Have you ever had an abnormal pap? I've read that tons of women have. It had never happened to me until just last month. All I could think was, 'What's wrong with my hoo-ha??'
My doctor told me that I had some unusual cells on my cervix, and that a Colposcopy would have to be scheduled to get a closer look. The condition is called LGSIL [Low Grade Squamous Intraepitheliel Lesion]. That particular website scared me from the get-go, because the word CANCER is in the URL. Don't get too nervous, those odds are rare. I waited what seemed like a year for my appointment, and thought it would be a good idea to read up on what was going to happen.
I scared the Bejeesus out of myself. My advice to anyone doing their research on a procedure that they're scheduled for has always been to make sure that you read enough to know about what to expect, but not too much that will freak you out about what you may or may not have to do. I found articles explaining the removal of pre-cancerous cells, the horrors of HPV, and accounts of painful doo-dads that Gynos use for different types of procedures. What I learned was this:
-High Risk HPV isn't as scary as it sounds, but it does need to be monitored.
-Having it doesn't mean you're a dirty person.
-When a doctor tells you that you need a Colposcopy- you should keep in mind that it is pretty much a pap smear with a camera. [You can see your cervix!] It is much more common than you think. The whole thing takes about a half hour, and you may not even need a biopsy.
-For the ladies that do need a biopsy, the pinch [which feels similar to getting your blood drawn] should last only about 15 seconds.
-If you have an abnormal pap, have a Colposcopy, and find that the lame cells on your cervix are indeed a bit strange, your Gyno will have you back in 6 months to check things again.
-These cells can either dissipate on their own within about two years, remain the same and never turn into anything worse, or become cancer. As long as you go back to your Gyno for scheduled paps, you'll be able to catch it before it is of major concern. My doctor told me that it takes longer than six months for those cells to become cancerous, so they et you back in time to make sure everything down there is a-okay.
If you are scared, ask questions.
The staff will talk you through what they're doing, and you can watch the whole thing on a screen as it's happening. The nerd in me is still excited about that part. You have the right to know what's going on with your body, and I think that's our privilege as body-owners!
I just want to say thanks to the handful of gals that helped me prepare for this. It wasn't awful, and now I can add some vag knowledge to my list of things to know. It was super relaxing to learn that some of my friends had gone through this, and I'm happy to have had their support.
Oooh, oooh... I also learned that if you're a smoker, your down there part actually takes in more carcinogens than most parts of your body! Ick! 'Those pretty little girls don't care about their hearts or lungs, but tell them they're 'stuff's in danger, and they're allll ears' -Nurse Marty, BIDMC.
Vagina Power!
