High grade pre cancerous cells, I'm petrified. Please talk to me

[Midnightsbecomemyafternoons]

I've just had a call regarding my most recent smear, I have to go to have a biopsy etc next Thursday. High grade dyskaryosis.

I'm shaking. I have three small children, one is disabled and one just a baby.

Please, can you offer me some words of reassurance from personal experience or even anecdotally.

I have terrible health anxiety and this is my worst nightmare. I can't stop crying.

Posting here shamelessly for traffic.

My sister had this in her 20s. She had the cells removed. She's now in her 60s and has never had a recurrent issue.
Just attend your appointments and I'm sure you'll be fine.

Sorry to hear this - I can see why you're scared. Thank god that you went for a smear and they have caught this. I have no particular expertise but I understand it's entirely treatable at this point.

I had this when my DS was tiny. Like PP's sister, they removed the cells and I haven't had a recurrence, though I did have to go for more regular smears for years afterwards. Please don't worry too much, this is what smears are designed to spot.

I had CIN 3 severe dyskariosis. The stupid FP clinic picked it up but left it and gynaecology fortunately picked it up as was having pelvic pains. I had a cone biopsy, a curative procedure which sorted it and forty odd years later am fine & had children since. I have periodic smears just to make sure. Hand hold op, I was in bits too. 💐

This happened to my friend. She attended an outpatients appointment to have the cells removed, and had some follow up checks and ongoing, more regular smears. No further issues.
Good luck OP. This is what these checks are for... to catch things before they become problematic x

I'm 28 and I've only ever had two smears, one in 2019 which was clear and now this one.

My partner had an affair in late 2019, so I've clearly got fucking HPV from that 😭

Sorry you're feeling so anxious. I know health anxiety is really hard to bear.

I know a few women who've had this, including my DS, and everything's gone well for them. They have frequent smear tests following treatment, which is a good thing.

Is there someone you can talk to?

I had this about 10 years ago. They just lasered the cells off. Local anaesthetic in cervix, didn’t feel a thing. No problems since. What you have to remember is these a precancerous cells, cells that maybe could turn cancerous in the future. It’s not actual cancer. It’s a good thing ☺️

Those who have been through this, was your grading high or low grade?

I had this in 2020. I had a lletz with top hat at my colposcopy.

Unfortunately for me it was cervical cancer and I went on to have chemo and radiotherapy.

However I've had two clear MRI scans now and am back to full health - albeit in early menopause, but that's ok.

So even worse case scenario- it's something you will be able to deal with. I'd not been for a smear for many, many years. The fact you have recently, is good.

My friend's was high 10 years ago and she's in her mid fifties.

I had this. They removed the cells and smears clear ever since. Try to keep calm.

These are pre-cancerous. The treatment is to stop you from developing cancer. A friend at university had this and she had to have treatment twice, but it was fine. They just keep a close eye on you. They also say that many pre-cancerous cells would never have developed into cancer, but they do not know which ones would have and which ones would,

Hi OP, I had this in the summer, was petrified like you are now. The procedure to remove the cells was fine, not pleasant but over in a matter of minutes, and the biopsy was all clear. I have a follow up smear booked later this month to double check everything was removed. I believe it's really common and these procedures have a very high success rate. Hope this helps to relieve a bit of stress.

I don't remember what grade mine were but they removed a fairly hefty size of my cervix to clear them.

I had this about 15 years ago when mine were little too. Colposcopy and removal of cells (can't remember which method) and was also grade 4 dyskariosis (?) I think. I was nervous and worried too but the cells are pre cancerous and you'll have more frequent smears for a while but I'm glad they spotted it early and it could be easily treated / it's worrying though - get treated early - don't put it off even though it's scary

My friend had high years ago, wasn’t that old. Had hpv from a boyfriend- all fine. Had treatment, just needed to have regular smears afterwards.

Mine was high. CIN3. They removed the cells and haven't had any problems since. That was years ago now. Had to have smears more regularly (I think one 6 months later. Then yearly, now back to every 3 years).

I asked the nurse on the telephone whether she could reassure me that it isn't cancer at this point and she said she couldn't do that 😔

It's going to be a long few weeks.

I've spent years worrying about the potential of this happening and know it is. Gutted.

Thank you for the encouraging replies I'm so thankful for them. It's helping.

Hypothetically speaking, hopefully, as I had a clear smear in 2019.. if it is cancer, it will be an early stage and easy to treat won't it?

Stop panicking (meant nicely) . I had the same thing with the same grade and type of cells and was just as terrified. I was treated in a regional oncology centre which scared me further but was actually a really good thing. I rang up in a state when I got the letter and ended up speaking to a Macmillan nurse there who explained it to me.
Dyskaryotic cells are cells that are abnormal but show pre-cancerous changes not cancerous. Many women have these cells and most of these cells, left over time, change back to being healthy cells. Some don't and change further to become cancerous. Smear tests are to pick up on these cells. Sometimes, they are simply monitored and disappear themselves, sometimes the Dr makes the decision to remove them so they don't have the chance to develop further. That is what is happening to you.
I went for the treatment and it was absolutely painless. They take biopsies as well as removing them and look at your cervix using a microscope so they can see very clearly what is happening.
I had to go back after my next smear- which I think was 6 months later because they had missed some. I had them removed under a general anaesthetic.
I was scared and not sure what the nurse told me would be right but it was. As the nurse said, there were no cancerous cells. I had a smear test every year for 10 years as part of an opportunity to be in some research the centre was doing and never had further cells or required any more treatment.
You will be fine- really.

My friend had this aged 22, she's 47 now. Cervical cancer is a slow growing cancer. Try not to panic. (Easy to say I know)

Hi, I have a colposcopy next Tuesday, again. I have had maybe 5 colposcopy’s now, having had varying grades of dyskaryosis from low to high grade.

LLetz treatment 3 times, colposcopy last year was clear so am on yearly surveillance smears but this one has moderate changes so am expecting some treatment next week.

It has all been fine in the end, really hard to do but try not to worry, the likelihood is all will be fine, this is screening and treatment, much more likely to be nothing than something!

I also had this at 23, I’m 38 now and no further problems after treatment.

I had 6 monthly smears for 3 years, then yearly for another five. Try not to panic x

I had this, mine were CIN3 and I was terrified. I had a LLETZ and been clear since. Handhold

I've just signed up here to reply to you having been through this myself last year and being terrified. I completely remember how you're feeling. I had a normal smear in 2018 and my next one in 2021 showed high grade dyskaryosis, the worst one (CIN 3). I was so shocked.
The nurse can't reassure you that you don't have cancer as truthfully they don't know until they have a proper look inside and can't make any promises, and I understand that is so scary but please remember it is a very low chance of it being that particularly if you're up to date on smears as you seem to be, as cervical cancer is usually very slow growing.
I had the cells removed on the same day that I went for my appointment at the hospital, it was really quick (a bit uncomfortable but not painful and I just played on my phone to distract myself) and the doctor/nurses were lovely (St Guys in London). They confirmed to me there and then that they couldn't see any cancer, and I received a letter a week or so later to confirm that. I then had a follow-on smear 6 months later and both the HPV and cells were gone. The smear came back normal.
I contacted Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust at the time who were incredibly helpful and would really recommend you giving them a call. I really remember how terrified I was and how scary it is that the nurse won't tell you for sure it's not cancer - but they just can't. Also try to limit how much you read online, as it's not helpful and I truly frightened myself so much when really I should have just waited for my appointment.
Sending lots of best wishes to you!