Hi worriedbetty.

I’m sorry to see you’re so worried, but hope I can add some perspective as someone who has had cervical cancer twice now. 

It’s very common to have an hpv positive result-most of the sexually active population has come into contact with the virus at some point in their lives. It can go dormant and produce a negative result at another test but once you have hpv, you have it always in your body. 

Borderline changes are the lowest grade of cell changes, and are not cancer, and having hpv and borderline changes should not cause pain. There are many strains of hpv and the strains which are high risk for cell changes are not the same as those which cause genital warts, so the warts have no connection with cervical cancer. The colposcopy will be an appointment to look closely at your cervix and perhaps take biopsies if necessary. Biopsies may not be necessary depending on what they see, but borderline changes are the lowest type of cell changes so you may just be monitored.

Pain in the upper left abdomen does not suggest cervical cancer-pain would be expected in the pelvic area. 

Although I am not a medic, on balance I would suggest that you do not have cervical cancer, based on what you’ve said, my own experience and speaking to dozens of women who have this cancer. 

I hope you don’t have long to wait for your colposcopy and that it puts your mind at rest. Please let us know how you get on, and if you want to talk or have any questions I’ll be happy to try and help if I can. x

Thank you so much for replying to my message I really appreciate it.

I have a couple more questions, once a person has HPV is there no way of getting rid of it? not even through diets/ supplements?

I know this is a silly question, but the genital warts strain of HPV is why I tested positive right? but what about the bleeding? as that is supposed to be a key indicator of cervical cancer?

Thanks so much you've really helped calm me down, the information online is overwhelming and so much of it frightens me. I don't know if and when I will have a colposcopy so the waiting game is rather torturos.

Hey, 

So on your second smear test it is still borderline cell changes, which must be good news as it shows its not changing and please remember borderline cell changes do not instantly mean cancer, alot of people with hpv proberbly have them sometimes and do not even know! Also, I was going to say it does sound like your spotting its triggered by your bike riding. There could be old blood left from your last period that just loosens up from all the movement. Can I ask why they aren't doing a biopsy if you've had cell changes? I understand you have a tilted uterus but surely they would have another way to look into it if they was worried. Please try not to worry and keep pushing for an answer to your pain! Does sound like your IBS must be flaring up with your upper abdominal pain. Hope your okay X

My story is my partner went down on me years ago (3/4 years ago) and scatched my *** area by accident (sorry for the tmi) but it really hurt. Since then I've had a tiny skin tag on the bit if skin right next to my ***, and to be honest its never caused me bother at all. Until I come on my period this time, it got a little bit larger and I got generally itchy down there. Googled skin tags on vagina and it constantly come up with Hpv and cancer! Ive been driving myself insane and still am. I lost my daughter at 22 weeks in Nov 2020 I caught a really bad wee infection. I didnt treat it the time as I was drinking heavily day in and out cause I was hurting so bad (drinking after the loss didnt touch a drop whilst pregnant and uti test where coming up negative so I never really knew) So basically fast forward maybe about 6 months, I started to get symptoms of a uti but severe pain in my kidney area. Like really quite bad. I went to a gp and done a wee test and she had a look inside me with that plastic tube. Test was negative and my cervix looked fine. 

(Can I please add i had urine tests done whilst I lost my daughter and they come back negative. During the post mortem they found bacteria that represents a wee infection, they test for all stds too but these where clear. Unfortunately due to me having a weak cervix , which I didnt know and they didn't know until I lost my daughter , the uti spread to her amniotic fluid) 

So yeah, the gp asked me to bring in wee tests in afew days so she could send it off to the lab and do a proper look as mine where coming back negative. I didnt even get to that point, I went a&e later that day and whilst explaining to the doctor that she already done a simple wee test, he was like ohh okay, done a proper lab test or used the machine or something and he come back after a while and said yeah there is an infection in your wee. After taking the antibiotics properly this time, the spotting did stop. But basically my last period was 2 weeks early. Then I didnt have one until 4 weeks and abit later which was the period I've just come off. This period was weird. There was tissue weird peices in it that I've never seen before. So much so I was contemplating whether I was miscarrying, and that the two week early period may have been some sort of implantation bleeding? Well anyway with that along with the little tag thing and the itching, I've been worried sick. Made a doctors appointment today for a call back and I went work. Had a panic attack at work and went to a&e cause I could not wait any longer for them to call. 

Saw a gynecologist in a&e, my wee test was okay and bloods where ok. She took a look at me with that horrible tube and had a look at my cervix and the tag thing. She said my cervix looked fine just a tiny bit of blood cause I am just coming off. She touched or pinched the tag and asked if it hurt it didnt. She said it looks like a polyp or a skin tag and it should be no worry. 

Whilst I was in a and e I panicked while waiting cause my anxiety is just so intense and severe, and went to the sexual health clinic in the hospital. (After googling hpv linked to cervical cancer the last 2 days and seeing stories of women misdiagnosed and all of that) I had to call to make an appointment and they usually call you within 2 days. So I am still gonna answer the call and get an appointment as I would like a Hpv test but im only 21 and have already been told I cant have a screening. If that's the case I'll have to try get one privately if I can afford it, anything to try to put my mind at rest. So yeah im still gonna be pretty anxious for the next few days or until I can get a hpv test. I know the doctor said it was a polyp and true say it did get irritated after me wearing big bedtime sanitary towels all day and in the night, where as usually I wear a normal one throughout the day and big ones at night, but only had the big ones lol.

I am really so sorry for the long *** essay and thank you so much for talking to me. Im so sorry you have hpv and I can totally understand your worry, you are not alone. But please try to let go, it is not healthy! Keep eating healthy and exercising as it can only be good, and maybe research different vitamins and there benefits and start taking ones to match you. Keep your head up x

Oh ive also been having weird little pains in my lower abdomen, kind of pelvis area I think. Im so worried I really am. Can't wait to go get tested and hopefully some scans as ive always had severe period pains and periods.

Hey there,

First thing I want to say is I am so sorry for all that you have been through, it sounds like a lot and I truly hope that you have all the support that you need. I am always happy to respond to messages here if it helps you gain peace of mind :) 

Thank you for your kind words, but actually my HPV cells have changed from borderline to low, so although in the lower category it has changed. They are not too worried about it even though they have not done a biopsy which makes me uncomfortable but they want to do a wait and see situation. So fingers crossed it resolves itself.

Okay let's deal with the skin tag, have you mentioned this to your GP for a follow up at all? Have they taken a look at it? I would highly suggest they take a look at it to determine if it is benign or not, I know that A&E said it may be nothing but I would still follow up. I would then perhaps go to a STI clinic and have them take a look too, just in case it could be genital warts although I believe for it to be genital warts you need to have more than 1 so it does not sound likely that it is hpv related genital warts - but hopefully they can give you peace of mind.

Your period sounds understable given the changes to your body and the amount of stress you have been under, but do keep an eye on it. I recommend one of those period apps on your phone so you can keep a record of the changes to your cycle, symptoms and body and find they are really helpful when speaking with doctors.

Are you able to ask your GP about performing the smear? I know you are a little young but in your case it is worth asking if they will make an exception - although I must say (I'm not a doctor but I have read alot about HPV now lol) nothing you are saying to me is pointing all towards HPV, but I know what it is like to allow your mind to go into overdrive and when you're googling and worrying it can make things worse.

I think if you are able to do a smear and HPV test privately then that may be a good thing to consider but I really do think you have been through a lot, your body is just as stressed as you are and perhaps this is what is happening to you. Try not to worry yourself too much, please speak with your doctor, don't check google anymore and please do let me know how you got on! x

Hi Betty

Just to note-you cannot get a smear outside the screening programme on the nhs, which means you need to be 25. Genital warts are caused by HPV, but are caused by low risk strains of the virus, whereas cervical cancer caused by HPV is caused by high risk strains. 

Normally with borderline/mild cell changes, the approach is wait and see, as these can regress and wouldn’t need any intervention. x

Hi all, sorry to just on this post, but I'm desperate for some reassurance!!
 

This is going to be a long one, so bare with me!!

So I've always had clear smears. My last was 9 months ago. All been fine until now. Before the smear, in 2019, I went for a pelvic ultrasound as I always get pain in my left ovary area. I've has it on and off for years, it's not continuous, it comes and goes, and is usually more painful after ovulation and just before my period. Anyway. The scan was fine, but they found Adenomyosis. Which is similar to endometriosis, but it's in the inside of the uterus. No more was really said about it and I've had to research the condition for myself! So anyway the pains come and go, as the Adenomyosis comes away with my period, so I guess that's why it's changeable. 
I get a lot of sciatic type pain on my left side too, which I guess could be connected. But I've been to the chiro a few times, I'm well overdue to go again! And my pelvis is always wonky! I have 6 children and still carry the 4 year old around a lot! So that probably doesn't help!! 
 

Anyway! The reason I'm freaking out is:

I bled after sex for the first time ever, (other than just before my period which the Dr said was normal). When I got up in the morning and went to the toilet and saw the blood. I immediately freaked out! It's wasn't a great deal, and it stopped later that day. Then I had some brown ish bloody discharge 3 days later, followed by some pink and yellow. That carried in for 5 days. So I called the drs and had an examination. She said that the nurse had noted cervical ectropion at my smear. 
It hurt when she examined me, but maybe she was just a bit rough! 
She said I had a small bruise type patch on my cervix, and obvious ectropion. She draw my a picture, and said usually cancer would look like this, a draw a bumpy line, but said "yours is like this" and draw a darker patch. I asked if she thought it looked like cancer, she said no, and to feel reassured that I'd always had clear smears. But it has not put my mind at rest at all, it's made it worse! 
She said she would refer me for a colposcopy, and that it was an 8 week wait! To which I cried an said I can't wait that long. She said she could see it was really worrying me, so she would send me for a 2 week referral, but it would mean going down the cancer route. She asked if I would prefer that, and commented that the team would probably be cross with her for rushing me through!! I went with that option  

I suffer with major health anxiety, and have in the past, manifested aches and pains when I've thought there was something wrong with me! So since then, I've felt lower back aches, on the left, increased pain in the left pelvic area, and general aches and pains in my lady parts! But I am due on any day now! 
So here's my theory, and I'm trying to focus on this being the case!! 
Sorry is TMI!!

My husband immediately thought he had done it during foreplay, as he had just cut his nails and they were sharp! He was quite rough with me, (I asked him to be!) he made me come with his fingers, which is why I'm thinking I didn't feel any pain. Then we had sex after. I fell asleep and didn't notice the blood until I got up to go to the toilet. I saw some in my underwear, and on the tissue. 
Then the pink, brown and yellow discharge in the following days was just when I wiped. So I don't know if I was just being a bit rough with myself as I was worried!! No actually blood. 
So I'm thinking, maybe my husband injured me during the foreplay, given that it was right around ovulation time, and I have the ectropion and my cervix was sensitive?! And what the dr saw was the wound still healing? I didn't tell her about the foreplay bit as I was too embarrassed!! But I did ask if it could have happened in intercourse. She said it could have, and she also said she may have done it with the specula. 
 

I'm just totally panicked and probably manifesting symptoms! Maybe some are there because of my Adenomyosis, and I'm focusing on them. It's my birthday today and I'm going away with some friends tomorrow, jsut to London for the weekend. But I can't eat, can't sleep and am just so worried!! All I can think about is that I might have to leave my babies and husband! I always think the worst, even though I try not too. I lost my mother to breast cancer, and my fear is I will leave my kids feeling how I do. 
Please help calm me down!

Just to add the dr wasn't my usual dr, I have an appointment with him on Monday to ask his opinion! As I really trust him! He saved my sons life! And I think the de I saw is fairly new. 
 

Thanks for any replies!! 

Hi Linze16

Goodness you have got yourself in a right tizz! Please try and take a deep breath and relax. There’s no need to be thinking of leaving your babies. I’ve been through cervical cancer twice, lost both my parents to cancer, and haven’t left anyone. You don’t have a diagnosis of cancer.

But by your own admission you suffer from major health anxiety, and this seems to be what’s coming into play now. Cervical ectropion is not cancer but it can bleed very easily on contact, be it during sex, foreplay or on examination with a speculum. But your anxiety has made you focus on there being a more sinister reason for this, which is very unlikely to be the case. It seems like you perhaps are not believing the doctor you saw, but hopefully when you see your usual gp he can put your mind at rest. 

You are being seen quicker than would be normal in your circumstances, and this is as much to rule out cancer as confirm it. I would see a quick referral in these difficult times as being  positive because you will have answers sooner than people who have to wait  a long time due to nhs backlogs.

Try to enjoy your birthday and weekend away-a life filled with worry about something which hasn’t happened is not really living. Trust me, I know this. 

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

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

Thank you, and thanks for the advice and reassurance. 
Now on to the next worry. I went to the breast clinic as I had a lump. It was nothing. Just some fatty tissue above my ribs! But with there I reluctantly had a mammogram. I've just turned 40, but as my mother passed from breast cancer, the Dr said she would like me to have one. 
Ive been to see the breast care nurses before, and they concluded that my mom didn't have a genetic type. 
On the mammogram there was calcification. Mostly dotted around in small specs. But the dr pointed out an area of about 5 in a cluster, on both breasts. She said that she wasn't too worried as it was on both. But I'm going for a biopsy on Thursday anyway, as she couldn't be 100% from the mammogram. So I'm back to square one with the worry!!! However, they didn't seem too concerned, and the surgeon who I spoke to after seem even less worried. 
But currently going through my usual turmoil or anxiety and emotion! Along with some (hopefully) psychological pains in the breast of concern! 
 

Hopefully it will be the same outcome as the cervix scare, and nothing to worry about! 
 

How is everyone else on this thread?? I hope you all had positive outcomes too. 

Hi Linze

It sounds good that no-one is concerned and you should take that as a positive! Hope everything goes well at your biopsy and it’s nothing of concern. x

Thank you Minska!

I spoke to my lovely GP today, when I asked if the breast clinic Drs were concerned, he said "not at all." And he also said its could be from previous mastitis, thrush, etc. From when I was breastfeeding. I only stopped in March last year. So less panic today! He's also prescribed me some diazepam to take before the biopsy, to calm my nerves! 
I'll keep you updated :) xx

There’s only a reason to worry if they give you one, and they haven’t! I went for a mammogram recently and was panicking because they wanted extra images and she got another nurse in. Turned out they simply didn’t have a clear enough image on one side and there was nothing at all wrong. I admit I had some moments of panic, despite the nurses reassurance at the time. My panicking was pointless. But having had cancer it can be hard not to be super sensitive to everything. Keep me posted! xx

I can't imagine what it must be like for you! I don't know how you managed day to say without panic! I remember my mom having awful health anxiety after her breast cancer. Maybe that what original rubbed off on me! I try so hard not to let me children know though. 
 

Thank you, I will. Xxx