What are the odds and when will i know?

JamieL59 said:

More waiting, of course

I ended up only getting the ultrasound done.  The radiologist found the endometrial lining was 6mm, so my gyn said the biopsy wouldn't be helpful. Instead she has scheduled me for a D&C for the 16th. I wasn't expecting that, so once again brain freeze. My question to you all is do you have the understanding with a 6mm result, cancer is most likely? I couldnt find any percentages.

Hi JamieL59,

I don't think that the thickening of your endometrial lining alone or the thickness of it presents a high probability of your having endometrial cancer. I think it can be a common occurance. Mine was up to 10mm and it was of no concern to my ob/gyn. Mine was not a good and careful doctor, but I think the reason she had so little regard for that one feature, is the fact that thickening of the lining frequently presents without cancer. A good friend of mine's endometrial lining has been thickening over time. I thought she should have a biopsy a while ago, but she finally recently got one from her team of doctors at Stanford Med. Ctr. here in California, and she does NOT have uterine cancer. (My friend has had breast and thyroid cancers and gets regular attentve med. care.)

Everyone else's advice is really good. If you can, try to give yourself permission not to worry. It sounds like you're getting good care!

-j

JamieL59 said:

The longest wait ever

I went to Dr last monday for ultrasound and biopsy. The ultrasound showed 6mm endometrial lining, but dr didn't perform biopsy... She wanted to do a D&C... I contacted my uncle, one of the dept heads at MD Anderson, specializing in cervical and breast cancers. He spoke to a colleague who offered to see me there or refer me to gyn oncologist here in Florida. 

 

I went to the gyn oncologist today who attempted biopsy, but with my luck was told my cervix was closed. Really! Now I have to take some kind of medicine Thursday night and return to the Dr on Friday for him to try again. I'm so mentally exhausted... But still praying for a miracle... Thinking maybe it's taking so long to help me prepare for bad news. Hope whoever reads this is having better luck.

Oh gosh Jamie, the wait is the hardest part.

Where are you in Florida?  If you are close to Tampa, Moffitt is a wonderful cancer hospital and research center.

There are a few of us seeing doctors there so if you are close, I'm happy to provide you names.

Have you asked for anxiety meds?  If not, I highly recommend you get some. I have never been a pill taker. But, I did get LoRazapan and used it especially during that first 6 weeks.

Things do get better. You get whatever the news is going to be, and if it is cancer... you get a plan and charge forward.

Please continue to reach out for support here. The ladies are wonderful.

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

JamieL59 said:

So after an eternity, i finally heard from my doctor with the long awaited biopsy results. He said nothing came back that screamed cancer, but he wasn't convinced, so it's off to surgery for me. Now the big decision...  Have just a D&C or go ahead with a total hysterectomy. What's y'all's thoughts? I actually googled hypnotherapy today to see if that might help my off the chart phobia of being put under. Yes, I'm that girl!

I'd go with the D&C too.  I had a D&C many years ago and it wasn't bad.  My hysterectomy was easy too but as others have said, there are a lot of other things to consider with major surgery like a hysterectomy.

Best of luck!!  (((Jamie)))

Love,

Eldri

JamieL59 said:

So after an eternity, i finally heard from my doctor with the long awaited biopsy results. He said nothing came back that screamed cancer, but he wasn't convinced, so it's off to surgery for me. Now the big decision...  Have just a D&C or go ahead with a total hysterectomy. What's y'all's thoughts? I actually googled hypnotherapy today to see if that might help my off the chart phobia of being put under. Yes, I'm that girl!

Jamie, when I was a little girl I had a dentist who could hypnotise people.  I remember "waking up" after a cavity, and my mother asked her if she hypnotized me?  She said no but I think she did.  Who was more OPEN to suggestion than a six year old little girl.  This woman, and she was extraordinary, self hypnotised herself during a surgery.  She was awake the whole time and could control the pain.  Amazing - NOT FOR ME - but it was amazing.  It is a thought of something to try and it may help you to be more relaxed.  WHAT could it hurt?

I would have to agree with Editgirl.  No need to "GO BIG" from the start when there is nothing showing in the test.  I am happy to found a doctor who doesn't just want to take that one test as the answer and send you on your way, but a D&C is not major surgery or trauma to your body.  

I am happy you have a doctor who wants to find out what is really going on.  Sadly we hear too many that don't.  I hear your fear of being put under and think you came up with a good way of helping you treat it.  The mind can work in so many ways, certainly being open to a 'suggestion' is just as powerful.

Oh - and I had to come back to add:  it was a D&C that found my cancer.  I never would have thought of having a hysterectomy until I had my diagnosis.  

pinky104 said:

Symptoms

My symptoms were pretty vague.  I often felt tired after eating breakfast, but for some reason, it only seemed to happen on the weekends.  I'd have to crawl back in bed for a nap.  My mother was diagnosed with celiac disease, so I blamed the English muffins or bagels I had for breakfast on the weekends.  I got tested twice for celiac disease, but my results were negative.  I got one twinge of pain a day on my left side.  Looking back on it, it must have been the cancer in my left ovary that caused it.  The cancer was also in the right ovary, but I had no symptoms on that side.  I got diarrhea before work every day but I'd been told years before that I had irritable bowel syndrome.  In high school, I often got diarrhea when I was nervous about a test.  Ironically, after I had my cancer surgery and retired, that problem went away.  Cancer was found in my small intestine, so I don't know if the diarrhea went away because the cancer was removed or if it was because I no longer had the stress of working.  I'd always had a sense that something wasn't right, but had pretty much decided it was all in my mind.  I worked in a medical records job in an ER and I used to look at other people's symptoms in the charts to see if they matched mine.  One thing I ignored (but shouldn't have) was an odd smell I got when on the john. It was kind of a fishy smell.  I went to my GYN every 3 months because I'd had urine leakage and I was given a pessary which had to be cleaned periodically.  He never seemed to notice the smell.  When I went to my GYN/onc's office the first time, I was asked how long I'd had the discharge.  I'd often thought I had a yeast infection, and thought maybe I was getting one of them, as I felt irritated a lot, used some Monistat, and felt slightly better.  However, this discharge was clear, not white like the yeast infections' discharges I'd had at times.  I get abdominal pain now, five years later, but I've had CT scans and I've been told that the pain is probably from constipation.  I really had only very minor symptoms considering I had the worst stage of UPSC there is.  What finally got me to find out I had cancer was some very minor vaginal bleeding two weeks after my GYN had prescribed an estrogen cream for the irritation I was getting from the pessary.  I read up on the cream and found it could cause bleeding.  I didn't want to call the GYN up and complain because it was always very painful having the pessary removed and put back in, so I waited until my next appointment three months later to mention it to him.  He told me I was on such a minor dose of the med that I shouldn't be bleeding from it, and he ordered an ultrasound.  Even after the ultrasound, he told me I had a big polyp and it was almost certainly benign.  I'd had one 10 years before that was benign, plus I'd had about 6 cervical polyps that were benign over the years.  But this one wasn't.  I got called into the office three days after the D&C and told I had cancer.  What a shock!  I was in the middle of cleaning my house for my stepdaughter's first baby shower which was coming up that weekend (we had 40 people coming over) and I had to deal with the cancer diagnosis, too. I was more overweight back then and my belly was always a little bloated looking.  I also bruised very easily.  I'd listened to news reports where I'd heard those two things were symptoms of cancer, and I remember thinking I had those symptoms and I should have cancer, but I didn't.  A few weeks later, I found out I did!

Hi Pinky

I just wanted to say that I read your post and your symptoms are so similar to mine.  I've never had a pessary but I, too, notice a foul smell often when I go to RR.  My biggest fear is not that I have cancer, but that it will not be diagnosed early on.  I have 2 young girls that need me--and I guess my wondergul husband does too.  But my girls are so young and I'd rather they see me go for surgery and maybe some radiation vs late stage with chemo and a long recovery. 

In my first post I mention how confusing it can be, waiting for tests and results.  I don't want to have cancer, but once again, if I do, I just want my DR to find it ASAP.

Thank you for supporting us new ones here through sharing your experience--it really does help us see that we do well to be concerned and proactive!

JamieL59 said:

Surgery this Friday

Met with the Dr and readdressed my options. In the end I felt like the 'wait and see' and we will do another ultrasound in a few months was the equivalent of kicking the can down the road and even if nothing had changed, I would still not be certain. So.... I've decided to put my big girl pants on and face my phobias of  trust, not being in control, and claustrophobia and have the hysteroscopy and D&C. Surgery is this Friday and follow-up visit won't be until the following Thursday. I'm not gonna lie and say that I'm not freaked out about facing this fear, and I very well may have a melt down that morning, but I keep reminding myself that not knowing has to be worse. 

just imagine us all there , holding your hand Friday.  What a crowd!  Good luck

JamieL59 said:

D&C recovery

Trying to prepare for tomorrow. Those of you who had a D&C, what was recovery like? Expected pain and recovery time? When resumed normal diet and activitues?

I had some brownish discharge and was a little crampy.  Other than that it was not a big deal.  I had the procedure on a Friday and handed out water at a 5K on Saturday.  That is definitely not for everyone.  I would suggest rest