Conference turris::womannotes-v3

    Yes, both my sister and I have had abnormal PAP smears.  Both of us
    ended up having cryosurgery with no further problems.  Since we 
    suspect we are DEA daughters, neither one of us were surprised.  
    
    I never heard of abnormal PAP smears being attributed to pregnancy,
    though.  If you are worried, I would suggest getting a second 
    opinion. 
    
    Linda
    

are you sure it was the pap smear that came out abnormal?

I once had a pap smear, and at the same time they did some other tests,
and they found out I have a nasty infection (I went there because of 
vaginal bleeding.) The infection was staf (which is a variation of strep,
I guess) and I had to take antibiotics for a couple of weeks.

Antibiotics don't do a whit of good against cancer, so if the doc prescribed
antibiotics, she must not think that cancer is an issue.

But, to allay you fears, call her back and tell her you are worried about
cancer - she will probably say that there is no danger - and if she *doesn't*
say that, well it is better to know for sure than to worry.

D!

    Ooooohhhh.......*I* get to pick a nit!  Wheeeeeee.....I beat -d!
    
    ahem.
    
    "Staph" is Staphylococcus, a bacteria that occurs in grape-like
    groupings.
    
    "Strep" is Streptococcus, a bacteria that occurs in pairs or chains.
    
    
    E Grace
    

    
    see also:
    
    womannotes-V1
    595 - excerpts from article on the Pap Smear
    
    womannotes-V2
    654 - class II (or worse) pap test results
    
    
    -Jody
    
    

    re: 4 
    
    Jody,
    
       Could you tell me how to access these v1 and v2 references?
    
    thankx                                   kc

    
    They are at
    
    IKE22::womannotes-V1
    and
    IKE22::womannotes-V2
    
    they're old versions of this file which are now read-only since they
    are archived.  
    
    -Jody
    

    My cousin had a pap smear done about 3 months after her 2nd child was
    born - it turned out to be abnormal. But after treatment (not sure
    about the specifics) another pap smear was normal. Her Dr said that it
    was not uncommon to get an abnormal pap smear result soon after
    childbirth.

    
    	My three months are just about over - all they would tell
    	ma was that there are abnormal cells and perhaps it was because
    	it was done the week after my period....My mother went thru
    	3 yrs of `abnormal cells' before having a hysterctomy (also
    	afternumerous cryosurgery, and other procedures[laser?]), and
    	her mother has had a masectomy. I don't know how I didn't go
    	crazy during the 3 months, but they'll be over monday, then
    	we'll see...I've also been having pains in the ovary area, which
    	were explained away as `possibly gas', `strange flu', and a
    	couple of other off the wall ansers (then why can't I stand
    	up straight??). 
    
    	Anyways, you're not alone, three months will (hopefully) be
    	gone before you know it...
    
    	Sherry
     

    I had a class 3 pap after my son was born.  They did cryosurgery and I
    haven't had a reoccurence in 15 years!
    
    Karen

    I've also recently gotten an "abnormal Pap smear" response back.  The
    smear was taken at the same time I went in for a really miserable and
    long standing yeast infection, and I've been told to wait for the
    infection to clear up to retake the Pap smear, as the infection can
    cause the abnormal result.
    
    In your case, I'd try calling the doctor's office back when the kids
    are out of the way.  (If necessary, get someone in to babysit while you
    make the call!)  Write down all of your questions, fears, and concerns
    before you make the call.  If necessary, write them as decision trees,
    where you have a different set of questions based on the answers to
    previous ones.  I've found that nurses can typically handle most of the
    question set pretty well, leaving me with only a couple for the doctor,
    but your doctor may run his/her practice differently.
    
    Good luck.
    
    Alison

    I had an abnormal pap smear in Feb 1990.  A re-test came back Class
    III, and I had a colposcopy done in the doctor's office.  This
    procedure removed a piece of tissue from the cervix to biopsy.  Six
    weeks later, the results came in that I had abnormal cells on the
    cervix, which would have to be removed.  (The doctor stressed over
    and over that this was NOT cancer, but, left untreated could eventually
    become cancerous in 4 to 8 years.  I had a choice-- Cryosurgery, which
    I cannot recall the details of, because I chose the second which was
    Laser surgery.  I was told laser is more effective, and less damaging
    to the cervix.  In September I had the procedure done and left the 
    hospital on the same day.  since then, I have had pap smears done every
    three months, and so far, they have all been fine.  
    
    I know how you feel; I was terrified of having cancer, especially since
    it runs in my family.  But it's been over a year since the first bad
    pap smear, and everythings fine.
    
    I thought that a pap smear can read abnormal if there is any kind of 
    irritation or bleeding going on during the test.  I would think that 
    at your 6 week checkup after having a child, there would be a good 
    possibility that there was bleeding still present, however slight, and
    that would be enough to affect the results.  Chances are on a re-test
    you will be fine.
    
    But like someone previously suggested--call your doctor at a less
    stressful time, and ask questions.  My doctor was more than happy
    to answer all of mine.  Also a second opinion may be a good idea.
    
    I know what it's like to have two children so close together; that in
    itself is stressful!  You don't need to add concern about your health
    to that...Good luck, and feel free to write me if you have any
    questions, and let us know how it goes!!!
    
    Hugs,
    
    Kim

    Me, too.  I've had both cryosurgery and laser surgery done, but
    everything has been normal for the last several years (just had a pap
    test done last Friday, so we'll see if that one is also normal).  The
    surgery was no big deal - done to "clean up" abnormal cells which could
    have eventually become cancerous.  If you have a choice, the laser
    surgery is less trouble; I had some bleeding after the cryosurgery. 
    Either way it only takes a few minutes, you can hardly feel it, and it
    can be done right in the doctor's office.
    
    /Charlotte

    Just before my first child was born, I had a class II cell change
    result.  Scared me!  At 6 weeks post and again at 3 months post all was
    well.  Later I was using IUD birth control (plastic Lippe's loop,
    then copper 7) and had class II results every 6 weeks for more than a
    year.  We just kept testing and watching for changes.  I don't use
    birth control at all now, and haven't had any abnormalities show up for
    years.
    
    I did, however, have thryoid cancer ten years back.  Now I have
    neither cancer nor thyroid (well, a little scrap of thyroid,
    thoroughly suppressed - I trust and test regularly ;) - by synthroid, 
    .2/day).  For me, the result of cancer was three weeks off with pay,
    but I remember how frightened I was at the diagnosis and while waiting
    for surgery.
    
    Hang in there, and please keep us posted!
    
    aq
            

    Has anyone been in the situation where you need to get a second pap
    smear because the original smear extracted the 'wrong type of cells'
    (in real layman's language)?
    
    I'm 36, have had normal pap smears since the beginning, have never had
    a doctor tell me this and even at the time of the original, she
    mentioned the possibility of this happening.
    
    This is a new doctor for me, since switching to an HMO, and not only
    my first woman doctor, but the first time I've heard such a situation.
    
    I was kind of alarmed when she called and thought at first that she
    might be trying to 'hide' the fact that I had an abnormal smear, not
    an 'ineffective' one.  But then I thought that that would be unethical
    - she would have to tell me the truth.  In any case, I'm due to go back
    in August.  I just was curious as to whether anyone else had had this
    experience/explanation.
    
    Thanks
    Martha

    I've twice had to get a second pap smear.  Once because it was too
    close to my period and the smear was contaminated with menses.
    The second time because the cells had apparently not been fixed right
    or not gotten to the lab in time and so were too decomposed to test.
    
    I would think that the scrape may not be not enough or go deeply enough
    into the cervix, or be from the outside of the cervix rather than
    
    Getting a pap test is not a jolly time, I know.  But a retest should
    not be anything to worry about.  If you distrust the doctor you may
    want to talk with him/her and find out if you really distrust him/her.
    
    
    
      Margaret  

	re: .14 (GERBIL::PHINNEY)

>    Has anyone been in the situation where you need to get a second pap
>    smear because the original smear extracted the 'wrong type of cells'
>    (in real layman's language)?
    
>    This is a new doctor for me, since switching to an HMO, and not only
>    my first woman doctor, but the first time I've heard such a situation.
 
	I was in a similar situation (new doctor, new HMO) and 
	had the same result.  Actually, it was phrased 'not enough
	of the right kind of cells' when the doctor's office called
	me.  This was in January.

	Since this is my **least** favorite medical procedure, I 
	was not pleased.  I had a lot to do at work and had no 
	trouble rationalizing canceling the first reschedule ;-].
   	I eventually had a 2'nd pap, and it was fine.

	Maybe we have the same doctor?  (we'd better send mail for that)

						nancy b.
	

    Just a note, perhaps to ease your mind a bit.  You mention your family
    history.  Cancer is heredity, but only by type.  Meaning if your Mom
    had breast cancer you may be at a higher risk for breast cancer, but
    this does not affect your risk for cervical cancer.  This is always
    confusing because the term "cancer" is used for all the diseases, but 
    they are not the same disease each one is unique.
    
    

    Actually, it is not heritary, though familial links have been found
    with some cancers.  "Familial" is not the same as "hereditary". 
    
    Also, as for it only being within types: that is what they believe now. 
    We have no way of knowing if next year they will decide they were
    wrong.  Both of my parents have had cancer, my father's brother died of
    cancer (as did my dad), both grandfathers, my sister, my first cousin.
    None of them had the same type of cancer, but there is a definate
    family history, no?
    
    However, as others have said, an abnormal Pap is not that uncommon. 
    That is the reason they do a follow-up.  There are many things that can
    cause the abmormality, right down to something odd in the laboratory.
    
    E Grace