I know none of you can actually tell me if it is cancer or not but just need to ask.
Have booked a smear test but none available until the end of the month.
Checked cervix and it feels bumpy so brought a speculum and can see that my cervix is red, slightly bump has 5 white spots. No symptoms. Has any one else had this and it be normal and not cancer ? I have done the wrong thing and googled and also have seen something about cervical ectropion. Anyone had this sound similar?
can you see cancer with your own eyes what does it look like ?
Hi Reh and welcome to the group
I can read how concerned you are but self diagnosis after googling is really not a good idea and will only increase your anxiety.
As you say, no-one here can say if they think you have cancer, and in fact a smear test is not a diagnostic test for cancer-it’s a check for the hpv virus, and from there if hpv is identified a check for any abnormal cells-cells where the hpv virus has caused damage but not necessarily cancer. So things are a long way off at the moment from getting a cancer diagnosis.
In answer to your question, no, I never saw my cancer, but my gynaecologist did as I had an obvious visible tumour. That might not be the same in all cases for everyone. However when I had a cervix, I never tried to feel it myself. Each person will have a unique cervix, and may look different to others, but the only people who can examine it and make a proper assessment are the medical professionals. You won’t know if yours is normal until a doctor takes a look at it.
What I can tell you is that a cervical ectropion is very common and completely normal. It is where the cervical cells have grown in the outside of the cervix and it can look red, and possibly even bleed. It is not cancer. This could explain what you have seen, but a doctor would be able to confirm.
Try not to go poking about in there-it could introduce infection, and make things uncomfortable for you, while serving no purpose. Now that you have booked a smear your cervix will be checked, so until this happens try to keep calm and I’d recommend not googling. It really won’t tell you if anything is wrong. Have you had smear tests before? The whole point of the screening programme is to identify any issues at an early stage so it doesn’t turn into cancer, and you say you have no symptoms, which is a positive sign.
I hope you are reassured when you get your screening, but please let us know how you get on.
Sarah xx
