MetaChat - A word to the ladies of Metachat...

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27 May 2011

A word to the ladies of Metachat... I was thinking about this post today, and I just wanted to share my tale.→[More:]My November 2009 pap smear was normal. My November 2010 pap was abnormal. A colposcopy revealed some fairly significant abnormality (a/k/a precancerous cells), so (as many of you know) I underwent a LEEP procedure a week ago to remove the precancerous, abnormal cervical cells. Yesterday my doc called me with the pathology report from the removed tissue... Some of those abnormal cells had already turned cancerous (I recognize that I may be a bit of an outlier; I think that cervical cancer is usually less aggressive). They think they got them all, and I will be monitored to be sure. But if I had waited another year for my pap smear, who knows how much worse it would have been? It certainly wouldn't have been as simple to treat. I know paps aren't fun, but please just make sure you get your pap at least as often as your doctor recommends!

post by: amro at: 13:15 | 26 comments

PS I had had normal pap smears for 5 or 6 years before this one.

posted by amro 27 May | 13:23

Oh amro, I had no idea, I got light headed reading this. I'm glad you are ok and am thinking about you.

posted by rainbaby 27 May | 13:25

Thank goodness you got the screen when you did, amro. That can be so scary. I had a somewhat similar problem, but my precancer originated from the uterus. I had a hysterectomy (kept ovaries). I'm glad you're healthy and I'm sending my best wishes for continued good health.

posted by LoriFLA 27 May | 13:26

Oh hon how unnerving.

(((amro)))

posted by gomichild 27 May | 13:27

Thanks for sharing that. Yes, very scary. I had a similar thing but had two colposcopies, and by the second one the abnormal cells had cleared (as they sometimes do). Your message is a good one. I'm really glad you caught it and got treatment when you needed to. Best wishes for continued hale and hearty.

Now, I need some convincing to finally go get that mammography I have been holding the lab order for for over a year. It's not so much that I'm afraid of it, as that (a) I know it's going to be annoying and uncomfortable and (b) I have to take a morning out of my schedule. Breast cancer isn't that common in my family, thankfully, so I'm not focusing on it to the degree I probably should

posted by Miko 27 May | 13:45

(((((((((((Amro))))))))))

I wish we could have annual pap smears in the UK.

posted by Senyar 27 May | 13:46

Wow. Definite (((amro))).

posted by Splunge 27 May | 13:48

Glad to hear you're okay, amro.

posted by JanetLand 27 May | 13:56

(((((amro)))))

I just had a pap for the first time in a couple of years, and I won't have insurance anymore when they get the results back. I'm hoping against hope that it's normal.

Continue to be well.

posted by Stewriffic 27 May | 14:01

I'm glad they think they got them all.

posted by galadriel 27 May | 15:32

((((amro))))
See? This is why I think it's bad that they advise us to do it every three years, and I'm glad my doctor disagrees with it too. Every year for me as part of my annual, for sure.

Glad you caught it so quickly!!

posted by Sil 27 May | 15:45

I hope it all turns out OK for you, amro. Sounds like quite a scare.

I've just had the letter calling me in for my pap smear. I thought it was a mistake, but thinking about it, it has been 3 years, and not the 1 year I thought it was.

My last one was also my first ever, at the age of 29 (normal, thankfully) and was prompted by my dad who told me far too much information about his routine colonoscopy (which was also normal) and I thought if he could do that, I was certainly brave enough to have a smear.

posted by altolinguistic 27 May | 15:53

posted by altolinguistic 27 May | 15:54

My last one was probably 2001. I had a hysterectomy in 2003, but it was a partial, leaving my ovaries and cervix. I must get on to the doctor about having one. When the pathology was done on my uterus, they found abnormal cells.

posted by Senyar 27 May | 16:19

*hugs* I'm glad they caught it early :)

posted by sperose 27 May | 17:09

(((amro)))

posted by deborah 27 May | 17:59

((((((((((amro))))))))))

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 27 May | 18:58

Every 3 years??? Wow. I'm so glad they caught yours, amro. Lots of hugs.

posted by casarkos 27 May | 20:28

*hugs*

I just had mine, but this will inspire me to call and double-check the results. I've been assuming that the office is operating on a "We'll contact you only if it's bad news" basis, but I don't know that for a fact.

posted by occhiblu 27 May | 23:12

Oh, gosh. Big hugs, indeed.

posted by Madamina 27 May | 23:45

caskaros, in the UK the NHS will only allow you to have a pap smear once every 3 years from the ages of 25-49, then once in five years from 50-64 and not at all if you're under 25 or over 64.

They're meant to send you a letter automatically but I haven't had one since 2001. When the doctor's is open on Tuesday I'll speak to them about this, I think I probably am due to have one.

posted by Senyar 28 May | 01:02

I'm so glad they think they've nailed those cells, amro. More hugs from me.

I'm overdue for a pap and will call about getting one forthwith.

posted by tangerine 28 May | 02:30

oh amro, I really hope it turns out OK, both me and my mother went through that (scary cells, scrapings for extra tests and LEEP and then... all clear!) it's scary, very scary but there is hope everything will be JUST FINE so hang on to that.

I try and do a pap every year but my gyno is almost always booked full up in teh summer months (when I do it), so I actually pop down to the 'sexual health clinic' when I can't get an appointment, and queue up with all the beachbums, addicts, and scared teenagers freaking out about maybe having a VD. Not the funnest place to go to, but ever since that scare I want it every year on.the.dot.

posted by dabitch 28 May | 08:28

amro, take care of yourself --- I'm sending hugs and whuffles and lots of wishes for good news. And thank you for the nudge, too.

posted by Elsa 28 May | 10:07

So glad you're OK, amro.

posted by jrossi4r 28 May | 10:08

Hugs, amro. Scary thing to go through!

posted by mygothlaundry 28 May | 10:12

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