abnormal cells on pap smear, anyone had a colopscopy?

[queenbee]

will be going back to doc on monday after 6 months for a follow up pap smear. if cells are still abnormal, i will need a colopscopy done. anyone had one and if so, what does it entail? i have read up some stuff about it but do you need a curette once they identify the cancerous cells? is the curette the next step? do you need to go under anesthetic?

[Lisa]

I had a colopscopy done years ago... basically it is just like a more in depth pap smear. From memory, my legs were in stirrups (fun!) and they had this thing that they looked at my cervix with... then the cervix was covered with an acid (like vinegar) which didn't sting, then they removed the cells which admittedly did sting a little, then it was all over.

Sorry if for being a little hazy... it was 7 years ago that I got it done.
I didn't need to go any further from there as my results came back as being fine.
Best of luck sweetie

[Danni]

Hi there, ive unfortunately had to go through a few of these

A Colposcopy for me was just a more in dept look at the cervix with legs in stirrups, and washing of the cervix in a vinegar like substane as Lisa said. As far as I know, they didn't remove any cells then and there.

You do get to look at the whole thing on a tv next to you though. Amazing at what your insides look like!

Then for me, if the specialist determined that yes he needed to remove things, I was then admitted to hospital, under a general anaesthetic to have them burnt, scraped and removed, and then yes, I needed a curette done each time.

Let us know how you go xx

[~Kim~]

Exactly what Lisa said.
Until 2 years ago I was having pap smears/colposcopies every 6 months for abnormal cells. That went on for nearly 10 years. I had never had a D&C with them. My abnormal cells are normal for me IYKWIM? They're the same every time.

[Danni]

Also what Kim said. Sometimes they will let you be if your cells have no advanced in stages.

CIN1 is mild, CIN2 needs attention, and CIN3 needs urgent attention.

So if they havent gotten any worse, they may leave them and ask you to come back in a few months again

[AngelPunks]

I had one with a CIN3. They got most of the cells (like 95%) with the colposcopy but because it was a CIN3 I had to go back and have a letz under general.

Not painful at all - just like an extra pap smear.

Good luck sweetheart All will be good

[Miss E]

I had one done just over a year ago after I had an abnormal pap smear. Much the same as everyone else said (except I didn't get to see it on the TV), but they took a small sample of the abnormal cell that they saw for testing. It came back as a possible CIN 1 so I didn't have to have anything further done other than a pap smear 12 months later.

[Danni]

Ohhh i forgot to say. I think the main reason why nothing was taken from my colposcopies is that I needed cone biopsies with each one, which meant I needed a general to do everything

[Aimz]

I had one when I was 16 - after my first pap smear.

I had to have a punch biopsy done as well which I found very unpleasent - no anaesthetic! I was 16 though and I'm guessing my pain threshold would be higher now. It was just like a long pap and my legs were in stirrups too. I think because I was so young I was quite traumatised from it - to remember it still makes me shudder.

[Nai]

I had one when I was 19 and it was just like the PP's have said. I had the laser to burn off the abnormal cells which wasn't pleasant but also fairly straightforward. I had to have 12 monthly pap smears after that. Once I had been clear for 10 years I went back to 2 yearly check ups.

[S'rose]

Oh yes... such fun... I had CIN1 cells and they monitored me every 6 mths over 2 years and often in HPV cases, the issues resolve themselves. But in my case I had the colposcopy and little biopsies which sting a bit and cause mild cramping afterwards, then had my cervix lasered which was really quite easy and painless, and had paps every year for about another 4 years before it finally resolved.
I now get to have paps with my GP every year... he thinks 2 is fine, but I am so paranoid after it taking so long to resolve that I would rather keep on top of it.

[Turkish Delight]

My mum had this done last year.. She had abnormal cells on her pap test. She ended up having a hysterectomy as she was then diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Luckily, it hadn't spread to outside her uterus. It was caught in the early stages.

Goodluck and i hope you get good, clean results.

xxoo

[queenbee]

Oh Turkish, how awful. Well I had a pap 2 years ago and it was fine. So my doctor said it was best to wait this previous 6 months. If I hadn't had a pap for about 5 years and had abnormalities, they would have recommended a colopscopy straight away at my last appointment.

Hopefully they have gone back to normal actually! Crossing fingers.

[myson]

for me the worst bit was just the indignity of being in stirrups. but results came back normal.

wear a pad honey, you may have some spotting afterwards. and GL with the results.

[Mumma2three]

I had a colposcopy and was under general for it (I was CIN 3)> I think it was at least 4 years ago now and Im back on 2 yearly pap smears. Good luck xo

[Madissun]

I had a colposcopy done when i was 21. I also had a cone biopsy done at the time. It did sting, but i was very uptight and nervous. I was between CIN2 and CIN3 so had to then have the cells removed. I didn't have laser, i had a curette to remove them under a general.

Now, i just have to have paps every 12 months and there hasn't been a problem since.

Good luck hun. It's a bit of a nerve-racking thing...I remember!

[queenbee]

Thanks everyone, I have my doc appointment on Monday for a pap, hopefully they will be back to normal. Will let you all know how I go. Thanks again x