Cervical smear result abnormal cells - scared!!!

[LuSmith]

Hi, I just got my letter back about my smear test that was done 3-4 weeks ago to find that I have abnormal cell changes after the previous one a year ago came back HPV positive (no cell changes). I've now been referred for a colposcopy but it isn't for another 8 weeks or so (at the end of Jan next year) I have all number of things going through my head but I'm worried they'll discover something bad when I go, never mind the fact I've never been for one!! What if they realize I actually have something more sinister and the smear test didn't catch it? How quickly can things develop in these two months? Will it change into something much worse???
I get frequent pelvic pain and back pain quite often in general as well as on my pelvic floor , especially every month which seems to be around the time of ovulation. It scares me so much that there's something bad!!!

Has anyone had a similar experience with borderline changes and it been just that? How likely will it progress to something else? How quickly will this happen?

I'm so anxious as I have health anxiety anyway so this just adds to things, as well as the fact I feel a bit alone, my mum isn't in the country right now and had an accident so she's recovering from a broken hip in Australia.. I also don't want to add on to her worries as well.

If someone can reassure me or tell me what to expect I guess it will help calm me down a bit. I really didn't look beyond seeing I had abnormal cells (borderline - I think) so I don't know whether it's likely they will turn into something or whether it is possible it's something bad but didn't get picked up on the smear test.

Thanks to anyone reading this.

Edit: after looking it seems like it says HR detected which Im guessing means High Risk.. so now my anxiety is through the roof!!!!

[BlueIris]

Can't speak about smear tests, but hopefully I can offer a little perspective.

About a month ago, my husband's bowel screening test came back positive for blood, putting him on the fast track pathway for suspected cancer. The fear made me pretty ill, and suicidal at times.

In the end, he didn't have cancer but polyps, which was what the screening test was designed to detect so that they could be removed before they became cancerous.

It's the same thing with cervical screening; the point is not to find cancer but to detect and deal with changes that might, left unchecked, become cancer one day.

I know it's tough when you feel like you're staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, but it's far, far more likely to be something that can be quickly and easily dealt with.

Sending love and good wishes.

[LuSmith]

Thanks for your reply. Glad to hear your husband's issue wasn't anything sinister to worry about and that it was easily treated! My mum has also had polyps in the past and I worry all the time (thanks health anxiety) about my bowel issues because I have multiple things of concern too.
I'm trying to think of things in a positive perspective that even if it was (and I know it's unlikely) it's better to be treated earlier, but it scares me that things have gone from no cell changes to borderline in a year! :(

Hopefully the screening for the colposcopy will go okay for me and the wait until the end of the next month won't have any bad repercussions.. I'm just panicking so much that my worse fear is coming to light.

[quaglenga]

Hi, I'm sorry you are going through this anxiety. I am also suffering a similar issue so I just thought I'd reach out and lend some support. I am being referred for a colposcopy in 6-8 weeks time too as I've had some random spotting in between periods and the doctor looked at my cervix and said she thinks I have what they call an ectropion (a non cancerous, harmless graze on the cervix basically) but she wants me to have a colposcopy just to cover all bases.

I am also beside myself with worry and I've never had a smear as I'm only 23 so I'm even more panicked about what they might find. I also have lower back and hip pain sometimes.

To hopefully out your mind at ease, I did read something somewhere (will try and find and post the link) but basically it said that from being HPV positive it takes about 8-15 years for cell changes to turn cancerous. So just because you have had cell changes in one year, they are probably very early (PRE-canerous cells) and not dangerous right now. The doctor will zapp them away if they have concerns but these would take many years to develop into actual cancer, and this is why smears are so important as they stop things before they become issues.

Just think, smears wouldn't be every 3 years or even year if this could happen that quickly. Sending lots of love as I know how horrible HA can be. I just wish I didn't have to wait so long for colposcopy as I'm sure you do too xx

[LuSmith]

Hi, I'm sorry you are going through this anxiety. I am also suffering a similar issue so I just thought I'd reach out and lend some support. I am being referred for a colposcopy in 6-8 weeks time too as I've had some random spotting in between periods and the doctor looked at my cervix and said she thinks I have what they call an ectropion (a non cancerous, harmless graze on the cervix basically) but she wants me to have a colposcopy just to cover all bases.

I am also beside myself with worry and I've never had a smear as I'm only 23 so I'm even more panicked about what they might find. I also have lower back and hip pain sometimes.

To hopefully out your mind at ease, I did read something somewhere (will try and find and post the link) but basically it said that from being HPV positive it takes about 8-15 years for cell changes to turn cancerous. So just because you have had cell changes in one year, they are probably very early (PRE-canerous cells) and not dangerous right now. The doctor will zapp them away if they have concerns but these would take many years to develop into actual cancer, and this is why smears are so important as they stop things before they become issues.

Just think, smears wouldn't be every 3 years or even year if this could happen that quickly. Sending lots of love as I know how horrible HA can be. I just wish I didn't have to wait so long for colposcopy as I'm sure you do too xx

Thank you for your reply, sorry that you're also feeling anxious and going through something! It's good she thinks it's just an ectropion and nothing too serious to worry about, as you say it's a good thing that you're going to get seen to and have all bases covered for sure. I hope you'll get the all clear also and it won't be too long before your appointment!!

I actually was VERY anxious about symptoms 10 years ago when I was having ongoing bleeding and pain back then, for which I had a colposcopy and a laproscopy for other reasons under general anaesthetic but it turned out there was not much to worry about. (I had adhesions in the womb)

As you say it's very unlikely (as I've been reading) that this would turn sinister within a year considering these kind of things take a long time. I guess I'm more scared that they got the grading wrong and it's actually CIN3 or something bad and it's not picked it up on the smear test!! I know someone who had cell changes in the past though and had them treated and didn't have any issues afterward so I guess regardless of it being common it's very treatable and usually doesn't progress to anything now with regular monitoring.

I do try and keep it in mind that smear tests would not be every 3 years (and a year for abnormal results) if it was faster progressing, but sometimes health anxiety gets the better of me!
I hope your colposcopy goes okay and that you hear about an appointment soon. I just hate that it's always this time of year when I've got Christmas to get through and it being cold and miserable, makes things so much worse haha!

[quaglenga]

I know, HA genuinely does crazy things and can create all sorts of aches and pains too. I definitely feel the same about having to get through Xmas etc, I have today actually enquired about getting a colposcopy done privately just to speed things up as I'm not sure I can cope with this anxiety for months. However, I have a feeling it will be way out of budget for me.

I'm currently having therapy for my anxiety so just trying to take it one day at a time. Just remember what you have read and what you know, you have no symptoms of anything being wrong and you also know logically that a year would not be enough time for anything to have happened that can't be fixed. I defo recommend staying off Google now if you can as it's pointless stressing yourself out and you've got the reassurance you need. Do keep me updated with your journey if you would like to x

[LuSmith]

yeah I did briefly look into private and it costs soooo much! I don't know if I'd be able to afford it personally, but I hope you're able to find something affordable! However as you said I'll just have to keep in mind that things wouldn't progress that quickly surely and that these things can probably be treated! I just hate waiting and the unknown!

I'll definitely be sure to come back and update on how things go. Feel free to also with your issue if you wish! x