Abnormal smear - please help. Panicking

[Babyowl20]

I had a phone call this morning from the hospital about my smear test results. They wanted to book me an appointment for this Friday because the results have come back as moderate.

I’m scared to google incase that means I have cancer or if it’s really bad. Has anyone had this previously and it’s turned out okay? I’m completely panicking.

[RIPQueen]

I know this is a zombie thread but I wanted to ask if anyone who has had treatment for abnormal cells has gone on to have a healthy pregnancy?

[Tunnocks34]

I know this a a zombie thread, but mmarie82 I had HPV with abnormal cells several years ago. I had a colposcopy shortly after which basically required no further treatment. By next smear was 12 months after this, which was clear. I had two more annual smears (clear of abnormal cells and HPV) since then. I am due another smear test next year I believe too.

[mmarie82]

I share your worries, i had a call yesterday telling me due to an abnormal smear i needed a colonoscopy. (Hadn't received a letter yet). They gave me an appointment for first thing this morning. So i was beside myself thinking why are they rushing me through! I was even sick. They explained today they had a cancellation but im not sure i believe them. Anyway, the colonoscopy was ok, i was crying and shaking so probably made myself worse. They took a biopsy so now im beside myself with worry. He said there was something that needed further investigating. I'm panicking so much. Never had an abnormal smear before .

[InTheTempest]

@Babyowl20 I'm so glad the treatment went well for you and your recovery has been good. It's a while since I had LLETZ and I can't even remember it that clearly 😂 I think the punch biopsy hurt worse from memory.

I'm sure you're results will be fine. I'm so glad to have the screening programme we have in the UK, I feel very fortunate for the care I've received.

I'm glad you shared your experience, you never know, you may have promoted someone to book their smear.

[Babyowl20]

Hi,

Just wanted to leave an update as it’s been a week since I had the LLETZ. I know mumsnet gets linked a lot through google so hopefully my updates can offer some reassurance for anyone who finds this thread and is going through the same thing

Apart from feeling a bit achey straight after the treatment I’ve felt fine! I’ve been taking it easy but haven’t had any pain or discomfort really - I haven’t needed to take any painkillers at all (and my pain threshold isn’t particularly high!) I think the emotional side has been the most difficult - it’s been a real rollercoaster over the last few weeks.

I haven’t had any bleeding at all, and only a small amount of discharge (with tiny black bits which I suppose are where the cervix is cauterised?)

Still have another couple of weeks or so before I hear back about it the results have ‘clear margins’ then I don’t have to worry til my 6 month smear in late August

[opticaldelusion]

Always women isn’t it?

No. Not at all. Which is why the prostate cancer screening is under scrutiny because of the high number of false positives the blood test reveals and how anxiety-making it is.

Screening is never perfect. You get 'incidentalomas' far more than you find something of significance. But to say this is some gender/sex bias is bizarre.

[Babyowl20]

So I’ve had the treatment now! the nurse/s were absolutely lovely and chatted away through the whole procedure. I was really nervous but it didn’t take long at all, and even the injections weren’t too bad, just a little uncomfortable.

They send off the part they’ve removed for testing, then in 6 months I have a follow up smear to make sure they got rid of all the abnormal cells.

Feeling so relieved. Thanks again to everyone who’s shared their experiences on this thread and been so kind!

[marmite51]

Glad to hear you'll be treated soon OP- the first infection is the uncomfortable bit. I'm sure the diazepam will help.

[marmite51]

But CIN3 does turn into cancer. It did in my cervix.

Of course women will feel grateful that they've been treated. What a ridiculous comment to make.

[HoldMyLobster]

Ah the conspiracy theorist has arrived.

[Writersblock2]

Isn’t it curious how so many women have abnormal results, are left in a perpetual state of fear of “do I have cancer?”, have parts chopped out “just in case” and then feel indebted to a system that they feel saved them when actually nothing was wrong?

Always women isn’t it?

[Winterwoollies]

@babyowl20 the injection really didn’t hurt or even sting that much. It’s very much the idea of it that’s the worst bit. Plus the nurses will be chatting away to you, which is a lovely and very effective distraction. Then you won’t notice anything at all.

Be brave and then you can tell your story to help others. Xx

[Babyowl20]

Got the diazepam.. less than 24 hours til the abnormal cells will be removed and I can breath (another) sigh of relief!

[Babyowl20]

Thank you @Winterwoollies @InTheTempest - I’m really nervous about the LLETZ, and can’t wait to have it over and done with, so glad to hear you didn’t find it too awful!
It’s the numbing injection I’m most scared about.

I have a GP appt today to see if I can get some diazepam or similar to help with my anxiety.

So, so glad I went for my smear as soon as I got the letter about it! I nearly decided to wait until I turned 25 in the summer .

It’s only been 2.5 weeks between the abnormal smear results and my treatment so I’m feeling really relieved that it’s gone so quickly (although it’s felt like a lot longer!)

[InTheTempest]

@Babyowl20 just saw your updates, I'm so glad for you that it's all within the realms of being completely treatable before it even develops. Glad you got an appointment so quickly, LLETZ was honestly not that bad and once it's done that's it. I expect you'll be on yearly recall but that is reassuring to me.

Hope it goes well for you, definitely have some ☕️ and 🍰 💐

[Winterwoollies]

@Babyowl20 ah the same as me. You’ve honestly done the hardest bit, and that’s just waiting to find out what it is. The worry can be crippling.

The LLETZ bit is easy and a nice excuse to have a day under a blanket with some chocolate and a film and a bit of fuss made of you.

Good luck on Thursday. You’ll do just fine as you know now it’s nothing sinister xxx

[Babyowl20]

Thank you so much for sharing @Winterwoollies and @HoldMyLobster- it really has been scary.

I had a phone call from the hospital just now, saying my results from the biopsy are CIN 3 and they have an appointment slot for the treatment this Thursday! Which is a huge, huge relief. I still feel tearful and really emotional, just that the results haven’t come back as anything worse, and that it’ll be treated within days.

I have some prescribed propranolol which I think I’m going to take on the day - I might see if I can get a GP appointment for tomorrow to get prescribed something a bit stronger, I’m so glad that the treatment is so soon but I’m worried about panicking once I’m there.

Thanks so much to everyone who has posted, it has really helped me get through the last couple of weeks.

[amillionwishes]

@Babyowl20 I've sent you a pm xx

[HoldMyLobster]

I had CIN3 and laser treatment 26 years ago. As you can see I'm still here :-)

At the time many of my female friends the same age as me had the same thing. All still here and doing well.

Have you had any help with your anxiety issues OP? I took Prozac which really really helped when I had terrible anxiety.

[Winterwoollies]

Hi @Babyowl20 I just wanted to come and give you a little squeeze of reassurance.

I deferred my first smear for a few years due to moving house and various other stupid reasons. I went, heard the doctor tell the assisting nurse to ‘do the counselling’ and within a week had a letter telling me I had (severe) high-grade dyskariosis and CIN3. Cue absolute panic. The letters can say ‘this does not necessarily mean it’s cancer,’ all they want, you will still lie awake panicking. I also got the letter after work on a Friday so couldn’t speak to a doctor until Monday and was beside myself.

They whizzed me in for a colposcopy at the hospital with a consultant and two lovely nurses. It was very nerve-wracking. He numbed my cervix (which didn’t hurt at all just stung very slightly and was honestly the worst bit) and then decided to do the LLETZ treatment there an then (that’s just how that trust did it.) He then sent that sample off for testing.

He couldn’t tell me it wasn’t cancer but he told me that cervical cancer can take a very long time to develop.

I went home, ate chocolate and waited for my letter of results. It came through inside two weeks and had been incredibly thoughtfully folded by the consultant’s secretary. They’d done an origami-job on it so when I pulled it out, heart racing, the first thing I saw was ‘this is not cancer.’ It was the best letter ever.

I then had a six month check up and was clear. Then an annual check up and was clear. And I’m now back on three-yearly. After some abnormal bleeding (cue more panic) I recently had another colposcopy and it just turned out to be a harmless ectropian, which is a hormonal change that rights itself.

If they do decide to get rid of the moderate cells, please don’t be worried about the treatment. It really is ok. I promise. And they and the worry, will be gone. I had severe changes and have been healthy ever since.

Also, just because you have changes, it doesn’t mean it would have ever become cancer, it just might. And we’re so lucky to have this wonderful screening process to help us.

You’ve done everything right and I hope you get your letter soon.

[Babyowl20]

Hi @amillionwishes , still feeling pretty awful - I ended up phoning the hospital department on Friday, just to check if the results are back yet (unfortunately they weren’t) but they reminded me that a letter will come through once they’re ready. I totally agree with you re the waiting - it feels unbearable sorry to hear about your panic attack. I have anxiety issues too and this has triggered it so much.

Did the few days away help you feel any better - or at least pass the time a bit faster? I’ve started taking a few vitamins last week and I think they’re helping - b complex, vitamin D and omega 3.

and for us x

[amillionwishes]

@Babyowl20 how are you doing?

I went away for a few days last week with dp just to take my mind off things a bit, I suffer from anxiety anyway but it's properly hit me and I woke up at 5am this morning and had a huge panic attack.

I think it's the waiting, I can deal with whatever the results are when I've got them but waiting for them is awful!!

[Babyowl20]

Really bad day today. Keep getting horrible intrusive thoughts about the biopsy results coming back really bad. tried to work as I was off work last week so I’m really behind but I had to stop because I couldn’t stop crying.

[Babyowl20]

Thank you for sharing @Whosamawotsits. The dr I saw said that they don’t always do a biopsy only if required so I was feeling a bit down that she deemed I needed one during the colposcopy - would have been a huge relief if she’d sent me away and said everything was fine as I know some people have experienced. But glad that the biopsy is generally pretty standard before treatment.

It’s felt like the longest few days of my life, and not even half way to the timespan they gave me for biopsy results! Have a horrible nagging, nauseous anxiety in the back of my mind all the time.

[Franticbutterfly]

The same happened to me, they said it must have got better in the time between the smear and the procedure and that had they known that, I wouldn’t have had the procedure.