Conference turris::womannotes-v3

    Fear not.  I had one of those once.  (I think I was about 25).  They
    said that usually, at some point in her life, every woman gets this 
    result.  I freaked out too, tho, so I can understand.  But for me,
    I had another pap in a month and it came back fine and has been fine
    ever since.
    
    B.C. pills, intercourse occuring often and before a woman is ready, 
    some innocuous systemic factors can all cause this generally temporary 
    situation.  It merely means the cells appear to be wearing away - sort 
    of a "friction burn".  The colposcopy will just remove a larger chunk
    of cells for closer study.  And even if the diagnosis is bad, it's
    certainly been caught early, (I'm assuming you have no symptoms), and
    is one of the most curable of all cancers.  I'm sure that's what you're
    sweating, here.  An acquaintence of mine just had cervical cancer
    treated.  She HAD symptoms, though, so she was much further along.  Her
    treatment began last summer, (chemo was via pills - a great
    breakthrough!), and she has been considered completely cured since
    October.
    
    Bottom line is, it's most likely nothing serious but even in the very
    slight chance that it is, your chances for a complete cure, (without
    having anything surgically removed), are very, very good.  Damn doctors
    who don't tell patients all this.  It's so routine for them and so
    heart rending for their patients.  Sending someone a letter like this
    is barbaric!  They could have included general literature if they were
    too busy to deal personally with their patients.  I'd call that doctor 
    immediately and ask to have it all explained!  They get the big bucks - 
    make them earn it!

    I had that happen about 15 years ago.  I freaked out.  It got worse
    before it got better.  But IT DID GET BETTER.  *ALL* better.
    
    I had a couple of class 2 Pap tests.  Fortunately I also had a
    very conservative doctor, who was not willing to ignore it with
    a statement like "it's only class 2".  She felt that repeated class
    2 tests were not okay.  So I had the colposcopy, during which "an
    area of concern was seen" and biopsied.  The biopsy was not good.
    That's when I really freaked.  So I was scheduled quickly for a
    surgical removal of the [relatively small] affected area of my
    cervix.  Pathology results indicated they "got it all".
    
    Have had only class 1 (negative) Pap tests ever since.  For a while
    we did the tests every 3 months, then every 6, and now yearly again.
    
    I had no other symptoms other than the abnormal Pap test during
    a routine screening.  Even if there is something there, catching
    it early makes it almost 100% curable without major surgery.
    
    And by the way,  things like yeast infections can cause abnormal
    Pap tests.
    
    	Pennie

    Sandy,
    
    	Thanks for the info.  Now, Doc probably tried to call, but I am not
    always the easiest person to reach.  He sends letters to insure that
    the info is passed on.  And he did send a pamplet, but it says things
    like "mild to average discomfort"... I don't do "mild to average
    discomfort".  I have never had a cramp in my life, except for delivery.
    
    If this is gonna hurt, I need to get my head ready for it.
    
    Me!
    
    And the worse part is that I don't take BC pills, or any of the other 
    things which might imbalance the system.  You think you are doing all
    the "right" things, and then this hits ya!
    
    Blah!!!!

    When I was eight months pregnant with my first child (I was nineteen), 
    I had my first abnormal pap test result.  I was terrified, partly
    because I thought of cancer as a wildfire that would burn me up
    in a very brief time and I was pregnant!  So I couldn't do anything
    about it!  All was well, though.  After Lisa was born my tests were
    back to normal and for years afterward there were no problems.
    
    One unexpected benefit, I said to myself, "I'm not going to panic
    about something like this again - all my fears did no good and were
    in this case wasted."  That self-advice has been helpful many times
    since, especially during my use of the "copper 7" IUD, when I had
    pap tests come back showing the class two cell change every two
    weeks for the better part of a year.  Once again, all was well.
    
    Interestingly enough, when I finally *had* cancer, it wasn't so
    bad.  Cancer of the thyroid, I hasten to add, and no recurrence
    in almost seven (or is it almost eight?) years since surgery.
    
    Do talk to your doctor, and do follow up.  You're in my thoughts
    and prayers.
    
    aq
    

    No, there shouldn't be any pain involved.  "Mild discomfort", maybe,
    that pressure sensation, but that part of a woman's body is relatively 
    "comfortably numb", (to quote the Floyd).
    
    Best of luck and I hope your mind is put at ease soon.

    This happened to me once.  Childbirth.  Apparently the birth of a child
    and the trama it causes to your internal organs can cause an abnormal
    Pap.  The doctor said it was fairly common, told me to douche once a
    week with vinegar and water, and have the test redone in three months. 
    It came back normal, but I was a bit unnerved for those three months,
    believe me.
    
    

    Please don't worry ...
    
    I had a *terrible* (class 4) case of cervial cancer.  I was treated by
    "cryo-cauterization".  It *did* hurt, I won't lie, but it's not
    unbearable.  Sort of like getting a wart taken off, except afterwards
    it's sort of messy.  I maintained a "normal" lifestyle with my SO, and
    worked all throughout the treatments, which lasted well over a year.
    
    The beginning is always the hardest.  Guess it's the shock, but after
    my first month of cryo, I was fine.  I know many women here at DEC in
    my area who've had dysplacia (which isn't cervial "cancer") and had
    extremely successful treatments which were only one or two times to the
    doctor.
    
    There are many new treatments available.  Cryo is just one of them,
    there is laser surgery, chemo, and in the worst cases, removal of the
    cervix and radiation.  But even *I* wasn't considered "worst case", and
    I was in a pretty bad state of affairs.  The doctor does not know if I
    can have children, but never said I absolutely was sterile, either. 
    Who can tell?
    
    Keep your chin up and know that even if you hate dealing with pain,
    life is filled with it.  You will forget it immediately after the
    treatment .. at least I did!  Good luck and god bless ...
    

    A number of years ago, I had cryosurgery of the cervix done twice, and
    later laser surgery when the abnormality (which my gyn. indicated was
    precancerous) recurred.  The last time was probably about 15 years ago
    now, and everything has been fine since then.  The surgery, which was
    done right in the doctor's office, was no big deal, about the same
    level of discomfort as a pap test.  The cryosurgery caused a little bit
    of bleeding both times, but the laser cauterization didn't even do
    that.  So don't be overly concerned, and try not to worry ahead of
    time; the treatment has a very high success rate and is not a very
    painful or even very time-consuming proposition if the condition is
    discovered early.
    
    /Charlotte

    
    re. pain/colposcapy?
    
    about a year and a half ago i also had a "class 2" pap result. the next
    step was the colposcapy(sp?) which is a tissue biopsy basically.
    
    i was also told the about the possibility of mild discomfort during
    this procedure. i didn't have much of an idea of what to expect, but
    what i felt at the "snip moment" can be compared to a SHARP cramp. that
    discomfort didn't last long - just a few seconds. [ IMHO, using *COLD*
    instruments would be of much more discomfort than what i felt, and i
    don't do pain real well myself!]
    
    the biopsy [colposcapy] indicated that there was "abormal tissue
    development" about 120 degrees around the cervix. the doc scheduled
    outpatient surgery for a conezation, which was done a year ago
    valentines day. like someone else mentioned, i also had 3month checks
    for the first year, and am finishing the 6month checks this year. i
    haven't had any problem at all with these pap results.
    
    i also remember being pretty frightened by the whole thing as it
    developed {-: , but everything turned out just fine!
    
    ~robin

    see also:
    
    Womannotes-V1
    595 - excerpts from an article on the pap smear
    
    Womannotes-V2
    654 - class II (or worse) pap test results
    
    -Jody
    

    
    I think "dysplasia" is a fancy word for "we found some abnormal cells". 
    This could be a number of things, most of them non-threatening.
    
    I've had a colposcopy before, and what they do is take samples of the
    tissue from your cervix (well, they did in my case).  It doesn't hurt
    that much, and the theory behind this whole procedure is "let's check
    out any abnormal cells now and KNOW what they are, rather than waiting
    til later".  After the colposcopy they kind of wash in a brownish fluid
    which has iron and other things to help the clotting and healing where
    they took the small samples, and you're restricted in any activities++
    that could introduce bacteria into the cervical area for the next week
    or two (depends on the doctor) to make sure the tissue sample areas
    heal healthily - 
    
    ++this might include sexual activities or using a tampon.
    
    
    -Jody

    Well, my appointment is for Friday to undergo the colposcopy.  I called
    my doctor to get clarification on the grading of my pap smear.  Seems
    his lab grades them 1) negative, 2)abnormal, 3) suspicious, and 4)
    positive.  Mine is 3)suspicious.  
    
    I will let you know how it goes.
    
    
    Sue

    Please let us know how you are doing.  It is a scarey time.
    I hope your [long/short term] results are as good as ours were!
    
    	Pennie

    Well, the colposcopy was done on Friday, and my results will be in
    today some time.  I tell you, I was miserable!  I have a low threshold
    of pain, especially there, and it really did hurt!  But my GYN was
    quick, so it was over soon.  I don't want to do that regualarly, that
    is for sure!
    
    When the results come in, I will post them and the course of treatment
    recommended!
    
    Sue