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.

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

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

It was moments of panic I had-I don’t allow panic to rule my life as that’s no way to live, and I don’t suffer from health anxiety thankfully. The 2 nurses told me they just needed a clearer image, that it was normal to have extra images taken, and that they would have called a doctor in if they had suspected anything unusual. 

My philosophy is to look for the positive and focus on it rather than immediately focusing on the negative and spending my days worrying. No amount of worrying will change anything anyway, so it’s just a waste of energy! xx

You're so right!! It is a waste of energy! X

Just had my breast biopsy results!! It’s benign!!! Thank God!!! Now to get a grip of this anxiety. Thanks so much for your support, Minska Xxx

Oh Linz, that’s such good news for you! I’m so pleased you’ve updated here and it’s a great result. 

Hope you’ll be free of all the anxiety now. xx