Colposcopy????

hello i was just wondering if any of you ladys ever had a colposcopy befor and if so what should i look for?? im to have one and when i looked it up only tells what they think will happen lol can you please tell me your story??
thanks karlene

12/23/03
Hi !
I've has 2 colposcopies in the past year. There are things I'd rather have been doing at the time but the procedure was important. I cosidered it just afew degrees worse than a pap-smear, I had a vinegar solution swabbed onto my cervix which stings a little, some numbing spray before the actual procedure which I thought was the worst part-- it stung a little. If the doctor tells you everything he/ she is doing and what to expect there probably won't be any surpises pain wise. the procedure just took a few minutes the first time, the second time there was an audience (newly hired nurse) the doctor took extra time to explain everything to us both, this I could have lived without. I have since had an abdominal hysterectomy I kept my ovaries. The reason for all this was a bout with HPV when I was 18. I had cryosurgey at that point and then twenty years of normal pap smears up until this past year. First an abnormal pap, colposcopy, then a cone biopsy. Almost a year to the day from the biopsy and pap-smears every three months I got another abnormal pap, another colposcopy and then a hysterectomy. I am two weeks post-op today. I hope I have helped.
Good luck and many prayers and hugs
Karen

thanks yes this is helling me i am one who can take pain but hmm in that spot im a big chicken lol
hugs karlene

I have had several colposcopies and they are no fun at all. I had them all with the same doc, except the last one and I was asleep for that one. He doesn't use anything to numb the area which could be the problem. The colposcopy is no big deal, except that they use a bigger speculum than for a pap and they use the vinegar solution. The vinegar does sting a little. It is used to show the area of abnormal cells when the doc looks in with the colposcope.

If the doc sees anything that looks abnormal, s/he will take a few biopsies. That is the part hurts like you know what to me and my doc took about 13 of them the first time I had it done. You know how a papercut can hurt worse than an actual cut? Well, it's kinda the same phenomenon with the biopsies. When I have seen them, they look to be about the size of toenail clippings. Really no big deal at all. But, like I said, nothing to numb the area and I think it hurts. If you are afraid of pain, call ahead and ask if you can take something like advil or even Zanax or a pain pill. Some docs will allow that to help you relax and ease the discomfort. Many women only think it feels like discomfort, but I find it painful. I had the LEEP and the shot didnt hurt at all and I had no pain or bleeding after.

You may have some bleeding after the biopsies. You may want to wear your own pad when you go in so you don't have to use theirs. I didn't do that the first time. My doc also doesn't put anything to seal off the little wounds and mine bled for several weeks that first time. The second one had fewer biopsies and I didn't bleed as much.

I don't want to scare you. It is all over relatively quickly and it really is good to have it done to know what is going on down there. You will breeze through it, but call and ask if they will let you take anything just to make it even better.

Nicole

I had a colposcopy about 3-4 years ago and I didn't have any problem with it. I had some minor pain and discomfort during the procedure but afterwords I felt fine. No serious bleeding, I think the DR used something to prevent it. I was nervous going into it but afterwards I realized it was not that bad. I think it depends on your DR. as to how well the procedure goes.

geesh..I had my first at 20..and then cryosurgery..my second at 21 <both of these were with biopsys and they can be a bear..take some ibuprofen before you have the procedure done... and like the other sister said bring your own pad/pantiliner... have to say tho endometrial biopsies are worse than colposcopy...you may have some cramping afterwards..and if they do biopsies the may use silver nitrate to stop bleeding or get rid of granulation tissue..I don't remeber if you said this was because of HPV <mine was>...but if it is it's very important you go for whatever doc reccomends...i then had laser surgery due to cancer cells being found and I was only 21 and still wanted children..this worked for 20 years..they took about 2/3 of my cervix..and I've two bratlets one of each kind too!....have had abnormal paps..so we did laproscopic surgery <6 freaking hours>..and they removed part of one ovaries..adhesions out the wazoo and scar tissue which was wrapped around bowel/pancreas/appendix...I begged for a hysterectomy then..was tired of all the nonsense and knew I couldn't have more children...well..6 years later..had a radical hyster vertical cut and exploratory surgery and guess what..cancer was found in
utero/and bowel lining...so am currently noe going thru chemo... you know..I'm sorry this is so long..just that everything started with that first colpo and I guess I needed to vent.. ..am sorry...but there are worse things to go thru then a colpo..and you will survive... and don't worry overmuch ok...

Shzoo

I had one done on the Monday after Thanksgiving break. My doc. told me everything evry step of the way. The only thing that was uncomfortable to me was the tool they use to hold you open, the same one they use for a pap smear. (my bladder and uterus are very low and have entered the vagina). He started by first numbing the area. I felt no pain what so ever when he took the biopsy. Afterwards he put some yellow stuff on it and told me it will stop the bleeding. He handed me a pantyliner because afterwards I was on my way to work. I kept it on for about 3 hours and never did bleed. But later that night, I did have a strange discharge because of the yellow stuff he used. My doc. and I are both on the comical side, serious but can crack a joke in a moments notice. Before I tell you what I told him, Let me tell you that he called the yellow stuff "mustard" maybe because thats what it looked like. I told him when he was done and I sat up, "Well now I have all the condiments for a sub sandwhich down there". Believe me he was in tears laughing so hard. I guess it was pretty funny. But don't worry about it, you'll be fine.

thanks all as reading all of this yes it has help but i also know everyone has a diff story i know ill be ok but im still scared im real tuchie in that and dont like to be looked at not one bit lol but who isnt lol anyways ill still get it done i would rather know if i have cancr then turn away and die in a couple of years becouse i dint let them do it and with me being a singel mom i think it qwould be better if i did have it done thanks again all and ill let you know how it went for me
huuggs and forever blessed
karlene

Good luck to you on your colpo. I had my 1st done on Dec 15th. To be honest with you, I'm like you, a huge weenie when it comes to pain, and the worst part, I don't tolerate pain meds.
My DR was very good at explaining what he was going to do, and I also had an audience (a med student). The worse part to me was that the med student had never seen HPV before, and kept saying "OH, look, a wart"....embarrassing!
Like everyone says, it does hurt, it feels like a "twinge" and it stings and then you may have something like menstrual cramps.
This is just how I felt. However, at a 1 1/2 weeks later, I'm still spotting. The other nasty thing is the "mustard"....it comes out and it's kinda grainy & Yellow & black.
I took ibuprofen before I went in and again when I got in the car. My sister and DH went with me, and she drove home, and hit a bump, and I about cried. But by evening, I was fine.
Like I said, this is just my experience, and I hope yours goes well.

Cricket
cervical cancer TH to be scheduled

thanks all on the feed back i guess ill have my own story on it soon ill let you all know how i am after having it but till then merry christmas ]
hugs karlene