So this morning I had a colposcopy and some cervical biopsies taken at my Ob/Gyn's office. My pap smear had detected abnormal cells and this was the next step in following up on it.
I had not had a pap smear in many, many years before this one. I blew it off because I didn't think it was that important but more so because I had some very bad experiences with gynecologists in the past due to weight prejudice or them not having experience with my size patients and that causing an undue amount of discomfort and difficulty during the exam.
Had I not made a point to have this done, I would not have known that there was a problem.
Fortunately I had it done just in time to show early warning signs of a problem. After the exam this morning my doctor is confident that if there is anything serious enough to be considered pre-cancer, it has been caught at an early enough stage that I have a very good prognosis. The lab results will determine how my treatment progresses. The doctor will either monitor me more closely or I will need to go to the hospital for an outpatient procedure to do a more involved biopsy and possibly remove affected tissue. But no matter which way it goes, I am at increased risk for cancer now and I will have to suck it up and deal with regular exams and diagnostic procedures.
Honestly it was not that bad and I really wish I had sucked it up and done it a lot sooner.
So fellow women here at Dimensions. Please get your pap smears as often as your doctor says you should get them. Don't let fear, apathy, or past negative experiences with doctors keep you from doing it.
I had not had a pap smear in many, many years before this one. I blew it off because I didn't think it was that important but more so because I had some very bad experiences with gynecologists in the past due to weight prejudice or them not having experience with my size patients and that causing an undue amount of discomfort and difficulty during the exam.
Had I not made a point to have this done, I would not have known that there was a problem.
Fortunately I had it done just in time to show early warning signs of a problem. After the exam this morning my doctor is confident that if there is anything serious enough to be considered pre-cancer, it has been caught at an early enough stage that I have a very good prognosis. The lab results will determine how my treatment progresses. The doctor will either monitor me more closely or I will need to go to the hospital for an outpatient procedure to do a more involved biopsy and possibly remove affected tissue. But no matter which way it goes, I am at increased risk for cancer now and I will have to suck it up and deal with regular exams and diagnostic procedures.
Honestly it was not that bad and I really wish I had sucked it up and done it a lot sooner.
So fellow women here at Dimensions. Please get your pap smears as often as your doctor says you should get them. Don't let fear, apathy, or past negative experiences with doctors keep you from doing it.
