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vaginapagina2006-08-08 10:53 pm
althea) wrote in vaginapagina2006-08-08 10:53 pm
Entry tags:
HPV, cervical cancer, biopsies, and what comes next
I've got a few questions about HPV and cancer detection that I'm hoping you ladies can help me with. I don't want this to be longer than it has to be, so I'll just give you the short version and not link to previous posts.
-May 5: Found a small bump on my cervix.
-May 11: Went to my regular doctor, who took a swab to send out for HPV, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, but said I should still see a gynecologist to find out what that bump is.
-May 18: Called and spoke to my doctor's assistant/secretary/whatever, who checked the test report and told me "there's nothing there, you're fine," but to still see a GYN.
-June 26: Called doctor's office to arrange to pick up a copy of the report to bring to GYN. Found out that, oops, she'd read me the wrong report--my last Pap from January, which was normal--and that the report from the 5/11 swab said something different. Picked it up and saw that it was positive for "both low-risk and high-risk strains of HPV," but that the sample wasn't good enough for gonorrhea and chlamydia tests. Assistant/whatever woman tells me that it's okay, the fact that I had a YI at the time of the swab probably caused a false negative (wrong!) and that it's impossible to have both low- and high-risk strains (wrong!).
-July 21: After much rescheduling on both ends, I finally saw the GYN. She told me that she didn't just want to do a new Pap, which was what I'd been expecting, she also wanted to do a colposcopy and take biopsies of my cervix. She *also* wanted to do an endometrial biopsy just to be on the safe side, because I've got PCOS and have on occasion gone without getting my period for a couple of months. My period was almost gone, just a tiny bit of old, brown blood, but she said that was okay. I had the colp, the biopsies (three pieces of my cervix and one very ouchy scoop of my endometrium). The doctor told me that she'd call me in two weeks with my results. I hobbled home, trying to act as normal as possible in front of my teenage summer guest, who was already freaked out because he'd had to wait two and a half hours in the waiting room, wondering what had happened to me. (Edit: When she examined me, she did tell me that the bump was in fact a Nabothian cyst. So, I went in for something that turned out to be no big deal and ended up finding out I may have a serious problem. Go figure.)
-August 2: Despite the fact that the doctor said I'd only bleed for three or four days, I didn't stop bleeding until this day. Granted, it was very light, brown blood for the last week week, but still, jeez.
-August 4: Called for my results and was told the doctor was gone for the day. The receptionist said the doctor had my chart "in her files," so the biopsy reports might be in it, but probably not because she didn't call me. They did have my Pap and STD reports at the front desk, and she said everything there was negative. I'm a little wary of believing anyone other than a doctor at this point, but I took what I could get. She told me the doctor would be back in the office on Wednesday. Sigh.
-August 6: Got my period again, dammit!
If you've read all of that, thank you! Now, here are my questions:
-In my experience, the bad/scary test results get sent back to the doctor as soon as possible. If she didn't get my results back yet, I'm assuming they were okay. Thoughts?
-Also, if the Pap was normal, then I'm guessing I probably don't have any cancerous cells...right?
-If I do, what comes next? Do I have choices, or is there only one treatment option? I felt kind of ambushed the day I had the biopsies done. She said I didn't have to have them done that day, but I wanted to get it over with.
-Has anyone ever heard of women with PCOS needing an endometrial biopsy? My doctor said she didn't think there was anything wrong but that she wouldn't feel comfortable telling me I was fine unless she checked. O...kay? I guess.
-I *think* she told me to wait two weeks to have sex, but I wasn't sure and I didn't get to ask on Friday. Now, I've got my period and I'm wondering if it's okay to use my DivaCup. Does anyone who's had cervical biopsies know if that would be okay?
-Finally, just a general concern. You know how you kind of like to make a good impression on a new doctor, try to come across as mature and calm and not an emotional, hysterical hypochondriac? How bad do you think it is that I started crying in her office before the exam? I was telling her that the big speculum she'd mentioned using for the colposcopy might be difficult because I tighten up when I haven't had sex in a while and I'd actually pushed the speculum out back in May, right after my doctor had taken the swab. She asked, "Well...you *are* sexually active, right? How often do you and your husband have sex?" And I had to explain that my grandmother had been ill and had just died and I'd been flying back and forth to Florida, not to mention having a teenage relative sleeping in our living room, a few feet from our bedroom door. I just started sobbing. I think I freaked her out a little, though she seemed to understand once I told her about my grandmother. She even told me that her elderly grandmother had been very ill recently and almost died. So I don't *think* she thinks I'm a lunatic, but I'm not sure. I'm just hoping this doesn't affect how she treats me in terms of respecting my concerns rather than dismissing them. She seems pretty good and she has a solid plan for managing my PCOS, so I want to keep her if I can.
-May 5: Found a small bump on my cervix.
-May 11: Went to my regular doctor, who took a swab to send out for HPV, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, but said I should still see a gynecologist to find out what that bump is.
-May 18: Called and spoke to my doctor's assistant/secretary/whatever, who checked the test report and told me "there's nothing there, you're fine," but to still see a GYN.
-June 26: Called doctor's office to arrange to pick up a copy of the report to bring to GYN. Found out that, oops, she'd read me the wrong report--my last Pap from January, which was normal--and that the report from the 5/11 swab said something different. Picked it up and saw that it was positive for "both low-risk and high-risk strains of HPV," but that the sample wasn't good enough for gonorrhea and chlamydia tests. Assistant/whatever woman tells me that it's okay, the fact that I had a YI at the time of the swab probably caused a false negative (wrong!) and that it's impossible to have both low- and high-risk strains (wrong!).
-July 21: After much rescheduling on both ends, I finally saw the GYN. She told me that she didn't just want to do a new Pap, which was what I'd been expecting, she also wanted to do a colposcopy and take biopsies of my cervix. She *also* wanted to do an endometrial biopsy just to be on the safe side, because I've got PCOS and have on occasion gone without getting my period for a couple of months. My period was almost gone, just a tiny bit of old, brown blood, but she said that was okay. I had the colp, the biopsies (three pieces of my cervix and one very ouchy scoop of my endometrium). The doctor told me that she'd call me in two weeks with my results. I hobbled home, trying to act as normal as possible in front of my teenage summer guest, who was already freaked out because he'd had to wait two and a half hours in the waiting room, wondering what had happened to me. (Edit: When she examined me, she did tell me that the bump was in fact a Nabothian cyst. So, I went in for something that turned out to be no big deal and ended up finding out I may have a serious problem. Go figure.)
-August 2: Despite the fact that the doctor said I'd only bleed for three or four days, I didn't stop bleeding until this day. Granted, it was very light, brown blood for the last week week, but still, jeez.
-August 4: Called for my results and was told the doctor was gone for the day. The receptionist said the doctor had my chart "in her files," so the biopsy reports might be in it, but probably not because she didn't call me. They did have my Pap and STD reports at the front desk, and she said everything there was negative. I'm a little wary of believing anyone other than a doctor at this point, but I took what I could get. She told me the doctor would be back in the office on Wednesday. Sigh.
-August 6: Got my period again, dammit!
If you've read all of that, thank you! Now, here are my questions:
-In my experience, the bad/scary test results get sent back to the doctor as soon as possible. If she didn't get my results back yet, I'm assuming they were okay. Thoughts?
-Also, if the Pap was normal, then I'm guessing I probably don't have any cancerous cells...right?
-If I do, what comes next? Do I have choices, or is there only one treatment option? I felt kind of ambushed the day I had the biopsies done. She said I didn't have to have them done that day, but I wanted to get it over with.
-Has anyone ever heard of women with PCOS needing an endometrial biopsy? My doctor said she didn't think there was anything wrong but that she wouldn't feel comfortable telling me I was fine unless she checked. O...kay? I guess.
-I *think* she told me to wait two weeks to have sex, but I wasn't sure and I didn't get to ask on Friday. Now, I've got my period and I'm wondering if it's okay to use my DivaCup. Does anyone who's had cervical biopsies know if that would be okay?
-Finally, just a general concern. You know how you kind of like to make a good impression on a new doctor, try to come across as mature and calm and not an emotional, hysterical hypochondriac? How bad do you think it is that I started crying in her office before the exam? I was telling her that the big speculum she'd mentioned using for the colposcopy might be difficult because I tighten up when I haven't had sex in a while and I'd actually pushed the speculum out back in May, right after my doctor had taken the swab. She asked, "Well...you *are* sexually active, right? How often do you and your husband have sex?" And I had to explain that my grandmother had been ill and had just died and I'd been flying back and forth to Florida, not to mention having a teenage relative sleeping in our living room, a few feet from our bedroom door. I just started sobbing. I think I freaked her out a little, though she seemed to understand once I told her about my grandmother. She even told me that her elderly grandmother had been very ill recently and almost died. So I don't *think* she thinks I'm a lunatic, but I'm not sure. I'm just hoping this doesn't affect how she treats me in terms of respecting my concerns rather than dismissing them. She seems pretty good and she has a solid plan for managing my PCOS, so I want to keep her if I can.