[lkemerson]

Just got the lovely call that I apparently have this. I get to go for another PAP tomorrow just to really confirm it, and then it looks like we will do the scope thing to look at it and check it out.I am a bit anxious about this. I have been fairly good at getting my annuals [I was 5 months late this past year] so I am not so nervous about cervical cancer, just anxious that this is something that I will have to watch, another thing on the old plate, as it were.Did some reading on it last night. Just curious about it, and since I understand a lot of women have this, I'd like to hear from you about questions to ask the nurse/practioner about tomorrow when I go in to have the new Pap.I am currently getting scheduled for a EGD/Colonoscopy on Monday, and the new PAP and mammogram tomorrow. I also have microcytic anemia.Any help or comfort would be appreciated.

 

[Kathleen M.]

Oh I'm sorry the next few days are filled with so many not so fun tests. http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaill...3X59C&sub_cat=9 has some questions to ask the doctor about and a bunch of information.I've been lucky so far all Pap's normal, so no personal experience on that one. Hope all the tests go well.K.

 

[Janet]

I've had 2 biopsies for dysplasia. The last time I had cryosurgery to freeze the cervix and kill the cells. That was 4 yrs ago and my paps have been normal since. The freezing wasn't bad, as far as the biopsies I had cramping and they use this black tarry stuff to cover the places they biopsy.

 

[lkemerson]

thank you jll and Kathleen.I have been doing some reading. Probably too much reading [hazard of working in a library], and scared the bejeezus out of myself with what I am reading on cervical cancer.When I had son #1 he was just too big for me, and really messed up my cervix [he should have been c-sectioned]. I had to have 4 cryo's after that to repair scar tissue. It makes me feel much better to talk to someone else who had to go through this. Personal question, if I may, however. Was the dysplasia due to HPV? If so, how often do you go back for Paps now. I am being told once every 3 months. That's a lot of visits, but worth it if it helps keep it at bay.Yes, Kathleen...Lots of poking and prodding, smushing and scraping! Tomorrow Mammogram and new PAP for the HPV test. Saturday start my liquid diet. Sunday is my b-day, and I get to do the prep for the colonoscopy and EGD on Monday...when it's likely I'll be set up for my infusions.If it isn't one thing now, it's another.

 

[peardrops]

Don't panic! It's an awful feeling when the smear test shows something not quite right but it does not mean you have cancer. There is a great site which will give you a lot of info on this www.2womenshealth.co.uk just click onto Cervix. There are varying degrees of cell changes, mild, moderate or severe. I had a mild cell change about 8 years ago (mild dyskaryosis). Dr. recommended a repeat smear after six months as quite often these cell changes can revert to normal and if they don't then they would have done a colposcopy. Even though I understood what was going on, I totally panicked! My best friend had just died from cervical cancer - don't let this scare you, she'd never had a smear in her life and she was 42 yrs old. It can take years for cancer to develop that's why it's important to have smears, it picks up cell changes which might develop into cancer. I paid privately to have a colposcopy and had a small cone biopsy. The result of the biopsy was in fact inflammatory cells. It was suggested this could be caused by the HPV virus. From what I'd read about this virus it's women who have this virus who might develop problems. At the time, even though I asked to be tested for this virus it wasn't offered to me, in fact the gyno could see no reason to test for it! After the treatment I had yearly smears which were fine and I'm now back to smears every 3 yrs. I've still not been tested for the virus. Surely it makes sense to test for this then women who have it would have yearly smears. Hopefully, a vaccine will soon be available for this virus and will be given to girls before they become sexually active.Hope this helps you. Have a look at the site I've given you. Good luck - who'd be a woman?

 

[Janet]

I had a PAP every 6 mos till I had 2 come back normal in a row, now I get a PAP every year. My first PAP after the freezing came back abnormal, but that's common. The HPV virus was present the first time, actually my last PAP showed some abnormal cells but they ran it through some HPV test and it was negative so I was told I'm OK for another year.

 

[lkemerson]

hugs all round.Thank you for the positive and helpful information. I am going for the PAP today and am going with a whole lot better attitude. I think I just have a whole lot of medical 'stuff' going on right now, and am a bit low. If it were one thing or the other, I could deal just dandy with it, but right now, I think it's starting to drag me down a bit. I've decided to pep and perk up and find out what all is going on and get at getting it better! I always do and feel better the more information I have...control freak!I do so appreciate the information and help. Its the reason I love this bb. You can always find a sympathetic ear, someone who has been through what you are going through, encouragement, education and even sometimes a heated debate!Again - HUGE HUGS

 

[lkemerson]

Just to let you know...I had a wonderful visit. I got a lot of information and was very relieved to hear most of it.I had another PAP, and will hear in about 10 days [or after Thanksgiving].Thank you all again for your help!~Karen

 

[peardrops]

Karen, glad it went OK. I sometimes think that the more information you get on something the better you can deal with it. I might be wrong on this but if a woman has the virus doesn't she have it for ever? It's not like an infection that you can get rid of. I've just read this about testing for the HPV virus:-"HPV types 6 and 11 typically cause venereal warts, and (along with types 42, 43, and 44) have a low risk of progressing to cancer. HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, and 36 have a higher risk of progressing to cancer. While the test can be helpful in guessing the 'likelihood' that cancer will develop if you receive no treatment, there is no guarantee that the predicted risk is correct, since other factors seem to be involved in development of cancer."Glad you only have 10 days to wait for the result. I had mine done two weeks ago and have about another six weeks before I get the result.Hope all your other tests go OK.

 

[lkemerson]

This is what the doctor told me yesterday.The current [read new] medical view is that this virus can leave the body, and does. Recently [she said as little as 6 months ago] it was felt that once you had it, you had it forever. She said that they are finding more and more people that never have a recurrance, and that research is ongoing. There is also a vaccine that is being watched and has been tried that seems to be very promising.I am also glad to only have to wait a few days. It'll be a load off my mind either way. If dysplasia is still showing, we go in and deal with it, and go back in three months. Not such a bad deal.I am feeling much more confident and relieved. Good information from a good doctor that will sit and just discuss your concerns for however long it takes, is really good medicine.~KarenOh yeah, the other tests...ugh, dreading the prep, but the tests will be a piece of cake [or have always been before.] Thank you for the good thoughts.

 

[karen3480]

Hi, last March when I went for my annual pap, I got a call from the nurse practioner saying it came back abnormal. The next step they told me was to schedule a colposcopy. My mom mentioned to the family doctor she advised me to wait a few months an do another pap. I was terrified and didn't want to wait a few months because my friend has cervical cancer and had cryo surgery.So they said now that this happened I had to see a doctor for the procedure. She said to get the colposcopy/biopsy done and we'll see what the results were. It confirmed that the cells were indeed abnormal. She told me since it was low grade (LSIL) that we would continue testing every 3 months for the next year.The biopsy hurt but not as bad as I expected and they gave me an Ativan to ease the anxiety, it was just really a BIG pinch that was over in a second. I didn't have much cramping and no bleeding just dark discarge for a week and a half. At my first follow up pap, she also did the Hybrid Capture DNA test, it turns out I have low-risk HPV. The 2nd pap came out normal. So I have 2 more tests to go. They try to get 3 normal tests in a row then you can go back to testing once a year. Here's a helpful website http://thehpvtest.com good luck!

 

[peardrops]

Karen, that's exactly what happened after my abnormal smear. I'm sure they aren't testing over here in the UK for the HPV virus when we have our smears. I must ask the doctor next time I see her.Smears can only give an indication of what is going on, a colposcopy should, in my opinion, be given for every abnormal smear. I insisted on having one and had to pay privately for it. Glad you are OK now.

 

[lkemerson]

If my latest smear comes back HPV or abnormal in any way, we will do the colposcopy. If it does not, I am still to be see seen in 3 months time. I am thinking that if it does come back with no abnormal cells, I may insist on a colposcopy being done at the 3 month, just to be safe. If I am going to be in there, spread eagle anyway, I may as well make double sure I am checked out every way they can. I don't understand if a colposcopy is just a scope why they don't do it as a matter of the annual exam anyway. Doesn't that just make sense/ Maybe it it too logical!?!?!?

Keep your fingers crossed for me. Tomorrow is prep day for the EGD and colonoscopy. I dread it so much I try to put it out of my mind. It isn't the running, or the cramping it is the taste of that nasty phospho.Night...I'll let you know what I find out.Karen thank you for the info.~yet another Karen!

 

[sstrand]

You may be eligible to participate in a research study. We would like to know about your opinions on and experience with human papillomavirus (HPV) and the HPV vaccines (Gardasil and Cervarix). The study includes a survey an optional telephone interview. To qualify for this study, you must1) Be female(2) Be between ages 18 and 26(3) Live in the United States (4) Have experienced a “serious adverse event” (side effect) you believe to be the result of the Gardasil or Cervarix vaccine. This includes:- Life-threatening conditions- Hospitalization- Disability or permanent physical damage- Birth defects- Conditions requiring medical treatment or surgery- Conditions that do not require medical treatment or surgery now but may in the future to avoid one of the above outcomesTo participate in the survey, visit: www.surveymonkey.com/HpvGardasilCervarixThis study is sponsored by the University of Arizona Department of Sociology. Please contact the Principal Investigator, Sarah Strand, at [email protected] for more information.