questionsinnyc
02-26-2009, 01:04 PM
Hi, I am 27 years old and I am confused about what is happening with my body. I am nervous and just, honestly, have a bad feeling. Thank you in advance for reading and giving your opinion...and sorry it is so long. :)
I have always had horrible periods. I would have extremely heavy bleeding w/ cramps when younger and it would last longer than a week usually. When I was 19 I went to the gyno for the first time and got on the pill which helped with the heavy period but it was still kinda bad. I have always had a clear PAP and have always had all the STD tests which were clear too. However, for the last 3 yearly visits I have had a clear PAP but have had HPV (I think it was classified mild but not sure). Around the same time (3 years ago) I started having spotting between periods and bleeding after sex and sex sometimes painful (during but mostly after). Recently this has gotten more frequent. Last month I had light bleeding or a regular period type bleeding for pretty much the entire month. This month my period ended "on time" and I haven't had bleeding after sex until last night (almost brown in color...was it blood?). I have only had a few partners before my boyfriend which I have been with for 3 years. I have also started to have migraines and just always tired. My doctor 3 years ago, have since gotten a new one, said that bleeding and pain just happens with some people. The one now really doesn't say much when I email her about my concerns and tell her during yearly exams until this last time. I am going for a colposcopy next Thursday. My dr said she wanted to do it because I have had HPV for so long and usually it will go away.
What should I make of all this? Am I just being a hypochondriac and have read too much on webmd? Does anyone have any suggestions of questions I should ask my doctor? I have been EXTREMELY stressed and depressed lately. Could this be why things are getting worse?
Thanks again!!!!
I have always had horrible periods. I would have extremely heavy bleeding w/ cramps when younger and it would last longer than a week usually. When I was 19 I went to the gyno for the first time and got on the pill which helped with the heavy period but it was still kinda bad. I have always had a clear PAP and have always had all the STD tests which were clear too. However, for the last 3 yearly visits I have had a clear PAP but have had HPV (I think it was classified mild but not sure). Around the same time (3 years ago) I started having spotting between periods and bleeding after sex and sex sometimes painful (during but mostly after). Recently this has gotten more frequent. Last month I had light bleeding or a regular period type bleeding for pretty much the entire month. This month my period ended "on time" and I haven't had bleeding after sex until last night (almost brown in color...was it blood?). I have only had a few partners before my boyfriend which I have been with for 3 years. I have also started to have migraines and just always tired. My doctor 3 years ago, have since gotten a new one, said that bleeding and pain just happens with some people. The one now really doesn't say much when I email her about my concerns and tell her during yearly exams until this last time. I am going for a colposcopy next Thursday. My dr said she wanted to do it because I have had HPV for so long and usually it will go away.
What should I make of all this? Am I just being a hypochondriac and have read too much on webmd? Does anyone have any suggestions of questions I should ask my doctor? I have been EXTREMELY stressed and depressed lately. Could this be why things are getting worse?
Thanks again!!!!
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maddyR
02-26-2009, 02:15 PM
when was your last pap . i had cin 3 and i know sex was painfull for me. i don't know much i could tell you. whatever is wrong witj you stress will not help and the colposcopy will help to find out if youhave any type of cervical changes.
questionsinnyc
02-26-2009, 02:32 PM
My last Pap was at the beginning of December.
maddyR
02-26-2009, 02:43 PM
well if that pap was normal why does you doc want to do a colpo on you? A colposcopy is used when a pap show abnormal cell growth on the cervix the doc then uses the colposcopy to look at the cervix and biopsy the the cells to test for pre cancerous or cancer cells. so what is the reason for the colpo in you case? i know some women have abnormal bleeding and pain when they have cancer of the cervix but you paps are normal i don't see you having that.all i can tell you is not to worry to much about it untill you see your doc and ask questions do not be scaredand do not stress to much that will not help.
questionsinnyc
02-26-2009, 03:17 PM
she wants to do it because i have had HPV for 3 years. she said she just wants to make sure she isn't missing anything. i was just concerned because i have irregular bleeding and stuff.
thank you for your reassurance. it is much appreciated!
thank you for your reassurance. it is much appreciated!
LilyL21
02-26-2009, 05:05 PM
I can hear PickleEyes already . . .
I think you should ask for an ECC during your colposcopy. The gyno will scrap cells from higher up in the cervical canal to see if anything's going on there.
Bleeding is defintely a bad sign, but since you had problems with bleeding when you were younger . . . one would think it could definitely be related to that and not cancer. I'd ask your doctor if it could be hormonal. You also might want to ask if it could be an infection.
I'm so sorry this is happening to you! I'm sending you happy thoughts. :)
I think you should ask for an ECC during your colposcopy. The gyno will scrap cells from higher up in the cervical canal to see if anything's going on there.
Bleeding is defintely a bad sign, but since you had problems with bleeding when you were younger . . . one would think it could definitely be related to that and not cancer. I'd ask your doctor if it could be hormonal. You also might want to ask if it could be an infection.
I'm so sorry this is happening to you! I'm sending you happy thoughts. :)
JessicainCanada
02-26-2009, 10:15 PM
:wave:Welcome NYC!......
What a whole buncha fun our lady bits are eh!.... Well you have sure come to the right place....Most of us here have had one problem or another with ours as well so you will fit right in :D
First off , I am sorry to hear about you having all of these issues, I've had the bleeding after sex thing myself and of course when I read online (what a horrible thing to do to ones self!), the first thing that came up was cervical cancer.
I freaked out too, became depressed which to answer your question CAN cause other issues the mind/body correlation is definatly sometimes a factor.......The brain can be an awful thing when it sends your body the wrong message when you are streesed out to the max!. My bleeding after sex came from a bacterial infection so it was NOT cancer or what I was ultimately diagnosed with (CINIII) so that bleeding CAN be caused by other things.
Have you told your doctor of the bleeding and pain?. Just a shot in the dark and I AM NOT a doctor, but I also have endimitrosis and so much of what you are explaining (pain,heavy periods etc) like it very well could be something like what I have. I had no idea that I even had it until I was diagnosed with CINIII. If you havent been tested for the abovementioned it's worth a shot!.
This isnt easy but we are all here to help or listen if just need be :D.....
Jess
What a whole buncha fun our lady bits are eh!.... Well you have sure come to the right place....Most of us here have had one problem or another with ours as well so you will fit right in :D
First off , I am sorry to hear about you having all of these issues, I've had the bleeding after sex thing myself and of course when I read online (what a horrible thing to do to ones self!), the first thing that came up was cervical cancer.
I freaked out too, became depressed which to answer your question CAN cause other issues the mind/body correlation is definatly sometimes a factor.......The brain can be an awful thing when it sends your body the wrong message when you are streesed out to the max!. My bleeding after sex came from a bacterial infection so it was NOT cancer or what I was ultimately diagnosed with (CINIII) so that bleeding CAN be caused by other things.
Have you told your doctor of the bleeding and pain?. Just a shot in the dark and I AM NOT a doctor, but I also have endimitrosis and so much of what you are explaining (pain,heavy periods etc) like it very well could be something like what I have. I had no idea that I even had it until I was diagnosed with CINIII. If you havent been tested for the abovementioned it's worth a shot!.
This isnt easy but we are all here to help or listen if just need be :D.....
Jess
Pickle Eyes
02-26-2009, 10:46 PM
If she is doing to ECC just to check things out, then I suggest you ask her about also doing an ECC (endocervical curettage). It is the only nonsurgical way the doctor can get an idea of what is going on up in the cervical canal. The pap can get up there and the colpo can't see up there.
I recommend you take a written list of questions with you to your appointment. Be sure to leave room for writing the answers. That'll help you better understand what is going on. You also might ask for copies of your pathology reports from your paps (especially those results that show positive for high risk HPV).
Good luck and let us know how it goes!
I recommend you take a written list of questions with you to your appointment. Be sure to leave room for writing the answers. That'll help you better understand what is going on. You also might ask for copies of your pathology reports from your paps (especially those results that show positive for high risk HPV).
Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Pickle Eyes
02-27-2009, 12:30 AM
Hi QuestionsinNYC, I'm sorry you are dealing with this, but there are plenty of women here who are willing to share their stories and help you as best we can.
First of all, a pap is only a screening tool. They do not detect all problems that can occur with the cervix. They can only give results from the parts of the cervix that is scraped by the doctor during the pap. The are that the doctor can access during a pap (or colposcopy) is only the outer 1/3 of the cervix. The upper 2/3 can't be seen or sampled during a pap (or a colpo). The only nonsurgical way for a doctor to determine what is going on further up in the cervical canal is to do an ECC (endocervical curettage).
I sing the praises of the HPV/dna test combine with my ECC because without those two tests I wouldn't know that I had cervical cancer. It would still be growing in me and it would probably be another year or two before my doctors found evidence of my cancer.
Let me back up. I'm 45. I've had paps ever year since I was 19. They have always been good - no problems. Just over a year ago, my doctor asked if I wanted the HPV/dna test when she did my pap. I said sure. My pap came back fine, but the HPV/dna test came back positive for high risk HPV. My doctor ended up sending me to a gyn for a colpo (she didn't wait the standard 4-6 months, she sent me right away - I think because I was so freaked out). The colpo was fine. The gyn didn't need to take any samples of my exocervix. "Just to check" she did an ECC. It came back "atypical glandular epithelial lesions" and adenocarcinoma in situ. Two weeks later I had my cold knife cone biopsy. It came back adenocarcinoma Ia1. Two weeks later I was talking to my gyn/onc about my treatment options. Fortunately (and i know that is a weird word to use regarding a cancer diagnosis, but that is how I feel - fortunate) I "only" had to have a hyst to remove my cervix and uterus. I don't need chemo or radiation.
So, my first instinct when a woman says she has high risk HPV and she doesn't have bad paps is to recommend she get the colpo and ask for the ECC. Hopefully (and likely) nothing abnormal will show. Then you'll just be put on a closely monitored follow up. It is wise to keep an eye on these cervical changes. If something abnormal *does* show up, then it is easily treated (and there are many treatment options before the hysterectomy option - especially if a woman is young and wants to maintain fertility . . . IF the dysplasia is caught early.
Anyway, I'm rambling now. Ask whatever questions you have. We'll do our best to answer them.
Take care
First of all, a pap is only a screening tool. They do not detect all problems that can occur with the cervix. They can only give results from the parts of the cervix that is scraped by the doctor during the pap. The are that the doctor can access during a pap (or colposcopy) is only the outer 1/3 of the cervix. The upper 2/3 can't be seen or sampled during a pap (or a colpo). The only nonsurgical way for a doctor to determine what is going on further up in the cervical canal is to do an ECC (endocervical curettage).
I sing the praises of the HPV/dna test combine with my ECC because without those two tests I wouldn't know that I had cervical cancer. It would still be growing in me and it would probably be another year or two before my doctors found evidence of my cancer.
Let me back up. I'm 45. I've had paps ever year since I was 19. They have always been good - no problems. Just over a year ago, my doctor asked if I wanted the HPV/dna test when she did my pap. I said sure. My pap came back fine, but the HPV/dna test came back positive for high risk HPV. My doctor ended up sending me to a gyn for a colpo (she didn't wait the standard 4-6 months, she sent me right away - I think because I was so freaked out). The colpo was fine. The gyn didn't need to take any samples of my exocervix. "Just to check" she did an ECC. It came back "atypical glandular epithelial lesions" and adenocarcinoma in situ. Two weeks later I had my cold knife cone biopsy. It came back adenocarcinoma Ia1. Two weeks later I was talking to my gyn/onc about my treatment options. Fortunately (and i know that is a weird word to use regarding a cancer diagnosis, but that is how I feel - fortunate) I "only" had to have a hyst to remove my cervix and uterus. I don't need chemo or radiation.
So, my first instinct when a woman says she has high risk HPV and she doesn't have bad paps is to recommend she get the colpo and ask for the ECC. Hopefully (and likely) nothing abnormal will show. Then you'll just be put on a closely monitored follow up. It is wise to keep an eye on these cervical changes. If something abnormal *does* show up, then it is easily treated (and there are many treatment options before the hysterectomy option - especially if a woman is young and wants to maintain fertility . . . IF the dysplasia is caught early.
Anyway, I'm rambling now. Ask whatever questions you have. We'll do our best to answer them.
Take care
questionsinnyc
03-02-2009, 11:32 AM
Thank you everyone for your replies.
I spoke to my doctor because I was getting way too antsy waiting for Thursday to roll around. She said that she will do an ECC and a transvaginal ultrasound. She said that it probably isn't endometriosis, but we would discuss on Thursday. She also said that if everything is clear after the tests that it might be good to consider the Mirena IUD to address the bleeding. Has anyone heard anything about this? I have been reading both good things and bad things.
Thanks again for all your help.
I spoke to my doctor because I was getting way too antsy waiting for Thursday to roll around. She said that she will do an ECC and a transvaginal ultrasound. She said that it probably isn't endometriosis, but we would discuss on Thursday. She also said that if everything is clear after the tests that it might be good to consider the Mirena IUD to address the bleeding. Has anyone heard anything about this? I have been reading both good things and bad things.
Thanks again for all your help.
ruthdrew
11-16-2009, 11:17 PM
I need some help. I am bleeding for the first time ever (age 42) outside of my periods. It is similar to a light period. I have not had an abnormal pap smear but had a positive hpv blood test about 2 years ago and have been having normal paps every 3 months since then. Thoughts????? Thank you for your help. Go lightly...I have extreme anxiety/stress.! Thanks.