Hi all. I've read some posts on here but thought i'd leave it until we knew more about what the situation is about my wife who is 28. Recently she had been diagnosed with Cancer 1 of the Vulva and the 1st operation was more of a dignostic operation (not radical as they call it) as the biopsy performed in another hospital wasn't that great. We got the results back recently and they are 100% confident that the cancer has gone but a further op is needed in July to take her groin/pelvic lymph nodes and nearly all of the clitoris. This they say as precaution due to the depth of the cancer which was over 2mm in depth. Ok, there was a mild celebration because the cancer has gone but more worrying that we're only recently married and sex life good of course, but that isn't everything. Main worry is the potential swelling in her legs due to the lymph nodes being taken and the risk factors involved in that going forward in life.
They are 99.5% sure nothing is in them but its procedure. The worrying thing is this potential swelling and in many cases, severe swelling! We are concerned about the clitoris going but if that means the cancer is gone then so be it, her health is much more important, but its this swelling that she is most worried about because as she says, nobody can see the scars from the operation but will be able to see her legs swell up and this really is concerning her.
Has anyone else had a similar operation?
Also has anyone had the lymph nodes taken out (around my wife's age of 28?) and been ok?
What do you recommend for her once they are taken out? Exercise, if so, what? Can you go on holiday? Anything you can do to prevent swelling? What is life like without them? Is it uncomfortable?
And on another matter, our sex life, will sex ever the same or at least close with the clitoris gone? The doctors are telling us that there are many ways to have an orgasm and not just from the clitoris....?
Thanks in advance and all the best,
Matt.