Smear test

[smurff]

Hi, this isn't strictly about my children so feel free to remove if I can't put this hear but I've no one else to ask. About 8 to 10 years ago I had a smear test done which showed abnormal cells or pre cancerous cells I can't remember which. I was in a bad place at the time and stupidly ignored it. 3 yrs later I had another smear done which came back as normal, I was worried about the previous one so I spoke to my doc. He said if the one I'd just had done was normal then don't worry about the previous one. Fast forward years and another 2 smears that were normal and I have 2 children, I'm so worried the last couple of smears missed something. Like my husband said I spoke to a doc who said not to worry, it was years ago and I've had 2-3 smears that have all been normal since then, but I just can't get the thought out my mind that abnormal cells or pre cancerous ones just disappear, do they?.

 

[Babybear85]

Abnormal doesnt nessesarily mean pre cnacerous. My recent one came back moderate changes but they tested for hpv and none found so my next ones another3 years away so i think its common to get changes occur and it not be sinister if u have had clear ones since then thats great i wouldnt worry about it at all

 

[superfrizbee]

I've had a few abnormal smears and had some testing at one point. That funnily enough was while I was on birth control. I don't know if that affected anything. I have had normal smears since and you can have an abnormal result change back to normal without anything else being a miss. I would say if you've had another normal smear recently then you're absolutely fine. However of you have any alarming symptoms then of course get checked out as a precaution.

 

[LoveCakes]

I think if you've had two normal it should be ok.

Plus your hormones can affect things, such as why you're recommended not to have a smear within 3 months of having your baby since it can show worrying results that then fix themselves.

If it helps I had atypical (the most severe type before cancer) cells found in my womb lining. I had the Mirena put in to regulate my hormones (I have pcos) and have had all fully normal biopsies since, so your body can regulate itself.

If you're still worried book an appointment with your GP to talk it over to save you worrying unnecessarily

 

[SarahBear]

I was told to not have a smear right after pregnancy because it can throw off the test. I assume that means other things can throw it off too. I would assume that there was something health related that threw off the test, but that it's not a concern since the other tests came back normal.

 

[_Meep_]

I've stupidly missed my last two. When I got the first invitation, I was suffering extreme anxiety and literally didn't/couldn't leave the house, ever. With the second, I'd just had a baby, and basically forgot to book it. Now I'm slightly scared I've jinxed myself, especially as I had some very slight bleeding recently, on and off for a few days, and it just got me thinking (and worrying). Chances are it happened because I am second trimester pregnant and I overdid things - plus it's stopped now - but stuff like that does play on your mind!

Anyway, I think you're fine. You had abnormal cells 8-10 years ago - I think if they were going to become cancerous they definitely would have by now and you'd be suffering pain, bleeding, or worse. Since they didn't pick up anything at subsequent smears, I'd be confident those cells are dead and gone - cells have a shelf life, just like all living things. They die and are replenished with new ones.

I'm going for a smear as soon as I get the go ahead after the birth of this little one. Hopefully everything will be fine.

 

[Scout]

I've had abnormal smears and then normal smears going on years now. The first abnormal one was over 20 years ago, and I've probably had 5 more since then, but always a normal one on follow up. I was always told that if the abnormal one didn't show HPV then you're okay and shouldn't be concerned. I don't know if this is correct, just what my gyns have told me. Then 3 years ago i had an abnormal one that did show HPV. The follow up a year later was normal. So again, I was told not to worry. I have to wait 2 years for my next smear and hopefully it will be normal too. I think if something worrisome is going on, you'd continue to have abnormal smears and not have all the normal ones.

 

[Eleanor ace]

My first smear I had an abnormal result, went back for another smear a week or so after the results of the 1st one came back. I can't remember the wording but in the letter they sent saying the results were abnormal it said that usually an abnormal result is an anomaly and a repeat smear will show normal results. That was the case for me, the 2nd came back normal and all subsequent smears have been fine. Things like where you are in your cycle can give you a false abnormal result.
I'd feel very confident that if it was a pre-cancerous result on your 1st smear they would have chased you more to get a repeat smear/treatment, and having had several normal results since suggests all is fine. Could you ask your doctor what the results of the first smear were, whether it was a abnormal result or pre-cancerous, as if it was just abnormal then you can put it out of your mind as a pretty common mistake

 

[jd83]

I do pap test diagnostics for a living, so I can explain some of the behind the scenes meanings. OP, If you had an abnormal pap 8-10 years ago, yes it can clear up on its own. HPV isn't a virus that you will always have once infected, like Herpes or HIV. The body is perfectly capable of clearing an HPV infection, before the point of a high grade lesion. If it has caused cellular changes to the point of high grade lesion or greater and is a high risk strain of HPV, it needs to be surgically removed to ensure all affected cells are removed. If it's not high risk HPV, they may just follow up closely to ensure the lesion doesn't progress any further. Low risk HPV types progress very slowly and are much easier for the body to clear on its own. You've had multiple negative paps since that abnormal pap, so you are definitely not considered high risk for infection anymore. We only consider patients high risk until they have 3 negative pap tests following an abnormal pap test.

 

[Scout]

I do pap test diagnostics for a living, so I can explain some of the behind the scenes meanings. OP, If you had an abnormal pap 8-10 years ago, yes it can clear up on its own. HPV isn't a virus that you will always have once infected, like Herpes or HIV. The body is perfectly capable of clearing an HPV infection, before the point of a high grade lesion. If it has caused cellular changes to the point of high grade lesion or greater and is a high risk strain of HPV, it needs to be surgically removed to ensure all affected cells are removed. If it's not high risk HPV, they may just follow up closely to ensure the lesion doesn't progress any further. Low risk HPV types progress very slowly and are much easier for the body to clear on its own. You've had multiple negative paps since that abnormal pap, so you are definitely not considered high risk for infection anymore. We only consider patients high risk until they have 3 negative pap tests following an abnormal pap test.

A quick question: 3 years ago an abnormal pap with HPV. Follow up a year later was normal. If you had to wait 2 more years for another pap (insurance), would you self pay and have one now due to the HPV 3 years ago, or just wait 2 more years? thx

 

[jd83]

I do pap test diagnostics for a living, so I can explain some of the behind the scenes meanings. OP, If you had an abnormal pap 8-10 years ago, yes it can clear up on its own. HPV isn't a virus that you will always have once infected, like Herpes or HIV. The body is perfectly capable of clearing an HPV infection, before the point of a high grade lesion. If it has caused cellular changes to the point of high grade lesion or greater and is a high risk strain of HPV, it needs to be surgically removed to ensure all affected cells are removed. If it's not high risk HPV, they may just follow up closely to ensure the lesion doesn't progress any further. Low risk HPV types progress very slowly and are much easier for the body to clear on its own. You've had multiple negative paps since that abnormal pap, so you are definitely not considered high risk for infection anymore. We only consider patients high risk until they have 3 negative pap tests following an abnormal pap test.

A quick question: 3 years ago an abnormal pap with HPV. Follow up a year later was normal. If you had to wait 2 more years for another pap (insurance), would you self pay and have one now due to the HPV 3 years ago, or just wait 2 more years? thx

Did they do a repeat HPV test, too, at your last pap? If they did, and both were negative, then it has definitely cleared. If they only did a pap test without repeat HPV (depends on insurance, some only pay for HPV test to be done if the pap test is abnormal), it's possible that HPV could still be present but not an active infection. That's still a good sign, though, because it would mean the body was clearing the infection for it to no longer show active cellular changes.

Do you go annually for a well-woman check up? Your insurance will still cover the annual well-woman check up, excluding the pap test which is only every 3 years once you have a negative pap. If they ever find something they think needs further looked at during your annual exam or if you have scheduled the appointment due to something out of the ordinary such as abnormal bleeding or pain, they can order the test at that point diagnostically rather than as a screening test, because there are symptoms requiring the test. Examples: Abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain, visible lesion on the cervix, etc. Just a bit of a difference in medical necessity for insurance, screening vs diagnostic. Pap screening doesn't need to be done every year. Diagnostic is done whenever medically necessary. I would just make sure you are going to your annual check ups in between paps, but no, I don't think you need to pay out of pocket to get a pap right now given the negative pap.

 

[Scout]

I do pap test diagnostics for a living, so I can explain some of the behind the scenes meanings. OP, If you had an abnormal pap 8-10 years ago, yes it can clear up on its own. HPV isn't a virus that you will always have once infected, like Herpes or HIV. The body is perfectly capable of clearing an HPV infection, before the point of a high grade lesion. If it has caused cellular changes to the point of high grade lesion or greater and is a high risk strain of HPV, it needs to be surgically removed to ensure all affected cells are removed. If it's not high risk HPV, they may just follow up closely to ensure the lesion doesn't progress any further. Low risk HPV types progress very slowly and are much easier for the body to clear on its own. You've had multiple negative paps since that abnormal pap, so you are definitely not considered high risk for infection anymore. We only consider patients high risk until they have 3 negative pap tests following an abnormal pap test.

A quick question: 3 years ago an abnormal pap with HPV. Follow up a year later was normal. If you had to wait 2 more years for another pap (insurance), would you self pay and have one now due to the HPV 3 years ago, or just wait 2 more years? thx

Did they do a repeat HPV test, too, at your last pap? If they did, and both were negative, then it has definitely cleared. If they only did a pap test without repeat HPV (depends on insurance, some only pay for HPV test to be done if the pap test is abnormal), it's possible that HPV could still be present but not an active infection. That's still a good sign, though, because it would mean the body was clearing the infection for it to no longer show active cellular changes.

Do you go annually for a well-woman check up? Your insurance will still cover the annual well-woman check up, excluding the pap test which is only every 3 years once you have a negative pap. If they ever find something they think needs further looked at during your annual exam or if you have scheduled the appointment due to something out of the ordinary such as abnormal bleeding or pain, they can order the test at that point diagnostically rather than as a screening test, because there are symptoms requiring the test. Examples: Abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain, visible lesion on the cervix, etc. Just a bit of a difference in medical necessity for insurance, screening vs diagnostic. Pap screening doesn't need to be done every year. Diagnostic is done whenever medically necessary. I would just make sure you are going to your annual check ups in between paps, but no, I don't think you need to pay out of pocket to get a pap right now given the negative pap.

Okay. Thanks. And no, they didn't test for HPV since the pap didn't come back abnormal. My insurance doesn't provide for yearly well woman exams, so I don't go to the doctor except when it's time for a pap. Thank you again for the explanation. Very helpful.

 

[jd83]

I do pap test diagnostics for a living, so I can explain some of the behind the scenes meanings. OP, If you had an abnormal pap 8-10 years ago, yes it can clear up on its own. HPV isn't a virus that you will always have once infected, like Herpes or HIV. The body is perfectly capable of clearing an HPV infection, before the point of a high grade lesion. If it has caused cellular changes to the point of high grade lesion or greater and is a high risk strain of HPV, it needs to be surgically removed to ensure all affected cells are removed. If it's not high risk HPV, they may just follow up closely to ensure the lesion doesn't progress any further. Low risk HPV types progress very slowly and are much easier for the body to clear on its own. You've had multiple negative paps since that abnormal pap, so you are definitely not considered high risk for infection anymore. We only consider patients high risk until they have 3 negative pap tests following an abnormal pap test.

A quick question: 3 years ago an abnormal pap with HPV. Follow up a year later was normal. If you had to wait 2 more years for another pap (insurance), would you self pay and have one now due to the HPV 3 years ago, or just wait 2 more years? thx

Did they do a repeat HPV test, too, at your last pap? If they did, and both were negative, then it has definitely cleared. If they only did a pap test without repeat HPV (depends on insurance, some only pay for HPV test to be done if the pap test is abnormal), it's possible that HPV could still be present but not an active infection. That's still a good sign, though, because it would mean the body was clearing the infection for it to no longer show active cellular changes.

Do you go annually for a well-woman check up? Your insurance will still cover the annual well-woman check up, excluding the pap test which is only every 3 years once you have a negative pap. If they ever find something they think needs further looked at during your annual exam or if you have scheduled the appointment due to something out of the ordinary such as abnormal bleeding or pain, they can order the test at that point diagnostically rather than as a screening test, because there are symptoms requiring the test. Examples: Abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain, visible lesion on the cervix, etc. Just a bit of a difference in medical necessity for insurance, screening vs diagnostic. Pap screening doesn't need to be done every year. Diagnostic is done whenever medically necessary. I would just make sure you are going to your annual check ups in between paps, but no, I don't think you need to pay out of pocket to get a pap right now given the negative pap.

Okay. Thanks. And no, they didn't test for HPV since the pap didn't come back abnormal. My insurance doesn't provide for yearly well woman exams, so I don't go to the doctor except when it's time for a pap. Thank you again for the explanation. Very helpful.

Is it just listed as general wellness check up for your insurance? All insurances are to include one annual wellness checkup, women's wellness can be included in the general physical typically as part of your annual physical. Costwise, if its something you are thinking about paying out of pocket in between the 3 yr screening, pap test is around $150-200 (depends if the lab uses imager technology to aid the tech screening the slide), HPV test is around $300, and you'd have to check with the office for the cost of the office visit.