Colposcopy - anyone had this?

[EdSheeransGString]

I was at the hospital today for a colposcopy after an abnormal smear test.

I am 25.

I was taken in, an explanation of what was going to happen then the Dr carried out the procedure.

She squirted a dye onto my cervix and it showed up white so I got some local anaesthetic given to me and she scraped the white cells off with some noisy machine. I could smell a horrible burning smell but it wasn't painful.

She said that the swabs would be sent to the lab and sent me on my way.

What happens next?

I have felt sick all day and very crampy is this normal?

Thanks for the reply!

I am hoping that everything comes back OK.

Were you told not to have anymore children?

She advised that any future pregnancies would be premature or I would misscary

I'm not planning on anymore but I was a bit upset.

Wow she's a bit harsh. I'd be getting a 2nd opinion on that. I have some scar tissue from when I had it done but never heard that prognosis (I don't have kids so its not an issue for me though)

I had a colposcopy under ga many many years ago (1980ish). Went on to have two lovely kids no trouble at all, and no recurrence of symptoms.

I had a colposcopy at 26 after DC1 and was told it very slightly increases the risk of miscarriage or premature delivery because the procedure weakens the cervix.
With DC2 (1 year after colposcopy) I was placed under midwife and consultant care no problems at all. DC2 born at 39+6.

Was it really not painful, even the local anaesthetic? My friend had one recently and said it was horribly painful when they injected.

I think your nurse was very harsh. She shouldn't be saying things like that to you, and I'd complain abut her and ask to see someone else about what she said.

woah, I had no idea about the miscarriage risk or premature delivery risk (even if it is small)!

I had a colposcopy 5 weeks ago when the biopsy results came back it says I need treatment for abnormal cells (not cancer). sounds like maybe the same treatment as you had because the leaflet I got says there will be a burning smell.

I told my doctor we were trying for DC2 and she said that's not a problem. I'm only 23.

I had a loop biopsy at 24, have since had 2dc and a second loop biopsy. Obviously, no problems after first but have been advised that a third pregnancy would likely be premature. The procedure weakens your cervix hence the risk.

Btw the colposcopy bit is just the looking, sounds like you had a loop biopsy. I had awful cramping after the first but no pain at all with second.

I wasn't told there was a miscarriage risk I had one last year age 27, then went on to have a miscarriage some months later. Am pregnant again (29 weeks) but feel concerned about prem delivery now

(mine was a punch biopsy)

Colposcopy is the bit where they look at your cervix in detail, legs up and they have something which looks like binoculars on.

I had this and at the same time a punch biopsy where they took a small sample of cells and send them off for analysis. I don't recall being told there was a greater miscarriage risk as a result of this. I had no anaesthetic for this bit, I did have cramping and bleeding afterwards.

Then when the results of this came back and confirmed CIN level 1/2 changes I was booked for a LLETZ which I think is sometimes also called loop cone biopsy. At some stage we waited 6 months to see if any improvement but there wasn't any, I can't remember exactly how this fitted into the process. For the LLETZ I had a local anaesthetic and then they take away the affected cells with a device which cauterises at the same time. ( hence maybe the burning you smelt).

Sounds like you had this on your visit, perhaps. There is an increased risk of miscarriage or early delivery. I was given some information on this. But it is not inevitable. I have had one dc at 39 weeks, currently 21 weeks pg and I am not considered high risk. Some women have a cervical stitch to prevent miscarriage for this, but I guess they would have already had a miscarriage sadly to establish the risk as I have never had any extra assessment as a result of having had the procedure in the past.

I had my LLETZ in 2008 by the way.

catellington your experience seems to be the same as mine, I'm going for the loop cone biopsy in a couple of weeks.

Another one coming on to say that isn't right. I must have had 2-3 colposcopies in my 20s then a wire loop excision and a few years later laser to remove the problem cells. I've got two dc and planning on going for a third sometime soon. Get another opinion, and don't worry.