Hi all,

Just needed someone to talk to really.

Since having my daughter in August 2005 I have been having really irregular bleeding, but it has got really heavy and constant for the last 2 months, along with alot of soreness and excrutiating cramps (which i have never had). I went to the doctor and she game me some hormone tablets to stop the bleeding so that she could have a look, and when I went back she instantly saw the problem, some (in her words) nasty looking lumps on my cervix, which immediately bled everywhere as soon as she touched them. That was last week, she made an immediate appointment for me to go to the hospital to have a colposcopy. I have read all about it and done research and find it all very daunting really. Before i had my daughter I spose about 3 yrs ago now i had an abnormal smear but nothing was done, just more regular smears, and the two i had after the abnormal one were clear. Then I fell preganant and havent had one since. (I was sent to the hospital while i was pregnant as my cervix looked very red etc, but they put it down to pregnancy).

I just dont know what to expect!

My experience was a little similar to yours. I had an abnormal pap 6 years ago and after a colposcopy they said it was mild and should clear on it's own, which it did. I had years of normal paps to follow.

I became pregant with my second child last September and had a pap done in November. It came back abnormal and after a colposcopy I was told it was severe. He said I should have a leep done, but we had to wait out the pregnancy first. I had my daughter this past June and after another colposcopy postpartum they did the leep in October. They removed it all (it covered pretty much my entire cervix) and my margins where clear so so far so good. I have a pap in January to see if it's all clear still.

Pregnancy can "aggrivate" the situation because of all of the hormones. Chances are you have HPV (I say that because more often than not it is the root of abnormal paps) and it just wasn't doing anything until you became pregnant. It's pretty common, so I've been told.

You need to try to relax (easier said then done). Take some advil before you go in for your colposcopy. It takes the edge of the biopsies (trust me, I learned that one the hard way!). The waiting after stinks. I'm willing to guess that by what your describing you will probably be told it's severe and need to get a leep or some other equal procedure done.

I know it all sounds pretty scary. Just do what your doctors say and everything should come out okay. I will be thinking about you. Let us know how it all goes.

Happymom28

Hi Happymom28,

Thank you for your reply, it has really helped. Somehow I just know that they won't turn round and say you are fine. I know my husband is worrying about it, he is talking to other people but not me. He keeps going on about how our daughter is so young bla bla bla, as if i am going to die or something. I know he wants more children and to be quite honest I am not bothered about it (probably cause mine is only 15 months now, and is demanding), but i feel guilty that there is a possibility that i cant give him anymore kids.

How long did it take to recover after the biopsies and leep procedure? My work are great and have said I can take any time off needed. Will they tell me straight away if they think it is severe?

I am in tomorrow so will let you know how it went.

Linzlilley x x

My husband was the same way. He talked to my mother in law about everything but shut me out. I know a lot of it was because I was pregnant and he didn't want to upset me anymore. He also found comfort in her because she survived both cervical and breast cancer.

Recovery time from the biopsies is really nothing. You may bleed like a light period and of course there is no sex for a time. The worst part is the biopsies themselves. For the Leep, recovery is generally easy. You bleed lightly and cramp a little. They will tell you to take it easy for a day or two and no heavy lifting or exercizing for a couple weeks. Usually after four weeks your cervix is pretty much healed.

I think more than anything it takes a toll on you mentally. You run through so many things in your head and you feel like you are the only person in the world who understands.

My husband and I were discussing having another baby. We wanted to try for a boy. Even though the doctor told me that if I got through all of my follow ups with normal paps he would say go for it, we opted against it. It was a personal choice.

I don't want you to think that you can't have a baby after a Leep. I've just been told that it adds a little risk to carrying the baby to term. There are ways around that so make sure you talk to your doctor about it. I've gone to my doctor since I was 18 so we have a wonderful relationshiip and I feel comfortable discussing everything with him. That is very helpful.

Good luck tomorrow. I will be thinking about you. Let me know how everything goes:)

Happymom

Hi all,

Just an update. Yesterday before my appoint ment i contacted my dr to see if my results had come back from the smear she took when she found the lump, and they had, all clear??? So am I confused now or what. Anyways i went off to my appointment at the hospital and they had a look (actually quite interesting isaw it all on screen), and there was a very red angry looking area, that she wasnt happy with so she look a biopsy. I just have to wait now. She also took loads of swabs to test for all sorts of things, but said whatever comes back I wouldneed the angry looking cells removed to make way for new healthy smooth tissue.

One question i do have is she said she is going to test for Gonorrhoea, but i was tested for this while i was pregnant along with aids etc etc, so the only place i could have got it from would have been my husband as i have slept with no one but him, but where could he have got it from. I dont know what to think or feel about that now, im upset and angry because if it comes back positive i must have got it from him, but i would like to know where he got it from if not from me.