On the 20th April 2005 I received a letter from my local hospital informing me that my smear test had come back with an abnormal result, at this stage I was slightly concerned but not to worried. On the same day a little while later I had a phone call from the Hospital asking me if I could attend an appointment on Friday 22nd April 2005 to have a Colposcopy.
I had already looked Colposcopy up on the internet to try and find out what the procedure would entail and although helpful all the sites I visited didn't actually give me a view of this procedure from a patients point and so that's why I have decided to write about my account. Obviously these are just my thoughts and feelings of going through this procedure.
I arrived at the Hospital with my partner for support, I didn't have to wait long before I went into see the Doctor, at first he seemed very abrupt asked me a few questions regarding my periods, contraception and whether I smoked, apparently smoking can cause cervical cancer…kinda made me smile inside as it seems to be the course of everything these days although to be honest cervical cancer is caused by sex pure and simple in my mind.
I was then asked by the nurse to go behind a curtain and remove my clothing from the waist down and to pop on a gown. I then went behind another curtained off area where the Doctor and nurse were waiting for me. I had to sit in what I thought looked like a dentist chair, although they're where two rests at the bottom for me to place my legs on. I sat down and the Doctor then started the exam, the exam itself is no more uncomfortable than having a smear test. The Doctor inserted a speculum inside me just like your smear test, and then the nurse turned on a screen and it as kinda amazing but also a bit weird being able to see my cervix on the screen in glorious Technicolour. He then proceeded to wipe over my cervix with what looked like cotton wool and I watched at different areas of my cervix started to change colour, I also noticed some small bleeding but this was not uncomfortable at all.
When the Doctor had finished doing this he then turned to me and said the words I had dreaded, that he would need to do a biopsy as there were some abnormal cells showing up. Now I started to panic slightly. I asked if this would hurt and he told me that he would inject the area with an
anesthetic and that would numb it so I would not feel the biopsy, he did however say that injections might feel a bit uncomfortable. He had suddenly turned into not the abrupt Doctor I had spoken to outside but a very quiet and caring man. As the Doctor started to inject me I felt strong cramping down below, I wouldn't say it was very painful but it did hurt. The nurse held my hand assuring me the pain would be over soon and that was the worst of it. At this stage I stared to feel faint and a bit sick and became very hot. The nurse and Doctor were great, she kept holding my hand, turned on a fan and got me a drink of water and a cool towel on my head. The Doctor sat very patiently and got the nurse to check my pulse rate, there was no rush to get me to have the biopsy done. The nurse commented that my colour was coming back into my face as I had gone quiet white and the Doctor asked if I was ok before he would begin.
I had asked if my partner could come into hold my hand but was told because the procedure I was having involved electric that he couldn't for risk of an electric shock, the nurse placed a large sticky pad on my left leg and told me that that was to earth me. The Doctor then started the Biopsy; in all honesty I didn't feel a thing I was concentrating on a picture above my head and just quietly counting to myself. Then came the words I needed to hear, "That's it done". The Doctor then continued to do things inside me (stopping the bleeding and sealing the wound) I did at this stage feel heat inside me but that was all no pain. After he had finished he removed the speculum and placed my gown over me. The nurse then showed me what he had used and after looking it up later on the Internet I know that the procedure I had done is called LEEP. I returned to the dressing area where I needed to use a sanitary towel and got dressed. I then sat and talked to the Doctor, he told me that he had removed all the abnormal looking cells in the biopsy and now I would have to wait for up to 5 weeks for the results, he asked if I wanted to know anything but to be honest all I wanted to do was get out of there.
As we left the room I did feel quiet tearful, but I was in no pain. Later on that day I took some painkillers and after a few hours I did start to feel quiet sore and was getting what I would describe as periods pains, I was also losing quiet a bit of blood. The next day the bleeding had stopped but I was still suffering with cramping and losing a brownish discharge that the Doctor had said could be for a few weeks. I must admit the day after I felt quiet poorly, very tied, the only way I could describe it was akin to how you feel after having a baby, and I suppose the procedure does have a dramatic effect on your cervix as giving birth does, by the Sunday I was feeling a lot better. I now just have to wait for my results but will update this accordingly when they are in.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this.
Sange
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