After treatment for uterine cancer
Follow-up care helps you and your healthcare team monitor your progress and your recovery from treatment. At first, your follow-up care may be managed by one of the specialists from your healthcare team. Later on, it may be managed by your family doctor.
The schedule of follow-up visits is different for each person. You might see your doctor more often in the first year after treatment and less often after that. After treatment has ended, you should report new symptoms and symptoms that don’t go away to your doctor without waiting for your next scheduled appointment.
Menopause
Menopause is the end of menstruation. It is the time in a woman’s life when the ovaries produce less estrogen and progesterone, and pregnancy is no longer possible.
Some drug treatments can damage the ovaries and cause symptoms of menopause. These symptoms usually stop once treatment is over. Sometimes, depending on your age, the type of drugs or the dose you are taking, your periods may not return and menopause will be permanent. The side effects are often more severe than those caused by natural menopause. Your healthcare team can suggest ways to cope with these side effects.
Self-image and sexuality
It’s natural to worry about the effects of uterine cancer and its treatment on your sexuality. Your doctor can tell you about possible side effects, such as vaginal dryness and narrowing, and whether they are likely to be temporary or permanent. You may be worried about being intimate with your partner or that your partner may reject you. It may help to talk about these feelings with your partner, another close family member or a friend. Your doctor can also refer you to specialists and counsellors who can help you and your partner with the emotional side effects of uterine cancer treatment.
The end of cancer treatment may bring mixed emotions. You may be glad the treatments are over and look forward to returning to your normal activities. But you could feel anxious as well. If you are worried about your treatment ending, talk to your healthcare team. They are there to help you through this transition period.
Last modified on:
03 March 2010
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