The Joys of Being a Woman
So the nurse brings me into the exam room and I hop up on the table. I love the deli paper on those things, I keep waiting for someone to put a pickle next to me and wrap me up. Anyhow, she asks if I've been told what was going to happen, and as a matter of fact I haven't. Sure I've committed the cardinal sin of research, but as always I've gotten 10 different answers, each worse than the last.
The very nice nurse then explained that a colposcopy starts out like a regular exam at the gynecologist, a speculum is used to gain a clear view of the cervix then the area is swabbed down with a vinegar solution that will make abnormal areas show up white. Next the doctor would look through the colposcope (like fancy binoculars) and see how things looked. Not too scary really. Then Dr. Ruiz came in. I'd never seen him before, because of the haste needed to schedule the procedure I took the first available appointment with the first available doctor. Luckily Lydia has seen him before and had nothing but good things to say. And he was very nice.
So I assumed the position and the fun began. He saw an area of concern so he went ahead and did a biopsy. There was no anesthetic, and the procedure felt a lot like getting a shot so it wasn't too bad. To stop the bleeding they used a mixture that looked a lot like peanut butter...but when it worked it's way out of my system it resembled coffee grounds, which was a bit disturbing. Then it was time to dress and figure out the next steps.
I really do believe that the Advil I took an hour before really cut down on the pain that followed. For you ladies, it was a lot like that first day of your cycle: You feel crampy and bloated, and like your reproductive organs are about to fall out. Guys, you'll just have to settle for that overall "blagh" feeling and trust me on it.
So in 7 days my biopsy results will be back. If they are moderately to severely abnormal the office will bring me right back in, if they are slight to moderate I'll just keep the appointment I have on the 16th of August. The good news is that worse case scenario they will cut out the affected areas. Best case scenario it will resolve itself over time and I'll just need to come in for check ups every 6 months. So no need for that burial plot for me!
If anyone wants a good informational site on the procedure go to http://www.mjbovo.com/Women/Colpo.htm#what. A big thank you to Jill for taking me and entertaining me for the morning.
The very nice nurse then explained that a colposcopy starts out like a regular exam at the gynecologist, a speculum is used to gain a clear view of the cervix then the area is swabbed down with a vinegar solution that will make abnormal areas show up white. Next the doctor would look through the colposcope (like fancy binoculars) and see how things looked. Not too scary really. Then Dr. Ruiz came in. I'd never seen him before, because of the haste needed to schedule the procedure I took the first available appointment with the first available doctor. Luckily Lydia has seen him before and had nothing but good things to say. And he was very nice.
So I assumed the position and the fun began. He saw an area of concern so he went ahead and did a biopsy. There was no anesthetic, and the procedure felt a lot like getting a shot so it wasn't too bad. To stop the bleeding they used a mixture that looked a lot like peanut butter...but when it worked it's way out of my system it resembled coffee grounds, which was a bit disturbing. Then it was time to dress and figure out the next steps.
I really do believe that the Advil I took an hour before really cut down on the pain that followed. For you ladies, it was a lot like that first day of your cycle: You feel crampy and bloated, and like your reproductive organs are about to fall out. Guys, you'll just have to settle for that overall "blagh" feeling and trust me on it.
So in 7 days my biopsy results will be back. If they are moderately to severely abnormal the office will bring me right back in, if they are slight to moderate I'll just keep the appointment I have on the 16th of August. The good news is that worse case scenario they will cut out the affected areas. Best case scenario it will resolve itself over time and I'll just need to come in for check ups every 6 months. So no need for that burial plot for me!
If anyone wants a good informational site on the procedure go to http://www.mjbovo.com/Women/Colpo.htm#what. A big thank you to Jill for taking me and entertaining me for the morning.
posted by Liz @ 11:56 PM
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