lizbeth0912
03-02-2005, 02:31 PM
Hi
this is my first time posting. I am 37, single mom with three children. three years ago I had my first abnormal pap. I was terrified. it came back as abnormal due to inflammation with benign changes, it was repeated several months later showing the same so I had a colposcopy. no dysplasia just inflammation. Of courst I was so relieved . The next two years my paps were normal. my last pap was this past Jan. a few weeks ago, the doctors office called and said my pap was abnormal. it showed "ASCUS". but there was noone that could talk to me. so i was and am a wreck. I did go in to see the doctor but he did not really make me feel much better. I thought since everyone here seems so knowledgeable, some of you could maybe give me your thoughts. I also have panic disorder so of course i am a wreck. So it came back as ASCUS which the dr said was a higher grade that the first abnormal pap. cultures were negetive. the high grade hpv test was also negetive. my next pap is scheduled for June 1. I would likew to try to relax between now and then. I am recently divorced and just met a wonderful man and I am just scared. also could ascus be due to inflammation? also at the time of the pap, I had not been sexually active for almost 18 months so I just don't get it. any feedback would be sooo appreciated.!!
Thank you
Eileen
this is my first time posting. I am 37, single mom with three children. three years ago I had my first abnormal pap. I was terrified. it came back as abnormal due to inflammation with benign changes, it was repeated several months later showing the same so I had a colposcopy. no dysplasia just inflammation. Of courst I was so relieved . The next two years my paps were normal. my last pap was this past Jan. a few weeks ago, the doctors office called and said my pap was abnormal. it showed "ASCUS". but there was noone that could talk to me. so i was and am a wreck. I did go in to see the doctor but he did not really make me feel much better. I thought since everyone here seems so knowledgeable, some of you could maybe give me your thoughts. I also have panic disorder so of course i am a wreck. So it came back as ASCUS which the dr said was a higher grade that the first abnormal pap. cultures were negetive. the high grade hpv test was also negetive. my next pap is scheduled for June 1. I would likew to try to relax between now and then. I am recently divorced and just met a wonderful man and I am just scared. also could ascus be due to inflammation? also at the time of the pap, I had not been sexually active for almost 18 months so I just don't get it. any feedback would be sooo appreciated.!!
Thank you
Eileen
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JenniferB123
03-02-2005, 03:06 PM
Don't worry. I had the same thing a year ago and I freaked out as well, I then had a repap two months later that came back normal and my one this year as well...thank goodness.
" ASCUS stands for Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance" could mean anything from imflamation to HPV but yours came back normal on the HPV. My doctor told me that it basically means they don't know what the problem is. Some doctors will do a colposcopy and some will just do a repeat pap in two to three months, because a lot of the times they will come back normal again like mine did.
So basically, irregular cells have shown up on your pap and from what my doctor told me it could be anything from an infection to irritations that most of the time your body can rid itself of. Hormonal changes or even if your on certain medications.
Also if you had sex the day before can also affect your pap results.
Yes, it also could mean dysplasia but taken care of early can have great results.
I'm not a doctor, but this is what my doctor told me when I freaked out about having ASCUS. Try not to worry, see what he/she wants to do next and go from there, and remember if your not happy with your doctor find another one that will be more helpful.
Good luck. :-)
" ASCUS stands for Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance" could mean anything from imflamation to HPV but yours came back normal on the HPV. My doctor told me that it basically means they don't know what the problem is. Some doctors will do a colposcopy and some will just do a repeat pap in two to three months, because a lot of the times they will come back normal again like mine did.
So basically, irregular cells have shown up on your pap and from what my doctor told me it could be anything from an infection to irritations that most of the time your body can rid itself of. Hormonal changes or even if your on certain medications.
Also if you had sex the day before can also affect your pap results.
Yes, it also could mean dysplasia but taken care of early can have great results.
I'm not a doctor, but this is what my doctor told me when I freaked out about having ASCUS. Try not to worry, see what he/she wants to do next and go from there, and remember if your not happy with your doctor find another one that will be more helpful.
Good luck. :-)
lizbeth0912
03-02-2005, 03:12 PM
Jennifer,
Thanks. I know I shouldn't worry and thank you for your feedback, it is much appreciated. I will try to relax. thanks again. ;)
Eileen
Thanks. I know I shouldn't worry and thank you for your feedback, it is much appreciated. I will try to relax. thanks again. ;)
Eileen
resqkitty
03-02-2005, 03:13 PM
The results you got are what my dr called atypical changes. Repeat in 3 months. I had paps like that when I was a teenager, and then 3 times in my early twenties. They always would come back as normal on the next test. The cell changes you have can be from your period, sex, douching or from nothing at all. Trust your Dr if you always have. If it was more serious he/she would have scheduled a follow-up. When mine changed for the worse I had my follow-up,colp and leep within 2 months. Drs don't wait on these things. Relax, go toyour appt in June, it will most likley be fine. :confused:
lizbeth0912
03-02-2005, 03:22 PM
Thank you. I will relax. It has just been one thing after another lately, sinus problems, low grade fever due to sinus now this pap, which scared me. it also scared me when he said the ascus was a higher grade than my last abnormal but i will relax. (or try to).
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
ElenaK
03-02-2005, 03:33 PM
Yes, ASCUS could be due to inflammation. There is a good chance your next Pap will be normal. If ASCUS (or worse) persists, then your dr will probably do a colpo and take biopsies if he sees abnormal areas. Please do not worry. You have this monitored and ASCUS is a minimally abnormal result. Even if there is dysplasia in your future, you are catching it at such an early stage that it is fully treatable. All ASCUS means is that the person who read your test saw some of your cells changing, but the cells must have been so few and the changes so small that they do not know what it is (or what it is changing into), so they label it "atypical cells".
Do you know what Pap method your dr used? Conventional (spatula and slide) or ThinPrep (brush and liquid in bottle)? Also, have you ever been treated for this inflammation that keeps coming up in your tests?
The only thing you can do now is to relax, take care of yourself, eat well, exercise, and keep your follow-up appointment. So long as you do your tests and monitor your cervical cells, you will be OK. At such a low level of abnormality, most changes regress on their own in a few months.
God bless.
:angel:
Do you know what Pap method your dr used? Conventional (spatula and slide) or ThinPrep (brush and liquid in bottle)? Also, have you ever been treated for this inflammation that keeps coming up in your tests?
The only thing you can do now is to relax, take care of yourself, eat well, exercise, and keep your follow-up appointment. So long as you do your tests and monitor your cervical cells, you will be OK. At such a low level of abnormality, most changes regress on their own in a few months.
God bless.
:angel:
SLJ16
03-02-2005, 03:45 PM
Hi Liz,
I had the same thing as well a few years ago. It can be caused from anything. if you had sex the night before if you even took a bath. also if you just got over your period that can cause some inflammation. it will be ok. just relax!
I had the same thing as well a few years ago. It can be caused from anything. if you had sex the night before if you even took a bath. also if you just got over your period that can cause some inflammation. it will be ok. just relax!
ElenaK
03-02-2005, 03:49 PM
Hi Liz,
I had the same thing as well a few years ago. It can be caused from anything. if you had sex the night before if you even took a bath. also if you just got over your period that can cause some inflammation. it will be ok. just relax!
Absolutely! Which is why it is recommended not to have sex for 48 hrs before the smear and to get the test done preferably 10-14 days into the cycle.
I had the same thing as well a few years ago. It can be caused from anything. if you had sex the night before if you even took a bath. also if you just got over your period that can cause some inflammation. it will be ok. just relax!
Absolutely! Which is why it is recommended not to have sex for 48 hrs before the smear and to get the test done preferably 10-14 days into the cycle.
lizbeth0912
03-03-2005, 04:17 PM
I wanted to thank everyone for their responses. it has helped alot. yes it was a thinprep they used this time. I had a abnormal pap in 2002 from inflammation, then normal paps in 03 and 04. one reason I was so nervous was this time it said ascus and inflammation. three yrs ago it said inflammation and benign cellular changes. the dr said ascus is one step up from that so it made me a little nervous. the hpv was negetive as well as the cultures. thank you all who responded. it helps knowing i am not alone.
Eileen
Eileen
ElenaK
03-03-2005, 04:55 PM
Shouldn't your dr treat the inflammation before you get more Paps? Remember, a Pap smear is not a diagnosis, just a red flag. A Pap may pick up a simple inflammation as ASCUS or worse. It depends on who took the sample, the Pap method, who read your cells, etc. From what you say, you seem to have recurrent inflammation. I would suggest you ask your dr to do something about the inflammation otherwise the smears will keep picking it up as a problem. If you are not perfectly happy with your dr, dump him.
Of course you are not alone... :)
Take care.
Of course you are not alone... :)
Take care.
lizbeth0912
03-03-2005, 08:37 PM
The dr. did give me a antibiotic since I had inflammation before. I didn't have a antibiotic the first time around. This is a new dr for me. prior to that, I was seen at a clinic that I hated cause I have medicaid. this dr is the only one around who takes it but it seems ok so far they did give me a antibiotic so hopefully it will make a difference.
Thanks again!
Eileen
Thanks again!
Eileen
ElenaK
03-04-2005, 12:14 AM
The dr. did give me a antibiotic since I had inflammation before. I didn't have a antibiotic the first time around. This is a new dr for me. prior to that, I was seen at a clinic that I hated cause I have medicaid. this dr is the only one around who takes it but it seems ok so far they did give me a antibiotic so hopefully it will make a difference.
Thanks again!
Eileen
Wonderful! Keep us posted.
Thanks again!
Eileen
Wonderful! Keep us posted.
lizbeth0912
03-04-2005, 08:21 AM
Thank you so much, elena and everyone who took the time to respond to me ! ;)
Eileen
Eileen
malibu82
03-18-2005, 11:54 AM
I certainly wouldn't worry about it if your HPV test came back clear, as most people who have cervical cancer have HPV. It is very very unlikely that a person would get cervical cancer if they don't have HPV. Your ASCUS result will be due to something else minor.
ElenaK
03-18-2005, 01:49 PM
I certainly wouldn't worry about it if your HPV test came back clear, as most people who have cervical cancer have HPV. It is very very unlikely that a person would get cervical cancer if they don't have HPV. Your ASCUS result will be due to something else minor.
This is the rule, but there are exceptions... I thought I was off the hook with my ASCUS and negative HPV DNA, but it turned out that my cells had been undergoing less benign changes. :(
As you say, though, without HPV the progression to cancer - if it ever happens - can be very slow.
This is the rule, but there are exceptions... I thought I was off the hook with my ASCUS and negative HPV DNA, but it turned out that my cells had been undergoing less benign changes. :(
As you say, though, without HPV the progression to cancer - if it ever happens - can be very slow.
lizbeth0912
06-14-2005, 01:57 PM
Hi,
well I had my re-pap yesterday. I ended up going back to the gyn office I had been going to for years. this dr is the same one who did my tubal. anyway, it was very fast and I am a little stressed. He told me if the results came back the same (ascus and hpv negetive) that he would just not do anything and repap in 6 months. I was suprised. I thought they would do a colop anyway. he said if it was anything more we would talk about what next. of course, I hope it is normal but I am a little confused. dr's won't do colops unless you are hpv positive? is that right? should I be concerned? what should I do? I feel so stressed with this. I am getting married next april and I don't want to worry about waiting until Jan. what do you all think?
thanks
Eileen
well I had my re-pap yesterday. I ended up going back to the gyn office I had been going to for years. this dr is the same one who did my tubal. anyway, it was very fast and I am a little stressed. He told me if the results came back the same (ascus and hpv negetive) that he would just not do anything and repap in 6 months. I was suprised. I thought they would do a colop anyway. he said if it was anything more we would talk about what next. of course, I hope it is normal but I am a little confused. dr's won't do colops unless you are hpv positive? is that right? should I be concerned? what should I do? I feel so stressed with this. I am getting married next april and I don't want to worry about waiting until Jan. what do you all think?
thanks
Eileen
lizbeth0912
06-14-2005, 01:59 PM
oops.. sorry.. i meant to post this in the other board. sorry.
sherylLynn2005
06-15-2005, 03:26 AM
I am new here...and I am scared to death...literally. I hadn't had a pap smear since the end of 2000. I had one done about 1 1/2 weeks ago, and it came back "Abnormal"....Well, I do not take 'waiting' around until August 2nd very proactive of the clinic, so I made a vist today to find out EXACTLY what the test results were. And this is what they said....
I need a Colposcopy & Endometrial Biopsy. Gosh, for some reason that 2nd test sure scares me! They said I have Atypical Glandular Cells (AGCUS), and and Epithlial cell abnormality.
Does anyone know what this means???? I have looked all over the internet, and obviously it is the type of pap that you really have to WORRY about. Have any of you gotten an AGCUS result back? If so, please respond. I feel very alone in this. I am 45 years old, and in reasonably good health. Any information you can give me on this would be very much apprecaited.
Thanks :confused:
I need a Colposcopy & Endometrial Biopsy. Gosh, for some reason that 2nd test sure scares me! They said I have Atypical Glandular Cells (AGCUS), and and Epithlial cell abnormality.
Does anyone know what this means???? I have looked all over the internet, and obviously it is the type of pap that you really have to WORRY about. Have any of you gotten an AGCUS result back? If so, please respond. I feel very alone in this. I am 45 years old, and in reasonably good health. Any information you can give me on this would be very much apprecaited.
Thanks :confused:
Misstar05
08-20-2005, 03:52 PM
I'm an 18 year old that had her 1st pap smear done a couple of weeks ago. my results never came in the mail so I went to the dr. office to get a copy. Well it came back ASCUS and Epithlial cell abnormality. Is that the same thing? The doctor just told me to come back in 2 months for another pap smear. Should I make an appointment and get tested for HPV? I got a pap done for std's but I didn't see HPV on the test results. I didn't have anything else thank god. Is there a seprate test for HPV they can do? With this being my first pap and only being 18..it worry's me.