After going for years with no periods I began to see some blood after the first trip to the bathroom in the mornings. I ignored it for about 3 weeks and then it started lasting long enough I had to wear a pad. I was 59 and it had been over 20 years since I had a PAP smear. We go through all or part of menopause and no longer have periods, so we think PAP smears are no longer necessary. We definitely need to keep those up.
I went to my primary care physician, and she did a PAP, blood work and urinalysis. She also told me during the exam that my cervix was bleeding. The test came back with atypical squamous cells, and I was instructed to see a gynecologist. Well, getting into a gynecologist as a new patient on your own is next to impossible. So, I went to urgent care. They ran several tests and referred me to a gynecologist that got me in the next week.
That began the whirlwind of diagnosis into treatment. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and referred to an Oncologist. The treatment was 25 external radiation treatments, 5 chemo treatments and 4 internal radiation treatments.
It is imperative that ladies get their yearly pap smear. You may not have any real symptoms until things progress. Better to catch it early. My doctor told me they like to treat as quickly as possible and to complete some treatment in under 8 weeks from diagnosis. That yearly exam may be uncomfortable for you but much better than all the poking and prodding to diagnose what is going on.
I went to my primary care physician, and she did a PAP, blood work and urinalysis. She also told me during the exam that my cervix was bleeding. The test came back with atypical squamous cells, and I was instructed to see a gynecologist. Well, getting into a gynecologist as a new patient on your own is next to impossible. So, I went to urgent care. They ran several tests and referred me to a gynecologist that got me in the next week.
That began the whirlwind of diagnosis into treatment. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and referred to an Oncologist. The treatment was 25 external radiation treatments, 5 chemo treatments and 4 internal radiation treatments.
It is imperative that ladies get their yearly pap smear. You may not have any real symptoms until things progress. Better to catch it early. My doctor told me they like to treat as quickly as possible and to complete some treatment in under 8 weeks from diagnosis. That yearly exam may be uncomfortable for you but much better than all the poking and prodding to diagnose what is going on.