High grade smear result keeping me awake.

[EmmerLooeez]

I was fast tracked to Colposcopy early last year as the nurse said that my cervix 'didnt look right' and bled upon examination. The Dr ordered an internal ultrasound and a womb biopsy to rule out endometrial and ovarian cancer. He noted I had abnormalities on my cervix but said he would wait until the smear test results were in.

The nurse that did my smear didn't fill the specimen pot in and so my sample was never tested and I was advised to come back after 3 months for a repeat smear.

I stupidly put it off until December and received my results on Saturday. It just said 'high grade (moderate) dyskarosis' and that I'd be invited for a Colposcopy 'as soon as possible'.

My last smear 3 years ago was normal but all smears before that were abnormal. (Was tested from 19 due to family history of gynaecological cancers). I'm now so worried that the normal smear had missed something and that I have cancer.

If it was a friend of mine I'd try and reassure them that it was just pre-cancer and not to worry too much. However I am aware that cervical cancers are often diagnosed during the biopsy/LEEP procedure and I'm so very worried that that will happen to me. I'm struggling to sleep or focus on anything else. I have pelvic pain and it's a constant reminder of the abnormal result. Has anyone got any advice? I know the statistics are in my favour, but I can't shake this worry.

[BlueIris]

No advice, I'm afraid, but I wanted you to know I'm thinking of you and hoping it all works out for the best.

[EmmerLooeez]

Thank you Iris. X

[O_O]

I'm sorry you're so worried :( I think anybody would be, even somebody without health anxiety. I'm thinking about you, and I'm sure lots of other people are too.

Remember, though - the 'high grade' category encompasses both 'moderate' and 'severe' changes. And your results have only come back saying 'moderate' changes! I would have thought that if you had severely abnormal changes or cancerous cells then the smear result would have come back saying at least 'severe' both this time and at your previous smear.

That girl I told you about, she left it even longer than you and her smear came back saying 'severe' - and she didn't have cancer!

So, my money is on moderate changes and nothing more. I guess that would be CIN2/3. You'll probably need a LEEP or something and then, hopefully, all the nasty cells will be gone.

I'm sure the wait for your colposcopy and results will be agonising but at least you'll be fast tracked through and then hopefully you'll be able to put it all behind you. Go to your follow ups though!!!

And EVEN IF there were cancerous cells, extremely early changes cam be treated in the same way as CIN and stage 1 is practically 100% curable. It would be unlikely for even stage 1 cancer to come back as only 'moderate' changes, and be missed all together on the smear before that, and it would be even less likely for stage 2+!

Hang in there xx

[WiseMonkey]

I was fast tracked to Colposcopy early last year as the nurse said that my cervix 'didnt look right' and bled upon examination. The Dr ordered an internal ultrasound and a womb biopsy to rule out endometrial and ovarian cancer. He noted I had abnormalities on my cervix but said he would wait until the smear test results were in.

The nurse that did my smear didn't fill the specimen pot in and so my sample was never tested and I was advised to come back after 3 months for a repeat smear.

I stupidly put it off until December and received my results on Saturday. It just said 'high grade (moderate) dyskarosis' and that I'd be invited for a Colposcopy 'as soon as possible'.

My last smear 3 years ago was normal but all smears before that were abnormal. (Was tested from 19 due to family history of gynaecological cancers). I'm now so worried that the normal smear had missed something and that I have cancer.

If it was a friend of mine I'd try and reassure them that it was just pre-cancer and not to worry too much. However I am aware that cervical cancers are often diagnosed during the biopsy/LEEP procedure and I'm so very worried that that will happen to me. I'm struggling to sleep or focus on anything else. I have pelvic pain and it's a constant reminder of the abnormal result. Has anyone got any advice? I know the statistics are in my favour, but I can't shake this worry.

Hi, did your smear results give any info about the HPV virus, which is the main reason for abnormal smears?

[EmmerLooeez]

Thanks Jenny, I know you're right and the chances of it being anything untoward are so very low. I'm just freaking with the symptoms and having to have the procedure etc. I read that only 5% of people that present with moderate/severe changes have cancer and even then the majority are really early. So logically I know that I am probably okay. Thank you for talking sense XX

Yes Monkey, I was told it was a high risk HPV xx

[pulisa]

Ah but then logic goes out the window when you are very scared and not sleeping.

I hope you get the colposcopy sorted as soon as possible for your own peace of mind because it's horrible just coping with a routine day when this uncertainty is hanging over you. Ring up the hospital to get a date and then you've started the process towards getting definitive results xx

[EmmerLooeez]

Thanks so much Pulisa. My letter came today with an Apt for Wednesday 30th, which is fab. Cycle permitting of course. Xx

[pulisa]

It'll be a long week for you but at least you have a date for this now. Are you able to predict your cycle reliably and could you get some tablets to delay your period if this would be the problem? (Sorry, not clued up about these tests as had a hysterectomy when young-ish) xx

[Carys]

Hiyer Emmer,


I'm really sorry, I know very little about the terminology of cervical things, or the issues that surround the treatment you need. I just wanted to say that I'm really glad your appointment has come through and hope once done that it will be the end of any worry for you - from what I've read people say on here once the procedure is done and dusted then everything should be A-ok. On the theme - It will be interesting to see how in the future how the HPV virus vaccine started some years ago impacts upon on the need for women to undergo these procedures in the future. Of course that won't help you now, but making anyone reading aware that girls should have the vaccine for protection. Its gonna feel like a long time till 30th, but hoping you can stay positive as you very definitely should be !