Hey guys, I want to start with saying that I am a student nurse in my 3rd year, so feel like I should know this as I’ve researched cervical cancer but nothing is helping. I’m sorry if this is all over the place but please feel free to ask me to clarify, I ramble too much! I’m nervous.
I am 41, for the last 10 years I’ve been having to get a colposcopy after smears to get cells removed, to the point that it hurts so bad to get them removed now due to this.
But on the 4.8.26, the nurse called me to say that the biopsy from this colposcopy, showed that it was cancer. And it was still on the ends of this, so it was going to the MDT team and as it was on the Tuesday she told me I would have to wait for the MDT the following Wednesday, which was the 12.08.26. She told me they would call me then with a plan to go forward, I had waited all day and called at 5:30 that evening and her secretary had asked her about me and she told her to make an appointment with me for a face to face meeting to discuss my options with the gynaecologist and this will be Wednesday coming 19.08.26.
Is this normal to see the gynaecologist? My friend has told me to stop being silly, that if it was anything serious then they would have had been in already! I have been so scared and nervous, since I got that call on the 4th aug, to the point I’ve 7 different bald spots on my head and I do it, but struggle to get through each day.
I know il know more on Wednesday but can anyone help me in the meantime?
thank you so much 
️ xx
Hi Donna41 and welcome to our group.
Your worry is coming through your post, and I hope it helps to be able to express that here. I’m sure that being a student nurse will suddenly feel very different when you’re in the process of finding out more about your own situation. I wasn’t a nurse and knew next to nothing about cervical cancer when I was diagnosed myself, and even though that was a long time ago now, I still remember exactly how it felt, and how scary it was.
Please don’t worry about rambling-your head will be in a bit of a spin at the moment, and that’s completely understandable.
So..if I can try to break down your post a little to deal with one thing at a time. You’ve had to have colposcopies after smear tests, which I presume is because the smear tests identified an active hpv infection? Your cells were removed, so was that via a LLETZ procedure which removes abnormal cells? The colposcopy itself is a much closer examination of your cervix, and if the colcoscopist sees abnormal cells, they are either left alone in the hope they will regress, or are removed, depending on the level of abnormality. These cells are examined in the lab and you would normally be advised of the level of the abnormality (CIN1, 2 or 3). Sometimes it is possible that cancer cells can be found as seems to have happened in your case.
It is standard for results to go to the MDT meeting, as that’s where the treatment plan going forward is discussed and agreed upon.
It’s absolutely normal to then have an appointment with a gynaecologist to discuss the results, so please don’t be too concerned about that. The gynaecologist will want to explain to you exactly what has been found and what the next steps are. A secretary is not allowed to discuss results-they are not medically qualified and any questions you might have need to be answered by a gynaecologist.
Waiting for appointments is never easy, but things will hopefully feel better once you know what’s happening and what needs to be done. Action will depend on what has been found, so please try not to second guess what that might be. Dr Google is not your friend while you’re in this limbo stage-it can’t diagnose you, but can scare you or at least increase your anxiety!
Have you tried any self help techniques meantime to manage your anxiety? I chose an app called Headspace on my phone which I found very helpful to ground me in the moment, and listened to calming apps such as the sound of the ocean to help me calm myself and sleep.
All I can recommend is taking one day at a time for now. The wait for the appointment is not long, and has actually been made quite quickly for you, but you can’t actually read much into the timing of appointments as it depends on how busy your hospital is.
I can’t tell you not to worry, as we all do, but on Wednesday you’ll have some answers and I hope that will help you. Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. There is plenty support for you here if you need it.
Sarah xx
Hey Sarah, thank you! I really appreciate you taking the time to reply to me, I will have a look into headspace, I’m sure I’ve heard of that before. Your absolute correct, there is nothing that ca
be done other than to add more worry and panic onto myself, that’s why I came into here and I’m very glad I have, yes of course I will log on Wednesday night. Thank you again x
This is a safe place to share how you feel, get things off your chest and ask questions if you’re not sure about anything.
It’s good to have you join us, and I’m around every day keeping an eye out for new posts. I hope your appointment goes well on Wednesday-things are rarely as bad as we might imagine!
Sarah xx
