Abnormal pap smear

Moms View Message Board: General Discussion Archive: Archive March 2005: Abnormal pap smear

My dr just called and told me my pap smear had abnormal cells in it... they want to see me in three months. They said not to be too concerned yet, but you know, what else am I going to do but worry about it?

By Cat on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 01:31 pm:

I had an abnormal pap about 7 or 8 years ago. It turned out I had a yeast infection I didn't know about (go figure!). Redid the pap a couple months later and it was normal. There are SO many reasons a pap could come back abnormal. Try not to stress too much about it. {{{{{Janet}}}}}

By Heaventree on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 01:32 pm:

If you doctor is a Family or General Doctor, call him/her back and ask for a referral to an Gynocologist. The Gyno can do a special exam, can't remember what it is called - ladies help me out here an coloscopy????

Abnormal pap smears are not always something to worry about - but sometimes they are, you should really go and see a specialist.

I was at the doctor the other day and he mentioned that he had a 27 year old in with inoperable cervical cancer - really bad news her only option at this point is chemo and radiation.

I don't mean to scare you and it could be nothing, a lot of people have abnormal pap smears and it's nothing, however a lot can happen in 3 months - at least get a second opinion. We can't always rely on doctors to make all the decisions concerning our health it is really up to us to be persistent and proactive. Please don't sit around and worry call them back and let us know what happens.

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 01:53 pm:

I can certainly understand why you don't want to spend the next three months in anxiety. If this doctor is not a gynecologist, you definitely want an immediate referral to a gynecologist and a second pap test. If the doc is a gynecologist, you want a better explanation than to tell you not to be too concerned YET. Yet!! for heaven's sake. If it were me I'd be on the phone to the doctor's office asking for a very prompt appointment to discuss this and maybe do another PAP and/or some more thorough test.

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 01:55 pm:

I can certainly understand why you don't want to spend the next three months in anxiety. If this doctor is not a gynecologist, you definitely want an immediate referral to a gynecologist and a second pap test. If the doc is a gynecologist, you want a better explanation than to tell you not to be too concerned YET. Yet!! for heaven's sake. If it were me I'd be on the phone to the doctor's office asking for a very prompt appointment to discuss this and maybe do another PAP and/or some more thorough test.

I would not want to spend April, May and June not being too concerned. My imagination is too wild for that, and with the internet you can learn the worst case scenarios all too easily. .

By Janet on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 02:39 pm:

My dr is an OB/GYN.

By Rayanne on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 03:09 pm:

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}

I'm sorry. I hope everything turns out to be ok.

By Dana on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 03:23 pm:

Just to help you get at ease, I also had an abnormal one once. The second one was fine. Prayers for good results for you.

By Fraggle on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 03:33 pm:

When I had an abnormal pap smear the doctor saw me again a month later. I don't know if the type of results from the pap smear indicate the urgency for follow up? Anways, I ended up having a colposcopy and a LEEP done, but that was three years ago and I haven't had an abnormal one since. I hope everything is okay.

By Missbookworm on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 03:57 pm:

I had an abnormal one a while back and the retested after that time and it was nothing. My last pap smear showed a mild woman's infection. I sooo do not like hearing please come and see me you have an infection over the phone. {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ hugs }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

By My2cuties on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 04:05 pm:

I cannot relate... I could only imagine how I would feel. ((((hugs)))) Everything could turn out just fine.

By Breann on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 04:32 pm:

I am over due on my yearly check up. I just scheduled it and can't get in until JUNE!
I hope that everything comes back fine on your next test.

By Mommmie on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 06:03 pm:

I've had 2 bad paps in my life. Sometimes it's just the part of the cycle where the cells shed and that causes a bad pap. I think they can tell if it's a serious bad pap or not a serious bad pap when they look at it at a lab. (It's numbered 1-5, I believe)

You can have a biopsy if at 3 months it's still bad. I had one both times. The first one confirmed it was nothing - the cells shedding. The 2nd one biopsy led to cryosurgery where they burned off those cells.

Call you doctor and see if he'll go ahead and do a biopsy. Maybe it's an insurance issue, like they won't pay for a certain degree bad pap because so many of them are nothing. Can't hurt to ask. I think I may have waited the 3 months the second time. I can't remember now. I'm not too much of a worrier though.

By Mrse on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 06:14 pm:

I had a bad pap once, and I had to go to the cancer clinc, and they removed the bad cells, they told me that they were the type that could become cancerous, so they just remove them. The pap test all come back normal now, but know exactley how you feel. Janet I think you should go in and see your doctor again, and get him/her to explain exactley what they found, it will put your mind at ease untill they retest you. If they want to wait the three months, I don't think that, it is to much to worry about, if it was really of a concern your doctor would have had you in right away to deal with it. But go to the doc anyway just to get a better explantion of what is going on. Thinking of you

By Kay on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 08:12 pm:

After my first abnormal pap, my ob/gyn immediately had me come in for a biopsy. Long story short, mine was one of the cases that resulted in a rapidly progressing pre-cancerous condition. I ended up opting for a hysterectomy after a freezing procedure, which I'm glad I did, as was my doctor, considering how mine progressed.

An ob/gyn friend told me that a pap smear only takes cells from one small area - abnormality could exist elsewhere, so that's why it's so important to have regular pap smears.

I'm not telling you to frighten you, but I would insist on another test immediately. There's no reason you should spend 3 or 4 months worrying about it - and I know you would, because I would do the same, even if the odds are in your favor that it's nothing serious.

By Pamt on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 10:02 pm:

Deep breath Janet. I've BTDT twice and I see that others have as well and we all have different stories. First things first, call your doctor back and find out exactly what level and type of cells were found. Both times mine was a Level 1 or something that indicate "abnormal cells typically indicating irritation or infection." I was put on an antibiotic for 10 days and then retested at 3 months. Things were fine then and I didn't have another atypical pap until several years later and it was the same type of thing. DON'T WORRY---but do call your doctor to find out the specifics of your results. Cervical cancer isn't terribly common and there are certain lifestyle factors that increase your risk (multiple sexual partners, young when first became sexually active). If those aren't true for you then you have even less of a risk of cervical cancer. Post an update. I'm sure it's nothing!

By Kim on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 07:57 am:

And always remember ladies that you should not have sex 24 hours befoer your pap as it can change the ph of your body and give an abnormal result!

Janet, I hope all is well!

By Beth on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 09:10 am:

I have had more abnormal then normal pap smears in my life. I don't know why that is. But it is always frustrating. I have learned just to almost expect it after my paps. I am actually overdue right now but scheduled an appointment when I was in with a UTI last week. I know it is not very comforting but it has never turned out to be anything for me. Good Luck!

By Trisa on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 09:16 am:

I will be thinking of you andpraying everything is ok. Tty not to worry. ((( HUGS )))

By Palmbchprincess on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 10:16 am:

I've received abnormal pap results before, mine turned out to be a mild infection as well, but they knew that when I called for my results. (The docs send a letter saying either it's normal, or call us, the results were abnormal.) I would insist on going in again, just to be on the safe side, the stress cannot be good for you.

By Janet on Monday, March 21, 2005 - 12:52 pm:

I just got off the phone with the nurse, and she said the reason they're wanting to wait is that the cells change slowly, and if we had another one today, it would come out the same. Of course, reading all of your responses has made me alternately crazy and comforted. Bottom line is that the dr doesn't see a need for immediate action, so we'll wait and do it again in June. Thanks!