Health anxiety and awaiting smear test results - please help

[Babyaug2020x]

I suffer with health anxiety pretty badly and have put off having my smear for 2.5 years as I am so convinced it is going to say I have cancer.

I’ve just had a baby which finally prompted me to go because I’ve been having horrible distressing thoughts of getting ill and dying and leaving him.

I’m just so overwhelmed with the wait for my smear results. The lady who did it said it could take up to 4 weeks due to covid and I’m utterly convinced it’s going to tell me I already have cancer, I can’t imagine it saying anything else and I’m terrified. I don’t know how to cope for 4 weeks til I find out. I can’t stop googling it and thinking about what my sons like will be like without me.

I know I probably sound ridiculous but I am really struggling, has anyone else been in the same position?

Stop googling. You are very very unlikely to have cancer.

I suffer from HA so know exactly what you’re going through. There’s a good Instagram called health_anxiety. Fill of tips and articles. Read it, if only as a distraction.

If your HA is bad go and see the GP. You may need help.

Distraction distraction distraction and refuse to allow negative thoughts to overwhelm you.

What you are experiencing are intrusive thoughts. These are normal, everyone has them, but people with anxiety notice them and they become a problem. Have a Google - your brain is basically saying ‘we are going to look at every worst case possible scenario’ and your body is reacting as though it’s real. Did you know that when you imagine a scenario, your brain cannot tell if it’s happening before your eyes or is imagined? How mad is that -
So your body reacts with adrenaline and anxiety.
You are very very very unlikely to have cervical cancer. Even if it DID come back with abnormal cells (very unlikely) you would be treated then get on with your life. You need to learn to challenge these thoughts, there is help out there. Can you see your GP and ask for some cognitive behavioural therapy? I tried to manage this alone but it was professional help that got me to where I am now.

Oh bless you.
That was me in November.
Remember cervical cancer is apparently very slowly developing in most cases.
Come and join us on the health anxiety thread in mental health if you want others to chat to.

When did you have your smear? I had one two weeks ago and my results came back within two weeks [ negative ].
They tell you a longer time frame just in case they can't fulfill it within two weeks.

Oh, meant to say, mine came back after about two weeks but the GP had said up to a month.

There a support thread for health anxiety, might help www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feeling_depressed/4120793-Health-Anxiety-Part-two

Hey :)

Firstly your smear doesn't usually tell you that you have cancer. It's to look for changes in cells that could turn into cancer in the future. It can take over 10 years for cancer to actually develop if you have a persistent HPV infection, so even putting it off like you have - while obviously not recommended - should be fine so long as your last one was clear.

Cervical cancer is quite rare. The vast majority of women receive normal smear results their whole lives. Those who require treatment usually find it no more uncomfortable than a smear, and it's over in less than 20 minutes.

18/20 smears are clear.

You will almost certainly be fine!