This is an important post to me because cervical cancer or any type of cancer is no laughing matter. There are so many women that suffer through this type of cancer and usually there are no symptoms until the disease has progressed. It is so important that we as women take care of our pelvic organs and have the necessary examinations to "catch" this cancer before it progresses.
I received a call from my Doctor a couple of days ago and was a bit terrified because he NEVER calls me. My Doctor told me that I could not have another LEEP done and that I would need to have a partial hysterectomy. The partial hysterectomy does not have to take place tomorrow or next month because the dysplasia is slow progressing, but next year at my 6 month follow up we will get a plan in place to take care of this before it gets worse. I have been having an issue with CIN III, which is high grade cervical dysplasia, and this is the stage before it turns into cervical cancer.
A partial hysterectomy is the removal of the cervix and
uterus but leaves the ovaries intact. I am very happy about that because
I will not have to take estrogen and I will not have a menstrual period
anymore. I am so looking forward to that. In the meantime, I am doing lots of reading about hysterectomies as to educate myself about the surgery and the healing time after.
I realize this is sensitive information but there are women out there in this great, big world that are not having yearly check ups or not going to the Doctor because they do not have health insurance. The fact that this is happening in the 21st Century is astounding!!
Sometimes I over share. I think it has a lot to do with the times in which we live. Who knows? The thing with over sharing is I don't really want to talk about this but if another woman is going through this maybe this will help her.
Since 2012 I have been having issues with dysplasia which is abnormal cells on my cervix. These abnormal cells are high-grade squamous legions, so in medical terms it's CIN III. This is the stage the cells are in before they turn into cancer which could take 10 or more years. This is why having a pap smear is vital. These screenings should be done every 1 to 3 years so if you do have abnormal cells the issue can be corrected. As of right now I have to go every 6 months again.
This is scary to me because my Mother had Stage III cervical cancer when she was in her early 30's. She had to have a radical hysterectomy so I am very cautious when it comes to the health of my female pelvic organs.
There are several ways to get rid of the abnormal cells. I have had the LEEP procedure done twice. This procedure removes abnormal tissue by cutting it away using a thin wire loop that carries electrical current. Sounds scary but it's not really that bad. My OBGYN is a great doctor so I feel very comfortable with him. During this last procedure, he said he would not be able to do it again because there are only so many times a LEEP can be done. Obviously there is scar tissue. If the problem persists I will have to get a hysterectomy. Nothing radical, maybe partial.
There are a lot of great websites with information regarding this topic. Here is a list:
1. The Mayo Clinic website
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cervical-cancer/expert-answers/cervical-dysplasia/faq-20058142
2. Medicine Net
http://www.medicinenet.com/cervical_dysplasia/article.htm
3. US National Library of Medicine
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001491.htm
4. Hopkins Medicine (Leep Procedure)
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/test_procedures/gynecology/loop_electrosurgical_excision_procedure_leep_92,P07780/
5. The New York Times (Explains CIN III/cell changes)
http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/cervical-cancer/print.html
I hope this information will help someone out there in the blog world. Please make sure you are getting regular check ups and take care of your health!
