Freaking out....

MrsS728 · August 2014

So I just received a phone call from my regular GYN stating that the pap I had A MONTH AGO came back abnormal, but negative for HPV and she wants to test me again in 6 months. We are in the middle of TTC #1 and after 18 months of trying, I FINALLY ovulated for the first time this cycle. I'm freaking out about what to do. What does this mean for me? What does it mean for TTC? Help?! Googling isn't helping me, but making me more anxious.

I can't win. I do everything by the books and I never get ahead. Everything always has to be a damn struggle. Nothing in my life has ever come easy. I've always had to fight tooth and nail for EVERYTHING. It's a bunch of BS that God only gives you what you can handle because I can't handle this crap any more.

I know I sound like I'm being over dramatic and whatever, but there are also other major things going on outside of TTC and whatnot that are at play.

Edited for more info.

BunnyBerry · August 2014

Have you tested positive for HPV before? Usually an abnormal Pap is just some altered cells due to HPV. If your GYN wants to wait and recheck, that means it's not close to cancerous at this time, just not totally normal. Most women's bodies eradicate and/or control the virus naturally, though if it's still in the body after age 30 (on average, given most women contract it in college years) then it's probably there to stay and you just need to keep up on Paps to catch anything too bad before it gets worse.

If your GYN finds in 6 months that it is the same or better (very likely), she'll just leave it again and give you another Pap in 6 months. They used to perform surgery really fast for almost anybody, but they found it was unnecessarily harming/reducing women's cervices because these issues often resolve on their own.

I guess I would ask the RE about a worst-case scenario, what if your Pap results in 6 months indicate a need for surgical removal of part of the cervix, and you are pregnant at that time. I don't know anything about that. I am assuming that if your GYN knows you're TTC, and is taking a wait-and-see approach now, then she must feel that the progress would not be so fast as to necessitate surgery before the birth of a baby as much as 6+9 months in the future. But I would want to double check this with my RE and GYN.

I was diagnosed with HPV about 8 years ago, and have never had an abormal Pap smear since, but I got a viral load count about 4-5 years ago and it was still high in my system, so that's why my GYN has talked to me about some of this. Even with a diagnosis, Pap smears are just annual, unless there is an abnormal Pap, in which case monitoring occurs every 6 months. It's pretty common to have random abnormal Paps in between healthy Pap results. Perhaps you could ask your GYN to let you know exactly what the test revealed?

Good luck, I hope it's not too scary for you! I know there are quite a few women here who have had LEEP or other procedures to remove cervical dysplasia, etc. and they are still able to TTC.

Hollowvic · August 2014

I'm right there with ya, sorry. I've had a couple of abnormal apps, they all turned out to be nothing, the past 3 years they've all been normal, I shouldn't even jinx it!

Pintobean39 · August 2014

I had that happen to me once too, abnormal pap and negative for HPV. I went back and had another pap and it was normal. From my understanding a lot of things can cause an abnormal pap. Since your Dr doesn't want you to come back for 6 months, I'd bet to guess they don't think it's anything serious, but I'd definitely talk to your RE about it anyway.

MrsS728 · August 2014

I'm sorry everyone. This is the straw that broke the camel's back. I've been fine when it came to other people's pregnancies, baby showers, children. I've been genuinely happy for those announcements. The FB pics etc don't bother me. I've been plugging along, but I just can't handle this. I just got my hopes up that I had finally ovulated after a year and a half and that maybe things would work out, but of course something had to bring me down. There's always a BUT in my life. Always.

curve31 · August 2014

I had a bad pap a few years ago which lead to a colposcopy and then a LEEP. I then had another abnormal pap and another colposcopy. It was very frustrating considering I had just gotten married and was TTC. This was due to HPV. Fortunately cervical cancer is very slow growing (at least they said what I had was). I've had 2 normal paps since so I'm good now.

Like everyone said, if they are not ordering a colposcopy now you are fine. Don't worry

Hollowvic · August 2014

Like what a few others said, if your doctor doesn't want you to come back for 6 months then it can't be that serious. My OB told me that even having sex the night before a pap could effect the results.

Tiko99 · August 2014

I wouldn't freak out if the test came back HPV negative. I had an abnormal PAP February 2013 with a CIN 3 cervical dysplasia lesion that tested positive for HPV. CIN 3 is pretty much one step away from cervical cancer (no previous abnormal PAPs and I've gone every year since I was 17). I ended up having the LEEP procedure to remove the diseased tissue and after a follow up six month PAP I was given the all clear to start TTC. My gyno said the HPV and surgery would not be an issue TTC. My 1 year PAP came back clear this year so everything is good on that side of things.....just annoying unexplained IF! I asked the PA if during the IUI she could see a scar on my cervix from the procedure she said yes, but said it wouldn't affect the IUI at all. So what I"m really getting at is I tested positive for HPV, had surgery for abnormal cells and have continued on with my IF treatment with out any issues from my surgery. If there are some abnormal cells they need to remove, for the most part, this will not hinder any future IF treatments.

Now that everyone knows that I have HPV, I will state that this virus is VERY common and men cannot be tested for it so when you do get it, unless you've had sex with one person you will not know how you contracted the virus, with that being said it is SOOOO important for everyone here to get their annual PAPS, I lucked out and did not have cervical cancer, but I was pretty freaking close!

Side note: If you are in a same sex relationship ignore my comment about men not being able to test

meld42 · August 2014

Hey,

I had a similar situation, and I'm sorry you're going through that initial fear. I'm assuming since your OB said 6 months, it's nothing to get worried about. But if you'd feel better, ask for a copy of the results and show the RE, or even keep for yourself. You could always call and ask for explanation, or see if you can come in sooner than the 6 months.

Mine was HPV negative, but the Pap test showed ( and what it ended up being) was an adenocarcinoma in situ. The reason I say this is NOT to freak you out, but to let you know that my OB had me come in that EXACT same day for an additional pap/colposcopy/work up. It was made known to me that it was urgent that I come in and the ENTIRE time he was telling me how this was just a precaution and he was 99% sure I didn't have what they saw in the first exam because it was so rare for my age etc. But he needed to confirm just in case,

My point, they see the results and the doctors are taught to take all precautions even if it seems unlikely. Since you were told 6 months, It sounds like there was just some other type of mistake. I'll be crossing my fingers that nothing comes of your next pap!

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