Cervical Dysplasia

[Jilliebean]

My 20 yo daughter just received a call from her Dr that her pap was abnormal and that she had "high grade" changes and they want to do a colposcopy next week. She (and I) are scared to death about what this could possibly mean. She has had 2 of the 3 Gardisil treatments.
Any info you could give me would be most appreciated. What should she expect from the colposcopy...I have been told it is very painful.
Thank you all.
J

[mcasta28]

I'm 28 years old, my nightmare started last year. I received a call about an abnormal pap so they suggested a second pap because they told me that sometimes our body gets rid of the abnormal cells without any procedures or treatment so I waited. But when the second pap came back abnormal they tested me for HPV which came back positive. Afterwards they did a colposcopy. Its like a pap, the difference is that the doctor is looking inside with a colposcope (like a microscope). He is looking for the abnormal cells and once he/she finds them a sample of that area is taken, its a small biopsy. It was not an unbearable pain, it felt like a cramp. Once they tested that sample they told me that I needed cryotherapy. This procedure freezes the abnormal cells in an attempt to get rid of them once and for all. After the cryotherapy I had a pap every three months. The first one came back normal so I was really happy but then the second one came back abnormal, so did the third. Not only did they come back abnormal but there was a change in the amount of abnormal cells, it went from mild to moderate. So these abnormal cells came back with a vengeance! Now they want to do a cone biopsy which has to be done at a hospital under anesthesia, so I am scared, sad and stressed out. Has your daughter been tested for HPV? The gardisil treatments are supposed to prevent her from getting infected with HPV so something went wrong, maybe she was infected with HPV before the treatments or maybe the changes they found in her are not at all realted to HPV and hopefully her body gets rid of them by itself.

[vmarie83]

I understand what you and your daughter are going through. I too was had an abnormal pap smear, I am 26 years old i was diagnosed with hpv. I had my colposcopy done 2 weeks ago, I was soooo scared. I even cried a little during the procedure. I was able to watch the entire thing on a small tv next to my bed. The doctor showed me the infection and sent the findings to the lab. Just today i found out that i have type 3 dysplasia, I have to have a portion of my cervix removed. I am so afraid and nervous. I dont have any children so my fear is that i wont be able to have any. For right now im staying strong with the help of my family and hoping that ill be fine. The best advice i can give to any woman is to not be afraid get your annual pap it could save your life. The road will be hard but support and getting all the information you can is helpful. Also ask your doctor any questions it will help put you at ease.