Cervical Polyps

Hi, this is my first time posting something. I needed to share and get some feedback/support. I have always suffered anxiety - stressfull life events and what now seems like a permanent on swith of my adrenals :) Anyway, my mother died 3 years ago and i have had a lot of health anxiety since as well as feeling fairly unsafe generally, I have not really had to "face"anything too challenging since and think I have avoided things that stress me out. I now have a situation that is REALLY stressing me out, I went for a smear test, i had convinced myself that there wsa "bound to be something wrong" - I had calmed myself down and accepted the normality of it and that I would deal with it IF there WAS something wrong. Well, I have not even had the results yet but was told I had a polyp, nothing to worry about apparently, but I AM worried as it means maybe the hospital (they did say the Dr would remove if small enough). I need to visit the GP to find out, but the thought of going to hospital, the results (although i understand that they are 99%) harmless are just now what I want to be doing and feel like the anxiety is too much and I can't do it, but I want to do it, but kind of want to avoid ANY unpleasantness, which I now is ridiculous, because life happens and sometimes its challenging. I feel so raw and vulnerable and wonder how best to take care of myself, yet not worry toooooo much so that I make myself more anxious than necessary. I think I need a mum right now - I am 40!!:winks:


Plus, nurse, that was lovely said after I told her that at 27 I had an ultrasound and was diagnosed with a uterine fibroid, that was nothing to worry about. 3 years ago I had a burst chocolate ovarian cyst that resulted in an A&E trip that resolved itself and the recent polyp she suggested I press my GP to take care of my gynaelogical health. I know that she was not suggesting anything was wrong, but more to do with linking all these events to just take care of this area of my body. BUT....I have no experience of what this means I should be doing, checks? etc Again, I think I need a mum, guidance, reassureance and lessons in self care that dont render me going over the top with anxiety about WHAT IF.....any advice, words, experiences welcome x

Hi Sally, I had a cervical polyp 5 years ago.It was picked up on a cervical smear test, it was quite sizeable according to the doctor. Got my self in a terrible state worrying about it but it all turned out fine. In fact my GP gave me an internal examination and it burst. Slightly worrying at the time because of bleeding. By the time i went to hospital it had gone !! Try not to worry i,me sure you'll be fine.
Take care xxx

Sorry to hear you are having a bad time of it.

I can so understand where you are coming from with this news.
A cervical polyp diagnosis gave me the worst year of anxiety I ever had last year, but I have a fear of medical procedures and hospitals.

Looking back I can't believe it set off such a spiral of anxiety, it so shouldn't have as it was such a simple/small thing.

Usually if you have a good GP in your practice they will remove it for you. I didn't feel a thing when it was removed, all I had was a little bit of bleeding after it was removed. My gp said she has quite a few ladies who just leave them if they cause no problems but she advised I get rid of it as I was a "worrier"

The vast majority are harmless and very common.

I think the mistakes I made were:
Not dealing with it quickly, I sat and worried my life away over it for no good reason
Getting it out of perspective, they are very very rarely anything bad
Worrying about the hospital, I didn't need to go in the end (although that fear is still there big time)

When you do go to your GP they may suggest an ultrasound, I wasn't offered one but a friend of mine was, so don't worry if you are. Her GP wouldn't remove it either but she was in and out of hospital within 5 mins and had the exact same treatment as me.

I hope this helps but my main advice is get to your GP quickly to get it sorted so you don't worry about or should I say worry about it less.

Thank you, I am still worrying about it and hope to see hte GP tomorrow for her to refer me or remove it, if it is small. I think it brings up a feeling of powerlessness and frustration that I am not qualified to understand why I have had fibroids very young, cysts and now this and it makes me wonder if I am prone to growths and why and what I should be doing if anything. I have only heard of people seeing gyanecologists when pregnant or trying to get pregnant or severe problems with pain/periods. I am now wondering if the anxiety i suffer is something to do with hormone imbalance and will mention this to the GP - all in all, the "surprise" element has sent me spinning a little. I have only just felt my feet touch the ground after bereavement and moving house and job and really feel upset that I need to focus on something else beyond my control :-) Being informed really helps and I hope my GP is helpful - my long term GP has left the practice, which isn't reassuring either:-( Thanks again for your replies. I will be terrified when/if it has to be removed and more so incase there is something a miss with it and/or my smear....oh goodness

Update: I went to my GP today and unfortunately she couldn't examine me as I should have been told to make a longer appointment than normal. She was VERY helpful and categorically told me not to worry and there was nothing major wrong, also that the other gynacological problems are not related and that polyps are very very common. She will do an examination and decide if it is worth removing, I dont have any symptoms, if it is it will be a quick procedure, as replies have told me, using a laser at the hospital.

The useful thing she said was that these treatments are preventative and I explained that "we" are not used ot medicine working that way and I jumped to the conclusion that I was diseased in some way! She agreed that the downside of more and more preventative procedures increases patient anxiety. She said I will not lie and say there categorically will not be a problem with the polyp but it is not Cancer, nor anything to worry about. I mentioned having moles removed and she agreed it is a similar approach, there is potential for moles and polyps to cause problems, both systomatically AND cell changes, but unlikely. Seeing as they have the means to remove them and its simple and easy, they do.

This has reassured me enourmously (for now)I still have anxiety about the potential of a hospital visit and she stressed that anxiety is horrible, living with it, but that is probably worse than anything this polyp represents.

Hopefully this perspective will help other people worried, thanks for your interest in my worries. Fingers crossed I can manage my anxiety better around this now that my head is a little straighter and less catastrophic thinking:).

Thank you all for sharing your experiences, the saying is very true; it helps to know you are not alone. I am not quite sure why anyone would want to opt for a general anaesthetic rather than a local one - not me for sure. My GP advised it would be a short appointment and very quick procedure if I were to have it done and kept stressing that I was not to stress about it. It is not urgent and not causing a problem, so steady as I go. I have to have lots of dental work done soon as well. Maybe by the end of this run of health "MOT" I will have an anxiety free 2011! :winks:

I don't have any experience on this subject hunni but I'm glad the doc reassured you a little. I just wanted to send you a :hugs: and say nowt wrong with wanting your mum us ladies need our mummys from time to time. I know I do. Take care of your self luv xx

Hi

I'm glad the GP has reassured you. I also needed to book a double appointment but I was only in there for 10mins max and most of that was just getting on couch etc.


If you have a cervical polyp it is usually just twisted off without any anaesthetic. That has been the treatment for myself, family and friends. Sometimes this was done in the hospital but still a very simple procedure. I can honestly say I didn't feel a thing.

Hope you can get an appointment quickly and put it all behind you soon.

Sharing your experience is reassuring, especially the deal with it as quick as possible to put your mind at rest, it is sometimes tempting to sit and avoid - very glad I went to the GP the next day and not so anxious now, although I expect I will be when it comes to treatment, but as you say eventually we can put these things behind us. It's exhausting stuff all these fears and stresses :-)