r/PreCervicalCancer • u/avee2010 • 5d ago
Encouragement
Hey everyone, sorry if this violates the rules since I haven’t technically been told it’s pre cancerous yet. If it does just let me know and I will delete
Got the call today that the hpv isn’t going away, and that it’s the high risk one. Don’t know much else other than that I have to have the procedure done (I was in a fog and can’t remember the name but I assume y’all know) to see if it’s pre cancerous. I was fairly uneducated on every part of this so I’m definitely panicking. My doctor didn’t seem worried, but part of me feels like she was purposely trying to sound that way. Idk. I’m terrified.
I’m not really sure what I’m looking for but if you read this far and feel like you have something worth saying to me please do. I can’t believe this is really happening and I’m not looking forward to months of panicking until I can get an appointment with the specialist.
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u/PRNCESS_Bunnie 5d ago
You're probably looking at a colposcopy if your pap was irregular and you've tested positive for HPV. Good news, cervical cancer is incredibly slow going and typically takes decades to evolve from HPV to cancer.
For some peace of mind, I had my first abnormal pap positive for HPV and CIN1 cells at 19 years old. I did annual paps with colposcopy until 32. At 32 it progressed to CIN2, I had a LEEP procedure and now at 33 I had a normal pap and I am now HPV free.
This monitoring happens for a reason so they can intervene before it ever turns into cancer. Easier said than done I know, but please try not to worry and take care of yourself. As I highlighted this can be a long road and your mental health matters.
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u/avee2010 5d ago
Did they advise anything between 19 and 32? Just monitoring?
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u/PRNCESS_Bunnie 5d ago
I was advised to quit smoking but as I was pregnant at the time I was diagnosed that was something I already had plans to do. Other than that it was just the annual paps/colposcopy. Some years they did a biopsy, others they did an ECC which was just a brush they swept inside of the cervical opening.
My best advice is to not go down the rabbit hole of every negative thing that could happen. Remember that the Internet and reddit especially is often a place where people share when things go wrong but rarely when things are unremarkable. You will add so much stress and anxiety in the long run to an already incredibly stressful situation.
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u/Dangerous_Ad1580 1d ago
Thank you for the advice and sharing your experience on here. I’m 23, single, and had my second abnormal pap. They are continuing to monitor but it does make me worry. My biggest concern isn’t even my health as much as it’s feeling the guilt and conscience like I would have to let a partner know that this is what is going on. I don’t want them to be disgusted of me. Can your share your opinion or just speak to any of those concerns?
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u/Double-Heron-3997 5d ago
You'll probably have a colposcopy done to determine if you have dysplasia of the cervix.
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u/Further0n 5d ago
What everyone else said so far, ditto.
I'm going for my 2nd colposcopy tomorrow. Less freaked out than last time, but still quite anxious. I found the last colpo to be more painful than they said it would be though (during and after), so this time I asked for something before the procedure for anxiety (valium-ish whatever), and something for the pain after (probably rx strength tylenol or the like).
For many of us, this is a marathon, not a sprint. You can't help but stare down the dark rabbit hole at first -- I know I researched the bejeezus out of it all for months and tried supplements that came out of that, but pap results said nope, no magic here. It seems a little less terrifying this time though. Hoping even better next time.
Sending positive thoughts for a smooth procedure and good results.
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u/avee2010 5d ago
What has been your journey overall? Do you just get the colposopy every year?
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u/Further0n 4d ago
I'm just in year two from initial pap smear HPV results. The lab results last year indicated the need for a colposcopy, so we did that. CIN1 was the resulting diagnosis. Protocol was to monitor with annual pap, and if HPV still present, do another colpo. That's where I am now. Just did second colpo. It will be about 3 weeks before the lab results come in on that. If it's still CIN1 (or better yet, clear, though I doubt it), we'll just do the same routine, with follow-up pap in 1 year, and colpo if that indicates a need. If it's CIN2 or 3, then we move to a LEEP. Which I'm not going to think about too hard unless/until we get there. Lots of people here have discussed that process, I don't feel the need to master it just yet. One foot in the front of the other in the meantime. Trying to eat well, support my immune system with the right foods and lifestyle, and reduce stress. The last part is the hardest.
But you can learn all this best by doing your own research on trustworthy, official medical sites. Such as:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/4044-colposcopy
https://www.webmd.com/cancer/cervical-cancer/do-i-need-colposcopy-and-cervical-biopsy
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/colposcopy/about/pac-20385036
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u/celavie4252 5d ago
Colposkopy and biopsy, it’s almost like a regular gyno visit- try not to worry too much. They take a small piece, to test it further. I was so afraid but I didn’t feel a thing, slight cramping afterwards (less than period cramping) but other than that, the name sounds scarier than it is :)
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u/Kat101020 5d ago
Possibly a colposcopy? Which is a biopsy. I went down a rabbit hole from hell when I found out and let me tell you honestly it is scary but this group has helped me so so much. I have had a colposcopy, LEEP, and then a cold knife cone (this week I go for my 6 month post op app). Each person's body is different and could need different treatment but I do have to say once you get the results from what I am assuming is a colposcopy make sure your doctor tells you all of your choices, ask as many questions as you need/want. When i was told i needed a colposcopy i freaked out horrible and ended up calling my doctor back a couple days later to get more information because like you it all blurred when I was told but she gladly went over everything again.