Reoccuring cancer after partial hysto

So the other day I felt like I might be feeling the onset of a slight yeast infection, I made an appointment with my PCP and during the exam she had asked me when my last Pap test was and I explianed I hadn't had one since my surgery. I told her I had cervical cancer and that they did a partial Hysto and that it had been 8 years. The look on her face told me she was not pleased with what I had just said. She asked why, I told her the Dr. who preformed the procedure said I would only need one every 5 years and I just let it get away. She was distraut that I had been told this after a positive diagnosis on cervical cancer. She said every year, proceeded with the exam and said she wasn't excatly sure what I had wasn't the signs of the return of cancer. What I had didn't show any tru signs of an infection, so had the pap and now I am sitting here freaking out that I may have cancer again and it hits hard because my Mom was just told 6 weeks ago she has triple negative breast cancer, and I need to be there next to her bed for surgery not in the bed next to her. Has any one ever known any one who had it come back after surgery?

By kb1200
Posted May 9, 2008 at 9:17 am
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I just had my hysterectomy and hopefully I will be good for a long time. But my dr says I have to continue to get my pap every year. While what I had might not come back, I could get new like everyone else. good luck with your new dr, sounds like a much better one than the last

By kingsley
Posted May 9, 2008 at 12:38 pm
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Hi justme, I'm so sorry you're facing issues again, and especially when your mom needs you so much.

It is way beyond me that your doc would've not required paps more often. Five years? Jeesh! From what I understand, the biggest chance of recurrence is within the first 2 years.

I had chemo/radiation/total hysterectomy in 2006 for 1b2 cervical cancer. Following all of that, my gyn/onc appointments are:
every 3 months the first 2 years
every 6 months the next 3 years
annually after that.

He also had me go for chest X-rays and a mammogram for my year anniversary, even though mammies usually start when you’re 40, and I was only 38.

At all of my appointments, which are still every 3 months right now, he does a pap, and feels up in there and my butt, to make sure all is smooth. He also massages my lymph nodes to make sure they’re not swollen, and asks if my legs, feet or the nodes have swelled up at all.

I had one abnormal pap last fall, so at my next appointment, he did a biopsy and colp.

What he explained was that the pap had detected an abnormality… but when he did the colp – which consisted of putting vinegar in there that turns white on abnormal tissue, then looking in with something resembling binoculars – he saw that what the pap had detected was just tissue that was still healing from my treatments. He said the folks at the lab where the paps are sent don’t know the history behind the patients, and they just cover their bases by saying it's abnormal.

My fingers are crossed that what your PCP “saw” is just damaged tissue or something, like mine was… and that even if the pap comes back abnormal, that it’s the same deal. Is she going to do a biopsy? That would be the tell-tale test. Maybe you should be finding a gyn/onc, who deals with this day in and day out. I don't think I'll ever see a doctor other than my gyn/onc for my checkups. They'd have to drag me kicking and screaming out of there if it came to a point when they would say to go to a regular gyn.

You’re in my thoughts and prayers… as is your mom. Take care of yourself and be strong – as we know you are, having battled 8 years ago.

Gerri

By justme
Posted May 9, 2008 at 4:03 pm
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I hope you have nothing but great news from here on out. I know that a lot of what the problem was is that the Obgyn was old and I was young and had no idea what questions to ask, and he wasn't about to offer up anything he didn't have to. He was one of those old fashion types, wanted to know why I hadn't had any kids, why I was working, what did my husband think of this whole thing, when I explained I wasn't married just dating at the time he replied with at your age, like I was in my 60's or something. Needless to jumped to me having surgery right away, saying well since your not having kids you really don't nee the thing anyways let's just take it out and throw it in the trash, it's just death waiting to happen. Scared me to death of course I was jumping in the hospital bed ready for surgery before he took his next breath afraid if dying in my 20's WOW and to think

By chamomile
Posted May 10, 2008 at 12:58 am
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Justme: I am so sorry that your doctor (who did your surgery) was an idiot and that now your stressing out! I really hope that he didn't put your health at risk. it sounds like he just assumed you were cured after the surgery. What a huge disservice.....AND that you were so young when this happened to you and it sounds like he did very little to help you with the shock of it makes it that much worse. I hope you have had a good support system these last 8 years. Anyway, I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers. I'm also sorry to hear about your mom. I pray for her too.

By justme
Posted May 10, 2008 at 10:47 am
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thank you for your thoughts and prayers. My Mom is such a trooper, I can't believe she is smilign every day never complains, goes to work every day except the one after her chemo treatment, she usually heads for a nap after that which I'm sure all of on this sight can relate to a little. Unfortanetly I had only my Mom for support, my ex-husbadn was the a prett big creep. I was only in the hospital 2 days, my Dr. wanted 4 but I couldn't stand being in there. I called my husband to come get me, he hadn't even been in town for my surgery, and he was ticked off because he had guys at the house pouring cement. Not that he was helping, but he wanted to watch, when I arrived home he said since I was fit to coem home, I was fit to cook. Needless to say some people just don't get it. His mother was a nurse at the time and nagged me to death if you will get up and move around you will work the soreness out. I kept wondering, do women just bounce back from this why am I not bouncing? I was so depressed and tried to hide my feelings and just do as I was told, I mean she was a nurse, right? ANyways I didn't mean to vent on you, I am glad I found this website and that the people are supposrtive and not judgemental. Another support sight I went to most of the people where upset that I was even there. Like if I didn't know anything about myself for sure not to let it bother me, and that the questions I was asking were dumb and what not. So thanks for the kind words.

By kingsley
Posted May 10, 2008 at 11:05 am
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Happy Saturday, justme!

I'm sorry your ex wasn't more supportive. It made all the difference in the world for me to have my Randy by my side.

I'm glad you found this site.... the members here SO understand the emotional and physical sides of all of this. So go ahead and vent, vent, vent. We share the ups and the downs here.

I know what you mean about other "support" sites. I had joined one before my hysterectomy in 2006, and quit it cold turkey because they were doing more harm than good for my psyche. I'd be more rattled when I got off the computer than when I got on to find answers and good advice. And I'm sure you've noticed that we revel in questions - "dumb" or not -- and can sometimes come up with some doozy answers that will make you laugh.

This really does feel like a community of angels... when someone is hurt or angry or scared, all of the angels here just swoop down and spread their wings and try to protect her, try to lift her spirits, try to set her mind at ease, try to offer up their own experiences so maybe she can get just a little sumthin' sumthin' out of it. It really is quite a visual, if you think about it.

Well sweetie, take care of yourself.

Gerri

By justme
Posted May 10, 2008 at 11:39 am
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My PCP told me it would be three weeks before they knew anything, WOW three weeks, but I am optomistic that it was just one of those lovely yeast infections women seem to get, after talking more with her, explianing my shift work, it's a dirty job, just met someone 6 weeks ago and a week ago we really got to know each other if you know what I mean, and I was worried when I went in and came out scared to death. after researching more on the internet, I realize if I do have anything going on it is minimal. I haven't had any of the other symptoms, she really thinks what I had going was simply my body responding to being with out a partner for over two years. She also showed concern for the length of time between my check ups, she said she wasn't trying to scare me, just educate me. So, I three weeks I will get a little note int he mail saying all was normal, or the dreaded phone to come in and discuss my results. We will see. I will keep you posted. As for my ex -husband, there's a reason he is an ex, lack of sympathy is one of those reasons. He was pretty short on empathy too, which was horrible for our teenage daughter when she hit that age. SO, happy Saturday to you and hope the rest of your weekend is enjoyable. I am at work for my 21st day in a row no days off working a 16 hour shift. The things women do to survive these days. LOL

By kingsley
Posted May 10, 2008 at 12:25 pm
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Well, I'm sending good vibes from N.C. to N.M. for you, in hopes that you'll be dancing at the mailbox in 3 weeks :)

You sound like you're a little calmer at this point - that's got to be a good thing, being a little less stressed.

Take care, and keep us updated on you and your mom.

Gerri

By corellin
Posted May 10, 2008 at 12:43 pm
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Justme-- I'm going to wish for you the strength of 100 sumo wrestlers (or anything else that's really, really strong) to help you get through your 16 hour shifts. I can't even imagine. I would be dropping from exhaustion if I had your schedule.

I do hope your mom is doing OK and that your tests results are normal.

By flowershoplady
Posted May 11, 2008 at 5:11 pm
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hello, justme. so, i'm a bit confused....you had cervical cancer, and the doctor did a partial hysterectomy as treatment? a partial hysterectomy means that the uterus was removed but the cervix remains. i'm probably missing some very important part of this because it doesn't make sense to me. and, to hear that your doctor told you that you wouldn't need paps after having had cervical cancer? i would question everything about that doctor. have you had any other tests to be sure that the cancer hasn't returned or spread elsewhere? i'm very concerned for you!

By justme
Posted May 11, 2008 at 8:21 pm
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yeah, I guess I have had other tests, not for cervial cancer, but I was having trouble with my intestine track and was sent for a colonoscopy, they found nothing there. As far as a partial, I had my cervix removed, not sure what the particular part is called in the medical world or anything, had my uterus, and one fallopion tube. Both of my ovaries remain, one tube, the vigina and so on. I had 3 diffrent types of procedures done, they cut acroos it and then froze it and then burnt it, and I kept having bad results on my paps. the Dr. decided that he would do a partial and go from there. He did a biopsy on my uterus to make sure I didn't have cancer there yet, and the one tube had several small tumors on it which were nothing but i lost it as well. This same Dr. mind you felt like a woman has no need for a uterus if she didn't plan on having kids. I didn't because I had adopted a 2 year old little girl from my boyfriend who i later married and didn't ever want her to think I loved"my" child more than her, so he said that a uterus was death waiting to happen. Espcially one that kept having cancer cells show up obn the cervix. So partial may not be the word I should have used, but i didn't loose all my toys from the toy box, so to me it's a partial. Anyways, I have had a physical every year, and every year the PCP that I was seeing would ask when was your last PAP, I would say haven't had one since my surgery, which is amazing, he was holding my chart in his hands and he still asks, when did you have the surgery what was the reason, having any trouble down there? To which I would reply 4 years 5 years 6 years what ever and cervical cancer early stage and no trouble. Then he would move on the breast exam, heart rate medication I was on. Never even thought to ask about it agian. Every year same question same responses same out come no PAP or pelvic exam. So, how was I suppose to know I was doing it all wrong. I'm glad this new nurse practitioner was more worried about what I had not done compared to what had been done. So, I will wait and see if being misinformed has lead me down a path of trouble. I have read some things on the net that scare me, like if has gone past the vagina walls, had tumors drop of the ovaries, or any of that sort of stuff I loose my vagina, anus, bladder and so on, so i'm pretty freaked out, needless to say not googling anything about this any more. To scared. I did the same thing to myself when the Dr. told my Mom the types of cancer she didn't have, he said he didn't want to tell us what type it was because we would get on line and scare our selves to death. He was right he said triple negative, I wrote it down and as soon as I got to work, googled it. Man that was stupid. Ok so now that I have gone on and on. I hope I have answered your question and thank you for your concern

By flowershoplady
Posted May 11, 2008 at 8:38 pm
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hello, again.

from your description, it sounds like you've had a total hysterectomy which is removal of the uterus and cervix.

and, how very disappointing that none of the doctors you've seen since having cervical cancer have advised you to have a routine pap.

it certainly can be scary to read about illnesses on the internet, and i can understand you'd be hesitant to do so. you may, however, want to get a copy of your own medical records to learn more about your own health. you'll want to know, for instance, what stage cancer you had along with what other surgeries and procedures you've had.

it's good to hear that now you're getting your gyn health checked out, and i hope that there are no unexpected problems.

knowledge is power!

By michellelwhitlock
Posted May 12, 2008 at 10:43 am
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Hello-
I had a radical trachelectomy in 2002. I had paps every three months afterwards. In 2004, just two year later i found our my Cancer was back. I had a radical Hysterectomy, followed by radiation and chemo. I'm now 3.5 years back in remission. Please call me with any question 9014812506. or e-mail

By jtezell
Posted October 13, 2009 at 11:12 am
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Justme,
After reading your posting I had a doctors a appointment to find the results of my pap and to do some blood work. You know they say no news is good news right? Well they didn't call me with the results so I figured all was well since I had a partial hysto about 2 1/2 years ago due to cancer. Well I found out today that my results came back abnormal. I don't think it would be as hard to hear if this last year had not been so bad already. I just lost my oldest daughter(best friend) and oldest son in Nov of last year. I am totally freaked out now that this is the other shoe I have been waiting to drop. I am 39 and hope that this will not be what I think it is. I noticed 6 months ago that I was starting to feel bad again like I did before surgery.. I am so scared...

By flowershoplady
Posted October 13, 2009 at 12:53 pm
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jtezel, what type of cancer did you have? a partial hysterectomy is removal of the uterus and not the cervix, so if you had cervical cancer, then you most likely had a total hysterectomy which is removal of the uterus and cervix. do you know what stage your cancer was? did you have follow up treatment and scans? i would encourage you to find out what the abnormal pap indicated, and whether they did an hpv test as well. i know it's scary....but try to take one step at a time. let us know how you're doing!

By jtezell
Posted October 21, 2009 at 1:45 pm
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So many people call it partial. I had my cervix and uterus removed. So a total. I don't know what stage as he told me all this as if I already knew. I have been very careful to make sure I go in 2 times a year for follow up. I have also decided to back to the old doctor and have him re-test. I normally am the type of person that wants to know everything about my body. After all who should know it better than you. I am scheduling with the one that did the surgery and will hopefully get more details. Thank you.

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