Snarky Brides

I know I'm a "troll" but...

I have to have a biopsy on some cervical cysts, as my doctor is strongly suspecting cervical cancer. I'm young and healthy. I want to start a family. I have thought about what I will do if I do in fact have cervical cancer which I believe I probably do based on the tests and my symptoms. I think I will hold off on any treatment until I have at least one child.

Anyone familiar with cervical cancer? Not abnormal paps with pre-cancerous cells...but actual cervical cancer. What was your treatment and did you have children afterwards?

Re: I know I'm a "troll" but...

  • I don't really know details, but I know my aunt had cervical cancer in her early 20s and went on to have three healthy children. I have no idea if she had vaginal births or c-sections or if she had any kind of complications, but she has kids. And this was at least 35 years ago. I hope everything works out for you.
  • Thanks, thats good to know!
  • If your doctor suspect that you have cancer, you need to get it treated.  Do not wait!  Many gynecological cancers are sensitive to hormones and grow bigger with pregnancy.  You'd be doing yourself and your family a huge disservice by holding off on treatment.

    If it's early cancer, they can just shave off the areas affected by abnormal cells (because that's what cancer is), often preserving enough of the cervix to maintain a pregnancy.  That's what they did decades ago when my mom was diagnosed, and she went on to carry two children to term without problem.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_im-troll-but?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:e188053f-3f46-4e58-91a4-8279f73aae62Post:d7181bfe-8b9e-4b8a-a62e-09e886cb5c35">Re: I know I'm a "troll" but...</a>:
    [QUOTE]If your doctor suspect that you have cancer, you need to get it treated.  Do not wait!  <strong>Many gynecological cancers are sensitive to hormones and grow bigger with pregnancy</strong>.  You'd be doing yourself and your family a huge disservice by holding off on treatment. If it's early cancer, they can just shave off the areas affected by abnormal cells (because that's what cancer is), often preserving enough of the cervix to maintain a pregnancy.  That's what they did decades ago when my mom was diagnosed, and she went on to carry two children to term without problem.
    Posted by mica178[/QUOTE]

    Ya thats what I was worried about and probably what the doctor would say as well. As long as the cervix can be "saved" to carry a pregnancy then I'm not worried. Thanks for the info!
  • My FMIL was treated for cervical cancer when she was in her 20s and went on to have two healthy sons :)


    imageimage

    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • Please don't hold off on treatment. The longer you wait, the worse it will likely be. Mine was found in early July 2005. I waited until the end of that following September, and the area had already doubled in size. As a result, I had to have even more treatments done.

    I could probably have kids, but I know if I had to have another procedure done that wouldn't be as much an option because too much of the cervix would have been removed by then (not that I care, we don't want kids).
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_im-troll-but?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:e188053f-3f46-4e58-91a4-8279f73aae62Post:4e7cb873-1ebb-4ef5-9e28-eb6cd3630839">Re: I know I'm a "troll" but...</a>:
    [QUOTE]Please don't hold off on treatment. The longer you wait, the worse it will likely be. Mine was found in early July 2005. I waited until the end of that following September, and the area had already doubled in size. As a result, I had to have even more treatments done. I could probably have kids, but I know if I had to have another procedure done that wouldn't be as much an option because too much of the cervix would have been removed by then (not that I care, we don't want kids).
    Posted by Seshat411[/QUOTE]

    Oh wow, I had no idea that it could grow that quickly. I definitely wont hold off on treatment  (if this even is cancer). If you dont mind me asking, did you have symptoms before being diagnosed?
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_im-troll-but?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:e188053f-3f46-4e58-91a4-8279f73aae62Post:cbddb31e-2950-4068-8439-b4bf5c1f6bc7">Re: I know I'm a "troll" but...</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: I know I'm a "troll" but... : Oh wow, I had no idea that it could grow that quickly. I definitely wont hold off on treatment  (if this even is cancer). If you dont mind me asking, did you have symptoms before being diagnosed?
    Posted by nivea2011[/QUOTE]

    No, not at all. I just went in for my yearly exam and a few weeks later the doc called with the news. But, I have a really weird system anyway (that sounded odd, but expanding would be way TMI) so I don't think much when something seems off, so I probably wouldn't have noticed until it was too late.
  • I thought the cervix was like the liver, it regenerates?

    I had to have a colposcopy.(sp?)  It was an out-patient procedure done in a hospital, where they cut the center most part of the cervix out.

    I think I can have children, they told me the biggest problem would be my cervix dilating.  I thought would be the opposite and my cervix wouldn't hold the weight and make me go in to pre-term labor, but the Dr said the procedure made the cervix tougher and made it a little more difficult to dilate.

    Does that even make sense?
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
  • Seshat - that makes sense (now I wish I hadnt gone two years without my yearly)

    Wrkn - I would have thought the same thing as you but that makes sense.

    Glad to hear that nobody has been told they cannot have kids after these procedures. Google is the devil!
  • Wrkn--I haven't heard that, but if it's true then I think my cervix skipped school that day. I can't even wear tampons anymore. Or maybe my doctor just royally sucks.
  • I have had two colpolscopys separately about four years apart, and had to have a LEEP procedure after the second one. 

    I ditto PPs, don't wait! Do the LEEP (or I am guessing if it was much more severe than that it would still be a similar procedure)  right away.  My doctor indicated I will have no problems in the future, the last three years I have been normal. 

    I didn't know anything was wrong, just came up in my normal PAP/annual. Which I also strongly recommend you do on schedule.
  • I don't know first hand, but I've talked to my ob-gyn about it for curiousity reasons.  It's usually still possible to carry children, it just may be harder to conceive.  Ask your doctor about it.  The pregnancy is slightly different (they "surgically" close your cervix while pregnant so it may be IVF? Im not sure on that one..) but it doesnt make you sterile or anything.
    Anniversary
  • The problems with conceiving, maintaining and delivering is that depending on how much they have to cut and where the cancerous lesions are, there can be scar tissue that makes the opening of the cervix smaller so sperm can't get in.  Then when baby's ready to come out, sometimes the scar tissue makes it harder for the dilation, so a C-section might be necessary.  Or, if they cut a lot of the cervix, it might be too thin, so when the fetus (and your uterus) grows, the cervix opens too early, so there's a miscarriage or premature birth.

    OP, assuming you're not a troll, please get treated early because if the abnormal areas are small, you might have no sequelae from the treatment, but later treatment could result in loss of fertility (and worse -- death).
  • Like pp have mentioned, I would definitely get it checked ASAP because it is a quick spreading cancer. If you have some of your cervix they can put in a cerclage to help hold the baby in. My sister did not have cervical cancer, but her doctor accidentally took too much of her cervix for a biopsy and had to have this done. With her first pregnancy she did not get the cerclage (but should have) and she lost the baby at 22 weeks. Best of luck to you.
    BFP #1 1/1/11 EDD 9/10/11 dx:no hb DNC on 2/2/11 BFP #2 12/28/11 natural m/c on 2/6/12 BFP#3 2/16/13 dx:ectopic on 2/27 (given methotrexate)
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
  • Thanks for all of the helpful info/advice. It sounds pretty scary! I have an appointment on Monday with a really reputable doctor so hopefully everything will be figured out quickly. Thanks again.
  • I had an abnormal pap and had the cervical biopsy and everything, but the results basically came back "inconclusive" and I was told to get another pap in 6 months and go from there. That one was normal and all my paps since then have been normal and now I can go about getting one every other year instead of every year (my abnormal pap was in 2006). You should still be able to have kids! I'm sure what when you start TTC or when you are first pregnant, your doctor will ask about past medical issues and then you and your doctor can go from there. GL! I know it's so scary thinking that something so major could be wrong with you. I didn't sleep for days after I got my abnormal pap results back. I'll keep you in my thoughts & prayers!
    image
    image
  • I just had a friend die of cervical cancer, it was dormant or something and didn't discover it until she actually delivered her baby, she passed 3 months later, the pregnancy sped it up :(
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_im-troll-but?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:e188053f-3f46-4e58-91a4-8279f73aae62Post:cd3f36df-24ff-4ee2-97dd-d173b965ae45">Re: I know I'm a "troll" but...</a>:
    [QUOTE]I just had a friend die of cervical cancer, it was dormant or something and didn't discover it until she actually delivered her baby, she passed 3 months later, the pregnancy sped it up :(
    Posted by Ghoti[/QUOTE]

    wow thats awesome, thanks.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_im-troll-but?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:e188053f-3f46-4e58-91a4-8279f73aae62Post:8cd95441-8685-4b3d-92b8-370026f685fe">Re: I know I'm a "troll" but...</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: I know I'm a "troll" but... : wow thats awesome, thanks.
    Posted by nivea2011[/QUOTE]

    WTF?
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_im-troll-but?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:e188053f-3f46-4e58-91a4-8279f73aae62Post:36459ca5-a652-4393-956a-f1f6dc26e192">Re: I know I'm a "troll" but...</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: I know I'm a "troll" but... : WTF?
    Posted by cew515[/QUOTE]
    <p> </p><p>My thoughts exactly!</p>
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards