Abnormal smear

LegacyUser

I hope the mods will keep this topic here - I am not really asking for medical advice but opinions and support.

I am 22 years old and just lost my virginity last year. I went for a smear shortly afterwards which was 'inflammatory', and so were my next two. I was scheduled for a colposcopy to look at my cervix, but was assured that it was extremely unlikely anything was wrong. So I was shocked to be told I looked to have the HPV virus and small abnormalities on my cervix. The doctor told me I'm unlucky, as the majority of people who get HPV get rid of it on their own without it causing any abnormal cells so of course I was left thinking 'why me?' However, he later said it was common enough in girls my age so I don't know which it is. He said the abnormalities may go away on their own but if not I'd need treatment, and he made it sound like that would be within a year. Everything I've read about HPV/cervical cancer makes it sound like it's very slow to progress, and in fact all the doctors I saw told me I'd be grand, so I don't understand. They don't even DO smears in Dublin for girls under 25, because they think it isn't worth it. I went to the clinic in Trinity for one and they said there was no need - I had to go in the north, in my parents' town. I wanted to be checked out as I was worried about some bleeding and discharge. I should add that while in America this summer I saw a doctor (about irregular bleeding) who did a smear and it came back totally normal! It's all bizarre.

Has anyone else had any experience of abnormalities on the cervix? Am I just extremely unlucky or am I overreacting here? I keep thinking that if I'd just listened to the doctor in Dublin, I wouldn't even have had a smear done and I'd be none the wiser. Maybe my body would have got rid of the virus on its own by then? I'm so confused!

dudara

I don't know anything about your case and I won't pretend to. But I will tell you what happened to me when I first got smear tests.

My very first test came back with abnormalities and HPV. The doctor gave me antibiotics of some form and recommended two smear tests, 6 months apart, for the next year. Both times the results came back clear and after the second one, the doctor said that I could wait the normal 5 years for my next smear. I had that smear about a year ago now and all was clear again.

At the time I was worried, but the doctor explained that irregularities are not that uncommon. If you want a second opinion, go seek it.

Lexie

Hi OP,

The same happened to me about 2 years ago. I went for a routine smear and the results showed abnormalities. My doc called me in and told me that I had the HPV virus. The results also showed that I had CIN 1. Not 100% sure what it is but basically it means that your cervix is showing abnormalities and if left untreated may turn cancerous. I went for a colposcopy (Indepth examination of the cervix + biopsy). The results came back and I discovered my condidtion had progressed to CIN 2.

Now as far as I know there are only 3 stages. CIN 1, 2 & 3, so naturally enough I panicked. I was booked in to have a procedure called LETZ. This involves taking away the area of the cervix with the abnormalities (potential cancerous cells). Not painful, just a bit uncomfortable. The give you a local anaethetic.

Anyways, my next smear after that procedure came back clear so I was delighted. No abnormalities. Ive been going for a smear every year and so far my results are ok. Im due this years results next week so fingers crossed.

Hope this helps OP.


P.S. Mods - I wasnt trying to give medical advice. Just telling my experience.

tSubh Dearg

Okay here's my story:

I got my first smear at about the same age as you, it came back abnormal so they told me to come back in 6 months and they'd do another as in girls my age it was fairly normal to have abnormalities that would disappear by themselves.

My next smear also came back abnormal, I was then referred to the Coombe for a Colposcopy. I was very nervous about the whole thing, not knowing what to expect at all.

I was examined and told that while my smears had come back as CIN 1 it looked like to their eye like I had CIN 2. So I was told to come back in 3 months and I would have the LLETZ procedure, where, as mentioned, they cut away the odd parts of the cervix.

Now the procedure is not painful but is very, very uncomfortable, which wasn't helped by the fact that the local anesthetic they give you makes me extremely nauseus.

Before they did this procedure they told me that even though it looked like I had CIN 2 the biopsy had still come back as CIN 1 but they thought it was better just to remove it on the off chance that it was in the process of changing.

I then had to go back again 6 months later for another colposcopy, again they checked and while it looked better, there still seemed to be too much of an abnormality there, so they told me to come back again in 6 months.

So at yet another colposcopy appointment and the nurse tells me that I still have some abnormalities (and offers me a look at them on the screen, which I just can't do as I have problems enough with having a speculum in me without seeing my weirdo cervix) but that now the lab thinks that I may have a genetic disposition to having CIN 1 type cells on my cervix and that it's been that way since I was in the womb.

She also tells me that I can now just come into them on a yearly basis (got an appointment coming up in about a month) rather than 6 monthly as they can't release me out into community care as I'll just be back into them again after an abnormal smear.

I'm hoping at my next appointment that everything will be okay and I can go back to just having smears at the doctor rather than colposcopys every year. I will still have to have smear tests done yearly rather than every 3 years just in case, for at least the next 10 years.

LegacyUser

'Thanks for the replies - I feel a good bit better now, it's always comforting to see you're not alone!

Just couldn't help feeling at first like it was hard luck to get HPV after being with one person (and protected) but the doctor said most men (7 out of 10) have it, and that's why all women are called for smears. It's just one of those things that makes me feel a bit ashamed because of what it is/where it is - I can't really tell anyone about it. I am more hopeful now though that the abnormalities may clear up on their own, like dudara. I will try to live a healthier lifestyle and get my immune system working better.

Lexie - did you experience any side effects of the treatment? What did the doctor tell you about the procedure? My doctor really scared me by saying the cells can come back even after treatment and that it can affect fertility...needless to say I was a wreck coming out of there!'

BC

Hi,

Just to add my story... I don't have HPV but I have had many abnormal smears. Had my first smear when i was 21 (in Dublin btw!) which was normal. Didn't have another one until i was 25. That was abnormal (CIN1). Over the next 4 years I had a further 3 abnormal smears and 3 colposcopys. I was never treated as the doctors said that they prefer not to treat CIN1 as it often treats itself. After 5 years it did right itself. I never had treatment but i've since had 2 normal smears.

I was absolutely terrified of the whole thing and didn't really believe the doctors when they told me not to worry about treatment. Thankfully it has all sorted itself out now!

tSubh Dearg

Just to add, I had all my smears done in the Well Woman centre in Dublin as they kept asking me everytime I went in for a pill prescription when my last smear was. They lectured me about not having one until I did.

Nevyn

http://www.tellher.ie/

Lexie

Hi OP,

No, I had no side effects from the treatment but was a bit sore and tender for a week or two later. Also you cant have sex for some time afterwards. Cant remember how long they said but I remember having sex around 3 months later and it was mildly uncomfortable/painful. (might have just been tense thinking about it though)

Yea my doc said that abnormalities can occur again but I go for my smears every year just to be sure. Not too sure about fertility but my doc said I may have some scar tissue on my cervix from the LLETZ.

tSubh Dearg

I was told you couldn't have penetrative sex for 6 weeks afterwards. It was a little bit sore the first time I had that afterwards but during the 6 week ban I had some of the best sexual experiences of my life.

Sometimes it's fun, when bits are off limit, it makes you more exploratory.

Talliesin

tSubh Dearg wrote:

but during the 6 week ban I had some of the best sexual experiences of my life.

For that matter it was also some of the best sex in my life too.

The ban on penetrative sex can be easy to live with for all concerned.

pretty-in-pink

I got my first one done when I was 19, and get them done at least 1 a year. So far, its all clear. You GP should do them for you, even if you've never had sex

Talliesin

pretty-in-pink wrote:

You GP should do them for you, even if you've never had sex

It's nigh on impossible for someone who hasn't had sex to have cervical cancer.

Just how nigh is hard to say; there have been a handful of cases of women who were virgo intactus who did contract cervical cancer but it isn't clear that they didn't have have HPV exposure since some non-penetrative sexual acts can still introduce semen to the vagina (virgo intactus pregnancies are far from unheard of).

Combine the extremely low risk of cervical cancer without any potential HPV exposure with the fact that being virgo intactus will in itself make a smear more difficult in and of itself, and there really isn't much point unless perhaps you have a family history that indicates erring on the side of caution makes sense.

What is worth doing if you haven't had sex is getting the HPV vaccine. The two forms of HPV that account for 70% of cervical cancer and two of the forms that can cause genital warts all have vaccines available (that still leads plenty of forms of HPV that can cause either, but it's a good step).

pretty-in-pink

jees, I googled HPV, a lot of people have it. half of all sexually active adults. christ.

Yeah, my mum made me start going for smear tests as soon as she found out I was having sex, its safest and smartest really. OP, best of luck

LegacyUser

'I feel better seeing some of the responses here. The doctor I had made me totally freak out, he was very negative and told me that even if I had treatment to remove the cells, they could still come back. He made it sound like I was doomed. I suppose I should be glad I'm at least aware of the abnormalities - like I said, I had a normal smear this summer and the doctor told me everything was fine and there was no need for a colposcopy at all.

I will see my GP this week and ask about treatments and the chance that it will clear up in its own. When I think about it I'm not surprised I was vulnerable - I've had loads of strains on my immune system this year - chest infections, tooth infections, 4 lots of antibiotics. Maybe when I start eating really well and trying be healthier my immune system may fight back, I'll ask about it. Is there a chance it can be cleared after already developing abnormalities or am I deluding myself?'