Apparently I have atypical cells, but am HPV negative. The nurse assures me this is nothing to worry about, that I just need to come back in three months to test again, and that I don’t need to wait to try to conceive. I have a good guess, based on that article, that it was a result of being at the very end of my period, when I was down to a few spots. But I’ll be damned if I’ll let this hang over my head for three months! Waiting to hear back from the doctor. It seems like it would make sense to test again mid-cycle (now), yes?
Shared experiences/advice welcome. I don’t want to blow this out of proportion but hell, it’s what I do!
Updated: Talked to Dr. Nice and he said I can come back in a month for the follow-up. (Oh good! I already have to miss work right when I start my new job!) And I guess I’ll try to forget about it until then.
But this reminded me of a funny story. Once, I was waiting in the exam room when the nurse got a return call from one of her patients. She was trying to give her the results of some test, but the woman had apparently called from the car wash and couldn’t hear very well, so the nurse ended up shouting, repeatedly, “You have a sexually transmitted disease!” I reminded the doctor about that just now and we had a good laugh.
Hey Cat,
I had the same thing happen about 15 years ago and freaked myself out for a good two weeks. I was using a cervical cap and I wanted to get a new one before I moved out of state, but the only time I could go was right at the end of my period, and it came back ‘atypical cells’. I had another pap mid cycle and everything was fine.
So many exciting changes! I was on vacation and not following blogs.
Sarah
I have had a couple abnormal paps in my life. Probably 3. They had me come back a few weeks later for a re-test and then all was well. 3 months is too long to wait.
I think it’s great that you don’t have HPV. It’s likely this will only happen at the end of your period then. Good news.
I went forward with a biopsy when my PAP came back with abnormal cells…it turned up nothing, and I’ve never had an abnormal Pap since, but it did make me worry a lot. I’m sure it’s nothing, and good news that you can restest so soon.