O/T - really need advice, very anxious, worried

Hi - Sorry to hear that but the first thing i would say is *try* not to panic. 2 of my friends have been through the smae process and everything turned out to be fine.

Havent been through this myself but didnt want to read and run.

You could try taking calms, they might help. There is every chance everything will be fine x

Hope its all ok for you.

Didn't want to read and run, afraid I can't help though. But HUGE ? your way. xxxx and Hope all is well.

Firstly try not to worry. Two of my friends have had a Colposcopy done recently due to pre-cancerous cells. The important thing you have to remember is that it doesnt mean you have cancer or will lead to cancer. The colposcopy involves removal of the cells that are abnormal.

I know its easy for people to say dont worry, but my friend had it done on Monday and she said it wasnt as bad as she had worked herself up for.

Sarah,

Please don't worry too much, I've had exactly the same experience. I had my daughter 3 years ago and have had 'abnormal' results back time after time, have been to the Colposcopy clinics and have even had cells burnt away. They are always over-cautious (and rightly so). They will keep an eye on you and ask you to go in every 3 months if they are concerned enough but try and stay positive (easier said than done I know).

I got the 'all clear, you don't have to come back for 3 yrs' letter last November and you'd have thought I'd won the lottery.

Please share your news with someone close to you, as you definately need the support.

Big hugs. xxx

Hi Sarah, , , firstly I know it's easier said than done but DON'T PANIC, , , , ,?

I went through all this 4 years ago. As a single parent with 2 small boys I went to hell and back.

I had a colposcopy (which isn't pleasant and quite scary but not painful at all).

I now have to have annual smears for the next 10 years just as a precaution.

Please don't worry sweet, everything will be OK, just the knowledge that you are having the colposcopy means that at the moment it's just abnormal cells and it has been caught in time.

If you need to chat sweetie, I will give you my email, , , , xx

Ok I know it is scary as I have been through this twice in the past year - my last one being 1 month ago...I had 2 abnormal smears then had to go for a colposcopy, I got myslef so worked up for a month leading up to it, I was a mess!!! I honestly won't lie to you and say it is nice, it's not; but it is not as bad as u think. It is basically a smear with a big camera pointed down there (you can watch yourself on the camera - no thanks!!) and they put fluids in there to highlight any abnormalities then they take a biopsy - they will prob ask you to cough as they do so and you hardly feel it. Its a big mingin afterwards as u tend to bleed but only a bit of a cramp in your stomach for a few hrs and then it's gone. Most people I speak to have been through this - it is so common!!! And it hardly ever means it will lead to cancer, the good thing is if there is anything wrong they will find it. If the nirse doing your colposcopy didn't see any problems then it's probably just CN 1 (minor abnormalities that will return by themselves). I had an abnormal result to my first colposcopy so had to go back a month ago for a repeat one, got my results last week n I am all clear now ?

Sorry I seem to have gone for ages!!! But most improtantly just relax as that makes it so much easier, u will be fine and if u do need treatment many people I have spoken to have had that n it was fine n afterwards they are all clear for good (I think!) so have a glass of wine n chill!!

Thanks girls,

I know am might be worrying about nothing, but its so scary at the moment, I really thought this letter/test would of come back 'normal'. I will tell someone, I will tell my Oh and will probably have to tell my mum or a close friend as am too much of a scaredy cat to go to the hospital appointment on my own, but just don't want to get anyone else worrying.

Also it's my little boys 9th birthday tomorrow, so really want to wait until maybe the weekend before i need to speak to anyone else, my hospital appointment is 15th march.

It's really good hearing other stories about others that have been through this and all is ok x

Thanks again!

Again, many thanks for your replies, I will try and not worry too much, but know its going to be difficult.

Can anyone suggest anything that I may be able to take maybe leading up to my appointment (like the day or so before, even in the morning), I can think of Calms, but that's about it, think I may need something stronger! x

I have had a colposcopy as well as its not always as bad as you first think, so try not to panic.

I had 3 abnormal smears on the trot a few years ago so was referred. they lasered my pre-cancerous cells away (not painful, just like a smear, but smells a little, just try not to work yourself up beforehand, its not as bad as you think). Then I had to go back for 6 monthly smears and once I had 3 or 5 of those, I didn't have to go back for a year and now I don't have to go for 3 or 5 years.

It doesn't always mean the worst, in fact, with regular smears, its more common to catch the cells early before they become cancerous and can be removed completely.

Please speak to friends or family, they will comfort you but as I said, bear in mind, its not always bad news, it's upsetting and worrying but it's just something you have to do, just explain to them as well what we've said so they know not to panic.

x

WTS

Please try not to panic, because this is the idea of having a smear test. They're just making sure everything is ok, which it will be. The idea is to notice weird cells before they have achance to think about turning into something nasty. Big hugs from me x x

Sorry to hear your in a panic, I hope your calming down a bit now and sharing this with your H2b or a best friend for a real life hug - i'm afraid my cyber one's aren't really going to cut it for you right now.

Just wanted to say my Stepmom had the same, at aged 35 and following consultation had to have some cancerous cells removed. She, like you completely paniced at first, but she has been given the all clear now. The same happened to my friend aged 23 - she again commented the colopscopy was uncomfortable, but nothing compared to what she had built it up to in her mind.

I've never been through it myself, but wanted to wish you all the best.

Hi

Please don't panic, and I know that easier said than done.

I have recently just been through this, my first Smear after having my twins can back abnormal and needed to go for a Coloposcopy. The leaftlet i recieved with the letter reallyscared the s**t out of me and i cryed for hours after reading.

Well I have had the Colposcopy, and as the other said, it did not hurt was just a bit strange, weird, and a few tummy cramp later on in the afternoon. The nurses in the room, could not have been nicer and they let me take my sister in with me.

So I recieved the letter to say it was not the Big C, but they have kept the results on file, as they are not sure what it was. Again scarey to hear they don't know what it is, but pleased it was not the big C. I now have to have six monthly smears and I have just recieved the letter to say recent one is all is fine this time, no change.

If you have someone who will go with you, then please take them, i found having my sister there was great and she was amazing at discracting me and talking aout ramdon stuff.

Keli xxx

Hiya. As the other ladies have said try not to worry. I went through this and couldn't stop cryin with fear. Stressing yourself won't help (I know easier said that done) as you can see a few of us have been through it and all was ok. It's all about precaution these days. Please let us know how you get on. I can't post a hug pic from my phone so HUG x

Please don't worry. I had to have one after I had my son and it isn't that bad and I was allowed to have someone in the room with me. As someone else has mentioned, it does smell a bit and I found that I had cramps after as well - a bit like mild period pains.

Big hugs to you my lovely, i hope everything will be ok. xxxxxx

im currently waiting for the results of my first smear and im so so nervous, it makes me sick if i think about it too much

Sorry to hear this, I haven't read the whole thread so hope I am not repeating what has already been said but I can understand you are anxious. I know how you feel as I had several abnormals years ago and had to have a colposcopy. Everything turned out fine but it was a worrying wait. My consultant told me that sometimes you get abnormal results if the smear isn't done correctly or if it gets contaminated. On one occassion the slide they used to use broke. As it happened twice I was automatically called in. The consultant and the nurse are usually great at making you feel relaxed, mine put a pic of George Clooney on the ceiling!!

The procedure itself wasn't too scary, you may have a choice of watching on screen whilst they do it if you want to so you know what is going on.

Hope everything will be alright x

Sarah,

your post couldn't have come at a better time for me as I had just recieved exactly the same letter as you! I have my colopscopy booked for 2 weeks times. I do feel reassurred by reading everyones responces and having a little cry down the phone to my mom! Fingers crossed we all get the all clear and carry on as normal! x

I had this a few years ago too, and like everyone said its not that scarey a proceedure, its more that you build it up in your head as you are worried about it. They found some abnormal cells with me so I then had to go back for the cells to be frozen off, but that was ok too - really nice nurses and doctors who did it and to be honest it wasn't painful just uncomfortable and no where near as bad as my normal period pains. I then had to have 3 month check ups for a a while, which went to 6 month, then a year and last year I went back to the usual 3 year cycle which was a relief. Try not to worry, I found when I spoke to people about it afterwards, several friends had either had it themselves or had friends who had - I think its more common than we realise but people are too scared to talk about it.

Hi Sarah, really don't panic. Although I have not experienced this, both of my sisters have been through it and one was fine afterwards but the other had to have cells removed as they were considered a risk. Both of them are absolutely fine and healthy and said the procedure was a lot less scary than they expected! If you look at it this way- if there is anything wrong, it will be picked up by the Colposcopy and sorted out very soon.

xx

Some very good advice here. I too had some abnormal results some years ago and had colposcopy. I actually had it done the morning of my sister's wedding - 7.30 at the hospital, home for a quick nap, 2pm at the registry office - so it's not too bad. A few cramps and a bit of an ache, then back to normal after a couple of days.

(I'll let you all in on a little secret - the gynecologist doing the colposcopy asked me to 'bear down' to get the right angle on my cervix and as I did so I let out a little gas - oops! top tip: don't have beans on toast the day before)

Navy_girl, sorry to hear you got the same letter also, scary stuff alright, but lots of helpful and reasurring messages on here to help us through, my appointment is for 2 wks time (15th) also. x

DONT PANIC!i had the colposcopy 2 yrs ago and its just a lazer they use to take off the cells. Not plesant but necessary.i now have to have smears yearly but to be honest id rather be safe then sorry!

Many thanks for all your messages girlies!!!

I do feel a lot better and little bit calmer now hearing from everyone, fingers crossed all will be ok xx

My sister has had this before (including the Colposcopy) and it all came back fine so please try not to panic.

Whatever happens, the reason they do all this screening is that early detection of any risk is massively important.

Hugs x

I've had a colposcopy too and it was all fine in the end.

I was spending my year abroad from uni in France and had the smear during the Xmas hols. The letter had come to my parents' house and my mum had to phone me in France to tell me. Luckily, she's a nurse and knew all about it, so she was very reassuring. I had to come home from France to have the procedure, then they hadn't taken enough cells so I had to go back again.

Like someone above has said it does NOT mean you have cancer.

Sarah I am sending you big hugs because I would fel exactly the same. I had abnormal cells a few years ago and have had to have 6 monthly smears as a result, 2 have come back fine but I have my 3rd this evening, and even the thought that the results could come back abnormal is freaking me out. I would reassure yourself by thinking even the chance of having cells that are at risk is fine because they will be detected before they have chance to turn into something not so nice and lasered, that is the worst case scenario. Thank heavens for cervical screening.

I am probably far too late to help hun but I had the same letter as you and jumped to the same conclusions as you did I am sure but I had the coloscopy and it was a bit uncomfortable but the nurses were lovely and were really comforting and nice [I was on my own] it all came back OK and I have to have smears every 6 months for the next few years.

You will be fine. Get it all sorted now and then you can relax and not worry about it and plan your wedding. xxxx

Both me and my matron of honour have had this done. Both of us had to go back for annual check ups for a few years, and now we're both back to the normal 3 year screening programme. It's no worse than a smear. Take care xx