Hi everyone! I’m new here, so you can imagine how anxious I am. I am 32 years old, married with 2 little boys, age 6 & 5.
I had a smear May 2021 - HPV positive, borderline cell changes - recalled for 12 months
I had a smear Sept 2022 (14 months after the first) abnormal cells, had a loop biopsy.
September 29th - diagnosed with adenocarcinoma - however this is all I’ve been told, I’ve had a staging CT last Monday, going for an MRI today, and I can’t explain the way I am feeling. I am filled with dread, the fear it has spread, the fear I might be told there is nothing they can do.
Anybody feel they might have caught this early or had a similar experience? It’s awful not knowing the stage and I can’t help but think catastrophically.
Positive factors
I’m 32
I had a smear last year
I have attended for this one - ? Caught early
I have NO symptoms
Worries
Did they miss it last year?
Has it grown and spread in that time?
What if I’m at an advanced stage?
Why is my back hurting? Has it spread to my bones?
I’ve had gynae symptoms for years - discharge, recurrent BV, but all seemed to have settled once I’d had my children. In the last 2 years I’ve also had multiple examinations/gynae USS - which was ok, and an MRI spine for back pain which is unrelated and this was ok.
Please reassure me ladies!! I am making myself ILL thinking of every possible scenario
I know its hard and the waiting is dreadful but try not to think the worst you have done all the right things and more than likely it’s not as bad as you think stay positive
And let us know how you get on
Wishing you all the best
So greatful for your reply. I find this forum so helpful reading about other people’s experiences. The waiting is so hard, every single niggle I worry the cancer has spread. I just need to know what I’m dealing with but then again, I’m scared to be told.
It’s so hard not to worry-we all tend to think the worst when we don’t know all the information, but try not to dwell on this.
I’ve never yet seen anyone who couldn’t have any treatment at all and it’s likely that your thoughts are worse than the reality of what you’re facing.
Try to look forward rather than looking back because there’s nothing you can do about where you find yourself now. You just need to deal with what you’re having to face, and it’s impossible to speculate at the moment about what that might be. I was just reading another post where someone assumed they had stage 3 cancer, but actually didn’t have cancer at all, so don’t let your mind run away with itself. x
I had my smear test in February - came back with changes so was booked in for a Colposcopy which i had in April - they did Coagulation to remove the cells. They said i would need a repeat smear after 12 months. After the treatment I continued to bleed so went back to my GP who referred me back to Gynaecology. My local Hospital couldnt get in for months so i was asked if i was prepared to travel and dropped on lucky and ended up going to a private hospital as NHS patient. The consultant i saw was fantastic and very helpful - he examined me and said there was a something a miss and wanted me to have a detailed examination under anesthetic. I had surgery on 9th September - they removed cells and took two biopsies. I went back last week 4th October and was told I have Cervical Cancer - I’ve had my MRI Scan already and my referral has now been past on to one of the trust hospital near me to map out my treatment plan.
I’m 39. Never missed a smear and frightened to death. The waiting game is the worse.
Sorry if I have waffled on
Trying to
Stay positive x
I’m quite similar to you, never missed a smear, had some abnormalities and HPV on my most recent one - the one 14 months prior to this was only HPV, no abnormalities. I got a phone call to go on for the results of the LOOP biopsy, and told I have cancer. No symptoms, absolute shock to the system. It’s easy to go over and over in your head the possibilities, how long has it been there? Have they ever missed something? Scans were the worst for me… and I’m currently still waiting for results so they can stage the cancer. We’re in this together! Nobody can tell you how you’re feeling. Sending positive vibes from one girl to another - we’ve got this!
Hi…im in a similar position. I had a clear (including for hpv) smear 3 years ago. This years smear showed abnormal cells…letz showed cancer(not clear margins) Its been graded initially as 1A2. I had my MRI for staging yesterday and im scared stiff of results. But the wait for them is also soooo very hard.
I’m now 37 and earlier this year, at 40wks pregnant, they found a growth on my cervix and managed to take ‘safe’ biopsies. Suggested CC at that stage but because of hormones etc they said wait on the histology results. 6 days after my caesarean, I was called in to hear that 5 pathologists couldn’t pinpoint what I had and they were sending me for an MRI. They then said it was CGIN so booked me for a cone biopsy 6wks later (to give the hormones a chance to settle).
The cone biopsy ended up being a LLETZ procedure under spinal and they found 1A1 adenocarcinoma to their surprise. Scheduled another LLETZ since not all CGIN removed. All clear on the 2nd LLETZ so opted for simple hysterectomy (laparoscopic and robot-assisted). It’s all been hugely shocking at times and emotional but I’m here, minus a uterus (results from that said all clear) so only being monitored now for HPV status and having vaginal vault smears every 3-6 months.
I feel lucky in a way….I had missed a couple of smears but only because I was pregnant, otherwise I was diligent. If I hadn’t have had my baby, maybe it would’ve taken longer to find and be more advanced.
I hope all your diagnostics and further treatment go well xx
Ah this is an amazing positive story which has given me hope. I am hoping for early stage adenocarcinoma too. My smear 14 months ago didn’t even warrant a colposcopy appt, and now this one did - and I’ve got cancer. Weird! Congrats on your baby
The wait is agony! I had mine on Monday and I get my results / staging this Monday. A lot of girls on here have been roughly told their stage from their biopsy I didn’t, just that they didn’t get a clear margin. Fingers crossed for us all. We should make a little group to keep us all going
