysterectomy on Friday. I like the surgeon and feel confident with him and his robotic technology to do the surgery but I'm scared of anesthesia, scared of this diagnosis, just plain scared. I'm only 62 and this, like all of us, was not in my life plan. I'm afraid I'll wake up and be told more bad news. I'm trying to stay positive because my cancer was caught early but I'm struggling with that this week. Anyone have any coping strategies that might help with this? I feel like I'm going to walk into the hospital on Friday, see the Dr., and just burst into tears. Ugh.