Hi, Ladies. Hope everyone is well! This may seem a little silly, but, I need to ask this question. Today I met with my GP for the first time. My old one unfortunately passed during last summer. My new Dr. has access to all my medical records because she is part of the Yale system as I am. She was asking me a bunch of questions and asked if I had been going to my regular gyno in addition to my oncology gyno. I told her no. She got excited and started telling me I MUST go see a regular gyno for paps. I told her no need since I had full debulking, etc. in 2015 and I'm sure that my onc drs would have suggested it if I even still had my cervix. So, that's the question. I just read through my post op report and it did mention removing (they misspelled it Cevix) I wish I had never read that whole report...looks like they had a field day in there. I know I should be asking my dr. this question but I don't see him until next month and I wanted to ask you ladies first before I make a fool out of myself at the hospital.
My GP asked me many many questions which had she read my chart prior, she would have already known more about my situation than I would. I guess I'm expecting drs. to be plugged in and connected to their patients, but, maybe I'm just being a Polly Anna. Thanks!
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Hello High grade serous is the most commonly diagnosed form of OC I think. OC doesn’t follow normal cancer rules- so I would suggest you don’t get too hung up on your stage or what they removed- the important thing is how you feel xx
Thank you, Lyndy. I always need the voice of reason. I got so spun out reading that stupid post op report. I just know one thing...I am going to have to grow a set and tell any other doctors in the same group to please read the report themselves. I'm not qualified to handle my own research just as they are not qualified to operate on themselves.
The good news is that High Grade Serous responds better to treatment than the other types of OC.
However, the cervix problem is pretty funny.
When I was using birth control, after I stopped everything else, I used a “Cervical Cap” from the Feminest Women’s Health Center in Hollywood.
This is a tiny device that fits tightly over just your cervix, and not like a gigantic diaphragm.
It meant that you had to stick two fingers in your vagina to get it placed properly, but you could leave it in for weeks! It was the best form of birth control I ever used.
So, I was used to feeling around inside me and touching my cervix.
But after my debulking surgery, I have been afraid to check and I have not had penetrative sex in about 8 years... so I just don’t know if I will ever check and I don’t know if I still have a cervix!
Laura! You are hilarious! I needed to hear that about the High grade. Thank you!
I think I felt where my cervix was when I started on birth control. They inserted a diaphram and told me to remove and then put in on my own. They left me alone in a room. Buckets of sweat and girations...I couldn't get it out! Then I told them I think I broke something up there and they laughed and said it was my cervix! They didn't have "Health" class in my Catholic School growing up. lol.
So now...I do not want to venture and find out what's up there. After reading my post op, I decided to let everything heal and leave alone. Such a big lifestyle personal change for us!
Never think it's a silly question. I was totally kept in the dark in 1985, and only when getting actual copies of the surgery did I find all the things removed and that I was at that time Stage III. Because of cells that may have been in the area they take as much as possible.
I think I might be the longest living person with OC. Hahaha, I keep waiting because I think I should be in the Guinness Book of records!
I just had a new port placed and start enhanced Chemo tomorrow. 5 whole hours of sleep hopefully because I haven’t really slept more than 4 hours a night and that’s not at a time. 🤗. Meanwhile I have to work 3 full days a week to the insurance, how crazy is that? Stay laughing everyone it really does help.
When I had my cervix removed, I was told no more paps would be required (we call them smear tests in the UK), because there was no cervical tissue to sample. Some women have been told that they should still have ‘vault’ smears though 😳 I’m happy not to be poked and prodded at more than necessary!
Lol. I am with you on that! I'm assuming that every 3 months whatever it is they are measuring up there with the metal cone is doing something. So, I guess what's left up there is the vault. I was too embarrassed to ask. lol.
XOX
Marisa
I wondered about this very topic and found the following on a NHS website.
In most women having a hysterectomy, the cervix (neck of the womb) is removed as part of the operation. ... If the cervix is normal, and if the patients have had regular cervical screening before their operation, then no further smears are required. 28 Nov 2018
I was told at the time of initial surgery that my cervix was removed. I also had a letter when my next smear would have been due, saying that their records showed I no longer had a cervix, so I would no longer be contacted about smear tests. Di
I'd like to know what your new doctor said when you mentioned having debulking surgery - if she's got more than two functioning brain cells, she should have felt like an idiot and immediately looked up your path report from your surgery. If she didn't feel like an idiot, that does not bode well in terms of how good she is as a GP...
Frankly, I'd not have been impressed, and would immediately have asked her whether she'd read my records, especially the more recent ones. I admire your politeness and patience with her... I know I couldn't have managed to be like that, as far as I'm concerned, its bad enough having cancer, without dealing with idiots climbing on their hobby horse when its entirely inappropriate, I have no tolerance of that sort of nonsense at all I'm afraid. A couple of words spring to mind which, whilst deemed to be classic and unacceptable anglo saxon, I would barely have been able to resist uttering...
You are awesome! Are you available to come to my next appointment? lol. I should either cancel our next appointment or go in and explain how I feel and ask her if she feels confident she can guide me through, what is a horrible time in my life. I actually did ask her if she's ready to take me on. When I mentioned stress...she mentioned talking to a psychologist in her building. I said no. When she asked if I ever had a colonoscopy and I said no, after she flipped out, she told me to go see gastro dr. also in her building. She was pretty disconnected. I think I just answered my own question. Thank you for your helpful words!
I think you're not in the UK, which likely means your healthcare is insurance based. I do notice that kind of system seems to mean lots of procedures and appointments with various medical professionals ... seems like she's box ticking as well as increasing income for the practice as much as anything. I think you might need a different GP, to be honest...
When she started rattling off different doctors names, it became clear she was just trying to spread the insurance money to her associates in the building. That's why I liked my old GP....he would suggest but not mandate referrals.
She really left a bad taste in my mouth.
When you have a chance, please tell me how insurance works in the UK. I'm interested in hearing.
Our healthcare is free here (UK), though people with either plenty of money or a job that includes it have private health insurance. Those that have plenty of money generally live longer because they live in better areas, eat better, take more holidays and, critically, are able to access healthcare rapidly because they have insurance. The rest of us take pot luck! Mostly, the NHS works reasonably well, but its been significantly underfunded year on year by our current government, just like the last time they were in power years ago. Some drug treatments are not available on the NHS - I had a friend who used her husband's medical insurance 30 years ago to access a drug the NHS couldn't give her - that's the only reason she's still here, it worked. But the NHS were not allowed to give it to her and sent her home to die, basically (breast cancer). Some of us occasionally pay for our own scans/tests, a consultation with a Consultant, or to see a private GP in a hurry, without insurance though. But I don't think the system in the States, or other countries where its all insurance based, works that well either - lots of probably unnecessary procedures and so on. Sadly, in the end, its always about the bottom line of the profit statement for insurance based health schemes.
You are so right! I just replied to Season36-uk below. Our system is fragmented here in the states. Problem is when one democrat tries to fix and implement, a republican gets in and tries to replace and repeal. It's a tug of war. In the end...both our countries have the same issues you listed above....the wealthy can buy their health and survive. The rest are at the mercy on who is in control government wise.
Fortunately, both countries are still very civilized and focused on it's people.
I just wish someone would really just speed up the cures for cancer I've been reading about.
Amen to that, and not just ovarian cancer either - there has to be a better way to deal with cancer than the current dreadful chemo/radio regimes. I hope that in a generation or two, people will look back in horror at what we all went through to try to deal with our cancers, much the way we look back, shuddering, at a time when cauterising a wound such as an amputation meant sticking a hot iron on it, without benefit of any anaesthetic at any point...
You are so right...and have a knack for vivid visuals. lol. Sometimes I feel that sitting for chemo is like the leeches which were once attached to the body for healing. I know it's life saving,but, I feel so violated and exposed when receiving the IV. Maybe that's just me.
I am taking the chance to reply to you about health care in the UK.
We are incredibly fortunate in that our health care (not dentistry/eye care) is “free at the point of access” for all ages & nearly all conditions (some cut backs now on eg. cosmetic surgery etc). We are SO fortunate & most of us TRY not to take it for granted or use it inappropriately eg. for minor complaints.
It is paid for via our taxation system.
However.....we probably don’t get as much time spent on us at the GP or Consultant appointments, as the work load is just so high/budgets so tight.
Some people do pay privately to eg. have quicker treatment/surgery.
If we don’t like/trust our GP, most people choose another partner in the group practice of eg. 4-6 GPs.
I have worked in the National Health Service all my working life, until I was poorly with OC. I am fiercely proud of it and have had excellent care during OC treatment.
The NHS is perhaps not so good with ‘non-urgent’ care....but it does well as it tries to be ‘all things to all men/women!’
I’m sure you’ll find this interesting Marisa, as we in the UK find other health care systems of interest.
Thank you for explaining this to me. Here in the states it's pretty much a mixed bag of everything. It all depends on which company you work for, how much money you make and what you are willing to pay for. As you know, our former President Obama came out with the Affordable Care Act. It was't what many people thought it would be. I am in Human Resources at my company so I administer benefits. What Affordable Care Act did was to allow each state government to offer the insurance at a premium based on income. It became law that you MUST have health insurance after age 26 (assuming you are on your parents' insurance up until then or are a student.) Initially, the state offering was always lower than what we could offer as a company. If someone did not have insurance, they would be penalized when filing taxes. Something happened in the last two years....the private insurance company have modified their premiums to be somewhat affordable. Of course, if you are under a certain income and qualify for free benefits...that is still and always has been an option.
If you are a government worker, for example, my husband was a police officer in NY. His union contract said we would receive free medical for him and family...carries throughout retirement. From state to state, there is always healthcare available to children.... I execute many child support garnishments...now the states also want my employee to get their dependents covered through the company. Trump taking office did not change the state offerings for medical benefits. It seems to be working.
If you choose to not have insurance for whatever reason....if you end up in urgent care or an emergency room...I have heard that the admissions person gets you to pay at least one month of coverage through the state so that the hospital can recover their costs.
It has been an age old battle between private and public insurance here in the states. Between poverty and rich. In trying to find a good balance, everyone forgets that there are people who are sick who get lost in the system and have no advocate. One thing for sure...the private insurance companies who will only cater to those who can afford it are slowly being brought to their knees. Sure....there are profits to be made, but, not on the heads of innocent children and sick people.
I was told that I wouldn't need any more smear tests as my cervix was removed, however I STILL get letters inviting me for them, even though I've signed letters at my GP surgery saying I don't need them!
Wishing you a positive check up! On Zejula for 4 months. my CA125 is creeping up, but, exam next month so I'm hoping for nothing too heart shattering. Thank you!
Like most of the other replies, I had cervix removed during surgery. No pap test or smears are required.
I noted the comments on health care in UK and US. I live in Canada where we have free medical. Our CancerCare in Manitoba , Canada is excellent. Soon after diagnosis, you have surgery. recovery, then chemo treatment ASAP (or radiation or whatever else). No waiting. In fact I declined the first chemo start day so I would a few days to get my affairs in order. There are many cancer doctors and nurses that work in a team, so that you may not see your 'actual' doctor that you were referred to at first appointment.
I had excellent care and treatments with no cost. I had emergencies at home that required trips to the ER and hospital. And many CT scans, MIR, bone scans, tests, anti-nausea drugs, etc with no cost. Our CancerCare uses the most current methods and drugs, plus research and targeted therapy for individuals that need special drugs for their cancers. I consider myself very fortunate living here.
Hi, Helentess. I have always heard about Canadian system and it sounds like it does work well. I, too, have the same protocol as yours at no cost. We have insurance coverage through my husband's police job. So far, they have covered everything. I feel pretty fortunate. However, insurance in this country varies and depends on what you can afford, etc. As you see in the news...we have two political parties who fight each other, therefore, constantly canceling out any progress in the right direction.
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