Can anyone answer this query about cervical cancer?

[Anothernamechanger1]

3 years ago i had the leetz procedure following cin1 after abnormal smear and colposcopy. Had my smear done yeaterday, I had a lot of cramping which I know is normal. However today I have a lot of pain in my pelvis area, internal pain not muscular etc.

Anyway, I'm a little worried obviously about any changes etc. I know the symptoms of cervical cancer and one of which is bleeding after sex but also bleeding between periods. So if I'm not having sex and I don't have periods as I'm on cerazette and don't ever have spotting on it, how would the symptoms work for me? Obviously I can't have 'post coital bleeding' but can the pill such as cerazette stop any bleeding you 'possibly' would be having if you weren't on it? If that makes sense?

Tia

[Anothernamechanger1]

Bump

[PurpleDaisies]

The pill affects how the lining of the womb is shed (or not). Cervical cancer causes bleeding by growing into the cervix and the tissues around it causing damage. It can bleed at any time but you just wouldn't notice it during your period, which is why they say to watch out for bleeding when you wouldn't expect it. Having sex knocks and stretches the tissues which is why you get post coital bleeding as a warning sign of cervical cancer. The pill wouldn't suppress the either the bleeding after sex or bleeding from a tumour because it isn't anything to do with the normal cycle of the endometrium. Does that vaguely make sense?

It's always worth knowing all the symptoms of cervical cancer and seeing your GP if you're worried.

[Anothernamechanger1]

Hi thank you yes that does make sense. I'm a bit paranoid about it because of all the treatment I had then suddenly it's thanks very much see you in 3 years. The nurse that did it told me that they have changed how they look at the results. Not in a good way. She said if a smear is negative for hpv then they don't look for any changes of the cells anymore. I thought you could have cancer still and be hpv negative? She told me out of the nearly 200 odd strains of hpv 4 of them are the ones that could go on to cause cancer if left. She advised in my situation if she were me, to pay and have a private smear done yearly.

[PurpleDaisies]

I don't think your nurse has understood the evidence. There have been some huge studies showing that HPV screening first is better than looking at a smear test first when you're trying to identify women at risk of developing cervical cancer in the period between screening tests. It know it seems counter intuitive.

[Anothernamechanger1]

So can you get cervical without having hpv? There's so much conflicting advice about it.

Also am I at a higher risk of having the same problems as its happened to me before, say compare to the next woman who's had no problems?

[Anothernamechanger1]

Bump

[Jjacobb]

It's incredibly rare to get CC if you don't have the virus but it is possible.

I was diagnosed with CC three years ago. I had always had regular smears with no issues. My grade two cancer was diagnosed after a previously clear smear. Testing during and after treatment revealed no sign of the virus. Being on the pill wouldn't stop any suspicious bleeding because the blood would be coming from the damage caused by a tumour rather than the womb shedding its lining.

Please try not to worry, CC is very rare. Could you ask to see a doctor who would maybe explain things better and set your mind at rest.

[Anothernamechanger1]

Thanks so much jj for sharing your experience. I can never get much from the doctors to be honest. It's such a long wait between smears I may just pay annually to have them privately done.

Do you know if I'm more likely than the next person to have more problems?