GP really scared me

Hi ladies, On 17th Sept I got tthat dreaded letter telling me that there were borderline changes in ny recent smear, with HPV infection and I was being referred for Colposcopy.  Appointment is 15th October.  Was dealing with it ok although the wait is like torture. My GP contacted me to invite me in to discuss it so I went in today, thinking she might put my mind at rest. Instead she really scared me. Told me just because the snear said borderline didn't mean it wasn't cancer and I'd just have to wait for colposcopy to find out. Came home shaking :(

 

Hi,

have a look at this on the jos trust info section which explains what borderline changes mean, hope that helps

http://www.jostrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/web-images/Understanding_positive_screening_results_and_abnormal_cells_0.pdf

 

Thank you x

If you want to talk it through with someone (i don't think your GP sounded very helpful!) you could always phone the jo's helpline or even your colposcopy clinic and ask to speak to the colposcopy nurse - I know your appt isn't for a few weeks but I'm sure they could spare a few mins over the phone now to put your mind at ease a bit xxx

I had a similar experience when I was told about my abnormal cells, my GP really worried me, she didn't really explain it at all and asked me if I wanted her to sign me off work - which obviously made me feel like I should be more upset than I was!

You have to remember that GPs are just that, general practitioners - they're not experts or specialists on any subject. If you're feeling confused or unsure about the colposcopy process, there is loads of information on this site which will get you a bit more clued up and hopefully make you less worried.

 

xx

Poor you!

At my smear my nurse at the surgery scared me ****less! Commented on the appearnce of my cerxix being really red and "angry"

She got me in a complete state!

In the end I "only" had CIN 3.

Noone can say anything until you go for your colp but borderline results are likely to be only minor

xxxxx

Oh my goodness........I can't believe your GP would say that to you.......thats just dreadful!

Just for reassurance - my GP did the absolute opposite She told me that my letter was badly worded - it said I had high grade dyskaryosis, that it was 'unlikley' I had cancer but I needed a colposcopy anyway (just seeing 'high grade' and 'cancer' in the same sentence sent me up to the moon!) - and told me that only a few years back I would have been left for 6 months to see if the cells would have gone back to normal by themselves, that it wasnt cancer (yet) and was extremely unlikely to turn out to be so. She explained that 1 in 20 women have an abnormal result and that its pretty common. She tried very hard to put my mind at rest so it just shows that some GPs (in the know) have the empathy to give you facts AND reassurance. Please dont pay any attention, Tank is correct GPs dont know it all. I was lucky enough to see the GP who has made it her business to specialise in Gynae practice. Yours sounds like the  unemotional detached sort who dont realise the impact of their ill chosen words!

Good luck with your appointment, hopefully you will see someone who knows what they are talkign about :-)

xx