2 abnormal pap smears...now biopsy

[onezumi]

I had my regular pap smear and it came up abnormal for the first time in my life. (I'm 28 and I've been going to the doctor each year since I was 18.) I had a re-pap and it came up worse.

So this Thursday I have to get a biopsy and I'm really scared honestly. They said I was negative for HPV before. This time the doctor left a vague message on my machine and when I called back I got a nurse. She claimed I had HPV, then I said WTF. Then she said, "Oh wait, no you don't have it." but it made me nervous because she seemed to not really be paying attention or caring.

So I am calling back first thing tomorrow morning to speak with the actual doctor and find the real deal.

But the question remains, should I be totally scared? Because I am.

 

[chocolatdiva]

Hi! I just wanted to tell you not to worry too much. Since you have been getting reg paps and this is the first time it is abnormal then you shouldnt worry yet. I have been having abnormal paps since I was 15. The doctor just said there were abnormal cells on my cervix. There wasn't even a test for HPV yet. When I was 20 I was told it was HPV and they have to watch for changes in the cells. Now I am 30 and still no changes and no cancer. I truely believe they dont know enough about HPV so don't let the Drs scare you too much either. Sometimes my paps even come back not showing HPV. WhenI question my Dr. (who also has HPV) she says it can lay dormant in your body at times. Its been 15 years and two kids with no problems. Take care and relax. If your condition is different, I wish you the best.

 

[alehoney]

Don't be scared. If there is an abnormal pap test the biopsy is performed to confirm the abnormal pap test results or to measure the level of cell change you have... sometimes the changes in the cells come from vaginal irritation or an infection like HPV and could be pre-cancerous. It is very disturbing that the nurse would tell you you have HPV and then say you didn't, it is a great idea to call back an speak to someone else. Its your health and if there is anything you feel uncertain about you should always have the choice to get clarification from your doctor. It is so good that you have been getting Paps since you were 18. But don't worry yet. Since you say that you have been there every year and this is your first abnormal one don't worry too much because if it is something bad it is still very treatable and not in an advanced stage since it has been about a year since your last pap.

best wishes.

 

[onezumi]

I love you guys.

I was so worried! Like, crying and sick to my stomach all night.

It was a shame I heard today as I was getting my hair done in the salon with a sad face. T_T I think I owe myself a MAC counter run on Thursday night as a reward for getting through this...

It does seem weird that I'd be fine and then WHAM not fine. I wonder if my very high stress level has something to do with it. I just developed acid reflux as well..I had it most of my life but it just got really bad.

 

[BeautyPsycho]

I hope everything is ok! Don't worry and don't be stressed, stress is not good for you!

 

[onezumi]

Thank you, beautypsycho!

Awesome name, BTW.

 

[Love Always Ivy]

i went through this a few years ago, my freshman year of college - literally right before the vaccine came out. i got an abnormal pap, then biopsied (simple outpatient procedure that takes seconds and isnt painful at all), then when the biopsy turned out it was precancerous/cervical dysplasia from HPV, my gyno went in and did cryogenesis (freezing) of the affected cells (another outpatient painless procedure that took maybe 45 minutes).

some doctors opt not to do cryogenesis and allow it to clear itself up on its own. they continue to do paps and watch the progression of the abnormal cells over months and years. with healthy immune system, HPV can resolve itself on its own within a year.

definetly do not fret or stress. i know you are worried, but trust, its nothing that cant be fixed with a procedure or two. literally it can be completely taken care of and gone! there really is no reason to be upset or stressed, trust me! i know its scary, because i was in your position and had no idea what to think, but now thats its done and over with and i have moved forward 100% healthy, i look back and think "wow that was simple and quick". DONT STRESS OUT!

 

[benzito_714]

i agree don't stress, the procedures are pretty simple and relatively quick.
i second the idea that the doctor's don't really know much about HPV and that's why they can be pretty vague-my doctor likened it to the common cold.
and yes, you do deserve a MAC run-knock yourself out!

 

[onezumi]

Ah good...the silly thing is that I am not particularly educated about this stuff...so I never heard it like you are all saying that even in the worst case its curable...my doctor I think feels everyone knows what she knows.

I feel a bit better.

 

[tricky]

not to hijack this thread but recently i had my annual checkup. i was neg. for HPV but my pap came back as having abnormal cells. could i still have HPV? also, i've had the HPV vaccine.

 

[TwixtBetwixt]

I just had my 3rd cervical biopsy (May 20th) in the past 4 years. They are not fun, obviously, but they are not painful at all. They really are not much worse than a normal pap smear. There's a little bit of discomfort & a bit of a pulling sensation & then it's over super fast. They give you a topical anesthetic on your cervix so you don't feel anything really. I'm usually in & out of that nasty chair in less than 5 minutes =)

From what I've read, 75% to 90% of sexually active people will get some form of HPV, and condoms will NOT prevent the spread of the virus. They can lower your chances, but are no guarantee of anything. Most people have HPV for years & have no clue that they have it & are busy spreading it around to everyone. Plus there are over 40 types of HPV. I think your body usually just fights them off & you're none the wiser about having any issues.

There's not much you can do except stay on top of your GYN care & make sure everything checks out okay regularly. Many doctors want you to start having paps every 6 months if you have had abnormal ones in the past. It's an annoyance, but at least you can catch anything funny going on down there, you know?

It's been a serious stress in my life the past 4 years. I hate worrying about it, but there's not much I can do. I forget about it until it's that time of year, then i spend a couple weeks worrying myself to death.

I've talked to so many people about it & i swear everyone I know has had a slew of abnormal paps & nothing has every come of it.

Just try to stay positive. It's difficult, I know.

I wish you the best.

 

[onezumi]

@ Tricky: I just found out that PAP smears are wildly inaccurate. Some insurance companies do not cover them any more because they consider them bad.

You could still have HPV, but the only way to tell is to have the HPV test. My gyn gives it with the pap each time.

I unfortunately just found that I did come up as positive this time for HPV..which makes no sense as I have been monogamously married for many years, but, my Dr says that HPV can be dormant for decades.

What with how innacurate these tests are I am wondering if it is true that I even have it.

What you need to do is get a re-pap and an HPV test. If this comes up abnormal, you will need what I am getting on thursday...a biopsy.

The HPV vaccine only works if it was administered before exposure..and they seem vague about how it can be contracted. For example, I have heard tell of cases where people got it from their Mom during birth. My doctor wasn't really able to tell me that much about it, honestly.

I wouldn't worry. I found since I posted this that so many of my friends have this and they are all fine so even in the worst case scenario...

But definitely get retested and go from there.

@ TwixtBetwixt: I'm so glad to hear the biopsy isn't bad. I was so scared over that!

It seems so many people have this, though that I am starting to chill out a bit..I hate it though.

 

[crystalado]

I agree with the most of the ladies here, don't worry! I had this happen to me when I was 19 and I had to have a biopsy done as well. In the end it was something called Mild Dysplasia. No treatment was necessary but I had to have paps every six months and after 18 months, they were all normal and I was put back on annual paps! So don't worry. This happends to a lot of women. It is scary when you first find out, but it will be fine!

 

[vocaltest]

I know this is going to sound so stupid... but what is a HPV? I'm in the UK so maybe we have different words/abbreviations for different things... or maybe thats just a poor excuse for me being stupid.

 

[PMBG83]

Sometimes it can read abnormal if you wash the morning of the pap with harsh (and sometimes) gentle soaps.

 

[MissDeViousDiVa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by onezumi @ Tricky: I just found out that PAP smears are wildly inaccurate. Some insurance companies do not cover them any more because they consider them bad.

whaaaaat? I think it's ironic cause my doctor acts like paps are the be all and end all of testing.

dude I learned more from reading this thread than I have in years of health classes. I think the public isn't really all that educated about HPV at all. Actually probably a lot of doctors aren't either. Anyways, I'm glad you're feeling better about it all!

 

[rbella]

I came up positive for HPV a few years ago during my regular pap. I had no friggin idea what it was. They did a re-pap and it was normal. They said that high levels of stress can trigger an HPV outbreak. I don't have the form that is "warts", just abnormal cells. After my last visit, the doctor said most likely it is gone from my system and I don't have to worry about it coming back.

She said if you go for a long time (years) without it showing on your paps, then most likely you are rid of it. She did explain that the time it did show up, that it could have been lying dormant in my system for awhile and stress/anxiety caused the outbreak of abnormal cells. But, she said after is appeared, if it was going to be something to worry about (in other words if it was going to stick around) then I would see it again and again on paps.

Hope that makes sense and/or helps....

 

[stacylynne]

It's nothing to worry about. I had abnormal cells as well 1x & after that it was gone. Don't get yourself stressed over it. I had my pap that came back abnormal the day b4 I got my period. I really wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Kuuipo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vocaltest I know this is going to sound so stupid... but what is a HPV? I'm in the UK so maybe we have different words/abbreviations for different things... or maybe thats just a poor excuse for me being stupid.

Human papilloma virus. More than half the adult population carries it. It is responsible for venereal warts. A person with HPV may never exhibit a wart like lesion, but they an pass the virus on. Four tyoes of this virus are resposible for nine out of ten cases of cervical cancer.

 

[Kuuipo]

[FONT=BICIOG+TimesNewRoman]United States[/FONT][FONT=BICIOG+TimesNewRoman], infecting recipients with Condylomata Acuminata, more commonly known as genital warts or venereal warts. [/FONT]
[FONT=BICIOG+TimesNewRoman]Currently there are over 85 identified types of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) known to exist. The virus causes rapid cell growth on the outer skin layers, resulting in growths commonly known as warts. [/FONT]
[FONT=BICIOG+TimesNewRoman]If you find that you are suffering from swollen growths that appear in the genital area as small areas of irritated skin, typically pink or red in color, you may be suffering from genital warts. This growth or area of skin may be accompanied by a burning sensation or high level of irritation, especially in areas where the genital warts may contact clothing. [/FONT]
[FONT=BICIOG+TimesNewRoman]If the virus should cause growths that cluster together in the same area, the infection may take on a raised cauliflower type appearance that looks cracked or is rough to the touch, resembling the common wart in appearance. Genital warts may also form as flat growths that can only be detected with a magnifying device by your doctor after applying a solution to the genital area to help make the warts more pronounced for viewing. Genital warts differ from the common wart in that they grow in the warm, moist genital areas of the body. [/FONT]
</SPAN>
[FONT=BICIOG+TimesNewRoman]Approximately 30 strains of the Human Papilloma Virus are known to lead to genital warts. Although classified as a sexually transmitted disease, genital warts are not transmitted by the exchange of bodily fluids during sexual intercourse. The highly contagious genital warts are transmitted through skin to skin contact, and sexual intercourse is not necessary for the virus to transfer. [/FONT]
warts and the degree to which they are present depend largely on your immune system. For some, the physical signs of genital warts may appear in months—for others, years. </SPAN>
[FONT=BICIOG+TimesNewRoman]Annually, approximately 5.5 million new cases of the Genital Human Papilloma Virus are reported, and it is believed that of the roughly 20 million Americans known to have genital HPV, less than 4% of these people have been diagnosed or are being treated. Most people show no physical symptoms and do not know that they have the virus. [/FONT]
[FONT=BICIOG+TimesNewRoman]For men, physical symptoms typically result in wart growths on the head of the penis, the shaft of the penis, or randomly on the scrotum or around the anus. [/FONT]


[FONT=BICIOG+TimesNewRoman]This information is from a site called "my warts.com"[/FONT]