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Cervical ectropion and colposcopy

Amylou1205
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I was first diagnosed with a cervical ectropion last year during pregnancy due to spotting. On two separate occasions during pregnancy two different doctors told me I had an ectropion and didn't seem worried.

6 weeks after having my baby i had my first depo shot. A week after that I have had light pink spotting on and off evey since. I went back to the doctors last week and said I have got myself really worried about cc. She offered to look at my cervix which I agreed to and she said the ectropion is definitely still there and bleeds on contact, and has referred me for a colposcopy. I am now worried sick that I am going to be told I have cervical cancer, but my last smear was in 2016 and was normal so surely things can't be that bad?

I've made myself so sick with worry that I have now been prescribed diazepam and a mild anti depressant. I just sit looking at my 2 young children and feel so worried. My youngest is only 3 months old. Cc was never mentioned during pregnancy. Really need some reassurance as my anxiety is through the roof.

 

Thank you

 

  • Offline in reply to Jody2020

    Hi everyone, I wondered if anyone can help me as I'm very worried.
     

    After my first smear 9 years ago I had CIN3 cells treated and then a normal smear. My next smear was normal too. Then they changed the rules and would only look under the microscope if a patient had HPV (which I didn't) so my 2019 smear wasn't tested under the microscope. I was anxious about this but my doctor at the time said that most cervical cancers are caused by HPV and it's only rare ones which aren't, which would be visible to the doctor when performing an examination, which is probably why I'm so concerned about the situation today.

    I'm currently trying to conceive my second child and have been experiencing different periods for over a year. They are regular but I have days of stop start spotting, then 2-3 days of full flow and then some more spotting meaning my period lasts for about 10 days in total. 
     

    I've had ultrasounds in the past which came back fine, I've had day 3 and day 21 tests to check my hormone levels and they came back fine and showed I'm ovulating. 
     

    I had a very small amount of pink blood after sex in September which the doctor said was from a slight cut/tear and nothing to worry about. I had swabs taken for STDs etc at the time and they came back fine. 
     

    Over the weekend I had a very minuscule amount of pink when I wiped after sex. It was a blink and you'd miss it amount. I went for a chat with the doctor today and she did an examination except it was so uncomfortable due to my phobia of examinations that she had to stop and kindly prescribed some diazepam and said I could try again this afternoon. She said she didn't get a good view but thought I had an ectoprion. I went home and went to the loo and when I wiped there was pink blood. I went back this afternoon and was able to tolerate the examination and swabs after having the diazepam. The doctor said she could see I had what looks like an ectoprion but due to my anxiety she would refer me urgently to colposcopy to check it is this as they could get a better view. She said I would be seen within 2 weeks so I am hoping I will be seen before Christmas. The doctor said that I would probably bleed after this examination. Nothing like this suspected ectoprion was noted on my September examination.

    My anxiety is out of control because I am so concerned about the possibility of cervical cancer given I am really wanting to have more children. I asked if I need to refrain from sex and the doctor said no. Later however she suggested I do refrain in case I am pregnant and require treatment. The doctor said she thought it was very unlikely it was anything cancerous. I'm terrified however about whether it could be anything sinister. I'm also scared about how I will manage to get through the colposcopy since when I went 9 years ago they had to put me under general anaesthetic to treat me. 

  • Offline in reply to Anxiousmum8

    Hi Anxiousmum8, so sorry to hear your situation, how did you get on in the end?

    I am in similar situation and so anxious. I went for routine smear and the nurse called the GP in to check after noticing redness and cells on outside of cervix. The GP mentioned cervical ectropion and said she wasn't too concerned but they would be able to get a better look in colposcopy. I've been given an urgent referral within 2 weeks. I'm petrified that the GP was playing it down so not to panic me.

    I have only just been discharged from gyne after normal ultrasound and normal hormone bloods. They had booked me in for a hysteroscopy last year but I was petrified of it being painful and when I said I wasn't sure why I needed it they agreed and said they weren't expecting to find anything anyway based on my ultrasound but they'd wanted to rule out fibroid after some heavy bleeding which has cleared up since and they thought was more likely related to Covid vax. I'm wondering surely if it was anything serious it would have been picked up previously but the nurse said not necessarily. I'm so anxious now about the colposcopy appointment being painful or being given bad news.

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