Follow up.smear.

[HowamIgoingtocope]

I have had a follow up.smear after my abnormal one last year. Last year I had a colosphany and biopsy after I was diagnosed with cin 1. The biopsy showed no cin 1 but hpv changes. This smear has just come back with mild dyskariosis but no hpv. Strange. However they don't want to do anything other than a follow up. As usual my anxiety has fed off this and I'm wide awake at my.mums. well apart from a 5 year old asleep with me.

Anyone had the same experience.

[intotheabis]

Hi, my first smear came back abnormal and since then I have had laser, biopsies coloscopies etc every smear, my first smear showed no hpv but cin 3 abnormalities, once they were removed I then had one 6 month later which was all clear, which meant I had to wait 3 years for the next one, I suffer from health anxiety and for want of a better word I was shitting myself, it was horrendous, I couldn't believe after that they were making me wait 3 years. Anyway after about 2 and a half years it was heavily on my mind so I went for a smear, explained to the nurse my fears so she put it in early with a note saying I was going travelling, they processed it and I had cin 1 again, cin one can clear up on its own and they don't even always remove it, but because of my history they do, it was only my first one that was severe abnormalities, the rest were all mild but still treated.

I've had a few since then the pattern goes abnormal-treatment-follow up 6 months later-all clear-abnormal one 3 years later-treatment etc

My second to last one showed the hpv virus but my last one came back all clear for that, the nurse did tell me that there are different strains of hpv and some just naturally clear up on their own so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I've suffered terribly with anxiety surrounding this and I would say there isn't a day goes by that I don't think of it, but I just tell myself to be grateful I went for my smear and it was spotted and treated before it became something much worse, I shudder to think of how scared I was to go for my first smear and put it off for so long I remember feeling people I was too scared to go! What an idiot I was!

Just be reassured that you are aware of it, they do know what they're doing and they would not (especially after you have already had treatment for cin 1) leave it longer than they though was safe

[HowamIgoingtocope]

Thank you. My freind has tried to reassure me. But I know mild dyskariosis isn't cin as of yet. I'm just a little worried it took 8 weeks for them to tell me

[wineandsunshine]

I had mild with HPV - they waited 8 weeks until giving me a colposcopy and biopsy which then took another 6 weeks to say was all fine. I went back after 6 months and now I'm on my third year of yearly checks. I think it should be routine to have yearly checks if you get any abnormal cells but maybe it's dependant on area??

[HowamIgoingtocope]

I think it is dependant on the area. If rather go for another biopsy. I may ask if I can . I'm a worry wart.

[LMonkey]

How long would it be until the follow up? I think if it was me (and a few years ago I had severe dyskariosis, it was such a worry, I know how you feel - I'm a worry wart too - it drives you crazy), I would be happy enough it it was no longer than 6 months away as from what I understand the changes aren't usually that severe within 6 months. If they are suggesting you wait any longer than that for a follow up smear then maybe consider getting one done privately for peace of mind? I did that and it cost about £125 but worth it.

Having said all this they are the 'experts' and as another poster said they would not recommend this particular path unless they considered it safe. It just isn't always best for us lot with the anxiety.

[Quarterlifecrisis27]

I had colposcopy two years ago after abnormal smear and hpv. Didn't find anything so I have gone back to 5 yearly smears. I'm told this is normal as the consultant at hospital discharged me.