Good evening ladies
You may be aware of my story so far, I have a few questions if anyone could help please. Following on from my appointment with my GP last Monday after taking on board the good advice about having my cervix examined I asked for this and it was carried out. I was told by the GP that my cervix looked red and inflamed, she stated she expected it to be nice and pink, and as I was not on contraception this was not the reason ,I was referred under the 2 week cancer pathway having seen that and given all of my symptoms.
I received an appointment to attend colposcopy today 15 Feb at 16:00. I went by myself with the restrictions still being in place, I waited around an hour and was then asked into a room by a healthcare assistant, she then asked me to undress from the waist down and sit on the examination chair. The colposcopist wheeled herself over to me and said "It always gets to a certain part in the day when I just wheel myself across the room" "Last week I done it at 9am!", anyway she put in the speculum and took a few biopsies and said "OK all done". I asked was I not having a Colposcopy given my referral and symptoms to which she replied "No, its just so I can have a look, but I can have a look with the machine if you want me to ?" I stated I did want her to as I thought that was the whole purpose in the appointment following from my referral, a colposcopy. The healthcare assistant stated "The machines not plugged in " proceeded to switch it on and the colposcopist came across, she said it takes a few minutes to focus. She looked and dabbed some liquid soaked cotton wool on my cervix, after around 2 minutes if that she said she was finished. At no point was the monitor switched on and other than her telling me about the liquid she was putting on my cervix nothing was explained. She referenced the coil on numerous occasions, said my cervix looked normal and that the ablation would reduce my bleeding but none of my other symptoms. No time frame given in relation to receiving results of the biopsy or how I would receive them, spoken to through a curtain, or when facing the computer. She said there's some changes but insignificant to need treatment. She said she expects the results to be normal and not cancer, and she stated she certainly wouldn't expect cervical cancer in someone of my age, I'm 38 !! I asked why would my cervix have looked red and inflamed last week, she said it can happen, said i probably just have dysfunctional bleeding and it happens to lots of people. I have been bleeding every time I wipe since I had sex last Sat and then the examination on the Monday where my cervix was lightly touched with the brush causing it to bleed. Constant pelvic and back pain with no relief (Codeine, Paracetamol and Naproxen). Heavy bleeds, large clots, bleeding for weeks on end and on NO contraception, not for around 7-8 years! Is this normal protocol under the 2 week urgent pathway ? my experience was nothing like some ladies have explained, I felt like I was an inconvenience and she wanted to go home, I was her last of the day. I feel like I have built up to this only to feel in a worse position than before. Has anyone else had a bad experience or is it just me ? I'm going to ring and speak to the GP who made the referral when she is in on Thursday as I want a 2nd opinion, I feel like I have once again been short changed. Sorry for the long post I'm just so frustrated. Any advice is welcome
Thanks
Aimee xx
Hi Aimee
I’m really shocked at your experience, which seems to be not what you expected or deserved. She took biopsies before anything else? That sounds very odd to be honest. I assumed you would be seeing a gynaecologist, not going for a colposcopy. The statement about cervical cancer and age was just ludicrous in my opinion. I know many people much younger who have or have had cervical cancer, and many who have died. I don’t mean to frighten you, just show how dangerous her statement was,
In my opinion, no, this does not seem normal under the 2 week pathway. An appointment with a colposcopist would normally follow an abnormal smear in my experience, to identify areas of abnormal pre cancerous cells for removal. This is where the liquid would be put on to identify abnormal cells. But she did this AFTER taking biopsies? She saw “changes” but doesn’t think they need treatment? Only biopsies can confirm that.
Suspicion of cancer an a referral I would think should be to a gynaecologist, not a colposcopist, but of course I’m not a medic so this is only my opinion.
I would go back to your gp, definitely, and get a second opinion if necessary. Cervical cancer doesn’t always happen where you can see it-it can develop in the cervical canal, and while I’m not suggesting that you have cervical cancer, I think you need more of an examination than you were given. I wouldn’t leave it at this, and would push for more, given your symptoms.
I’m so sorry to read you had such a bad experience today, and are not really any further on. Keep advocating for yourself-you deserve better than what happened today. xx
Good morning and thank you. I was only fast tracked last Monday with an appointment made for yesterday, after reading numerous items from NICE, PHE & NHS it would appear I should have had a colposcopy followed by biopsies if anything suspicious was found. The Colposcopist examined me & took biopsies then said she was finished ! I asked about colposcopy and she said “I can have a look if you want me to?” The machine wasn’t turned on ! Of course I wanted her to look after being sent down the suspected cervical cancer route !!!! Is it normal to have a monitor what you as a patient can see during the colposcopy ? This wasn’t the case for me, and it took her 2 mins to look & dab my cervix if that !! Now the wait to speak to the GP when she is in tomorrow as she’s a locum. I wouldn’t ever dream of treating my patients the way I was treat yesterday I’m more frustrated today on reflection of the whole event !! I’ve attached a pic of the only information leaflet I was given.
Thanks ladies I will keep you updated. Hope you are all well, or as best you can be today
Aimee xx
Hi Aimee
When I went for my referral, yes, there was a monitor beside the chair although I chose not to look. But the gynaecologist was very thorough in his examination, I don’t understand why she took biopsies before having a proper look when you went!
Angela’s right-they want to rule cancer out as much as anything, but it seems like you haven’t had as good a referral as you should have, and awful to make you feel like you were an inconvenience and she wanted to get home!
Keep speaking up Aimee, and check when you are likely to receive your biopsy results, since you should have been given an indication of that too. xx
