It is funny to me that once you have cancer even the smallest symptom is something you feel compelled to call the doctor about. Things that if it happened to you, and you never had cancer, you wouldn't think twice about. Today I had to call the doctor because over the past few days I have had dried blood coming from my nose, not free flowing blood like a nose bleed but random dried blood. As I am calling the nurse I remember that I have also had multiple headaches over the past few days and random dizziness when getting up. Now, do I think this is something that is a huge concern, no. Could I be wrong, yes. So, I call the oncologist just in case. I full expect them to say I just need to drink fluids, rest, etc but I have been wrong before and ended up in the hospital for five days because of it.
I think that this need to touch base with the doctor will continue after I beat this cancer. As you may know, I had cancer before in 2012. I was treated and declared cancer free in 2012. My symptoms then were bleeding with intercourse and a clear discharge. That is all, no pain or anything else. My symptoms for my reoccurrence went ignored for a few months before I went to the doctor and even then I didn't call my oncologist first. I wish I would have, we could have caught this cancer earlier and maybe it would have been operable. I never really thought about it because it won't change anything now but if I had called earlier, would it have been operable? I have reasons I didn't call the oncologist, none of which seem important now. I didn't call the oncologist first because I had seen him in October. I had switched to this doctor due to a change in insurance and he was so different from my previous oncologist I honestly felt like he would not want to be bothered with something that I didn't think was cancer related. I didn't call my oncologist first because it was blood in my urine, which means it was coming from my bladder, a totally different location. I didn't call my general practitioner at first because it was Christmas when it started and honestly when I got around to calling the blood had stopped. I even saw the doctor for blood in my stool and didn't mention the blood in my urine because it hadn't been happening the week before so I thought it was done. Then, the blood in the urine started again, but I was busy, so I didn't call. I kept getting sick, just little cold like symptoms here and there but I'm a teacher, so I just figured the kids were getting me sick (it happens). My boss at one point told me I needed to get checked out because I seemed sick at work frequently (notice I wasn't taking off for these cold like symptoms, I was working). When I finally did call they got me in right away, they treated me for a UTI but the blood continued through the antibiotic and after. I called about a week after the antibiotic ended and they referred me to an urologist. It took about a week for me to be seen and then everything was put into motion.
So the question still lingers, if I had called earlier would my reoccurrence not be as bad? Would it have been operable? We won't ever know but there is one thing I do know. I will call, even if I think that something can't be related I will call. The first time I had cancer I was stage 1b2, although the don't officially restage cancer for a reoccurrence this stage would have been 3b…if it comes back (after I beat it this time) I am in trouble, it's already in my lymph nodes which means it can travel (already has). So I know, I won't wait around, I will call right away.
I hope that someone learns from my experiences. Below is a chart that describes symptoms of a variety of gynecological cancers, be sure and do not disregard symptoms. Get checked!
I think that this need to touch base with the doctor will continue after I beat this cancer. As you may know, I had cancer before in 2012. I was treated and declared cancer free in 2012. My symptoms then were bleeding with intercourse and a clear discharge. That is all, no pain or anything else. My symptoms for my reoccurrence went ignored for a few months before I went to the doctor and even then I didn't call my oncologist first. I wish I would have, we could have caught this cancer earlier and maybe it would have been operable. I never really thought about it because it won't change anything now but if I had called earlier, would it have been operable? I have reasons I didn't call the oncologist, none of which seem important now. I didn't call the oncologist first because I had seen him in October. I had switched to this doctor due to a change in insurance and he was so different from my previous oncologist I honestly felt like he would not want to be bothered with something that I didn't think was cancer related. I didn't call my oncologist first because it was blood in my urine, which means it was coming from my bladder, a totally different location. I didn't call my general practitioner at first because it was Christmas when it started and honestly when I got around to calling the blood had stopped. I even saw the doctor for blood in my stool and didn't mention the blood in my urine because it hadn't been happening the week before so I thought it was done. Then, the blood in the urine started again, but I was busy, so I didn't call. I kept getting sick, just little cold like symptoms here and there but I'm a teacher, so I just figured the kids were getting me sick (it happens). My boss at one point told me I needed to get checked out because I seemed sick at work frequently (notice I wasn't taking off for these cold like symptoms, I was working). When I finally did call they got me in right away, they treated me for a UTI but the blood continued through the antibiotic and after. I called about a week after the antibiotic ended and they referred me to an urologist. It took about a week for me to be seen and then everything was put into motion.
So the question still lingers, if I had called earlier would my reoccurrence not be as bad? Would it have been operable? We won't ever know but there is one thing I do know. I will call, even if I think that something can't be related I will call. The first time I had cancer I was stage 1b2, although the don't officially restage cancer for a reoccurrence this stage would have been 3b…if it comes back (after I beat it this time) I am in trouble, it's already in my lymph nodes which means it can travel (already has). So I know, I won't wait around, I will call right away.
I hope that someone learns from my experiences. Below is a chart that describes symptoms of a variety of gynecological cancers, be sure and do not disregard symptoms. Get checked!
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