Pregnancy after Cancer

[MrsW84]

Hi All

Just wanted to start a thread to see if anyone had been through cancer and cancer treatment prior to getting pg!?
i had thyroid cancer, im in remission now but being checked all the time to make sure it doesnt come back esp now im pg!
i do worry the radiotherapy i had may affect baby at some point but i wasnt pg when i had it and i waited 6 months beofre conceiving like they said but still and irrational thoughT that creeps in from time to time!

XXXXXX

 

[JJ Mum]

Hello Mrs W, have had no experiance myself in this area, I have two freinds , one in remision from ovarian cancer so she couldn't have anymore as she had to have her womb removed, and another freind that does not want kids, but has just had her big toe removed from skin cancer , so fingers crossed she will be ok too, but just wanted to say wow , that's great news on your remission , you must have had a long journey to get here. Congratulations on your pregnancy, that must have been hard waiting that 6 mths, but worth it like you say to make sure baby is not affected.

Thank you for sharing your story , not long for you now, how exciting after coming so far, that you will have your baby soon X

 

[greekgirl84]

Congratulations on being in remission and on your pregnancy! Hoping u have a happy healthy 9 months x

 

[FirstBabyEek]

I've got no experience of this, but I can totally understand why you'd think like that. Cancer treatment is gruelling - I watched my Mum go through it a few years ago and she had radiotherapy too. She says there isnt a day that goes past that she doesnt think about it.

On top of that you have all the usual worries of being pregnant anyway. I think that the risks are zero, you waited the time suggested and even that is a safety buffer time. The treatment should have been well out of your body by the time you concieved. Try and relax and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy. Do you still have contact with a MacMillan Nurse if you ever need a chat?

Congrats on being in remission, fantastic news! xx

 

[MrsW84]

ahh thanks...dont have a macmillan nurse but have every other type of doctor going!
im being monitered v closely! just a lil worry at the back of my mind that being pregnant may make cancer come back
something to do with growth hormone
Firstbaby...ur right treatment is gruelling and i think about it quite reguarly
had some counselling as had post traumatic stress after!
but i feel all healthy now!
hope bubs is too and hope he/she has a nice healthy set of organs!!!
xxx

 

[saralou5]

Hey
Firstly I'd like to say good on you for beating that ******* of a disease!
I've not had any personal experience with it myself but my Mum developed hodgkins lymphoma shortly after having my older sister and suffered through all the radiotherapy before coming out on top and was told her chances of having anymore children were near to none. But low and behold I came along and she had a perfectly normal pregnancy although she was monitored closely. She started trying for me as soon as she felt strong enough . The cancer has never returned and I've never had any health issues .

Again, well done for showing it what for!!
xxx

 

[dyscochick]

Congrats on being in remission hun, I just saw this thread and popped in here cos my cousin had a nasty nearly killed her brain tumour a few years ago. Upsettingly for her the early symptoms of the tumour were like pregnancy ones! She fought her way back after emergency surgery and months of radio and chemotherapy on her spine and brain. Her ovaries were so close to her spine they were worried the radiotherapy might affect her ovaries and the radio to her brains could also affect her hormone levels. In remission she tried for a baby but ended up with IVF and had a beautiful little girl who is perfect in everyday, despite all her treatment. Wonderfully she has now had a little boy conceived naturally (suggesting the previous pregnancy kicked started whatever the radiotherapy had slowed down!).

I'm sure this is a scary time but she is a great example of positivity in the face of this horrid disease and after so much treatment she has 2 perfect little ones. I really hope the same happens for you.

 

[MrsW84]

thanks chick
nice to hear positive stories!
its an amazing feeling to be pregnant and have a life growing inside me all i want to do is protect him/her....and worry that i cant
but these thoughts are few and far between and ive only been in remission a year so will just take time to adjust my life back to being cancer free
such a horrible disease that can blow your life apart
luckily i have an AMAZING husband and lovely family and family in law who have helped me piece it back together!
XXXX

 

[PyscoFalcon]

Congrats for staying strong and beating it and getting preggers
Can't add anything but I'm sure your baby will be closely monitored and I hope it has your fighting spirit

 

[suem68]

Hi,
I was diagnosed in July 2007...aged 39.. with an aggressive breast cancer ( 5cm tumour ), went on to have 6 rigorous rounds of chemotherapy, which worked miracles and lumpectomy and 3 weeks of radiotherapy all which took up 9 months.
During this time i didnt have a period at all and they didnt resume for 2 years, after which they were erratic to say the least!!
Ironically before the diagnosis my partner and i have decided we would try to conceive, which was obviously superceded by the diagnosis. I was asked if i wanted to freeze any eggs before treatment but as the cancer was soo aggressive we decided against it.
Well then blow me, when we were finally accepting that we wouldnt have any children , and were quite fine with it....thought new car, nice foreign holidays...in November i discovered i was pregnant, i am now 3 weeks til due date and can honestly say its a miracle....what with the cancer and the fact i am now 44!!! It has taken a loooong time to actually believe its actually really happening...but it is..
Sorry its such a long post but i wanted to let people know that there is hope after cancer.

thank you for reading
sue

 

[cosmicgirl]

Omg! What a wonderful post
Congrats to you both xx

 

[MrsW84]

hi sue
thats amazing
so lovely to hear from someone else who has been thru a similar thing
cancer sucks big time but we now have our lil babies to look forward to and hope for the future!!
xx