Thank you, and I know you're right! And I feel like I'm being insulting to someone like yourself who's actually  been through it! I just can't help but go straight back to those feelings if when I lost my mom. After all if this is behind me, I'm going to seek some serious grief counselling, because it's never ending! It all started almost 10 years ago when I was pregnant with my 4th child. I had an awful panic attack, and because some of my symptoms mimicked a TIA and I was considered slightly high risk of clots as I was pregnant, I was sent for investigation in to it. They put it down to an Aura Migraine, which brought on the panic attack. For a good 6 months to 1 year, I could not shake the feeling that I had had a mini stroke and was going to have a full one any day!! I would have tingling all down my left size, my arm, leg and face!! I would go and look in the mirror several times throughout the day, to check if my face looked lopsided!! I felt ok for a good 2 years. Then it's gradually crept back in! I've been to the drs for funny looking moles, thinking I'm having a heart attack, repeated breast lumps, brain tumour, all sorts!! I think this time feels worse because there's a physical symptom. I was praying she would check me over and say she couldn't see anything abnormal. When she said about the bruise I totally freaked!! 
Do you think is pleusable that it could be just that, a bruise??

I will try to relax and enjoy my birthday. Thank you  

I don’t mean to minimise your anxiety at all, but I think those of us with cancer find it sad to see someone worrying so much about something which hasn’t been diagnosed.Time enough to worry if here’s something to worry about! 

It is possible to bruise the cervix with deep penetration or vigorous sex,and it can cause bleeding,spotting and pain. So it’s a very plausible explanation for what you’re feeling. 

Some counselling could definitely help you dealing with grief, and anxiety, so I hope you’ll be able to access something that will make your life easier to manage. It’s no fun living in a state of high anxiety all the time-I have suffered from this, and panic attacks (though not connected with health anxiety) so I can understand how debilitating it can be. 

I hope you can relax a bit and enjoy your birthday. 

No not at all, I did t feel you were minimising my anxiety. I understand what you're saying. 
mom feeling less anxious today, well there's been waves of it, but better than yesterday! 
 

Thank you  

Hey,

I think you should stress for a biopsy, keep calling everyday, if anything just to put your mind at rest, I cant imagine what your going through! If there neglecting I'd suggest maybe going private just to have smears done more often to keep an eye on it. I hope your well anyway:love:

yeah so the gyno looked at me at hospital, and my cervix, said everything looked okay. I went sti clinic today and i didnt feel the doctor was really interested in my symptoms. They tested me for thrush and bv which was negative. I was hoping I had BV and that would explain my uncomfortability and pelvic pain, she also done a finger examination to try feel for PID, nothing. Ive sent off for sti testing too. Ive called the doctor today because id like to discuss my symptoms, I feel like I know something is wrong with me. My health anxiety is through the roof and I'm actually preparing myself for death. I keep coincidentally seeing news stories about cervical cancer and how it was misdiagnosed or overlooked, and I cant help but wonder whether im one of those few. Im getting severe panic attacks and all sorts.

Im gonna by a High risk Hpv test when I get paid, and then maybe get a smear done privately as im only 21

hope your well, how have you been feeling in general?

xx

mxx

I have to disagree with your advice to phone every day asking for a biopsy. This is not how diagnosis works and is not to be recommended. GPs have the right to remove patients from their list and I have seen this happen in a similar situation. No-one would want this to happen for making repeated and unreasonable requests.

It appears from your other posts that you have been doing a lot of googling which makes me wonder how much you know about the cervix, HPV and diagnosis procedures. What would you suggest they biopsy? 

Smears are not  diagnostic test for cervical cancer but a screening for abnormal cells. 

Hi Everyone

I hope you don't mind me jumping on this post but any advice would be great. 
 

firstly, i have been experiencing an aching sensation in my lower left abdomen on and off for upwards of 6 years now. I am only 23. When i first went to the doctor anout 6 years they put it down to probably being a cyst (no tests were taken) and gave me anti-imflammatory tablets. The tablets didn't help at the time but because it was very on and off it wasn't bothering me a huge amount so i didn't follow up at the time. I then went back around 3 years ago because it was still occuring. They sent me for a pelvic ultrasound and all was clear. I then went back again about a year and a half ago, had the CA125 blood test and other tests, another ultrasound and again everything came back clear. In may time i seen my GP yet again about it and she finally sent me for a gynae referall. Unfortunately i found out recently this was only a routine referall that could take 'years' so i feel like i am still not being taken seriously. It has always been what i would describe as a dull ache, i wouldn't go as far as saying its painful, but i know its there and it has become much more persistant over the years.  The GP mentioned potential endometriosis and that was it. 
 

I cant remember exactly when but at some point around 2-3 years ago i then had bleeding betweem periods for the first time. I was lucky and my GP done a smear straight away even though i was only around 21. The smear came back clear and i had no more episodes of abnormal bleeding after that so i didn't go back. 
 

I have now been experiencing bleeding for about 3 weeks, including after sex. I went to my GP on New years eve and had a smear and pelvic examintion. There was of course bleeding when this happened. Prior to this the bleeding was very light and was not happening every day, however since my smear it has been heavier and everyday. My GP said that it looks like i have cervical erosion but otherwise everything appeared to look healthy. She however sent me for an urgent gynae referall given the fact this has occured before. I am not having intercourse or using tampons because i do not want to cause any further irritation but the bleeding hasn't stopped. I called my GP again this morning because i still haven't received my gynae apt and she wasn't very helpful and said i just need to wait. Any advice would be great. I have no idea if the bleeding and aching in my lower abdonmen are linked and i am panicking that they are especially given that i have been experiencing this sensation in my abdomen for such a long time. 
 

i should also mention that i am on microgynon contraceptive pill. When i went to the GP in may about the ache in my abdomen she suggested taking the pill back to back and only taking the 7 day break every 3 months, which i have been doing. I am hoping this change is potentially what is causing the bleeding but i have no idea. I am seriously thinking of stopping taking it. 
 

sorry for the long post!! 

Hi ac123

I’m replying as you have addressed your post to me, but I’m not going to be able to be of any help I don’t think-sorry! I don’t have any of the experiences you are looking to compare yourself with, but in any event it can be unhelpful to try and compare yourself to someone else and their symptoms when they may have very different outcomes. 

You will just need to wait it out until your gynae referral comes through and let the experts make the judgement on what is going on. Cervical erosion, which is not cancer, can cause bleeding so it’s probably wise to avoid things meantime which could exacerbate this.

No-one on the forum, not even the nurses, would be able to tell you if your symptoms are connected, and hearing stories from people who actually have or have had cancer could actually make you worry more. All I would recommend is staying away from dr google if this is something you’re tempted to do-that rarely ends well! 

I hope you don’t have too long to wait for your appointment-there are lots of backlogs currently within the nhs, but an urgent referral should mean you don’t have too long to wait. x

Hello, I just wanted to update you all. So I was seen really quickly! Within 1 week of seeing the GP! My appointment with the gynaecologist was yesterday and he said it was just the ectropion trying to heal. He said what the GP had seen was like a bit of skin trying to heal over. He just looked with the dye and was happy to leave it at that. I’m so relieved! I’d worked myself up so much about it! I was a little calmer about the outcome, as I booked an appointment with my own GP the day before, and he was very reassuring and not at all concerned. The polar opposite to the GP who examined me!! But I’m glad she referred me, as I would have still been worried if she had brushed it off. 

I was so worried about the appointment, but the whole gynae team were lovely and made me feel at ease. 

Thanks so much for the replies and support. ️
 

ac123, Minska is right. I've driven myself mad Googling, comparing, etc! And my issue turned out to be nothing more that ectropion, also called Erosion. This is also what my GP said he thought it was, the day before my appointment. It sounds like you've had lots of investigations in the past and it's always been fine. I've always had pelvic and abdomen pain too. When I was having a scan of my ovaries and womb, they found Adenomyosis, which is similar to endometriosis, but on the inside. Some people have both. 
 

Definitely stay off Google! And try to keep yourself busy and positive in the mean time. 
 

I suffer from health anxiety due to losing my mother so young. After 17 years of feeling like this, I've finally contacted a grief counselling charity! It's time to get a hold of this issue that takes over all of my rational thought, and makes me spiral out of control!! The mind is a powerful thing! 
 

I hope that you get seen soon and also have a positive outcome. X

Hi. Linze

This is great news for you after all your worrying-I’m so pleased you’ve come back to update us as so many people don’t do this.

And well done in moving forward with getting counselling. The mind is indeed very powerful, but you’ve recognised you have an issue which is affecting your life and hopefully having the counselling will enable you to take control back and deal with what you’ve gone through. It’s a really positive step you’ve taken, and a brave one. Best wishes going forward, and I hope you are feeling better about everything now. x