r/CervicalCancer

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Does anyone else feel that post treatment side effects and support is something that is glossed over and is a constant fight to get heard and follow up treatment.

I'm so incredibly angry that noone went through any of this in detail prior to treatment - so much for making an informed decision.

I feel so much anger at what treatment has left me with -

- radiation induced osteoporosis in my hip and lower back

- colo-rectal issues where I can't control my bladder and bowel

- Instant menopause and HRT complications

- lymphoedema

- extreme fatigue 6 months after treatment

I feel stuck and can't move on. Surely there is a better way to support patients post treatment. Would love to hear how others are moving forward 🙏

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I am 34 and I had my radical hysterectomy in March 2025 to remove cervical cancer. Ovaries are basically all I have left. Late last year I told my gyn onc at a routine checkup that my libido was lower and I needed more foreplay post-surgery. She prescribed an estrogen patch. I have yet to try it due to general anxiety with medication side effects especially if it could be something I would be on for prolonged periods. My libido has gotten better with effort though I notice I will get naturally lubricated further inside but not at entry. Recently this caused what I assume was very light friction spotting when I wiped after sex. I sent the office nurses a picture and they seemed to agree and brought up the patch. I am trying to figure out if I should go on it or just try incorporating lube next time. I had a normal hormone test last year but I know those can only tell you so much. I also have thought that the cream kinda sounds more practical for me, but haven’t addressed it yet.

Helloy guys! I just want to ask is it normal na after all the treatment e makakaranas ng hirap maglakad at lowerback pain to right leg, help me sa mga nakakaranas rin.

I finish all the treatment including the radiation 25 cycles 6 cycles of chemotherapy and lastly the 4 cycles of brachytherapy, after the brachy I experience the pain in my lowerback to my right leg and I been to pain clinic in PGH but there is no progress at all and I been doing some Physical therapy to lessen the pain and I want to walk again in normal, to know why I am experiencing this I undergo to a CT SCAN all of my organs at normal and the lump on my cervix is now normal but my CT SCAN RESULT IS I HAVE ABSCESS ON MY RIGHT ILLIAC WHICH IS NEEDED TO DRAIN, is there anyone here experiencing what I been experiencing as well?

Hi everyone, I wanted to share some of my experience so far, main because I’m feeling like normal again after a few adjustments that I did and I know how important is to read something positive along this way.

I‘ve been through 2 chemos and 8 external radiation so far:

First chemo: A miserable experience. worst night ever, nauseas and vomited. Now I know I should’ve started taking one medication in advance. the day post chemo, miserable as well. So tired and nauseous. No appetite. I’ve been loosing weight like from 118 to 110 in just 10 days.

Second chemo: Same bad experience the same day and then SOMETHING CHANGED. I decided to buy some gummies (cb*d 5:1 Th*c - 50 mg/10 mg). OMG. LIFE CHANGING. I know this is not suitable for everyone but it changed how I feel during the day. I have 0 nausea, I recovered my appetite and I don’t feel much of a fatigue now. I sleep through the night and mornings are normal again. the 2 previous weeks I would start the day so so nauseous and non appetite at all.

also, I was experiencing a lot of heartburn and I bought and antacid and that’s it, living almost as normal. Again, no effect from radiation (yet? so far so good), I’m doing a lot of supplements and creams and all I can to be as normal and nourished as possible.

I’m writing this 5:49 am because I just woke up, I was hungry! I don’t know if someone needed to read this, but well, this literally was my life-saver thing to do. Listen to your body!

Sending love and light. I still have a long way to walk, I’ll be sharing updates! Also, since I go to radiation with blindfolds and start meditating during the session, I do feel better in general.

Hi everyone,

Im currently on this regimen carbo/taxol/bev/pembro because the chemo radiation didnt work. I know a few of you here have been on this regimen as well where I also learned that TIDVAK is the 2nd line of chemo if the first doesn't work and there are potentially 3rd/4th, etc line of treatments in the States.

For those of you who are in this state or was, would be great if you could share your experience - ie I get the sense from previous threads that once we go down this road eventually the cancer is still going to come back and its just a matter of when - but I could be wrong. So I'm just looking for some more clarity and would be grateful if any of you could share your journey with me as I'm on the cusp deciding my next step. For some additional background, I have been looking into getting a second opinion at some US cancer clinics but it looks like all of them require in person consultations and its going to cost me an arm and a leg since I need to travel there from Canada.. so I have to decide whether this is even worth it for me.

Thanks all.

My MIL got diagnosed with stage 3c2 cervical cancer,
i’ve been scrolling around on here, finding positive testimonies of people who beat the cancer to “cheer up” not just her but the whole family, as they are feeling very lost.

If anyone would reply to this post with their own experience, even if u are still going through it, i would greatly appreciate it.

Any advice/tips are welcome too.

(we’re waiting to get a call on sept 1st for a treatment plan)

33F 3c1 Adenocarcinoma. Just about to finish my 1st week of treatment. On day 3, I started feeling some achy sensation in my left hip, that night this dull achy pain got much worse that I could barely sleep. Talked to my doctor and I’m taking Tylenol, which is helping a bit. The pain has now moved to where my ovaries are.

My questions are:

1. Is this normal?
2. Is this pain from my ovaries being damaged due to radiation?

Is there anyone here who was Stage 1B2, underwent radical hysterectomy, chemotherapy, and 28 sessions of radiation last year and then had an HPV test and a repeat biopsy that came back as HSIL?
What treatment did you undergo afterward? Since i no longer have a cervix but am still HPV-positive and the biopsy showed
HSIL, i'm wondering what the next treatment options might be.

I've not been thinking about it as much as possible but tomorrow is the day and my nerves are all over the place!

I hate the way I feel after anesthesia, I always end up vomiting. I did with my c section and my gallbladder surgery. It takes me about an hour to feel normal again after waking up.

I'm very nervous about how I'll feel after the procedures and even more so what the results will show.

Hello,

My mother-in-law has recurrance ,afterwards ahe had 25 courses of radiotherapy and 3 chemotherapy(stage 3a). The MRI in April this year was clear,but we went to the gynecologist(he is the most famous doctor in our country ,doing surgeries and speciallized in oncology ),as she had bleeding once. Then he made biopsy of cervix,which was suspicious and it came with result poorly differential squamous cell carcinoma. The first time it was mid,not poorly. He sent her for brachytherapy. In two weeks she bleeded once again and we came back to the gynecologist. This time he has described in the list that there are papilloma-likely changes in the back side of the vagina and told us that if they come back with bad results,he proposes removing of vagina + hysterectomy. If the changes are just because of the brachytherapy, the surgery won't be so radical.

She is scared. I wake up with this in my mind every day, as she trusts me and looks like it's up to me what's going to happen.

I don't know what to tell her, if they will suceeed to remove this completely, if not what?

She said:"If I agree for surgery won't get out alive from the hospital". The fact she has lost hope is really sad. I'm nervous,most of the time I try to hide it,but it's heavy for me,as only three years ago I lost my father due to cancer. Why again and why this stupid cancer. There have been passed decades without chance of 100% cure. Somebody has the chance. The problem is not that I'm worried if the things become complicated I will take care of her, the problem is that I really hope to save her,but I feel helpless ....

Please give some advices, thanks

Hi all

I have been cancer free now for a year which I have been very greatful for, but unfortunately I think I might have an occurrence.

Can anyone tell me what would be the best test I could have to show a re occurrence?

I was diagnosed with cervical cancer, stage 1 B3.

Thank you 🩷🌷🪷

I want to thank everyone who has posted commented.about their journey on this subreddit as that information one way or another has helped me in caring for my mother until her passing .

Its painful but i know she is in a better place

I love you mom. We will meet again in the next life

Long time listener, first time caller.

Short rundown: I was diagnosed with stage 3C1 cervical cancer in June 2026. I promptly started treatment beginning of July. I was in a clinical trial for cervical cancer; basically, 8 high dose EBRT radiation sessions instead of 25 (the norm), 4 chemo rounds, and 4 brachytherapy rounds. I’ve been done with EBRT for two weeks, and done with Brachy for almost a full week. I have not had any surgery done.

Here’s the issue: since the middle of EBRT, I have been having the worst diarrhea I’ve ever heard anyone talk about. When I say I can go up to 25-30 times a day, I wish I was exaggerating. It’s also out of my control; my body starts cramping and pushing, and I have to RUN to not soil myself. My doctors prescribed Imodium and lomotil along with the BRAT diet. I have experienced zero change with these medications other than the hour of relief after they kick in; it starts right back up after that golden hour. I am going INSANE. I can’t go back to work because I need to be within 10 ft of a bathroom at all times. I’m stuck in bed because I am hunched over trying to walk from the pain in my bowels. I am on an opioid painkiller that is not helping any part of the situation either. I have also tried hydrocortisone suppositories with zero relief.

Someone please say they have had this before (I’m so sorry if you have) and what you did to help it. I am crying every day because I am never not in pain and I can’t leave my house or go back to work after a month off for treatment. If I was offered a colectomy right now, I would take it immediately, that’s how bad this is. If anyone has ANY advice, please let me know. I’ve been stuck with a heat pad in my bed for days now after getting back home after treatment and I just want to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

hello, i'm f21 currently living in other city because of college and cant go home because the family is financially struggling. my mom lives with my older sister (f23) together right now. the doctor told us earlier this year that her cancer seems to be asleep now? idrk what that means but now my mom is in constant pain on her stomach to the point she can only lay on her bed holding her stomach and groaning due to the sickness. she doesnt have any appetite to eat and keep feeling nausea like she wants to puke her meals.

we r supposed to know what the sickness she's be having rn whether its the cancer getting worse or the side effect of it after the mri test got revealed but mom is on national insurance which is relatively cheap so it took so long for the result to came out and the country directs all chronic illness to one same hospital (its indonesia so its expected) it frustrate me.

the thing about her behavior that frustrate me is that she doesnt want to stop smoking. like about a pack a day. she keeps looking for alternative cures that doesnt do anything and today just said she wanted to get iv nutrition from the hospital eventho u cant just ask for it here esp as national insurance patient. even after the doctor told her to force herself to eat, she wont do that. sometimes she eats the food doctor told her to avoid. im so tired with my mom because she keeps saying we (me and my sisters) want her dead. my sister work late night and cant always take care of her. i feel hopeless

Hello everyone, my mother is going to be starting this new infusion. We have yet to see the ophthalmologist, and I just wanted to get a heads start on looking into the best eye mask for my mom. Thank you wonderful ladies, I know that this is a struggle for you. Also if you could, any suggestions on how to embark this chemo!!! Thanks everyone

33F 3C1 Adenocarcinoma

Original Post here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/CervicalCancer/s/2HjWbyOhHm

Two months, to the day, after diagnosis I am finally starting treatment. 5 rounds of Chemo + 25 rounds of external radiation + 2 rounds of Brachy + 2 years of Keytruda (Immunotherapy). I know it’s gonna suck, but I am just ready to get this done and hopefully kick cancers ass!

I haven’t been too active on this subreddit, but I’ve been reading so many of your posts and they have helped me so much! Thank you everyone and good luck to all of you in your cancer battles! 🫶

This is an update to my previous post 21 days ago https://www.reddit.com/r/CervicalCancer/s/vGZov0glke

My wife’s histology came back two days ago and thankfully, the cancer had not spread and her stage remains 1B3 - so that means no adjuvant chemotherapy!

She does still need radiotherapy because her tumour was so friable when they removed it, so we will get that booked in next week but we knew this would be something she would need to do.

She’s been recovering really well, she had 55 staples taken out of her incision last week which has healed so nicely. She does unfortunately have an ongoing issue with her bladder which has led to her needing to do intermittent self catheterisation. She’s able to feel the urge to go, and to void some of her bladder but not all of it - we are hoping it’s just taking a little while longer to recover and it’s not a permanent injury from the surgery, and she is passing more urine herself every day so hopefully not a forever thing, but navigating the NHS to get the catheters on prescription has been TOUGH. That’s a story for another day!

There finally feels like a distant light at the end of the tunnel, this was the good news we both needed. Fingers crossed for an uncomplicated radiation journey!

Has anyone had a B12 deficiency because of radiation damage? What symptoms did you have and when did it start? I've been pretty lucky in the side effect department so far, but I've had some symptoms (several times now) that seem to improve with B12 supplements, and I know it can be a risk, so now I'm wondering. I will ask at my next appt, but I'm on 6 month appts so it will be a while.

I scheduled my CKC last month for this coming Friday due to AIS and LSIL/CIN1. I also had a ultrasound 2 weeks ago that came back with results of heterogeneous endometrium measuring 9mm thickness, with hyperechoic areas that are either polps, hyperplasia or neoplasm. And a heterogeneous echoic structure in the anterior myometrium that may be a uterine fibroid.

So my Dr finally called today to go over the results and she is adding on the Hysteroscopy and d&c to my surgery Friday.

Has anyone else had these procedures together that could tell me if it changed your recovery or how your recovery went