2 week cervical cancer referral

Been scrolling through this forum and it's been really helpful hearing people's experiences but was hoping someone could maybe advise for my specific situation?

I've been referred for a two week referral for cervical cancer after having irregular bleeding between periods. The doctor advised me not to google etc but obviously can't help myself, all I can think is it must be urgent if it needs checking in two weeks! 
I have had two bad smears with HPV and abnormal cells in the past two years, each requiring a colposcopy, however both colps have not required treatment, I was told on both occasions to have a yearly smear and they'll keep an eye on it.

im obviously out of my mind scared, and hoping anyone could help stop me going out of my mind? My last colposcopy was September so I'm hoping if it is bad news, it might not be particularly advanced? Or is that not how it works? The doctor said 'cell changes on cervix' so im assuming it's not a polyp or anything like that, this is adding further worry as it must have been big if she could just see it with her naked eye?

im so sorry if this doesn't make much sense my heads all over the place but thank you in advance for any responses!

  • Hi SL2187

    The 2 week referral doesn't mean you automatically have cancer- it's a means of getting you seen quickly and having things checked. Irregular bleeding can be caused by many different things, not just cancer. 
     

    If you haven't needed treatment for abnormal cells in the past and are just being monitored, then it's likely that the cell changes are not severe-if they had been, then they would have been treated/removed. 
     

    Cell changes do not necessarily mean cancer, and even though the doctor could see an area of abnormality that doesn't mean it's big. A polyp is typically a benign growth, but she hasn't mentioned seeing a polyp or any sort of growth as far as I can tell from your post. 

    I know there won't be any point in telling you not to worry, but I'd try to focus on the facts-you have something that needs to be checked, but until you have a colposcopy you won't know what it is. 
     

    I would honestly recommend that you don't Google, as it is likely to increase your anxiety and cannot diagnose you. You don't have a cancer diagnosis, so it's racing too far ahead trying to start anticipating that you might. 
     

    I hope your colposcopy comes back with results which are not cancer, but let us know how you get on if you can.

  • Hi the two week referral is a way of your doctor actually getting you seen in a reasonable time frame. My cardiac appointment requested in September which is classed as routine was a 23 week wait until yesterday when it became 36 weeks!,

    Try to avoid Google as they only give worst case scenario for everyone. My two week gynaecology referral, involved seeing a gynaecologist being examined then sent for a MRI , and repeated bloods and ultrasounds before being listed for surgery.
    That was in the middle of the Covid outbreak and I would not have even been seen without the two week referral. 

    My results were extensive adhesions that took hours to remove with complex ovarian cysts and benign biopsies. 
    Not all two week referrals result in cancer so try to relax keep busy and take a list of questions with you to your appointment. We instantly forget when we see the doctors. 
    Susie