Hello Bec,

Sorry to hear you are having such an anxious time just now.  Waiting for results when you are really worried about the outcome is pretty awful.  I have had an abnormal smear in the past and treatment for the CIN3 they found - I get more regular smears now for the next 5 years (I am a couple of years into them).  I was very worried at the time, like you I had gone for a smear test after having reproductive symptoms that were worrying me - in my case pain in my left ovary which I still get now on and off (I was convinced at the time that it must be cancer as my Dad had just been diagnosed with it - Oesophageal, and I thought I must be joining him).

Anyway, I am no medical expert, but one thing I found reassuring when the nurse told me about my abnormal smear was that sometimes they can diagnose cervical cancer just from the smear test.  I clung on to the fact that they hadn't and this (and being more worried about Dad than myself) got me through.  When I did get my colposcopy they scraped the abnormal cells from my cervix under local anaesthetic (not as scary as it sounds, it only took 5 minutes or so) and I had another wait to hear the results of the tissue they sent away at that point.  My results confirmed what the smear test had found - CIN3, which so far, has not come back.  Its a really horrible and scary time, (make sure you have someone to support you through it), and there are no definate answers till the doctors do the tests they need to, but I do hope everything works out okay for you.

I would also speak to your GP and say that you are very worried re - the symptoms that led you to get the smear test, you never know, they may be able to fast track your appointment a little given how worried you are, I would say its perhaps worth a try, and would also give you another chance to speak to your GP about your worries.

Kathryn

Hello bec29,

Welcome to Cancer Chat. I'm sorry to hear that you've recieved these test results that are obviously concerning you.

You mention thtat you've Googled your symptoms. There is a lot of information available on the internet these days that is not always accurate or up to date. So I've linked some information that we have on our Cancer Help site for you about Cervical cancer screening. You may find some of the information there useful in answering the questions you have.

We also have a wonderful team of specialist nurses that you can call to talk through your concerns with and I'm sure they will be able to offer you some reassurance. They are available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm on 0808 800 4040 which is free to call from a UK landline and most mobiles.

best wishes,

Jenn

Cancer Chat moderator

Hi bec29,

I think it is worth mentioning that the back pain and fizzing / numbness could well be totally unrelated to your abnormal smear and to do with a back problem.  I had lower back pain for a long while and a very strange fizzing in my leg with some numbness and it turned out to be an inflamed nerve where one of the discs in my spine had gone out of alignment.   I do understand that the waiting is the worst.  I am also currently waiting for an op this Weds on a possible suspect endometrial polyp and I know this waiting period is really hard, when your mind can go down all sorts of routes.   Joanne x

Hi Bec 29.

I have just joined and I couldn't believe reading your post.

I am currently going through exactly the same.

Firstly I don't think my periods have ever been normal since my 2nd child was born. Seen the GP several times over the years regarding this and I just kept getting told this is normal, all women are different, keep a diary etc, etc, etc!!

I went to see my GP 10 days ago, with symptoms of bleeding every day for the last 7 weeks, clots, low back pain (last 3 weeks) and on the last proper period i was kept awake all night with pains down my right leg, which is what led me to contacting my GP. She asked to see me straight away, did a smear, took full set of bloods and an urgent referral for a pelvic ultra sound.

Within a week my smear result came back high grade abnormal and my bloods showed anemia and markers for inflammation & infection. Although my GP said that those markers could mean anything ??!!

My pelvic ultra sound is this Friday and the coloscopy on the 14th October.

Needless to say I am feeling like you very scared and so frustrated playing this waiting game.

What also worries me is that my smear was long overdue so my first thought is how long have the cells been abnormal......??

I have so many feelings especially anger at the moment, because I'm 43 and i have been a single mum to my 2 young boys for the last 7 years. In that time i work full time and spend my free time taking the boys to one activity to another, always making sure they have every opportunity available to them.....my anger is why didn't i make time for me to get this sorted earlier......

I hope all goes well for you, keep us posted.

Hi Tracy,

You sound in exactly the same position as me, my smear was a year late (my own fault!) And im now thinking could i have prevented this by going for it all those months ago.

I am a single parent to 2 boys also and am panicking myself over what the outcome could be.

I have my ultrasound this Friday, and coloscopy on 11th Oct.

Fingers crossed we are both ok and get the results we need.

Please message whenever you like, its always a slight reassurance talking to somebody in exactly the same position

xx

Hi Bec 29         

How did you get on?

Mine didn't go as i wanted. Gonna be a long 2 weeks now until the Coloscopy

Trace

x

Hi hope yours wasn't too bad?

She said i have polyps and also a cyst on my overies.

She worried me by her expressions and said ive to go to the doctor this week to discuss the results.

Im worrying about the colposcopy now as she said they'll prob remove the cyst etc at the same time

Xxx

Hi Bec29

You have to look on the positive side.....at least you know why the bleeding is happening, it might also be whats causing the abnormal cells to change?? A friend had her polyps removed and it was a very simple procedure and she was fine after.

When i went yesterday i was told they couldn't find anything, no fibroids, polyps, in fact i have a healthy uterus and ovaries.

But she couldn't check my cervix so she said that the bleeding is stemmed around my cervix and whatever the abnormal cells are. I was bleeding quite alot whilst i was in there and i am mid cycle at the mo. She agreed it isn't normal and i found the whole procedure uncomfortable.

To be honest i was gutted with the news, i wanted it to be fibroids etc so that would be the reason the bleeding was so bad and then my abnormal cells would probably just be nothing much to worry about.

Sounds daft doesn't it to be gutted by good news.

But now all i can think about is that.....i have a healthy womb, my hormones are ok so not going through early menopause........what else could it possibly be. The only plus is that if it is serious it has not developed anywhere yet.

Sometimes i think am i just over-reacting??? This couldn't possibly happen to me!!

Trace

xx

Hi Tracy,

Sorry yours wasn't great news, hopefully the colposcopy will clear it all up for you and give you the results you want. Its the waiting that is awful though isn't it? Yeah i was kind of glad with her noticing the polyps etc....although she said this has nothing to do with abnormal smear results, in fact she never mentioned my cervix at all, which i found strange. She just told me that she would leave the scan for the doctor to look at. I

Its all stressful and agonising, and i know exactly how you're feeling. One day everything is normal and simple, and the next day you're worrying if you've possibly got a life threatening illness.

Its scary, but its out of our hands now, its just a waiting game now i guess. Please try not to worry yourself too much,

Xxx