Bit of a long one and for that I apologise.
I’m 31 soon to be 32.
I had a smear a year ago which was 4 years over due, this was due to miscarriages and then pregnancy. I should have made time but with everything going on I just never got round to it.
The smear last year showed HPV positive no abnormal cells. I was recalled August this year. Now the smear last year I just knew something was going on. That gut feeling I guess.
Over this past year I’ve had niggling things here and there that I honestly didn’t think much of at the time.
Heavier bleeding, bleeding between periods, pain during and after sex, massive clots when having my period, pelvic pain and just generally feeling unwell. I put most of it down to a very stressful life working 70 ish hours a week. My partner told me to take a year out and spend it with the kids. Which I have done. My symptoms still remain.
My smear August just gone was a nightmare. Really painful, then the nurse dropped the kit and had to redo… I can only assume less cells were available. Still she sent a fresh one away. This came back still high risk hpv positive with borderline cell changes. I was referred for a colposcopy. Now I’m not entirely sure what is normal and what isn’t in this process. The nurse from the GP called me and stressed how important it was that I attend the appointment. I then had a call from the hospital to confirm I was attending also. The appointment was 4th October.
Now about a few weeks ago I had crippling lower abdominal pain. I swear if I didn’t already have my appendix out I’d have said it was that. I had an early night and the following morning the pain was pretty much gone. Left with my usual dull constant ache.
I attended my colposcopy as planned. The nurse doing it was lovely. But the overall experience was traumatic to say the least. I was in a lot of pain and the one biopsy she did manage to take has left me with a lot of pain and bleeding. On the screen I saw for myself where the abnormal cells were, when moving a cotton swap around a growth within the cervix could be seen. Nothing huge, but a growth nonetheless.
The nurse was open to questions and I did ask what are we looking at? What is her professional opinion. She stated I can only give you what information I have to the naked eye. I think its CIN3 at best and they will call me back in to discuss my results when theyre back. Are they allowed to say it like that!?
My questions… finally.
What else could be the cause of all this?
Have you had a similar experience?
Am I right thinking these results could be quite a while away?
Dont get me wrong of course this is a concern. But overall im not frantic about the whole situation. I have googled best and worst outcomes to be informed. Dont worry dr google really doesnt do scaremongering with me, just pure facts and information (i come from a healthcare background, its all just clinical information and fact finding at this point)
Many thanks in advance
x
That one was recommended by my gynaecologist xx
