I am going to warn you all by saying this post may be a little too much information for most of you. Feel free to skip this post if you wish. If you do decided to continue reading, don't say I didn't warn you.
So as I go through this whole treatment process I have come up along some information that was interesting to me as a woman. Pelvic radiation has a good chance of helping get rid of my cancer, but it has some huge side effects. For starters, there is a very good chance that I will be sterile after all of this is said and done. The ovaries are very susceptible to radiation. Now after I had Tball I had my tubes tied, so to be honest that wasn't really an issue for me. The doctors didn't really go into the whole discussion of sterility because I had already had a tubal ligation. What they didn't explain (or at least I don't recall them talking about it) and I didn't think about is that this treatment has a good possibility of causing early menopause. Plus side to this, no more monthly periods. YAY! I mean what is really the point of those if you aren't having kids anymore. On the flip side, I'm not sure I'm ready for menopause and all the symptoms that go with it. Fatigue, irritability, sleep problems (probably isn't helping that it is 4 AM right now), weight gain, hot flashes, osteoporosis the list goes on.
Another issue that I have read about on my RC forums etc. is called vaginal stenosis. This is when the vagina due to scar tissue from radiation shortens or closes up! I didn't even know that was fucking possible! Ladies complain that they can't even get a tampon in there without pain. Sex usually brings tears to their eyes, and not the good tears! Really? WTF! The concern is for the doctors is that they still need to be able to do pap smears because it is possible that the cancer could spread to the vagina (but lets hope not!). It is not that pap smears aren't important for a variety of health reasons, but in this case it is not my biggest concern. Seriously, this issue has caught me completely off guard! My doctor says not to worry too much about it, they are typically more concerned with this particular side effect when treating patients with anal cancer or differing types of vaginal cancers. I hear her saying that, yet I see women all over the RC boards with rectal cancer posting about it. It is instances like this where the internet truly isn't helping.
Well, as far as the internet goes, too much information can definitely be a BAD THING!! In terms of early menopause, my mom had a proactive hysterectomy right around 40. If you ever have questions about the side effects she has dealt with due to early onset menopause, let me know and I can pass them along or whatever. As for sex, I don't even know what to say there dude, except remember the whole technical virgin discussion? Well, let's just say there are plenty of ways to have sexy times without intercourse. Sexy times ahoy!! :) Love ya.
ReplyDeleteThanks Leah, I needed a good laugh!
ReplyDeleteHey, Melissa! It's Molly. I hope you're hanging in there. I just wanted to share with you that my ma went through menopause at 39 from her chemo. Completely ended everything for her; however, she never had any menopause like symptoms other than her special monthly visitor never came again. No hot flashes, no moodswings, nothing... I'm sure it's different for everyone, but I wanted to share that there could be some hope that it might not be too bad. I think the hardest part for her over the years was that each month she would feel like she needed to have that visit, but it didn't ever come. Anyway, I think of you often. I'm glad to see you have not lost your positivity. You are such an amazing woman! You're my hero these days! Seriously, let me know if I can do anything for you or your family. If you need a break from kids or anything, I'm your gal. Promise I'd treat them like my own! xoxox, and congrats again on all of your successes so far. You've been through a lot and come a long way!
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