I had my son in 2018 and am still breastfeeding. My periods returned last year and are regular but I’ve been having some spotting between. My last smear test (8 months ago) was normal.
My doctor said she can see a red area on my cervix that looks like it would bleed easily and although she said she isn’t worried she wants to send me for a colposcopy.
I’ve utterly convinced myself that I must have advanced cervical cancer that’s been missed on all my smear tests! What are the chances of this? If I did have cancer would she not have been able to see it?
I’ve ordered a home HPV test in the meantime. If this is negative then could I still have cervical cancer?
Please help me
Hi
Firstly, I am not a doctor, but you could possibly have something called an ectropion. This is where the glandular cells that are normally found further up inside the cervix towards the uterus start growing on the outside of your cervix. Because they are not supposed to be on the outside, they are very sensitive to knocks and friction and bleed easily. They often show up visually as a red raw patch. No one really knows why some women get them but as they are affected by hormones, they are more common in younger women. The colposcopy will be able to tell for certain and also assess your cervix for any other abnormal cells.
https://www.jostrust.org.uk/information/cervix/cervical-ectropion
If your smear was normal 8 months ago, you are very unlikely to have cancer or even precancerous cells. If your test is HPV negative, you are even more unlikely to have cancer. Please remember though, that lots of women test positive for HPV and they don't go on to develop abnormal cells or cancer either so please don't worry if your test is positive.
Please try not to worry - the doctor is being cautious - and the colposcopy will be able to tell you what is going on.
Jx
Hello
im going through exactly the same thing- have you had your colposcopy? Im worried sick, and mind is running off with me
I had a PV exam yesterday and the doctor noticed an ectropion, so of course my mind has now gone into overdrive!!
I understand that ectropion are harmless but can cause unwanted bleeding because they are sensitive. So, if you look at it like this: the doctor is offering you the opportunity to avoid embarrassent and discomfort.
When I expressed my dismay to the doctor yesterday about how the PV exam was now causing more worry rather than less (I've got a prolapse, hence the original reason for the exam), she said to try not to worry. It's just normal procedure to send a woman for a colposcopy after noticing an ectropion. (Similar to when the doctor sent my daughter for X-rays after she pulled a muscle.)
