"Cellular changes" in pap smear?!
Question: I just had a pap smear and my doctor called to tell me that it noted "cellular changes". He said not to worry, that it is usually due to inflammation but he is having me get a colposcopy just to make sure there isn't something that needs to be monitored.
Has anyone else had this experience? I get paps yearly and this is the first I have had this however I have friends who have had the same thing and it was nothing.
What is your experience?
Answers: I just had a pap smear and my doctor called to tell me that it noted "cellular changes". He said not to worry, that it is usually due to inflammation but he is having me get a colposcopy just to make sure there isn't something that needs to be monitored.
Has anyone else had this experience? I get paps yearly and this is the first I have had this however I have friends who have had the same thing and it was nothing.
What is your experience?
Yes, this happened to me many years ago. I also had to go and have a colposcopy done. Nothing was wrong. Sometimes just the start of infection can cause the pap smear to be off. The pap smear is not 100% accurate. It has it's downfalls. However, this can happen alot of times and alot of times it happens when a person has contacted the papilloma virus. (genital warts) which seems to be pretty common today. So go and get the colposcopy done and get your mind relieved. Most likely it will nothing but you won't know if you don't go get it done. My test came back negative and I worried for nothing. It's been over 15 yrs ago and I have never had another negative pap. But it's best to be concerned than to let it go and it be something very important and needing medical intervention. Good luck to you. I'm sure all will be okay for you.
Benign cellular changes are the primary reason for "abnormal" pap smears. Your doctor wisely told you not to worry. It is extremely common. The fact that he requested a followup colposcopy to me indicates that he/she is being very thorough in your care. The procedure normally takes no longer than about 15 minutes and can give you much greater peace of mind knowing it too was OK. The examining doctor can see cells are a 15 to 40 times magnification for much greater accuracy of identification. Good luck.
Just follow up as your doc has suggesteed. It may be nothing, but it may be something. Better to be safe than sorry.
We get yearly Pap exams for this reason. If it is something, it can often be caught in an early enough stage to treat it.
cellular changes may mean that you have HPV, a very common STD . depending on the type of changes and amount your doctor may have to do a biopsy and then maybe a removal. This is very common among women these days- but it is really important that you get it taken care of - do what your doctor says. Take 400 mg folic acid, if you don't already take a supplement. And if you smoke, quit immediately- nicotine and other chemicals in cigarettes concentrate on your cervix and promote dysplasia
Ironic, I JUST had the same thing, but with a fibroid on my cervix.(new also) I did a repap and HPV test yesterday, and was told don't worry..nothing else I would have a colposcopy.
How about we try not to worry together? :)
i had it...its usually from HPV our bodies usually fight it off on our own...ive had 2 laser surgerys on my cervix because of it...they lasered off the pre cancerous cells on my cervix...dont panic its very common its good ur getting your regualr paps and keep doing that!