New topic section

Would it be possible to start a new topic discussion heading called: Long Term complications or Chronic complications from treatment.

The cancer diagnosis and treatment section is focused on acute status.

The "How cancer changed my life" and "emotional support" seem to refer more to emotional and spiritual long term effects.

A section titled Long Term or Chronic complications would focus on physical challenges faced from the 6 mos onward point and would help us understand the ongoing dynamic changes caused by radiation to the pelvis and chemo. As you know these chronic and often permanent changes continue to manifest for years after treatment and it can be difficult to understand the changes going on in ones body. For myself, it has been a slow growing realization to understand that I could heal and recover from the acute effects and then at the 7 mos post treatment time start to develop pelvic pain and symptoms of unknown causes and fatigue again. I thought I would continue to improve in GI health and energy. I did not realize the damage to the body was continuing from the radiation in much the same way the people who were effected by radiation in Hiroshima continued to manifest damage long after the incident of the bomb.

I would appreciate having a section heading to go to for information, sharing and support that relates to these issues specifically.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Susan

By kingsley
Posted March 7, 2008 at 2:01 pm
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Hi Susan, while I'm not in a position to grant your request as I'm just a community member, I am in a position to toss my support behind your idea.

I'm 16 months post treatment - chemo-radi-hyst - and I have found it unusual to suddenly have things happening that I didn't expect.

I had diarrhea during treatments, but it subsided. But these days, it seems to be solid a lot less than it's not... like 10% of the time. I asked the gynonc nurse, and she said that I'd be having long-term effects for years.

At this point, I'm trying to find out more about nutrition... the better fuel I can provide my bod, the better off I'll be!

By Beth
Posted March 10, 2008 at 8:38 am
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Hi Susan!

I will send your request to the Cervical Cancer Foundation and see what we can do!

Thanks for the suggestion!
Beth, Community Moderator

By strength
Posted March 10, 2008 at 10:13 pm
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To Beth and Kingsley

Thanks for your support and consideration of a new section. I have been struggling with changing symptoms since the post-6-months treatment point and am confused and sometimes scared as the symptoms mimic the symptoms I had before diagnosis and treatment. I recently had a PET/CT scan which scanned me from eyebrows to mid thigh and the scan reported no evidence of cancer. That was a huge relief. I however, still am struggling daily with a host of symptoms that make life challenging to say the least. It's hard for family and some friends to understand as they can only see the "cancer free" status and don't begin to understand the chronic permanent radiation and chemo damage. I would appreciate hearing from people about these challenges.

Susan BC

By flowershoplady
Posted March 10, 2008 at 10:31 pm
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susan, i'm sorry you're having symptoms that seem to be the same as before your cancer diagnosis. that's got to be very scary. :( i just want to encourage you to post where ever you think is 'best' even though there may not be the 'right' category for your issue....i think most people just select whatever seems to fit best. i hope you can connect with others dealing with post treatment side effects. best wishes.

By Daisy-
Posted June 20, 2009 at 12:39 am
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Hi all,
I am 13 years post radiation treatment for cevical cancer and I think I'd have found it very reasuring to have had a group of people to speak to as I learnt about the longterm changes to my body following surviving cancer. To be honest my doctors had spoken about some aspects like menopause etc. But the issues I live with today as a side effect of the radiation are a struggle. I have found it important to keep focused on the reality that without the therapy I'd not have lived this long. However, it does still feel very hard and lonely to not have anyone close to me that I can really speak about what I'm experiencing.
So I think a specfic group addressing long term impacts would be meaningful for me now as well.

Welcome to Inspire!

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