I found out about 2 weeks ago that I have hpv and abnormal cervical cells following a routine pap smear. So my gyn recommended a colposcopy to take a closer look. I totally panicked when i got the news - I have an std, gross! - but after much research and realizing just how common hpv is i finally calmed down a bit.
The colposcopy even seemed to be no big deal. No big deal that is until just now. After looking around the Dope for some first hand experiences I’m majorly freaked out. Women actually said it was worse than childbirth. I had a baby almost 5 years ago. Labor and delivery sucked big time! I also have a very strong vaso vagal response to pain. To put it simply, I’m a fainter.
What should I expect tomorrow? Please be honest. My appointment is in just under 10 hours from now at 10:00 am. My husband is taking me. I planned that in advance just knowing my tendency for fainting.
Kind words of encouragement are, of course, also welcome.
sorry you are feeling so freaked out! The only thing I could think if when reading your post was this: it may be worse than childbirth, but whose childbirth? I have heard my friends say certain pain was worse than that, but their childbirth was a painful couple of hours and the baby popping out on the third push. YMMV!
Hpv is very common, here in Italy they now vaccinate girls against it, I am sure they must have a similar programme where you are.
Sending you calming thoughts, I hope it is over and done with quickly!
Who told you it was worse than childbirth? Geez, it’s a bit uncomfortable for sure, and the taking of the biopsy certainly makes you wince, but it doesn’t come anywhere NEAR childbirth (unless your birthing experience included massive amounts of painkillers AND an epidural). And of course it’s over pretty quickly too…unlike childbirth!
If you’re particularly anxious though, mention this to your medical team and they might be able to give you some diazepam or something similar. Nothing worse for them than a freaked-out woman on the table…I’m sure they’ll be happy to oblige.
Keeping my fingers crossed that the pathology reports come back with good news!!
I’ve had two babies and two colposcopies, and there is nothing whatsoever remotely comparable between the two. I’m a wuss and a fainter (I learned the term vaso vagal at my first colposcopy in fact) and truly - it’s not so bad. My dr recommended loading up on protein before an experience that may cause fainting or dizziness, and I had a bunch of yogurt right before my second colposcopy and was fine. Take a couple painkillers an hour before your appointment, does help a bit.
Thank you all for your very reassuring words. I do have yogurt here and will have some with breakfast. Great suggestion, Elret. I’m also going to take some ibuprofen once I have eaten something. I have one Vicodin left from an unrelatedsurgery back in February. Is that over kill? I hate to waste it but it should also calm me down a bit I think.
I forget who said it was worse than childbirth. It was someone on the Dope in an old thread. I think the title was something like “The Most Pain You’ve Ever Been In”. Reading that thread wasn’t my brightest idea. Tho by 3am I was hardly thinking clearly.
I wouldn’t take anything. Including the ibuprofen,** they are **going to make sure you’re comfortable with the correct medication. My prep included not taking any medication the morning of at all. When I had my colonoscopy the doctor could of shoved keys on a stick up there and I wouldn’t of cared.
Mine hurt (couple of hours of feeling owwie, solved by a nap) but by no means was it awful. And I’m allergic to NSAIDS so no nice anti-inflammatory goodness for me, which would certainly have helped. I’d save the big guns for after just in case, but I didn’t need them.
Umm… I don’t think you are supposed to eat or drink anything before hand, for like 8 hours. Anyway that was the VERY clear instructions for both my wife and I when we had them.
And they just knocked us out. Didn’t feel a thing except hungry afterwords.
I’m seconding the idea of asking doc for a diazepam or other calming thingy. They don’t target pain, but they help very well with nerves, and that seems to be your major problem.
Good luck. HPV is so common in the Netherlands (and apparetnly symptomless, so seldomly treated and often passed on) that the government started a national vaccination programme for girls her in the Netherlands, too.
I’ve had at least a half dozen colposcopys in the last two years after a situation similar to yours. I ended up getting a cone biopsy, and then had to do colposcopys every six months until recently. It’s really, honestly not a big deal. The procedure itself is about 30 seconds and felt like a period cramp. Sometimes I’d spot for an hour or two, but that’s it. I didn’t even take ibuprofrin or Tylenol before hand or afterwards. It’s as simple as a Pap, but slightly more uncomfortable.
My husband and I are on our way. My appointment is at 10 and we should be about 15 minutes early. I’ll see if i can get a diazepam or something similar but I doubt that they keep any on hand. I got a prescription for Valium for an hsg study last fall. I should have done the same this time but I didn’t realize it could be bad until it was too late. Oh well. Here’s hoping it’s no big deal, not painful, and everything turns out to be normal.
sorry you are feeling so freaked out! The only thing I could think if when reading your post was this: it may be worse than childbirth, but whose childbirth? I have heard my friends say certain pain was worse than that, but their childbirth was a painful couple of hours and the baby popping out on the third push. YMMV!