Cervical cancer

[Jessthemess81]

Hi, I'm posting for traffic as I'm really scared and could do with someone talking me down or sharing their experience.

I had a smear test that showed abnormal cells and tested positive for HPV.

I've previously had normal smear tests but have suffered with symptoms such as bleeding between periods, discharge, pelvic pain and sometimes lower back pain (not consistent back pain) for the last few years. I've been to A&E last year as I was in so much pain. Everytime I'd told them my symptoms, they'd ask what the results of my last smear test were. This seemed like enough of a reason to rule out cancer I'm guessing.

The symptoms have worsened over the past year and the GP referred me for an ultrasound whilst I await my colposcopy.

After my ultrasound, the lady told me is I'd hear back within a week unless urgent. I recieved a call from my gp that very day telling me a large mass was found on my upper cervix.

I have a colposcopy and biopsy next week. But, what are my chances of it not being cancer? My doctor suggested it was highly likely that it is.

I'm just really scared. I have children and don't want to think of having to tell them. I'm 40 by the way- if that makes a difference.

Thank you

Just sending best wishes and support. I know you must be so anxious. Your doc sounds like a good one, despite her no frills approach. Its so tough I understand. So good you are in the system and treatment is on the plan. I think we are brilliant at cervical cancer treatment in this country. Im sorry you are going through this.

Things for me moved pretty quickly after my colposcopy. During that the nurse asked me if I wanted to look on the screen and see.

I said yes and as soon as the camera was inserted I saw weird white lumps almost and she turned it away really quickly.

I think I knew then deep down.

But I will say despite it being Covid times the hospital were fantastic and treatment was quick and efficient.

Fingers crossed they find nothing or maybe just something that's not sinister xx

@LeaveHomeNow

I was referred for biopsy and colonoscopy following a mass been seen in an ultrasound. Appreciate every case is different but turned out to be.....nothing. it was so weird and I made them show me the scan as they were doing it but there was nothing there. Fingers crossed for the same!

Oh gosh. How weird?! But obviously wonderful that it was nothing sinister. Did you have an abnormal smear?

[quote Chesneyhawkes1]@Jessthemess81 I'm embarrassed to say I had not been for one for many years.

I only went as a friend had been diagnosed with it and had a hysterectomy. She bugged me to go, so thank god I did.

The only symptom I had was bleeding sometimes after sex. But I put that down to my copper coil.

Mine had spread down slightly so a hysterectomy wouldn't have got it all, so I had the other treatment instead.[/quote]
Oh god thank god your friend bugged you to go! Dont be embarrassed though, it's very common for women to miss their smear for many reasons. I think this is why they're rolling out the home testing kits. I'm so glad you're in the clear now x

@JHMJHM

Just sending best wishes and support. I know you must be so anxious. Your doc sounds like a good one, despite her no frills approach. Its so tough I understand. So good you are in the system and treatment is on the plan. I think we are brilliant at cervical cancer treatment in this country. Im sorry you are going through this.

I really appreciate that - thank you x I think the waiting is worse. I just want to know what I'm dealing with x

@Chesneyhawkes1

Things for me moved pretty quickly after my colposcopy. During that the nurse asked me if I wanted to look on the screen and see.

I said yes and as soon as the camera was inserted I saw weird white lumps almost and she turned it away really quickly.

I think I knew then deep down.

But I will say despite it being Covid times the hospital were fantastic and treatment was quick and efficient.

Fingers crossed they find nothing or maybe just something that's not sinister xx

That must have been scary. Did they give you an indication there and then? Or did you just have to wait for your biopsy results? X

@Jessthemess81 I just want to say thank you for posting because maybe other women here will get checked out too

I'm wishing every bit of good luck and health to you. As they say around here prepare for the worst and hope for the best xx

@Houseofvelour

I don't have any advice but wanted to give you a handhold xx

Thank you so much x

For me, things moved very quickly from GP referral for colposcopy. For a while I was at the gynaecology dept once a week. It was reassuring though scary.

I was diagnosed after a biopsy, then had two further lletz treatments to try and remove cancerous cells. Every lletz revealed further cancerous cells deeper in my cervix, so I had a hysterectomy and cervix removed. My op was two months after initial diagnosis. I'm OK now, have had a clear vault smear a year ago which is reassuring.

It's horrible to go through the uncertainty of it all and easier when a plan is in place and you know what you're dealing with. The Jo's trust website was really helpful for me in the beginning when I had so many questions and didn't know terminology etc. Then later, during and after treatment, my local Maggies centre were great at helping me make sense of what was happening.

Good luck xxx

@Jessthemess81 I had to wait. But I didn't wait long. Then I got the call to come in the next day after my results - where I was informed I had cervical cancer.

MRI to determine spread etc within 48 hours.

The NHS for me, moved very fast when it needed to.

I will keep my fingers crossed for good news for you. But even if it is bad news, don't despair. I feel "lucky" that if I was going to get cancer I got one that's very curable and slow growing. It may feel like it now, but it won't be the end of the world and if it is cancer, you will get through it xx

When was your last smear before your most recent one? X

I had an abnormal smear a few years ago and went for a colposcopy and they couldn’t see anything. Had some bleeding after sex last summer so decided to go for my now due smear test and mentioned it to the nurse. She took some swabs as well and arranged an ultrasound. My smear was abnormal again and I went for another colposcopy except this time there was something on my vaginal wall. The nurse went off to get the consultant who came to take biopsies. Was told at the end of the appointment that it was cancer.

I had 25 rounds of radiotherapy, 5 rounds of chemo and 3 lots of brachytherapy finishing in Feb this year. I have had two clear MRI’s since and see my oncologist every 3 months for a rummage.

A CT scan the week after diagnosis also discovered a lump in my breast and in my armpit which turned out to be cancer too. I don’t remember asking for a BOGOF!

@MrsPnut how awful, I hope you are all sorted now?

@Jessthemess81 how are you feeling today. The waiting seems to be the worst from what people have said, so just wanted you to know we are all thinking of you and hoping for better news next week x

I’m sorry you’re going through this. I had a smear at the beginning of the year which came back as abnormal cells and positive for HPV. I was sent for a colposcopy and the results came back as CIN 3 I think the term they used was high grade dyskaryosis which worried me quite a lot.

The treatment I was given LETZ where they ‘shaved’ off part of my cervix with the abnormal cells. Apparently there was a large area affected so they advised I may not be able to carry a future child to full term.

6 months later I was sent for another smear, it was HPV negative so they don’t test it for abnormal cells again. I’m back to 3 yearly smears now.

I know how worrying it can be especially after some of the unfortunate stories you read on Google! My doctor said it was a very small % (sorry I can’t remember the exact figure but I believe it was less that 5%) actually develope into cervical cancer, and in some untreated cases the body is able to fight off the HPV and abnormal cells naturally.

Please try not to worry too much I know it’s easier said than done. Really hope everything turns out well for you OP.

Sorry forgot to mention during the colposcopy the nurse took some punch biopsies.

@Appin

For me, things moved very quickly from GP referral for colposcopy. For a while I was at the gynaecology dept once a week. It was reassuring though scary.

I was diagnosed after a biopsy, then had two further lletz treatments to try and remove cancerous cells. Every lletz revealed further cancerous cells deeper in my cervix, so I had a hysterectomy and cervix removed. My op was two months after initial diagnosis. I'm OK now, have had a clear vault smear a year ago which is reassuring.

It's horrible to go through the uncertainty of it all and easier when a plan is in place and you know what you're dealing with. The Jo's trust website was really helpful for me in the beginning when I had so many questions and didn't know terminology etc. Then later, during and after treatment, my local Maggies centre were great at helping me make sense of what was happening.

Good luck xxx

I so pleased things turned out well. The waiting is awful and the uncertainty of have I havent I.. I dont know how to feel!

Has there been any after effects for you after having a hysterectomy?

Thank you for your support xx

[quote Chesneyhawkes1]@Jessthemess81 I had to wait. But I didn't wait long. Then I got the call to come in the next day after my results - where I was informed I had cervical cancer.

MRI to determine spread etc within 48 hours.

The NHS for me, moved very fast when it needed to.

I will keep my fingers crossed for good news for you. But even if it is bad news, don't despair. I feel "lucky" that if I was going to get cancer I got one that's very curable and slow growing. It may feel like it now, but it won't be the end of the world and if it is cancer, you will get through it xx[/quote]
Thank you once again. You're so right, it was fortunate that it's a slow growing cancer. I think the word is just so scary, and a lot of people immediately think it's a death sentence.

Is an MRI scan done for everyone who has had a diagnosis? Xxx

@Hall1995

When was your last smear before your most recent one? X

3.5 years ago.

But I've heard not all smear tests give accurate results, which panics me a bit xx

@MrsPnut

I had an abnormal smear a few years ago and went for a colposcopy and they couldn’t see anything. Had some bleeding after sex last summer so decided to go for my now due smear test and mentioned it to the nurse. She took some swabs as well and arranged an ultrasound. My smear was abnormal again and I went for another colposcopy except this time there was something on my vaginal wall. The nurse went off to get the consultant who came to take biopsies. Was told at the end of the appointment that it was cancer.

I had 25 rounds of radiotherapy, 5 rounds of chemo and 3 lots of brachytherapy finishing in Feb this year. I have had two clear MRI’s since and see my oncologist every 3 months for a rummage.

A CT scan the week after diagnosis also discovered a lump in my breast and in my armpit which turned out to be cancer too. I don’t remember asking for a BOGOF!

Oh my god that sounds awful? And a double whammy at that! That must have taken a toll on you? Was the lump missed on the first colposcopy? Or did it develop after? How are you doing now? I hope you're ok? Xxx

[quote CaroleFuckingBaskin]@MrsPnut how awful, I hope you are all sorted now?

@Jessthemess81 how are you feeling today. The waiting seems to be the worst from what people have said, so just wanted you to know we are all thinking of you and hoping for better news next week x[/quote]
Thank you so much for thinking of me. I'm ok I guess. I'm expecting to be told I have it. I'm just anxious on how developed and treatable it is. Obviously there's a small chance that it's not cancer, so I guess it's the waiting thats worse as I dont know how I'm supposed to feel yet xxx

@Heyiam

I’m sorry you’re going through this. I had a smear at the beginning of the year which came back as abnormal cells and positive for HPV. I was sent for a colposcopy and the results came back as CIN 3 I think the term they used was high grade dyskaryosis which worried me quite a lot.

The treatment I was given LETZ where they ‘shaved’ off part of my cervix with the abnormal cells. Apparently there was a large area affected so they advised I may not be able to carry a future child to full term.

6 months later I was sent for another smear, it was HPV negative so they don’t test it for abnormal cells again. I’m back to 3 yearly smears now.

I know how worrying it can be especially after some of the unfortunate stories you read on Google! My doctor said it was a very small % (sorry I can’t remember the exact figure but I believe it was less that 5%) actually develope into cervical cancer, and in some untreated cases the body is able to fight off the HPV and abnormal cells naturally.

Please try not to worry too much I know it’s easier said than done. Really hope everything turns out well for you OP.

Thank you for giving me some hope! I guess the doctors response is what has shaken me I think. She didnt really offer any hope in terms of it not being cancer. Sounds unpleasant what you had done, but I'm so glad that you are well which is the main thing xx

@Jessthemess81 @CaroleFuckingBaskin Thanks both, I am getting near the end of treatment finally. I had surgery again on 1st Dec and so long as those results were fine then just radiotherapy to go.

I had a squamous cell cancer so there is no lump. It’s a cancer of the skin cells but I now have a ridge to scar tissue on the back wall of my vagina from the brachytherapy. My oncologist thinks it was there on my last smear but because it can be hard to detect, they couldn’t see the cell changes on the colposcopy.

I've had no after effects of the hysterectomy physically, except numb patches on my tummy where they operated! I'm not menopausal yet, as I kept my ovaries.

Mentally, though, I've suffered some anguish about having a hysterectomy when I was only 36. It's made me feel older and its very strange to suddenly never have any periods again ever. But I know I'm very lucky and I was fortunate to already have two children.

@Jessthemess81 I would think everyone would have an MRI yes.

I also had another scan 2 days after that. But I can't remember what it was. Maybe a PET scan. I had to not eat it drink for a while and then I had an injection of some stuff that would "cling" to cancer cells on the scan and highlight them.

I then had another MRI after chemo and radio before brachytherapy.

Then another one 3 months later. And another one this year.

For me that's it now. I can't have smears anymore as they will always come back "dodgy" due to radiation damage. So I'm symptom led.

I'm also on HRT as the radio finished off my ovaries.

Just wanted to wish you all the best and hoping for a positive outcome for you. A few weeks ago a friend was told by a consultant that she almost definitely had cancer and they were talking about treatment plans etc. She found out last week it isn't cancer at all, so they do get it wrong sometimes and I really hope that's the case for you