Female cancers - not posted in a while, need a bit of support

[karlyo]

Hi everyone,
I haven't posted in a while as I've been doing really well lately, but I can just feel myself starting to slip and thought I'd check in for some support. Anyone who has read my old posts will know my predominant anxiety has been female cancers - cervical, ovarian, breast - all 3 have worried me at some point.
Anyway, in November I had an abnormal smear result (not a good thing for someone with my worries!). It was just a borderline one, so nothing too serious, but it did have me worried. I was really proud of myself and managed to put it out of my mind for 6 months.
Last week I had my repeat test. I have to say I found it painful and haven't in the past, I think the nurse was quite rough. And there was obviously a bit of blood too as I saw it in the little sample pot she put the swab in.
Now I'm just starting to worry about the results a bit - I know that 9 out of 10 of these go back to normal, but I'm beginning to feel I'll be the 1 in 10 whose gets worse, and that it'll probably be cancer.
I've even started wondering if it's spread to my ovaries as I'm a bit bloated at the moment...I think realistically I am bloated cos I'm stressed about exams and not eating brilliantly.
I'm not in a pit of despair quite yet! But I'm not feeling as good as I have been...just wondered if anyone had some words of wisdom or if anyone has been in this position themselves?
Thanks so much,
K

[countrygirl]

Please don't worry that the blood with the smear is a sign of anything amiss as it is quite common. I am 49 yrs old so have had quite a few smears in my time and occasionally if the nurse has been rough and it hurts then not only will they make me bleed at the time but I will bleed slightly for up to a day afterwards as well and all my smears have been normal.

I worked at a Drs and a huge number of smears came back slightly abnormal and most of the time the next test was normal as our bodies can and do repair pre cancerous cells all the time without us ever knowing.

[karlyo]

Thanks for your reply countrygirl, makes me feel a bit better

Guess when I get the results at least I wont be wondering and if its still abnormal I go onto the next stage of dealing with it. I think its not knowing which makes my anxiety worse!

[Anxious_gal]

the good thing with smear tests are that it detectes precancerous cells, which they can remove before cancer even develops :)
so either way you'll be fine x x
It's really normally to get abnormal smears tests, just means that you might need a few extra smear tests to see whats going on x

[macc noodle]

Just wanted to add that we ladies can get abnormal smear results for loads of reasons other than the big C.

They can come back "abnormal" if you have used a particularly strong bubble bath even and upset the PH balance. So, as countrygirl says, it happens a lot of the time and because the docs are ultra cautious about prevention, they issue a re-test.

Rest assured, if there was any hint of anything to cause concern, you would not have waited 6 months for a re-test.

:hugs:

Jan
x

[rosi]

I had an abnormal smear and I of course paniced and run to the nurse who said don't worry it's no problem. I had to have one 6 months later and then yearly for three years and they all came back normal. The medical authorities are just really, really cautious. The majority of abnormal smears are not pre cancerous but of course they can't tell that.

I also think that in recent years the technology has changed so now the tests are ultra sensitive and pick up more 'abnormal' smears than before which in 99% of cases right themselves in the course of time.

Please don't worry. :hugs:

[rosi]

One last thing, the over whelming majority of cervical cancer cases occur in women who have never had a smear test.

[karlyo]

Thanks for all the replies, nice to get some reassurance.

Still waiting on my results. I'll post back when I get them. I think getting one of these abnormal ones is scary for anyone, even if they don't have HA. Or HA like mine which seems to be specifically female-cancer focused!!! Trying to put it out my mind and get on with stuff, but it does pop into my head a few times a day and I wonder 'What if...'

[karlyo]

Just wanted to say thanks for all your replies and my result was normal!

I have had so much on my plate lately on top of this and a couple of things had already resolved themselves this morning, so when I got this news this afternoon I actually jumped up and down I was so happy! I have gone from v miserable this morning to v happy this afternoon- hurrah!

[emmawalton]

I too had an abnormal smear test and i have to go back in July for my retest, fingers crossed will be in the same position as you are now.

[karlyo]

Ah Emma, best of luck, its such a worry even though the chances are so slim of it being bad. Hope you get the same result as me :)