Hi everyone. I had my first smear (as was petrified) had my results back 6 weeks later and says I have hpv and severe dyskaryosis. I now have to go for a colopscopy (or whatever its called) but am really scared about having it done. Would just like to know what they actually do as I’ve read about them putting a needle in the cervix if they have to take a biopsy, but I really don’t want the needle as think it would really hurt. I’m just so scared that I don’t know whats going to happen. Any help would be much appreciated 
Hi! I had the same smear results as you recently and am having my colposcopy tomorrow morning where I was told they would take biopsies also. As far as the biopsy goes, I don’t believe the use any needles/injections for that portion of the appointment. Most people have posted that it’s the same concept as a regular smear appointment and that you might feel a tinge/pull as the biopsy is taken, then possibly have period like cramps afterwards. Most (from what I’ve gathered here) report they didn’t feel anything at all, actually!
I understand your fear and worry, I have it too. This forum has been a God send to me, though. I’ve done some better with my anxiety over the last few days about it all (I was diagnosed with health anxiety as a child so I always think the worst). Just know you are not alone and there are amazing women on this site to lend an ear and offer their experiences and advice! I will be more than happy to report back tomorrow how my appointment went so as to hopefully lessen your worries with another experience!
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Had my colposcopy & the Lletz last week, I was PETRIFIED but needn’t be, nurses were lovely & really calmed me down, they told me to concentrate on my breathing, the more I relaxed the better it would feel.
I wore a dress & some slip on shoes so I wouldn’t have to faff about to much undressing. I took some pain killers ibuprofen & paracetamol about half an hour before appointment (as I’d read others had done) everything went well & I all has been fine since. So please try not to worry to much. Good luck, positive thoughts
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Jackie3553, Thank you so much. That would be amazing if you could let me know what they do. Good luck for today
How was the the lettz? I am so nervous. I had a phone call off the doctor yesterday and the the nurse that did my smear had wrote down that my cervix looks fine. I was asking the doctor loads of questions, but still really scared of what’s going to happen
Hi Lou
Welcome to the forum.
A colposcopy is similar to a smear. They will get you on a bed with additional leg ‘stands’, use a speculum (just like in a smear) to open you up and take a look. The difference is that they will use a telescope type machine to video your cervix (this does not do inside you). If they need to they will take a biopsy or two, this shouldn’t require a needle, they will ask you to cough when they take it.
If you require loop therapy (you will have to sign to consent to this before they do it) then they will give you local aesthetic (though some have had it under general). The needle hurts less than in a dentist I promise. Its a very slight ache for a few seconds. It was what I worried the most about, but really wasn’t too bad.
The whole process is unfortunately long and worrying, waiting on appointments and waiting on results. That is definitely the worst bit. The actual procedures are fine.
Try not to worry too much, and if you ever need to talk, we are all here for you xxx
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Well I went in for my appointment this morning at 9am. They took a urine sample before anything was done and I was found to have a UTI so they gave me antibiotics for that and rescheduled me for this coming Monday. Kinda bummed as I was ready to get the colposcopy part of this journey taken care of. But also sort of relieved as I had been having (what I now know were UTI symptoms) but my mind ran away with me thinking what I was feeling must’ve been something terrible related to my Pap smear results. Its crazy how our minds jump to the worst case scenario- well mine does anyways! Just wanted to update so no one thought I just didn’t provide my experience!
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Oh no, I’m sorry to hear this. Atleast they’ve got you in soon. Hopefully they will be able to do what they need to do on Monday. I’ve had my appointment date and it’s for next Thursday. I am so so scared. Let us know what happens on Monday and good luck, I’m sure everything will be fine xx
Hiya, it’s the biopsy that I’m most worried about. I don’t know what to expect or anything. Km so scared it’s unbelievable, but trying to act normal because of my 2 girls, as I havnt told them what’s going on, thank you so much. It really means alot and knowing I’m not the only one going through this xxxx
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Hi, I’m sorry that you are going through all this worry. I had the same smear result as you and have had colposcopy and lletz treatment this week. I was totally going out of my mind after the smear result and then a letter saying I needed treatment! (Treat what? That’s all I could think!) I have severe anxiety anyway so being left with a letter that really doesn’t tell us anything was just torture for me! I think this whole process is handled so wrongly!!
Anyway …… positive and negative feeback……
The colposcopy for me was awful!! But… I honestly this for most women this would just be an uncomfortable not dreadful.
Positive…. The nurses and doctor was lovely with me even though I was the first appointment of the day and probably will have been there worst! They had so much patience and tried to make me as comfortable as possible. I had the LA, needle inside (4 actually) this for me was more frightening than painful, in fact it was almost pain free, literally 1 second sting and sting is too harsh a word!
The needle is only for treatment not the colposcopy (this is like a smear).
Negative… for whatever reason, I am very tender inside so all my pain was initially caused by the speculum. you can ask for a smaller one. They tried 5 different ones with me and it was awful to the point I am dreading my next smear! On using the 5th, I didn’t want them to keep trying again so I asked them to look with that and coped with the pain. I could go on….
The reason I have told you this isn’t to scare you but to give you an honest experience. If I wasn’t already suffering with pain then I really believe the whole thing would be nothing more than discomfort. It really isn’t as scary as you
would think and at least once its done, you’re one step closer to results 
Sendng well wishes and good luck x
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Sorry your colposcopy didn’t go as smooth as you’d have liked, as I said before I never really felt a thing with mine, at least you’ve got that bit out of the way, Ill be hoping along with you for some positive results.
I don’t suppose you know how many millimetres of your cervix they took away do you ? I was told they took 7 mm off mine but I’ve read on here most seem to have had 10 mm taken off.
I’ve read of so many on here going into the consultants office with written down questions, I’d was so nervous about the procedure I didn’t even think to ask the questions I wish I had, like
at what point do they decide how many millimetres they’ll take off, is it dependent on what they see ? Is it possible to ever see cancer cells when they do the colposcopy ? if they did would they tell you ? etc
I didn’t even think to ask what they thought my cervix looked like, as others have on here. Honestly all I could think about was getting it over and done with 
x
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Hi, Lou! So I just got home from my appointment, my UTI had cleared so they were able to go ahead with the Colposcopy.
It truly was just like a smear, they insert the speculum, swab a vinegar solution inside (this just felt cold, not painful) he then took a look with the funny looking binocular contraption and said he could see the area of change but it wasn’t sinister or a severe lesion at all which was good, I was thrilled to hear that. He went ahead and took 2 separate biopsies next, I wouldn’t say this was painful. It felt just like an odd pinching sensation to be honest. Next thing I knew he was done, took about 3 minutes total!
They offered me a pad to wear out of the appointment in case I had some spotting and said I would have cramping as well. I do have some cramping but it is not terrible. Right after my appointment I actually went to the grocery store to get a few things, came home and had to use the bathroom and I am having some blood (when wiping, sorry TMI). I know this is normal for some people though so I’m trying not to worry about that too much. I really worked up the whole thing to be this massive ordeal and it truly wasn’t at all. I know you will get on just fine with yours as well
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I had severe dyskaryosis and hpv in November. It was CIN3. I was petrified of having the lletz and on the day I had to go in alone and my anxiety was really high. I needn’t have fretted for so long as when it came to it apart from it being embarrassing it wasn’t as bad as expected. The needle only stings a little but I was thankful for having that as it didn’t hurt at all as it was numbed. The team you see are used to seeing women’s bits and make you feel at ease. I have since had a normal smear with no hpv detected and I am just so glad these treatments are available. Good luck x
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Thank you for your honest opinion, I had to cancel my appointment last week as I was told by work I had to self isolate, so got another one booked in for next Wednesday. I am so scared it’s unbelievable xx
Hiya, Im glad it all weng OK for you. Why did they still have to take a biopsy if it wasn’t bad? That’s the main thing I’m scared of. I really don’t want them to do it. I had to cancel my appointment last week as was told by work I had to self isolate. So rebooked it for next Wednesday morning. My heart is racing as I’m writing this 
xx
Hiya, thank you for posting. That is what I’m really scared of, it coming back as cin3 then having to have treatment, with the needles and stuff. I am petrified of needles. I’m glad your hpv as gone now. I just don’t understand how I’ve got hpv! 
Did you change you life style to help the hpv go? Xx
Hi,
Everyone is different and everyone seems to have different experiences. I had my first colposcopy last December as I had a “suspicious cervix” when I went for my smear test which couldn’t proceed as my cervix was inflamed. Having never had children the colposcopy was a bit daunting for me putting your legs up on stirrups etc. The actual examination was fine, for me it wasn’t much different to a smear test but maybe a bit longer as they put two solutions on the cervix to highlight abnormal areas. Don’t worry that part is pain free, just a bit cold. I had a biopsy taken and for me it felt like a quick little pinch. I didn’t have any needles or local anaesthetic. Later on that day it was a bit painful sitting down but I didn’t need to take pain relief. As scary as it is just try to relax, it’s more painful when everything is tensed up. You’ve had two kids I read so this will be a breeze for you. I had CIN3 changes and like you I don’t like needles so I opted to have them treated using Cold Coagulation instead of Lletz. I am going back soon for my 6 month check up post treatment and I really hope I don’t need more treatment.
Most people get HPV at some point in their lives it’s just some peoples immune systems fights it off better than others.
Try to be optimistic, at least things are being investigated and they’ll treat whatever they find. If you hadn’t gone for your smear test you’d have never known so count yourself lucky. Good luck
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I’m sorry you had to reschedule your appointment- I know when I had to reschedule mine because of the UTI I was so upset because I had worked myself up SO MUCH that I just wanted to get it over with. They went ahead and took biopsies because when they swiped the solution he was able to see some of the cells turn white meaning they had changed from “normal” appearance. While he did say he didn’t see anything sinister and no severe lesions, I think they do it as a precautionary thing. The biopsy it what lets us know exactly what type of changes we have and then how to handle them appropriately. Which normally would freak me out, and I would be lying if I said I haven’t had a few moments over the last week where I haven’t worried “What if it comes back different than what he expects”
HOWEVER, I am extremely glad to have the appointment over and done with at this point. I very much understand your worries and fears as I am a diagnosed hypochondriac and suffer wildly from health anxiety since a young age. But believe me when I tell you the colposcopy including biopsies was NOTHING to have worked myself up over. Truly, after having gone now I would rather have to do that again than go to the dentist! This is such a common thing to have to have done and we all understand your fears, and they are valid. You are entitled to feel exactly how you do. Do things you enjoy over the next few days to occupy your mind and time. And remember how many of us have had the same appointment and we all made it through
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These things are always daunting but try not to worry too much, it will soon be over. They do biopsies in most cases but that’s a good thing to detect any abnormal cells and treat them. HPV is hidden so you wouldn’t necessarily know you had it and obviously comes from sexual contact (a sexual partner may not know if they have it either). I didn’t change my lifestyle to get rid of hpv as it’s all about your body developing an immunity to it but a healthy lifestyle is obviously something which helps your immune system and vitamins help your immune system too. You can discuss treatment options at your appointment before proceeding. Good luck to you it will soon be done xx
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I bought some centrum multivitamins, I’ve been taking 1 a day, and trying to cut down on my smoking aswell. I’ll be glad when it’s all over, the hardest part is trying to keep it away from my kids, cuz I don’t want them to worry. Thank you for all the advice xx
