tamoxifin and endometrial cancer

Hi Betsy,

You were right. My surgeon said two weeks which I 5took to mean one week but after surgery he said six weeks and it's been almost two weeks and I don't see going back to work yet. I'm just tired or I tire easily. No pain, no major menopause symptoms, the effoxor is doing it's job.



So sorry about the LE. My nurse wrote a huge sign in marker saying to not touch my right arm for any reason and that did the trick.



Also, recovery is so easy, you sit around a lot and feel good enough t9 be bored, don't expect big weight loss from that. I'm eating potato chips for sport right now but once I can get moving again,I will be back to my old habits.



When is your surgery?

Saw my surgeon today for the 2 week follow up. Pathology basically said that my uterus, cervix and overies were a hot mess. No cancer but a 5 different types of cysts, polyps, tumors, endometriosis and adenomyosis. No cancer but with that much going on, who knows if it would have turned. Also, he didn't know how I wasn't in agony with the adenomyosis but I swear I wasn't. So it's a good thing to have done it. I never would have guessed.

After my hysterectomy I was found to have adenomyosis too. My gyn suspected it, but it can't be diagnosed without removal, she said. Instead of being a normal size (1lb?) it was like 3 lbs! I had never even heard of adenemyosis before about 2 years ago, but now understand that it is not uncommon.

Surgery is tomorrow 11-11-11. I can hardly wait to put this behind me. But then I will have to wait again for the path report. That will determine if chemo and or rads will be suggested, same drill as BC. I was one of those unfortunate ones that had a neg path report in surgery for BC but then had a positive lymph in the final path report. I will wait this time for the final path report regardless of what they tell me.

Perky thanks for the posts but dang I was hoping to lose at least 3 pounds of organs. I'm looking forward to some rest.

Betsy, I will be thinking of you tomorrow. Hoping it's contained and really, really, heavy. Stinks that you are facing the beast again.



Lalisa, glad you are feeling better!

Juli50, you won't hear anything, the only thing slower than the cancer is the docs that treat it.

Barbie, thinking of you too. You have been so helpful, hope things are much better for you now.

Funny thing, Perky,  my onc's office just called. I thought for sure it would be bad news since they called so quickly. haha. The pelvic ultrasound showed some improvement in the lining thickness since the last one 6 months ago. Good news.

Thanks, Peggy!

 Betsy, hope you are recovering well. hugs!

Good thoughts for Betsy's recovery!

Finally had my SIS test today.  It didn't go terribly smoothly.  I think I'm still headed for a D&C and at this point, if that's where this is going, I'd like to just get it over with.  Of course, with benign results in the plan!

lopsided_blogger wrote: My question is: Is it a good idea to just do nothing and let things resolve themselves if it's tamoxifen to blame?

Your questions all seem valid, esp. that one (above). Can you ask your doc (gyn? MO)?

Gyn called yesterday, time for the D&C.  Not surprised, but....shit. 

I HATE THIS, I HATE CANCER!!!!!!

WAAAAAAH.

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't posted until now. It was a very rough go in the hosptial and during my first week of recovery. They were able to use the da Vinci machine which is suppose to be less of a ordeal. Well mine didn't turn out that way. I think my problems were more related to anethesia than the surgery. They gave me a spinal plus heprin and regular anethesia. Surgery went well, the cancer was confined to my uterus with no node involvement. Which is truly wonderfully once I feel well enough for it to sink in. The next week after surgery I spent trying to eat and vomiting. It was a horrible cycle. I couldn't keep anything down. By Wednesday, I was in the ER. After giving me anti nausa drugs, enema and a bag of fluids I felt a whole lot better. It took two more days for my bowels to work on their own. Thankfully, nature and all the laxatives have taken over.

The bruising is another issue. I am black and blue from my mid thigh to my chest. Some spots are worst than others. My sister, who is a nurse thinks it's because of the heprin they kept giving me to counter any tamoxifin in my system. Remember tamoxifin causes blood clots so they really didn't want me dealing with that too. I am still very, very swollen and sore. The worst area is my pelvic area. NO wonder my bladder and bowels are so upset.

I'm just happy I can eat again, I finally am able to get into my fat lady pants and feel like I've turn the corner on recovery. I'm also super thankful for my dh and sister they have both been such a blessing.

Wishing everyone well.

Betsy

 I just had my transvaginal ultrasound--the only thing I could get from the tech was that my lining was 7. something mm.  As a post menopausal woman with vaginal discharge and both a history of tamoxifen (stopped about 4 yrs ago) and family history of uterine cancer, I'm worried.

 I don't see my gyn until mid-December, so any advice will be welcomed. Is there a possiblity, even a strong one, that it's nothing?  I hate waiting..... 

Thanks, Betsy, for the good advice.  While I'm so sorry you developed uterine cancer, I am happy for you that you caught it early. What a terrible experience you had though with your operation--that scares me!  Would he normally recommend chemo for stage one?   There is so much to learn, and I'm not even sure I understand breast cancer completely, but now to start trying to understand Uterine Cancer just leaves me cold and wanting to go hide in bed.  

 Your lining was 9mm, right?  My gyn was sure that last year's bleeding was vaginal atrophy, so I have felt even with the increase this year, that it was still atrophy.  But I don't think I can have vaginal atrophy with an endometrial lining of 7mm.  I am trying not to stress out.  I'm trying not to think about it all the time.  I've had so many scares since my original breast cancer dx in 2005, and with the exception of blood counts that have never returned to a normal, I've been okay, so this encourages me to relax. However, I think I'll call my gyn next week to see the results of the ultrasound.  They spent the longest time doing it, longer than ever before, but I think it was because there was a bit of a bowell that blocked their view.  And then I try to read their looks, but with such young women, maybe they were sympathetic looking because I'm so old to them!  I'm going to concentrate on being thankful.  Thanks for supporting and helping me and I wish you a speedy recovery.

Betsy, You probably already know this, but there is a very active uterine cancer board at csn.cancer.org.  There are also many people who believe they developed uterine cancer from tamoxifen who post.  And I've also seen many women who are using the vaginal(?) cuff, but I haven't paid attention to it because I'm still searching tamoxifen and uterine cancer.  It's very scary.  What makes me so angry is that I've had this discharge on and off for several years, yet my gyn, who was recommended by my onc, just kept saying it was probably nothing.  He "could" do a biopsy--he "could" even do a hysterectomy, but he thought I was okay.  It just seems unprofessional.  To give him credit, my last trvgu measured my lining at 2. mm, but just a few months before that it was almost 6mm and now it is 7mm.  How could it go from 6 to 2 to 7?

 What is really troubling is the number of women who developed the "bad" type of ut.cancer from tamoxifen.   I'm glad you didn't. Keep relaxing in that chair!

Good Luck, sweatyspice. Hope you feel better in time for the holidays.