Trachelectomy -- what to expect

• By Mariya
• Posted November 29, 2008 at 3:38 pm
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Hi Bar32!

I just underwent a radical abdominal trachelectomy ten days ago. I'm still in recovery. I had never had any history of abnornal pap. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer stage 1B1 in October. I was told by my doctor that depending on the finding during surgery I also may have to have a hysterectomy. I'm 31 and was married for only two years. My husband and I are ready to start the family. I guess the harderst part for me is emotional; to learn to accept the fact and learn to live with it, to find a balance within myself. M surgery went well and now I'm waiting for pathologist's results. The first week after the surgery is the harderst. My mom and my mother-in-law werer able to come and help me to thru this. I was advised to try to get up and walk to next day after surgery, even thru pain, which I did and I think it helped me in overall recovery. I can walk around the house a little, but I'm very limited in my movements, as I still have a catherter in. It's hard to find the right angle when I sit down, or try to get up and not to pull any musle. I can sleep mainly on my back. I can't stand straight, I kind of leaning forward because it pulls the incision area, and because of it I have BAD BAD lower back ache. So I have found pospartum belt online, which can help me to support my belly and lower back when I walk. Another thing try to stick to liquid diet as long as you can. I think I started eating normal food too early (nobody can resist thanks giving dinner), and now I have problems, I feel a lot of presure and it's very very painful. I hope my response was helpful to you and if you have any additional questions feel free to ask. I went thru this pain myself and I know exactly how it feels. Mariya

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• By flowershoplady
• Posted November 29, 2008 at 4:08 pm
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bar32 and mariya, i'm really sorry to hear that both of you have been diagnosed with cervical cancer, and i hope your trachelectomies successfully remove all the cancer and you have smooth and uneventful recoveries. miriya, i remember that natural instinct to not straighten up after my abdominal hysterectomy, and as you're seeing, it's important for your back as well as your abdominal muscles to try to keep yourself up straight. the first two weeks are the worst, and then it gets significantly better. hang in there, ladies, and let us know how you're doing.

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• By coolio
• Posted November 30, 2008 at 2:13 pm
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Bar32, your situation sounds exactly like mine. I had my trachelectomy in January of this year. They did this vaginally but also removed 34 lymph nodes from my abdomin and pelvic area so I also could not use my abs for weeks after. I also experience back pain, and by now it's more that it just gets very very tight, not painful but uncomfortable. I started eating solid food right away, I'm not sure if that was a good idea or not, no one told me otherwise. My catheter came out three days after, and I suggest they remove it early. But definitely start moving as soon as possible. I never shed a tear through any of this until the day after surgery when my nurse told me to get up and walk around. That was the most impossible thing I could think of and there wasn't a chance it was going to happen, I was in way too much pain. She made me, I cried, but I did it and I'm glad. It got easier and easier after that and is very important.

I also had abdominal bleeding post surgery- but not to scare you, that is extremely extremely rare and was just a fluke in my case. I had to have 3 blood transfusions for that. It was actually an amazing experience because I work for the Red Cross, and know how it's always difficult to keep stores of blood on hand. Never in a million years did i think I would be the one needing it. 3 of my friends went and gave blood in my honor after they found out I needed it. Even though I was in a lot of pain, it was one of the most touching and incredible experiences, to know that 3 people i will never know have selflessly saved my life, and my 3 freinds in turn did this for someone else.
Sorry that was just a side note. But please know that even though this situation sucks, there are always lessons and positive experiences. I must be honest that through my ordeal i never saw it as a big deal. You get sick and the doctors fix it, our early stage is completly curable. I was thankful for a month off work where i could do nothing but sleep, watch movies, and get visits from my friends. It all turned out ok, and so will you.

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• By coolio
• Posted November 30, 2008 at 2:15 pm
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Mariya, I'm curious about your back pain, I also experienced that, and almost a year later still have a very tight lower back. Do you know what caused yours? My best guess is that you're laying on a flat hard surface for many hours with your legs stretched far beyond their range of motion. I definitely had pulled groins as well. Did you experience this?

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• By Mariya
• Posted November 30, 2008 at 2:53 pm
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I don't know exactly what causes the pain. I guess is that I can't stand straight up as it feels like the incision is going to open up, the skin there is very tight, and if I stand straight it pulls, so I lean forward when I walk. I had an radical abdominal trachelectomy, so my incision is pretty long, I don't have any sensation of my skin along the incision as well. I don't feel any touch (cold or hot) just no feelings. I had a friend who had her son thru c-secion and she said that she had experienced same thing. After three years she still can't feel the skin along her incision. I'm looking forward to have my catheter removed tomorrow, I had it for two weeks. I feel like I really need to stretch, and wonder how soon can I do that?

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