Be brutally honest, it's cancer isn't it?

[hopefulmummytobe78]

I had my first smear test today, I'm 24.

I bled during it and the nurse saw a yellow spot on my cervix. She said it's a normal cyst, called a nabothian cyst, but she also referred me for a colposcopy.

She said it was just to be safe, but why would an overstretched NHS do that? She's definitely seen something awful, hasn't she? She said I would be seen very quickly too.

Why would she do that if it wasn't sinister? It's cancer, isn't it?

The NHS being on its knees and medical staff doing their job properly are two entirely different things

Medical staff are still held to the same medical standards regardless of funding. Which means if the protocol is a referral you will get referred, they wont break protocol just because the NHS is underfunded

Also I’m not sure why you’ve got the idea that the nhs is only accepting worse case scenarios. Yes we’re under staffed and it’s BUSY but routine things are still happening. Non urgent stuff is still referred and seen. I’m a nurse

Recurrent sinusitis. No, I wasn't concerned it was cancer because it's recurrent sinusitis.

Abnormal cervix is hardly the same

Because as I've said above, I waited 6 months for an ENT referral that was never made. Yet this is done instantly.

You are being utterly ridiculous. The nhs being on its knees doesn't mean you don't get referred, although does mean more likely you wait a bit longer for the referral to come through. They still have guidelines to stick too. It being impossible to get a GP appointment has no bearing on how easy or not it is to get a hospital referral. I have a family member who has been waiting for ENT referral to come through since June, unfortunately a normal wait time. Makes no difference to the few weeks it took for a colonoscopy referral due to blood in stool to come through (which also was not cancer not guidelines are to check).

Listen to what was actually said to you, you have not been told you have suspected cancer. Listen to what people on hear have said. It's normal to be anxious whilst you wait but the amount you are blowing this out of proportion is not. People don't just get referrals for suspected cancer. End of.

The NHS being 'on its knees' is irrelevant. I have had numerous appointments and treatment, some urgent, some not.
My GP referred me for a breast lump last year, said he could feel the lump I'd found plus another smaller one, which was a good sign it was non cancerous but as I was over 30 he would refer to be sure. I was seen within 2 weeks and given the all clear following an ultrasound.
The majority of referrals are found to be all fine but they don't want to miss anything, so refer anyway.
It's much easier said than done but try not to diagnose yourself and worry before there's a reason to.

Why didn't you chase up the ENT referral? It probably got lost?

so someone forgot to do your ent referral - did you ever chase it? Ask why it wasn’t done?

like I said the nurse saw a cyst and wants it confirmed it’s a cyst. She’s just being thorough.

If she thought you have cancer the referral would say ?? Malignancy. And possibility of cancer will say that to ensure its picked up in the proper time frame. Yours doesn't. The NHS is on its knees, yes but we are all still working, still seeing patients, running clinics, receiving referrals, the lot.

OK here is what you obviously want to hear:
Yes it's probably cancer. Likely advanced stage and untreatable. Make a will OP.
🙄

She's referred you because of the bleeding as well, a GP surgery nurse can't take a smear with bleeding hence being referred for a colp.

Just spoke to my friend who was told she had the exact same thing as me but never got a referral. It just doesn't make sense to refer me if it's nothing

If you're 24 you've presumably had the HPV vaccine meaning the chances of cancer are absolutely minimal to none.

She told me bleeding was totally normal and wouldn't affect the results, and I think I bled quite a lot - the entire brush was covered in blood

Never had it

Then her nurse wasn’t as thorough as yours. You saw a practice nurse who isn’t an expert in cervixes so she’s referred you to the experts who have the appropriate knowledge and equipment to confirm it’s what she suspects.

It does affect results. Cells can't be tested if swimming in blood. You need to seek help for your anxiety OP

Right deep breaths.

If it is cancer, it's been caught early. They can't tell from a smear test alone.

Source: me, 18 months clear from cervical cancer.

You do realise though, OP, that most urgent referrals for suspected cancer turn out not to be cancer, don't you?

It says on google that 6/10 colposcopy referrals end up being abnormal cells/cancer

ENT has nothing to do with this referral. You simply dealt with someone who didn't send a referral when they should have.

OMG ITS NOT A SUSPECTED CANCER REFERRAL. THOSE ARE CALLED TWO WEEK WAITS AND WOULD GO STRAIGHT TO GYNAE. WE DO NOT SEND SUSPECTED CANCER REFERRALS TO THE COLP CLINIC. I DO THESE REFERRALS DAY IN DAY OUT

Link?

No not at all. Don't freak out.

Even with the NHS on its knees some things just get a referral. My last two have said suspected cancer which puts you on the two week pathway but both were nothing

I had an urgent referral for a colonoscopy when I was 21. The smear test was done in Europe and the doctor tracked me down in the UK to ensure I would get my colposcopy. That was 24 years ago. It was fine. A few abnormal cells that the colposcopy procedure removed (it takes a sample). Please don’t assume the worst. Big hugs.