colposcopy experience

[ariagirl2010.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone. Today I had my first colposcopy, and it was DEFINITELY not as bad as I thought it would be. I guess cervix-sensitivity and other factors change the experience a lot, but I'll tell you about my experience!

I went into the exam room, my medical history and blood pressure and urine sample was taken, and then the procedure was explained to me. The doctor then left the room, instructing me to undress below the waist. The worst part was the anticipation, as I was left to wait for 25 minutes.

She then returned, along with the nurse. She inserted the speculum, and set up the video equipment (unfortunately right beside me, so I am now intimately familiar with the appearance of my magnified cervix). She put on the acetic acid solution, which stung a bit. Then she said that she would take some biopsies, and I would feel a pinch and cramps. She took 3 biopsies. It was a dull pain, but nothing in ANY way unbearable. Then she scraped inside the opening of my cervix--uncomfortable but not painful at all. After putting something on to stop bleeding, the procedure was finished.

The pain afterwards is probably the worst part; I have cramping and pain at the biopsy sites. But I don't have much bleeding.

Hope this helps!
Genevieve

Comments

[tblissa0.livejournal.com]

Hey Genevieve...thanks for sharing your experience. While I am lucky to not have dealt with that yet...I have a friend who has gotten a few positive pap smears and is going in for a colposcopy. I'll let her know your thoughts/experiences to put her a bit at ease.

[nyahnyahnyah.livejournal.com]

I've had a biopsy taken too! Mine was from inside my uterus. It really isn't scary, but yeah, the anticipation can make ya nervous. The nurse and gyno let me decide how much of the procedure I did or didn't want to see. I was interested in seeing the inside of my uterus, but I didn't want to watch the biopsy itself. I thought seeing inside my uterus was really cool :D, but I know it isn't for everyone. They immediately turned the video equipment away from me when they were ready to take the biopsy, which worked out well. Definitely more crampy than bloody afterwards, and nothing that was hard to deal with.

[krieg.livejournal.com]

I go for my 3rd colpo in two weeks. :( My past two have been quite painful, though.

[achtungbaby80.livejournal.com]

Mine kind of hurt, too. It's like the more I have, the worse I feel it because oddly enough, the very first one was the easiest.

[silentsneaking.livejournal.com]

You're a lucky one. The anticipation is definitely the worst.

[hardtogetover.livejournal.com]

Mine was similar to yours painwise, it was more interesting and nerve-wracking (waiting for test results and all) than painful. I'm glad it went well, hope everything comes out ok. :-)

[lotus82.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for telling about your experience - I'm having a colposcopy in three weeks and I'm *extremely* nervous about it.