Highly abnormal test results!

[louise123_uk]

Last week had a series of blood tests for irregular periods that looked at a whole range of thinsg from hormones to liver functioning, I also had a swab test and smear test. I called them at 8am today and was told they were in (assuming not the smear test ones) and that the results of my blood test and swab showed highly abnormal and irregular results, I asked what was meant by this and the receptionist said she wasnt allowed to say further and that a doc would need to call me. Im being sent for other tests as a matter of urgency but they didnt say what other tests....

A doc hasnt got back to me yet and im freaking out, have been waiting two hours now! My periods are extremely irregular, and there may have been spotting (they are so irregular and vary so much in length and heaviness I couldnt tell the difference between spotting and a periods), in addition my doc has commented on how red I am internally and the amount of discharge but theres no yeast or bactrial infection!! Freaking out the tests show suspected cancer of a gynecological nature such as cervical, ovarian, uterine, vulval or vaginal cancer!! The redness internally with no other cause im particularly worried is the start of vaginal cancer! The receptionist went silent when I asked for more info, spoke off the phone to someone and then mentioned a doc would contact me, how ominous does that sound!

[nomorepanic]

Louise

I will be thinking of you today and let us know what the doc says ok. I assume they will see you today about it all?

Try to stay calm ok - sometimes the receptionists cannot interpret results accurately. I know they have done this to me in the past as all they have is an indicator of whether the blood test levels are lower / higher than normal.

When I got to see the doc he said it was all acceptable even though abnormal.

Will be thinking of you.

[MoonlightFire]

Hi Louise. Firstly try and take a big deep breath and not automatically assume the worst case scenario. I know that's hard but just take a step back for a minute and give yourself a break from the worry. I'm really surprised the receptionist was allowed to tell you information like that over the phone!! I really don't think they're meant to!! The problem with this info is that 1. It hasn't come from the Doctor and 2. You don't know which tests were abnormal. As far as I am aware if anything is found in a blood test which could be a serious cause for concern the hospital ring the doctor on the day they tested the blood and the doctor would then call you or organise a hospital appointment that day. How long ago did you have your test? They wouldn't leave it until you call up if it was something that required immediate attention. Hopefully you will hear back from them soon and get a proper explanation of your results. I think it's terrible that they told you that without explaining and then left you to worry about it!! That's really unacceptable.

On the subject of irregular periods, spotting and other gynae symptoms...if it is any confort I went through a scary time with them myself when I was 20. I had irregular periods, spotting and discharge aswell as weight loss, stomach pains and nausea. I had blood tests (including full blood count, hormones, thyroid etc), smears, examinations, a scan, swabs and a pregnancy test. I was terrified but one of the Doctors at the gynae clinic told me that cancers in the reproductive systems are as rare as hen's teeth in women in their early 20s. Of couse hen's don't have teeth so what she was saying was it's virtually unheard of. It happens yes, but it's unlikely. After months of worry my Doctor's conclusion was that the symptoms were all due to emotional stress...nothing more, just stress.

Louise, I hope you get your call soon so you can get a proper idea of what your tests show. We're here for you. Please let us know how you get on. Stay as calm as you can. Give me a PM if you want to talk to someone or have any questions about my experiences.

Moonlight xx

[JaneC]

Good luck Louise :hugs:. Let us know when you hear anything. And if you don't hear soon, get on to the surgery and hassle them xx

[Ambers]

Hi Louise, just had to reply as I have recently been through similar - and mine ended up all ok. I had (still have) constant bleeding, soreness...

Also I had an abnormal smear tests in my 20's - they kept an eye and eventually the abnormal cells corrected themselves (not sure of the termology)

Fingers crossed for you, and positive vibes x

[Vixxy]

If this is making your anxiety flare up badly then I would go down to the surgery and ask to speak to the doctor then and there. Making you wait for a call that might come at some point today isnt going to help the situation. I completely empathise with you. I really do hope its good news for you.
Let us know
x

[nomorepanic]

What happened then Louise?

[blueangel]

I was thinking that myself. Have you managed to find out anything?

[louise123_uk]

Hi, thanks for all the responses, it really is appreciated xxx

Sorry didnt post again, I had to go away with work and didnt have access to a comp. Apparently quite alot of my hormone levels are quite high, particularly the testosterone level. Also, she mentioned that a few secretions from the brain are quite high!! Theyre not exactly sure whats going on at the moment, but shes hoping it could be as simple as PCOS, and so they want to do an ultrasound to look for this and to see if there are any explanations to the pain on intercourse and excessive discharge they all mentioned.... but she wouldnt be drawn out on saying much more other than lets wait to see what the ultrasound shows and that it could just be PCOS and the pain, redness and discharge is the way I am if it is??

It calmed me down somewhat that she was saying maybe just PCOS, but the fact that theres def no type of infection which they thought would explain away the redness, pain and discharge worries me, cos ive been googling high hormone levels such as testosterone and although this is a symotom of PCOS, PCOS doesnt mention pain, discharge and redness. Ovarian cancer is also one that shows high hormone levels particularly testosterone, and can also include discharge and pain on intercourse so im slightly worried it sounds more like this!! She even mentioned that high hormone and brain secretions can be due to tumors elsewhere but she doesnt think this is likely, ive googled it and it seems adrenal cancer fits a little bit and even brain tumor.

Trying to relax, and think its probs just PCOS, and to ignore websites which say Ovarian cancer is often dismissed as this at first.... Hmmm, Im thinking ovarian cancer would have probs killed me by now though if had been going on for ages.... unless slow growing :-S

[JaneC]

Sounds like you are handling things really well Louise - well done!

[nomorepanic]

Louise - thanks for the update - we were worried about you!

Let's hope the scan shows it is PCOS and all can be sorted out.

You seem very composed and calm about it so well done on that. Good luck with the next set of tests.

[mom1982]

i had blood test last week that had high DHEA and the doc is sending me for an ultrasound to check for PCOS cause of other symptoms i have and a CT of the adreanals to check for adrenal hyperplasia whatever that is. he doesnt sound like this is anything serious and told me to see him in 6 weeks. i know its difficult but try not to worry about this. women have irregular periods and all sorts of funny things and end up being normal. our bodies are all different. these are my results while i was taking hormone replacement of estrogen & progesterone. FSH is half of LH which suggests PCOS.

FSH 5 IU/L (1 - 12)
LH 13 IU/L(1 - 20)
Estrodiol 410 pmol/L(170 - 675)
Progesterone 21 nmol/L(5 - 95)

TSH 0.36 mIU/L (0.5 - 4) LOW
T4 15.9 pmol/L (10 - 19)
T3 5.1 pmol/L (3.5 - 6.5)

Thyroid Peroxidase 130 kIU/L (<60) HIGH
Thyroglobulin 98 kIU/L (<60) HIGH

Sensitive Testosterone 0.6 nmol/L (0.6 - 1.7) LOW
Dehydrepiandrosterone Sulphate (DHEA) 11.2 umol/L (2.2 - 7.9) HIGH
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin 23 nmol/L (27 - 109) LOW
Calculated Free Testosterone 13 pmol/L (8 - 32)

[louise123_uk]

Been thinking about all this alot, and if my main hormone thats out of balance is testosterone and I have too much of it wouldnt that be supposed to cause my periods to be infrequent and probably quite light? (since testosterone is the male hormone and so is probs not one that plays a big role in menstruation).

My periods are irregular but by that I mean how heavy they are varies, how long they last and the time between them varies somewhat. But they are never very far apart or short, the time between them can vary from about 4 to 19 days typically and they typically last for no less than 8 days. They are only very occassionaly 6 weeks apart. For last 6 months thy have been every 2 weeks or less... Hmm, having looked at alot of stuff on PCOS, its seems to talk about absent periods and periods being irregular in terms of being too far apart each time, not too frquent!

Am starting to think ovarian, cervical, uterine or even vaginal cancer fit the bill alot more as to why I have abnormal bleeding based on what ive said above.... plus the doc even admitted PCOS couldnnt explain the internal redness, excessive discharge and pain on intercourse but from what ive read things like Ovarian cancer can cause these symptoms.

Still havent heard about when the transvaginal ultrasound will be...

[mom1982]

Low progesterone causes frequent & light periods.

[louise123_uk]

Well smear test results came back today. The test shows changes which may be precancerous, have to go back in 6 months for another one! Cant really believe its abnormal, lets just say cervical cancer must be down to other things as well as HPV, cos only had sex for the first time 4 months ago (im 26)!! Plus I dont have risk factors associated with cervical cancer either i.e. theres nothing wrong with my immune system, dont smoke etc. Cant believe my bad luck when im so terrified of medical stuff and it was so unbelievably traumatic to have the test in the first place, dont know a single person whos ever had an abnormal result. Infact the nurse and doc even said you dont really need one as were so unlikely to find anything but we'l do one given the symptoms.

These results coupled with the abnormal blood tests and the abnormal bleeding, pain during sex and disharge has me a complete wreck at the moment! just about all fit with cervical cancer....

I know changes dont mean cancer itself USUALLY but they can only say what the changes are i.e. how far along teh changes are or if they are cancer, when they do a colonoscopy and that wouldnt be until well into next year for me (as have to wait for the next smear test in feb!)! and as this was my first ever smear at 26 im thinking that the changes might be really far along (and even cancer) given the symptoms ive had. Or the cervical changes may be a result of another gynecological cancer e.g. ovarian or uterine.

Ages wait till next smear, and at least another 7-8 weeks until vaginal ultrasound to see if have PCOS or something worse, am having an extremely bad day!!!

[BubbleBonce]

To Mom1982,

Were you aware that you seem to have thyroid antibodies? This could mean you have some form of thyroid disease.
Sorry to but in but you didn't mention that.

Best wishes

Bubble