(no subject)

[djapony.livejournal.com]

Hi, I am really scared. I got a phone call from my OBGYN's office, and was told that my pap test confirmed a mild case of LSIL. What does this mean? How is this caused? Could there have been a mistake? I tried asking the lady these questions but she was the messenger not a doctor. Has anyone else had a LSIL diagnostic? Also I have to go in for a byopsy-/a colosomething or other..is this painful and what can I expect?  Any informaiton you have on this diagnostic would be greatly appreciated.

Comments

[juushika.livejournal.com]

I can't give you any unique information, but a quick Google of LSIL turns up quite a few reputable explanations of what it is and what it means, which may be a good way to get some basic information.

[djapony.livejournal.com]

yeah, Google is great. For most questions posted here, google can be used. I was using this site as a secondary resource.

[djapony.livejournal.com]

thank you!

[twisty-mirror.livejournal.com]

this most likely means that you have high-risk HPV. 80% of the population has HPV which can be transmitted even if you use condoms. LSIL means that your pap has detected some abnormal cells. the fact that they have said it's a mild case is good - it was probably caught early. if they want to do a colposcopy/biopsy, your doctor is going to take a closer look at your cervix and the cells found there to see just what is going on. i haven't had either so i can't speak from experience, but hopefully someone else will chime in and share their stories. while this may sound scary, try not to panic - when caught early, you can usually be "treated" and monitored and fight off HPV before it manifests into something more troublesome. just keep on top of whatever your gynecologist recommends.

*hugs*

[macabre.livejournal.com]

I just had a colposcopy a few weeks ago. It was not awful, but there was some pain. Basically they used a speculum so they could get to my cervix and test for abnormal cells.

They sprayed iodine on there, because I was told the iodine changes the color of the cervix where the abnormal cells are so they can get samples to test for it.

I was told to take some ibuprofen before, which helped. And after there was about a day with some cramping and discharge from the iodine.

[limelight-lude.livejournal.com]

I second the anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs preferably) beforehand. I was also VERY freaked out because I was probably in the same boat you were in and I didn't have any lovely, supportive VPers to talk me down from my ledge, so my doctor gave me a prescription of Xanax for the day before and the day of. 4 pills, but they helped a wonder of killing my anxiety. :)

[queensugar.livejournal.com]

First off: take a deep breath. An LSIL result on a pap test is a very mild result, and you are almost certainly going to be just fine. :)

An pap result of LSIL means that abnormal cells were found on the cervix. LSIL is a pretty mild result, meaning that the abnormalities were very minor. They were probably caused by a strain of HPV, which is a virus which the majority of the population has.

The large majority of LSIL cases will resolve on their own, within two years, without any medical intervention. The body can heal these abnormal cells and clear the HPV infection. In rare cases, they may progress to a higher stage of abnormality, but through regular pap testing, your health care team can monitor these cells to ensure that this doesn't occur.

Many women get an LSIL pap test result every year, and I know there are tons and tons of people who have right here on VP, so you're definitely not alone!

Your doctor likely scheduled you for a colposcopy. This is a procedure where they take a closer look at the abnormal cells to ensure, basically, that they aren't more advanced than they looked like on the pap test. About 10% of LSIL pap test cases turn out to be more advanced than LSIL after doing a colposcopy; if they are more advanced, your doctor can remove these cells long before they would ever pose any risk to your health.

We have a colposcopy tag (http://community.livejournal.com/vaginapagina/tag/colposcopy) that you might want to read through, and we discuss the procedure and other issues about abnormal pap results on our HPV Vulvapedia entry, (http://www.vaginapagina.com/index.php?title=Human_Papillomavirus_%28HPV%29) with links to many other helpful sources.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

[indigodye.livejournal.com]

This. The majority of abnormal paps straighten out in time.

[atalanta0jess.livejournal.com]

I had 3 LSIL paps (within 9 months) and ended up having a colposcopy in August. I know its scary - I was kind of freaked out too, but the truth is that the more you can keep that in check, the better. You're not in any danger at all, and really LSIL is a very mild result that PROBABLY will result in nothing more than a little discomfort and inconvenience.

LSIL results are generally caused by HPV. There could be some kind of mistake, but honestly, probably not. What it means is simply that you have some mild changes in your cervical cells.

The point of the colpo is to confirm the results of the pap smear. My colposcopy didn't hurt at all. Some people do think its hurt, so YMMV, but I just breathed deeply the whole time, and I couldn't even feel most of the biopsies. I think they took three from the exterior of my cervix and one from the center/inside. That one felt weird, like someone poking my belly button, but again didn't hurt. My results did indeed come back LSIL just like the paps, so my doctors plan is to just keep having pap smears every six months and make sure it doesn't get worse.

[limelight-lude.livejournal.com]

Colposcopy? If so, it will be a little weird, feel like a pap smear but just a little bit worse. And wear a pad to the appointment because the stuff they use to stop the bleeding (from where they take the biopsy) and the little bit of blood is weird!

It freaked me out when my pap came back abnormal for the same thing, and it was nothing but a precaution. 1.5 years later I am normal papping but continuing to get them every 6 months as another precaution. I'll keep you in my thoughts, but this isn't saying anything other than you had a weird looking cell in your pap. (That could be anything and everything causing it, not HPV strains or cells that are mutating on your cervix--just something weird coming back.)

[handfulofrain.livejournal.com]

I can't add any new information for you but I just want to let you know that you are DEFINITELY NOT alone!

I had LSIL results and they did a colposcopy/boipsy. I am an INFANT in the face of medical procedures so I took some xanax before hand along with the Ibuprofin...and...TADA! I am OK. I cried through the whole thing. Not out of pain but out of fear. (I am a BABY!) The "pain" was like one bad cramp and the biopsy part was like a pinch. Start taking the advil the night before, every 4-6 hours. It may make you bleed a little more but it will certainly numb the senses.

My last pap still showed LSIL (and a low-grade form of HPV) but since LSIL so often resolves itself, my doctor has me come in for paps every 6 months instead of once a year.

You will be fine. What you have is NOT even pre-cancer..that's why we get our paps and that's exactly why the doctor wants to do this procedure, to make sure that the pap is accurate.

It will also never turn in to cancer so long as you follow your doctor's orders, get your paps and make sure you follow up with whatever treatment is necessary.

It's VERY, VERY scary, I know. It's OK to be scared. It still freaks me out sometimes.
However, I just remember something my doctor (who I love and trust and who medical journals have written up WONDERFUL things about) told me:
"The only women who get cervical cancer are those women who don't get paps or follow up on their treatment"