My Dr. just called. My PAP came back abnormal. UPDATE page 5 (04/06)

[MinnieM3]

I've had several of these and nothing came of them. I think it's fairly common. The waiting will be the hardest part! After one of them I had some procedure, which was more than a pap smear, but I can't recall details. Anyway, things were fine. With the other, I basically had to have another pap smear to double check. Hang in there!

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

I know it's impossible, but try to relax and not worry. I had one come back as abnormal (the first one right after I had my first child). I had another one several months later and it came back as normal. Sometimes your body changes and changes again. Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

[paigevz]

I've had two of these. Abnormal cells, they called them. They just had me come back in 3 months, they were fine, then 6 months, they were fine again. My first one was when I was 19, the last one a year before my second pregnancy. I know it's scary, but I think they often come out normal later.........they are just being very cautious!

 

[momof2inPA]

I had an abnormal pap a few years ago and it turned out that I had HPV.

I looked this up. It said 80% of the population will contract HPV. Statistically, that would probably cause most of the abnormal PAP's, then.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Just wanted to stop and give you a Amanda.

 

[summerrluvv]

I looked this up. It said 80% of the population will contract HPV. Statistically, that would probably cause most of the abnormal PAP's, then.

That's a scary statistic.

 

[Pooh Crew]

Please try not to worry. Take the fact that they told you to come back next week as a good sign. I had an abnormal pap that actually turned out to be cancer. They called me and had me return to their office with my husband that afternoon! If they thought it was serious, they would have you back in there immediately. The colposcopy is painless (they are just looking), and the biopsy feels like a scrape with a pinch at the end. I always take a couple tylenol before going. It doesn't really hurt, but it's uncomfortable.

Hugs to you!

 

[goofygirl]

"I had read somewhere on the net that something like 80% of women will be HPV positive in their lifetime.."

Yep, and I'm one of them.

Like everyone else said- no big deal. I had the 'scopy and biopsy and everything was fine.

 

[summerrluvv]

"I had read somewhere on the net that something like 80% of women will be HPV positive in their lifetime.."

Yep, and I'm one of them.

Like everyone else said- no big deal. I had the 'scopy and biopsy and everything was fine.

You really don't think it's a big deal? HPV is a sexually transmitted disease no? I think it's a huge deal if that many people have it.

Everything is fine now, but can't that change over time when one has HPV? My sister has HPV and has been told she needs to get Paps more often than someone that doesn't have HPV.

 

[robinb]

I have abnormal PAPs twice. I had a conal biopsy the first time back in the late 80's and a LEEP about 5-6 years after that. Removing so much tissue from my cervix did make it much thinner than normal and I was on bedrest when I was pregnant with my DD. They were afraid that it was going to open spontaneuosly and expel my DD. She turned out to be late, LOL!

A lot of cervical cancer is due to a STD called HPV. You can see abnormal cells many years after being infected (and not even know it). My first bad PAP came about 5 years after I kicked my two-timing BF to the curb.

ETA: I have had normal PAPs since the mid-90's . I had them every 3 months for a while, then 6 months and then I was back to yearly.

EVERYONE SHOULD GET A PAP! It really can be a life saver. I don't think I would be here now if I didn't have yearly PAPs.

 

[robinb]

You really don't think it's a big deal? HPV is a sexually transmitted disease no? I think it's a huge deal if that many people have it.

Please don't come down hard on her. People "deal" with STDs in different ways. Many of us are innocent victims. Sometimes it's easier to say "It's not a big deal" instead of thinking "My two-timing creep of a BF/DH had his fun and now it might kill me."

 

[Angela Kay]

As far as HPV, my doctor told me about 80% of people have it. Only a very small percentage of people with HPV actually show signs of having it.

 

[MommyPoppins]

I just looked up HPV and there are over 100 different types of it. Of those 30 are an STD. So just because you have HPV doesn't mean you have an STD.

 

[ahutton]

I've had PAPs come back abnormal a few different times over the years. They had me come back (within a week or two) and do another test - each time that came back normal. Then I had another follow up at 6 months - normal too. Then did my annuals, and everything is fine. It has happened about every 6 or so years that I get one back as abnormal. They've never found any problem. I wonder if it has to do with where you are in your cycle, or if you have a slight infection (yeast or otherwise) if that is why they happen every so often for some of us?

I don't know, I just keep going back to get checked!

 

[MommyPoppins]

Well I went back to the dr. yesterday. There was some abnormal(white) cells that she took a biopsy of. She said it's still nothing to worry about, there were lots of healthy(pink) cells around and down deeper inside of my cervix. So I guess now it's just a wait and see what the biopsy reveals. She made it sound like either way, as far as the biopsy, it would probably be a come back in 6 months for either a regular PAP or another of the same type of exam she did yesterday. I can't remember what it was called...but it involved giant q-tips, vinager and some binocular looking thing. Nothing like look "down there" with a pair of binoculars.


Thanks for all your support!

 

[RachelEllen]

Well I went back to the dr. yesterday. There was some abnormal(white) cells that she took a biopsy of. She said it's still nothing to worry about, there were lots of healthy(pink) cells around and down deeper inside of my cervix. So I guess now it's just a wait and see what the biopsy reveals. She made it sound like either way, as far as the biopsy, it would probably be a come back in 6 months for either a regular PAP or another of the same type of exam she did yesterday. I can't remember what it was called...but it involved giant q-tips, vinager and some binocular looking thing. Nothing like look "down there" with a pair of binoculars.


Thanks for all your support!

yeah, nothing like the good old colposcopy. I went through all this in med school. So mine incolved a giant q-tip, vinager, my GYN prof, AND magnifying camera with 24 inch moniter! (They were kind enough to remove the med student observers, but the equipment was still set up for an 'audience' so the screen was still staring me in the face.)

 

[MommyPoppins]

yeah, nothing like the good old colposcopy. I went through all this in med school. So mine incolved a giant q-tip, vinager, my GYN prof, AND magnifying camera with 24 inch moniter! (They were kind enough to remove the med student observers, but the equipment was still set up for an 'audience' so the screen was still staring me in the face.)

Thank goodness no moniters were involved.

 

[RachelEllen]

Thank goodness no moniters were involved.

Well, I can laugh about it now

Anyhow, best of luck with your biopsy results. Let us know how things go!

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Nothing like look "down there" with a pair of binoculars.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Good news, Amanda.