Colposcopy????

Gyn said I would need to come back in three months to have a colposcopy and will do so until he feels I am "clear" and able to go every year for my pelvics and every three years for my paps.
I had cervical cancer and the surgery left me cancer free.
Anyone else go thru this? I forgot to ask why I would need to colposcopys every couple months. DUH Any ideas?

Hi, I had uterine cancer and I have to see my gyn every 3 months and my gyn/onc every 6 for the first year. After that we'll see what they change it to.

I looked up a colposcopy on WebMD and this is what they say:

Colposcopy for abnormal cervical cell changes

Exam Overview

A colposcopy uses a magnifying instrument called a colposcope to look at the vagina and the cervix. Abnormalities (dysplasia) can be seen that might be missed by the naked eye.

How it is done
A colposcopy is usually done in your health professional's office or a clinic.

You will need to take off your clothes below the waist and drape a paper or cloth covering around your waist. You will then lie on your back on an examination table with your feet raised and supported by footrests (stirrups). Your health professional will insert an instrument with curved blades (speculum) into your vagina. The speculum gently spreads apart the vaginal walls, allowing the inside of the vagina and the cervix to be examined.

The colposcope is then placed near the opening of the vagina. Your health professional looks through the colposcope at the cervix and vagina. If the colposcope has a camera attached, pictures can be displayed on a video screen or saved for a permanent record of the test.

The cervix and vagina will be swabbed with a vinegar (acetic acid) solution and sometimes also with an iodine solution. These solutions make abnormal cells of the cervix or vagina more visible. A cervical biopsy may then be done.

A link to the page is here:
http://my.webmd.com/hw/womens_condit...tselectedguid={5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348}

I don't understand why you would need a colposcopy when you don' t have a cervix. I had cervical cancer and after the hyster, DR said see ya next year....hmmmm

Colposcopy??? Of what?? If you have no uterus or cervix, what is there to "scope"? Perhaps your doctor was looking at the wrong chart?!?!?!

I just thought that I would let you know that even though you have a tah/bso for cervical cancer does not mean that you don't have to have yearly paps.

And with those paps you may end up with suspisious cell and then you will need a colposcopy to determine what those suspisious cells are.

I have had one since my hyst, and am due for another due to abnormal cells next week.

I had my TAH for in situ cervical cancer in April. Everything came back clean from pathology. I'm going in for a 6 month pap but I could go back in a year if I had wanted. My Dr. said the oncologists meet often to discuss what follow-up should be done for us and it changes often. I think it also depends which stage the cancer was at.

Jane,
Thanks for setting the record straight!! At my 2 week post-op today, I had to admit how ignorant I am about my own parts' workings since the hyst! Still learnin'....
Ro

Because you've had cancer, your vagina will still be screened rather diligently.

It is a very thoughtful precaution on the part of your doc.

Take care,

Jackie

Every doc does this a little differently. Some docs do only a PAP (typically every 3 months for the first 2 years). Then, if any of the PAP's (or ThinPreps) come back abnormal, they will colposcopy. Mine does a colposcopy yearly (I visit every 6 months). The vagina is a big place and it's not possible to get a sample from all areas to send off for testing, so by doing the colposcopy they can get a close-up look at the vaginal walls to see if there's any evidence of abnormal cells and then they can sample those cells specifically. The colposcopy can also be used to look at the vulva and see if any abnormal cells are there. I think it's an extra cautionary exam, and personally, I prefer extra caution! But some would argue that it's overkill. It is a decision to be made by you and your doctor who are both familiar with your history, so different decisions made be made for different women.

Early detection is the key to successful treatment!

	Quote:
Originally posted by Jeanine The vagina is a big place and it's not possible to get a sample from all areas to send off for testing, so by doing the colposcopy they can get a close-up look at the vaginal walls to see if there's any evidence of abnormal cells and then they can sample those cells specifically. The colposcopy can also be used to look at the vulva and see if any abnormal cells are there. I think it's an extra cautionary exam, and personally, I prefer extra caution! Early detection is the key to successful treatment!

I finally called my Gyn to ask him about this because I was stumped. He said that because I have had cancer that he likes to check the vagina, vaginal walls, and vulva to make sure everything looks fine and to make sure there are no abnormal cells o anything else suspicious. He said he will probably do the colposcopy twice a year with paps every three months and then start spreading them out further when he is happy with what he sees.
My Gyn has always taken good care of me and I trusted that this would not be any different. Glad I have the reasoning behind it now.