Hello ladies,
I've been reading so many of your stories and experiences and just blown away with how resilient everyone is. I was hoping some of you might have some insight into how colposcopy appointments are for me as I'm so nervous about it.
A few years ago I started spotting a few days after each period. I put it down to my age, early 40s. Roll on a few weeks ago I noticed a bit of pain on my right side, lasted a day or so but needed painkillers. Also peeing... all the time. Had a very light spotting after nooky with hubby. And again mid cycle. Was also ovulating at the time but went doctors because I'd started the mad worry.
Doctor was lovely and gave me an exam. I'd had a smear 3 years previous that was clear. She said that she could see a cyst. Which is often perfectly normal but she said she could also see a slight yellowing on the cervix next to this cyst. She doesn't believe that the bleeding after my periods Is of concern, but the mid cycle bleeding is. She also said she did not think that the peeing was linked and likely because I'm not regularly moving my bowels. That's not a new thing I have never been regular.
But has referred me for colposcopy which may or may not include a biopsy, possibly ultrasound and blood tests.
It's pretty terrifying having all these tests. I was wondering they do all of them during the colposcopy? Do the doctors talk to you after its finished as tonwhat they think or donyou have to wait. So far I have only received my appointment for that. Sorry lots of questions!
Hi Lizzy24 and welcome to our group.
I can understand you are worried about having tests, but you’ve got some symptoms which need explaining, so it’s best you get things checked out.
The colposcopy is just having a better look at your cervix with strong magnification. Depending on what is seen, there may be a biopsy taken-I had punch biopsies done, which were over in a second and weren’t painful. An ultrasound may be done just to have a look at your pelvic area but I didn’t have this done.
If you have biopsies done, then there is a wait for results of this as the tissue removed needs to be analysed in the lab, so you may not know more on the day.
You don’t have a diagnosis of anything yet, so try not to think the worst at this point. Please come back and let us know how you get on, and I hope there is nothing serious going on.
Sarah xx
I wasn’t expecting a biopsy at my first appointment so I didn’t have time to worry about it in advance which was a good thing. They are only taking a very small sample of tissue, and one of the nurses was lovely and actually held my hand and chatted away, keeping me distracted.
I did have some bleeding afterwards so, I’d recommend taking a pad with you just in case, although this doesn’t happen for everyone. I wish I had as the nurses struggled to find one for me! However, I need to stress that I wasn’t typical in that I had a large lesion needing to be biopsied and you’re not in the same situation it sounds from your post.
The waiting is horrible-all of us I’m sure can identify with that-but it’s easier once you know what you’re dealing with.
Sarah xx
