Well I had a reminder to go for my cervical smear test last week, first one since completing treatment, so I thought I’d make a telephone appointment with the nurse prior to going for the actual appointment just to give her a little background on my situation before turning up. What a lovely understanding lady! I explained about my diagnosis & subsequent treatment & the issues this treatment leaves behind, stenosis, fragile skin & so on & the fact that I’ve never managed to find out if my particular diagnosis was HPV related, she double checked through my smear history & said there was definitely no history of HPV ever being picked up on any previous screening. I’m going to have to put a call in to my surgeon to see if he can take a look at my notes to see if there’s any mention of HPV being the cause of my cancer. She has also said she’ll book a slightly longer appointment for me in case I feel the need to stop during the examination & has said she’ll start with the smallest available speculum so that it’s not too uncomfortable. I also voiced my concerns about the possible change to cells because of the radiotherapy giving a false result but she said she would put all the details on the form that’s filled in to go away with the sample so that the lab technicians would be aware of my history. Anyhoo my appointment isn’t until 12th April so still over a month away but will update once it’s done.
Nicola
Thanks Red, a couple of weeks wait for smear or mammogram results is the norm here in the UK unfortunately & we’re notified via post so quite impersonal but as long as it’s a good result I can take that!
Nicola
Hi guys, hope you’re all doing well, my smear results are in & all’s good! The wording in the report was a little different to previous results though, normally my reports have said something to the tune of ‘your sample/results are normal & no further action is needed’ this time they said ‘your sample showed no sign of HPV therefore no further action is needed’ I’ll be recalled in 5 years which will be the last time I’ll be officially invited for my smears. I’ve just received an invite for bowel screening too this week so I’m hoping for a full house!!
Nicola
Hi Nicola
It will because the testing has changed since you last had your smear. Now the check is for HPV first, and if that’s negative there’s no further testing, just normal recall. Good news though!
I had my mammogram closely followed by the bowel screening test and got a full house of normal-phew!
Sarah xx
Ah thanks for that Sarah, that explains the change in the report wording perfectly.
I had my mammogram last year, so just the bowel screening to go & hopefully it’ll be a full house for me too!
Nicola
Aww thanks Red, I have to admit these results resonated with me more than any other smear results have, I think it comes down to having lost trust in my body. This is hopefully starting to improve a little.
Hope you’re good too.
Nicola
Hey guys, woo hoo I got a full house!! Bowel screening came back clear!
Because I know this test checks for traces of blood I rang my local bowel screening service prior to doing the sample to explain that I’d had treatment for anal cancer & due to the radiotherapy I do get splits in the skin sometimes internally & externally the query being that if blood is detected from this would I be called back for further testing, the lady I spoke with put some notes on my record but basically said yes any trace of blood would be cause for further tests, colonoscopy etc., but amazingly it came back completely clear. So that’s mammogram, smear & bowel screening done & all clear phew!! Just the big appointment, hopefully next month, which if it goes well will mean discharge from surveillance 
Nicola
