LADIES! anyone had a colposcopy before?

pinkrobot · 10-27-2009, 07:17 PM

After my visit to the gyno today, I have a colposcopy scheduled for next week.

I'm really nervous...just hoping to hear from any women who have had one done before. I'm curious about the level of discomfort during/after. My doctor advised me to take Tylenol beforehand, and she said no sex for 2 weeks afterward. So is it going to hurt THAT bad? Eeeeek!

pinkrobot · 10-27-2009, 07:31 PM

Just because I saw Ac143's reason for deleting, the colposcopy IS a biopsy. They're putting solution on my cervix to look at how it reacts, and then they're taking tissue samples.

Dinka · 10-27-2009, 07:32 PM

Ac143, repost! I'm the one that misread!!!

Ac143 · 10-27-2009, 07:35 PM

Haha - then yes I had one. It wasn't that painful, but it was comfortable...to me if felt like really really bad cramps everytime they pulled tissue out which was about 3 times. The nurse talked to me the whole time, but that didn't help because I was so focused on what the dr was doing lol.

My dr never advised me to take meds, but I wish he would have cause Im a big baby lol. When I got home it felt like I was still cramping for the whole night, like I had my period. Dont be too scared, its not THAT bad it will be over before you know it.

Oh and yes, I was also told not to have sex for 2 weeks. Probably so you dont get an infection or whatever. My biopsy came back clean & I had normal pap every since.

emmyems · 10-27-2009, 07:38 PM

Hi pinkrobot, I had a colposcopy last year and it is really no worse than a general pap test. It's basically the same procedure except like you said, they use a solution on the cervix to see how it reacts, and if it does they use this instrument to take a teeny tiny piece of tissue to send away and be tested. It feels like a sharp pinch but it's not too bad. You might cramp after but it shouldn't be unbearable. They sometimes take tissue samples at a regular gyno appointment too so you may have experienced that before. They also do the general "swabbing" with those giant q-tips. In short it's basically like a normal pap test, except with a super microscope thing (called a colposcope) that looks like binoculars, and you can watch your cervix on TV! yay haha (ps I voted to not look, that was way too wierd for me). Anyway it shouldn't be anyworse than a regular exam.

pinkrobot · 10-27-2009, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ac143

Oh and yes, I was also told not to have sex for 2 weeks. Probably so you dont get an infection or whatever.

Ahhh, didn't even think of the infection factor. That makes a whole lot more sense...I thought she said that because it was going to be sore for 2 weeks or something!

*Sigh of relief*

angcapqui · 10-27-2009, 08:14 PM

I accept with information: Ac143's reason for deleting, the colposcopy IS a biopsy. They're putting solution on my cervix to look at how it reacts, and then they're taking tissue samples.

nutbrownhare · 10-27-2009, 09:00 PM

If your cervix looks OK when they put the solution on it, they may not take tissue samples - they didn't with me. The solution stings. I found that if I look at the 'film show' it hurts less, somehow, and be prepared for the cramps afterwards. I've also found that I've got cystitis within a couple of days of a colposcopy, too, so remember to drink plenty of fluids.

It's more of a 'shock to the system' than anything else, and if you can, arrange to do something really nice for yourself for the rest of the day, and take things easy.

pinkrobot · 10-28-2009, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nutbrownhare

If your cervix looks OK when they put the solution on it, they may not take tissue samples - they didn't with me.

The whole reason they're doing it is to take tissue samples--I'm not having it done for the "typical" reason one would have a colposcopy done (like, not an abnormal pap or anything, but a different problem altogether). I'm 99% sure they'll do the tissue samples and the whole bit.

But, I'm glad to hear the responses on here...I was imagining something a lot worse than what you've all been describing.

Concertina · 10-28-2009, 05:19 PM

My take on it:
It's worse than a pap smear in that it lasts a heck of a lot longer. Mine lasted 5-8 minutes. It was so incredibly uncomfortable. The biopsy didn't hurt at all (although I felt immediate pain after leaving the office). The following two days I had a strange discharge: it looked like wadded up light brown toilet paper.

The worst part was probably the anxiety preceding the procedure - I had to wait in the room for over 10 minutes, contemplating what was going to happen. I was shaken up afterward as well. Just like a pap smear, it's best if you can relax and keep your mind distracted.

10-27-2009, 07:17 PM	#1
pinkrobot Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: where the wild things are Gender: Female Age: 24 Posts: 1,718	LADIES! anyone had a colposcopy before? After my visit to the gyno today, I have a colposcopy scheduled for next week. I'm really nervous...just hoping to hear from any women who have had one done before. I'm curious about the level of discomfort during/after. My doctor advised me to take Tylenol beforehand, and she said no sex for 2 weeks afterward. So is it going to hurt THAT bad? Eeeeek! __________________ All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream. [blog:] http://scribblingsofhope.blogspot.com

10-27-2009, 07:31 PM	#2
pinkrobot Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: where the wild things are Gender: Female Age: 24 Posts: 1,718	Just because I saw Ac143's reason for deleting, the colposcopy IS a biopsy. They're putting solution on my cervix to look at how it reacts, and then they're taking tissue samples. __________________ All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream. [blog:] http://scribblingsofhope.blogspot.com

10-27-2009, 07:32 PM	#3
Dinka Offline Silver Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 402	Ac143, repost! I'm the one that misread!!! __________________ "I'd like to introduce you to the long lost sister of Debbie Downer and Negative Nancy.... Petulant Patty!" "This is starting to sound like Rainbow Brite on way too many barbiturates."

10-27-2009, 07:35 PM	#4
Ac143 Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Paradise city.... Gender: Female Age: 29 Posts: 2,260	Haha - then yes I had one. It wasn't that painful, but it was comfortable...to me if felt like really really bad cramps everytime they pulled tissue out which was about 3 times. The nurse talked to me the whole time, but that didn't help because I was so focused on what the dr was doing lol. My dr never advised me to take meds, but I wish he would have cause Im a big baby lol. When I got home it felt like I was still cramping for the whole night, like I had my period. Dont be too scared, its not THAT bad it will be over before you know it. Oh and yes, I was also told not to have sex for 2 weeks. Probably so you dont get an infection or whatever. My biopsy came back clean & I had normal pap every since. __________________ Soon to be Mrs... on 6/6/09 & I cannot wait :) We did it!!.......

10-27-2009, 07:38 PM	#5
emmyems Offline Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 97	Hi pinkrobot, I had a colposcopy last year and it is really no worse than a general pap test. It's basically the same procedure except like you said, they use a solution on the cervix to see how it reacts, and if it does they use this instrument to take a teeny tiny piece of tissue to send away and be tested. It feels like a sharp pinch but it's not too bad. You might cramp after but it shouldn't be unbearable. They sometimes take tissue samples at a regular gyno appointment too so you may have experienced that before. They also do the general "swabbing" with those giant q-tips. In short it's basically like a normal pap test, except with a super microscope thing (called a colposcope) that looks like binoculars, and you can watch your cervix on TV! yay haha (ps I voted to not look, that was way too wierd for me). Anyway it shouldn't be anyworse than a regular exam. __________________ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnvDA7j-ygE

10-27-2009, 08:14 PM	#7
angcapqui Offline Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1	I accept with information: Ac143's reason for deleting, the colposcopy IS a biopsy. They're putting solution on my cervix to look at how it reacts, and then they're taking tissue samples. __________________ [url=http://calculettepretimmobilier.com]Calculette pret immobilier taux interet \| [/url][url=http://calculettepretimmobilier.com/calculette-pret-immobilier/]Calculette prets immo \| [/url][url=http://calculettepretimmobilier.com/]Calcul credit immobilier prets[/url]

10-27-2009, 09:00 PM	#8
nutbrownhare Offline Platinum Member Join Date: May 2008 Gender: None Specified Posts: 1,191	If your cervix looks OK when they put the solution on it, they may not take tissue samples - they didn't with me. The solution stings. I found that if I look at the 'film show' it hurts less, somehow, and be prepared for the cramps afterwards. I've also found that I've got cystitis within a couple of days of a colposcopy, too, so remember to drink plenty of fluids. It's more of a 'shock to the system' than anything else, and if you can, arrange to do something really nice for yourself for the rest of the day, and take things easy.

10-28-2009, 05:19 PM	#10
Concertina Offline Silver Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: U.S. ಠ_ಠ Gender: Female Age: 26 Posts: 459	My take on it: It's worse than a pap smear in that it lasts a heck of a lot longer. Mine lasted 5-8 minutes. It was so incredibly uncomfortable. The biopsy didn't hurt at all (although I felt immediate pain after leaving the office). The following two days I had a strange discharge: it looked like wadded up light brown toilet paper. The worst part was probably the anxiety preceding the procedure - I had to wait in the room for over 10 minutes, contemplating what was going to happen. I was shaken up afterward as well. Just like a pap smear, it's best if you can relax and keep your mind distracted.