moderate dyksaryosis

[soxy]

Hi there,

My other half has had her smear test back showing moderate dyksaryosis and so obviously has scared the hell out of both of us.

Have looked around on the net for info but just wondered if anyone else has been through this and could give re-assurance of any sort?

Thanks for any advice anyone can pass on.

I understand your fear, especially in light of Jade Goody. However...

I was diagnosed with CIN2 changes, had colposcopy and then a treatment which was being trialled at the time - cold coagulation. (This was over 25 years ago.) After treatment (which takes no time at all - you're in and out the same day) I had regular six-month check ups for several years, then annually, and I'm now at the same level as if I'd never had it.

Since I was treated, I have had two absolutely normal pregnancies, and now have two absolutely normal young adult sons.

Hope this helps.

Soxy - best to look at it this way: dyskariotic is the way the cells look a long time before cancer develops, so the chances of your other half having cancer are tiny. It's great that the smear test has done what it is supposed to do and detected the abnormal cells now - far better than getting a false negative result. The colposcopy your other half will now have to have will show up exactly where on her cervix the abnormality is and she is fairly likely to be able to have it treated straight away at the colposcopy clinic, unless it's in a difficult to reach part of her cervix. The treatment these days is I think most often (but not always) by LEEP (a heated wire that cuts out the abnormal cells without destroying them, so that it can also act as a biopsy for the lab to check that the level of abnormality is as was indicated from the smear result and that all the abnormal cells have been removed). Following LEEP, the area that was cut away is cauterized, which smells pretty yucky, as they are burning the bleeding area, which creates a bit of smoke!!! This doesn't hurt at all, though. She may bleed a tiny bit for some time afterwards, and feel a bit uncomfortable for a couple of days (period type cramps), but it is generally nothing too bad. I've been told that something like 90% of the time the abnormality never returns, so only one treatment is required, which is a pretty high success rate on treatment. If you do get abnormalities again in future, they can be treated again several times in the same way. And once you've had treatment following an abnormal smear, you get 6-monthly and then yearly smears for up to 10 years afterwards, so get a better eye kept on your cervical health than the majority of women do. The risk of complications following treatment is also extremely low and a surprisingly large number of women have had treatment for abnormal cells, even if they aren't willing to talk about it!

The NHS cervical screening programme website is here
The British Society of Colposcopists has information pages for women here

I had a LLETZ (other name for LEEP) a few years ago and it was a bit uncomfortable but ok - did have backache for a bit afterwards. I would suggest someone goes with to drive back as you can be a bit stiff/creaky and take it easy the next day or so. She'll need to wear pads for a little while instead of using tampons. It was an odd experience I as work in a screening lab so have seen both sides of the screening programme now!

HTH

thankyou guys for the messages, feel a bit better about it now hearing from people who have experienced it first hand.

thanks again.