Hey everyone. I'm 24 and my first smear test has come back abnormal. I have been bleeding after inter course (with no pain at all) for over a year. Last year my GP just did a swab which i thought was a smear (ended up being a test for STI's, even though I've been with my boyfriend for over four years) this obviously came back negative and nothing was followed up and I just thought it was my pill causing it. After recent conversations with my doctor before my smear results I've discovered my discharge hasn't always been normal either.
I found out my results were abnormal when the nurse from my GP rang me and told me i would need an urgent hospital referral for colposcopy. Since then I've had a letter from the lab that tested my cells saying my results were abnormal (no other details) and then another letter for my colposcopy appt again just saying 'abnormal'.
Between this the nurse who informed me that I would need a colposcopy rang me to see if I was ok and had my appointment sorted for the colposcopy which worried me slightly that they were chasing it up.
I had my colposcopy on 2nd July and was very nervous. The doctor told me beforehand that my smear results showed I had endocervical abnormalities which are up inside the cervix (I think? I wish someone came in with me to listen as I was so nervous I can't remember much!) she drew me a picture and everything!
I then had the colposcopy and saw my cervix on screen. When the solution was applied there was a large white area around the entrance to my cervix so she informed me I also had abnormal cells on the outer. She then took a biopsy and told me that she wanted to wait for that result before going ahead with the Lletz diathermy treatment. She also mentioned that they may have to go deeper with treatment and mentioned fertility etc but again I can't remember too well what was said.
Has anyone else experienced or had this? I also find it strange that my letters never explained what my cells were or how high/low grade they were.
Many thanks for reading :)
Hi there,
It sounds like you have cgin which stems from the inside of the cervix.
They will see if they removed all the abnormality with the lletz treatment with good clear margins around it. If they haven’t then that’s when they may want to do a follow up treatment, could be another lletz or maybe a cone biopsy, they will have mentioned fertility as it is taking away some of your cervix and you may need to have a little stitch put in when
you decide to have a baby.
On the Jo’s cervical abnormalities page it’ll explain a bit more about cin/cgin and the differences.
Hope that helps a little x
Hi thank you for your reply I really appreciate it.
That sounds helpful thank you, it's a worrying process isn't it and with it being my first smear it's all a bit overwhelming.
May I ask if you had your Lletz under GA or just with LA?
Many thanks
Hi there,
I can understand why you’d feel overwhelmed by it all, try and feel reassured by the fact that they know about it and will treat it. I’ve just realised I misread and you’ve not had the lletz yet.
I had mine just with LA and they took away the largest amount of my cervix they could. Not the best time of my life but it was bearable and I found having the punch biopsies done a few years earlier far more uncomfortable.
Do you have anyone who could go with you? Mum, partner, friend? It really helps to have a second set of ears to take on board things you may miss. My mum came to my lletz with me, I was a sobbing mess but she asked all the questions for me and sat behind the curtain when they actually did the treatment xx
Hi,
Your experience sounds very similar to mine....I received a letter saying abnormal but no further explanation.
it took me to call my gp for any explanation at all but then even he didnt want to say too much as he didnt want to speculate.
Found out following my colposcopy that I have CGIN and I know a biopsy was taken but honestly dont know if I had any other treatment there and then. Was there for about 45 mins and I know they used something hot at one point!!
I then got a call to say the margins werent as clear as they would like but asked me to come back in 6 months. My next appointment is in a couple of weeks and I'm getting myself all worked up about it. I honestly think waiting is the worst part and sometimes it doesnt help that they dont give us a much information as we would like!!
Im just glad that theyve picked mine up now and whatever further treatment I may/may not need will be acted on (but still pooping myself about my follow up appointment)!
Good luck and let us know how you get on x
I know it is easy to get carried away worrying (I already suffer with anxiety and having help for that)
It doesn't sound pleasant but like you say it's bearable and obviously it has to be done and good they are treating it.
I have mum and boyfriend but think I will ask my mum as it may freak him out a bit but I can imagine him calming me more.
That's exactly how I feel I wish my mum had come in with me to the colposcopy she waited outside. I can't remember everything the doctor said and wish I had a second pair of ears!
Thank you for sharing your experience and for your advice x
Hi thank you for sharing that it does sound similar although they have been very thorough with me just not extremely clear until I actually saw the colposcopist.
It sounds like you had the Lletz treatment but they should have told you if they were doing treatment.
Hope your next appointment goes well.
I just highly dislike the waiting game for results and plan for treatment x
If you tell them you are a little nervous before the treatment that helps, I had to go off for 5 mins by myself before I had it done! And the nurse was lovely holding my hand throughout and chatted to me about everything and anything.
Good luck with it, hopefully they won’t keep you waiting too long. If you have any other questions, feel free to pm me.
Jade xx
I will do thanks Jade. Yes the nurses for my colposcopy were so lovely and one of them was around my age so made me feel more at ease we were talking about dog grooming whilst it was all going on!
Thank you so much.
