please someone... ive just got a letter from the hospital saying my smear test was abnormal...

[juicychops]

i need to go for further tests in 2 weeks. it said that it is unlikely to be cancer but i am absolutely shitting myself and quite beside myself with fear about dying.

im so upset i dont know what to think. i know its too early to worry, but my poor ds only has me. i cant die!!

at least ihad my smear and have found this out sooner rather than later, but please is there anyone else who has had abnormal results??

Me.

I had loop diathermy to burn away the rogue cells - not the nicest way to spend an afternoon but necessary.

Then I was on 3 monthly, 6 monthly and finally annual smears.

[holds JC's hand]

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oh god that doesn't sound nice at all

what does the loop thing actually do? what do they actually do? do you have to be put to sleep? does it hurt?

i had an abnormal results which they did a biopsy for 9 months later because i was pregnant when they told me about it.
it turned out to be nothing but i have to have more regular smears just incase.
it's worrying but doesn't actually mean you have cancer.

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I had a local anaesthetic - injected into inside of fanjo and cervix, a bit [scritchy-scratchy] and [erk] then the loop kind of burns off a layer of skin at your cervix. Not a v technical explanation I'm afraid.

I bled a bit after - a sanitary pad did the trick, and I took the oppotunity to loaf about for a day or two.

I am the world's worst baby, and I coped okay. It's not so bad.

ok thanks i feel slightly bit better to know im not alone. im just gunna end up fearing the worst though until i know otherwise. dont want a needle up the fanjo!!

JC there will be a chaperone there ( a nurse in my case) who will hold your hand if you want.

The waiting is the pits, MN can help you to while away the days and weeks.

thanks i think il need it. if i do have to have some procedure done then il try adn make it a monday as ds is at nursery mondays and tuesdays and il get the 2 days off work. so that can be the silver lining to look out for

I have had 3 loop incisions over a 5/6 year period in my 20's. Not painful, just uncomfortable.
The best thing you have done is have a smear.
Easier said than done, but try not to worry.

yeah your right. im glad i had my smear and found out something wasn;t right before it was too late

everyone should have regular smear tests

juicychops - loop diathermy = loop excision = LEEP. Google the latter for detailed info.

I was put to sleep, but you might not be. Doctor will be using an electrified (hot) metal wire to cut out a small cone (depth = about 1 cm) out of the tip of your cervix.

This will then be sent for biopsy. If all outside surface of the cone is made of normal cells, then all abnormal cells have been taken out. If not, you will need to have a repeat procedure (this is rare).

Once biopsy comes clean, there is less than 5% chance that you will ever need any other intervention.

I hope that helps.

juicychops - I had a similar letter ten years ago. Turned out to be a false reading in my case. So don't worry too much. The govt has this rule that in the case of anything that might be cancer you have to be seen in two weeks - that doesn't mean you are about to die or have flaming torches shoved up yer lady garden. Good luck

Hi juicychops - I had one of those letters a few years ago, it is very scary isn't it? Sending you lots of hugs.

Remember this though - what they find with smears is usually NOT cancer - it's abnormal cells which might become cancerous if they were left alone for a few years. If you have regular smears then you're very unlikely to ever get full blown cancer.

I had a Letz biopsy and was then on six month and yearly recalls. It wasn't much fun (more fear than anything else like pain or anything) but it was very quick and I haven't had any problems since.

Good Luck - it's pointless saying don't worry, but you will be fine

juicy I had the same just over 4 years ago. I had a colposcopy then a couple of weeks later had LETZ on my cervix as I had a big area of abnormal cells. I had a general aneasthetic for it. Got results about 2 weeks later and got the all clear. But they did repeat the LEZT 3 months after that as the consultant decided he didn't take a big enough area out. Since then I've had colposcopies every year and all ok [touches wood]. But I will admit to being very scared and shitting myself all that time, I still worry now TBH in case it comes back. You're bound to be worried about it, but if something needs treating it's better to get it done a.s.a.p. Be nice to yourself and do lots of stuff to try and take your mind off it in the meantime.

If you do need treatment and go for a general then it only takes about 30 mins. I was doing college homework in the hospital bed within an hour and home by tea time.

hi, I had this 6 months ago ... had to go for a colposcopy/biopsy. I then waited 6 weeks for the results which said things were ok for now. They are going to check every 6 months .. in fact I have just been called for another one - appointment is next week! I know what you are thinking as my mind went over all sorts of scenarios but try to keep busy until you know the facts etc. I think that if there is a more definite serious problem they usually pick it up rather than just say it is abnormal cells.