Colposcopy questions

Hi all,

Has anyone ever had a cervical colposcopy?  The reason I ask is because 9 months ago, my pap smear came back slightly abnormal. They suggested I wait 6 months for a re-test. Last month, re-smeared (I was too busy to do it any earlier) and my second came back abnormal.  Now I have a letter saying I need a colposcopy.

The nurse on the phone said it was a laser treatment, but I went on the internet and it sounds more like a test.  Has this ever happened to anyone?  They gave me a pamphlet that says not all abnormals are the big c, but I am keeping calm and collecting as much information as possible.  Also, does anyone have a better website on colposcopies? I hate the NHS sites, they read so PC like they are covering their asses alread about what it means.  To hear someone else has gone through this and what it was like will make me feel much better 

thanks
Tulip

I didn’t have what you’re having, but I did have a few pap smears come up abnormal about 8 years ago.  It turns out that I had a small cluster of abnormal cells, my GYN (who happened to look like Santa Claus) did a biopsy to find out the extent of it I guess and then cryosurgery a few weeks later.  The biopsy was far more painful than the cryosurgery.  Makes sense now, but at the time I thought it would be the other way around.  I haven’t had an abnormal test since then.  Hopefully your problem won’t be any more serious than mine was. 

I had one on the NHS and it was fine. Well, it would have been fine except I can't manage my anxiety well during medical procedures so I ended up having it while sedated. But that's just me. I'm a wuss.

I had a couple about 7 years ago.  I was in the US at the time and same thing, had an abnormal pap, waited 3 months, retested, still abnormal so recommended a colposcopy.  It was done right in the dr's office with a little local anesthesia, delivered by what can only be described as a spray can with a long hose.  It was fairly painless.  It felt like a little pinch...

As for the results, the test showed that they were not cancerous or pre-cancerous cells.  So they were most likely one of the 30-something strains of HPV, but not one of the cancer causing strains. 

I ended up having more abnormal paps over the next year (I was getting tested every 3 months) and another colposcopy, with the same outcome.  Since then I haven't had an abnormal pap at all.  It's been about 7 years now.  So whatever was causing the abnormal cells (HPV?) cleared up on it's own.  The dr's I have had since the colposcopies, seem very relaxed about the history and happy with the 7 years of normal paps. 

Try not to worry.  I remember being a ball of nerves and researching everything on the internet and being petrified about cancer.  In my circle of good college friends 4 out of about 10 of us have had colposcopies and nothing has been wrong.  Good luck!

I had one about 10 years ago now.  Same deal, 2 abnormal papsmears lead to colposcopy.  They slightly numb the area and then put a dye in there so they can see the abnormal cells, pinch some off and send it to be tested.  I was lucky enough to have an idiot doing the procedure who needed to pinch 3 times in the same spot to get the cells off (and had to do 3 different spots).  I won't lie, it was quite painful and I had severe cramps for about 2 days afterwards.

My test came back as mild dysplasia and I had to be tested every 6 months for a few years but didn't have any abnormal ones again until about a year ago (the 2nd one came back fine though).

Try not to get too worked up about anything until you know more. 

ive had six copos done in the last few years.......have never been numbed or sedated......not really that painful.........i will admit that the white vinegar they use to swab the area can burn.....yes vinegar shows cancer cells.....its a biopsy procedure.......ive had 3 leeps done which is a bit more intense but still nothing much to that either......best of luck to you

I had one done several years ago (in the US) and I think I was more nervous about the procedure than anything because it wasn't as bad as I imagined.  It was slightly longer and obviously more than a regular pap.

Luckily, the results came back negative for anything, so my doctor attributed it to the birth control I was on at the time (can't remember what it was now) because that's the only thing that had changed (all the other paps before were normal).  Anyway, I had just started taking it when the pap came back abnormal.  I stopped taking it (didn't like the way it made me feel) and my paps from then on have all come back normal.

Good luck with it and try to relax (which is always easier said than done).   

I've had 2 colpos and a LEEP in the last 8 years. As everyone has said it is nervewracking. But as my 3 gynos I have had in that time have said "these indicators are the precursor to the precursor of possibly cancerous cells". So it's super preventative.

As far as websites, I like mayo clinic. They keep the explanations simple and to the point.