I hurt down there
A month ago I went to have my annual pap test done but requested a female this time. She was a physician assistant I never had before. She had trouble getting the cervix to stay open so she could get a sample. I never had such a painful pelvic exam before and wondered if I had made a bad decision requesting her or if the exam would have been the same with my regular (male) doctor. I always felt strange having a male doctor do the exam, so then someone had suggested to me to ask for a female and so that’s why I did but am wondering if I regret it now. It felt like an eternity until she got done! During the exam she asked, "Did anyone ever tell you that you have a polyp on your cervix?" I told her no and now I’m worried that this polyp could cause me trouble. I had to put a pad on that day because I was bleeding a little bit from the exam.
Can a polyp like this be cancerous? When the doctor’s office called with my results and said they came back normal, I was glad, but she wants me to have a second opinion now because of the polyp. So they set me up with a specialist. I would have had to wait until November to see a female specialist (apparently a lot of women want a woman doctor!), so I settled for a male doctor so I could get in this month yet, on Sept. 29. I’m starting to really worry about this. The physician assistant had said it is a large polyp and might cause me problems. I forgot to ask her if the results from my pap test would have shown whether or not the polyp is cancerous. I was trying not to worry but now for about the past week I’ve been having some pain up there someone. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact location, but I have a pain up in me that I assume is in my vagina or slightly up further. It feels like a pressure. It doesn’t itch or burn. I always feel this pain and especially feel it when I’m going to the bathroom. I don’t think it’s a urinary tract infection, but I really can’t be sure. I do know that it’s just uncomfortable to urinate because of this pressure in there, but I am always aware of this pain. It’s not an unbearable pain but seems to be more noticeable every day.
I was tempted to call the doctor’s office again because of this pain but thought that’s probably no use since it takes weeks for them to get results from tests, so even though my specialist appointment is 10 days away, I probably wouldn’t get the test regulars from the family practice center any sooner than my other doctor’s appointment. I just don’t know what to do. Since I’m not in incruciating pain (and I hope it doesn’t get that bad either), I thought I’d try to wait it out the ten days. Does anyone have any idea what this pain could be from? I haven’t had my period for two months, but then I guess that’s not real strange because my periods have been very irregular for almost the past year. I’m suspecting that I’m starting to go through menopause since I am 49 yo. Is it possible that a polyp could restrict the flow of a woman’s menstrual period? I’m just trying to think of what might be causing this pain. I can put up with it for now but hope it doesn’t get any worse.
September 28th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
A polyp like that can be cancerous yes, and they can only tell by taking a biopsy of it, which more than likely your specialist will do on the 29th. It shouldn’t take long after that to get the results. Until then, I would not worry too much, you are going to freak yourself out. It is no good to worry about things that you are unsure of. I too had a polyp and it worried me very much until i got the results. it was benign, and the pain I was feeling - and still am - I assume is from my utuerus being tilted the wrong way which is putting pressure on everything else. I am still undergoing tests because I have been diagnosed with other things as well, and the pain is becoming unbearable.
But I’m starting to stray now lol, what I am trying to say is do not worry yourself too much… the specialist will answer your questions on the 29th. Take things as they are dealt to you.
September 28th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
But I’m starting to stray now lol, what I am trying to say is do not worry yourself too much… the specialist will answer your questions on the 29th. Take things as they are dealt to you.
Angela, Thanks for the advice. You must know that I’m a natural born worrier! lol I just hope it’s not cancer, and now my husband is also upset about all this. I couldn’t sleep last night because of the pain I’m having and called the doctor today and saw a female doctor that I didn’t see before. She was very nice and did a pelvic exam and is also doing cultures to find out if there’s any type of infection in there somewhere. She said it’s not PID, so that’s ruled out. She also said I have a pretty large polyp on my cervix that the specialist might want to remove when I go in to see him (or else possibly at a later appointment…I don’t know how involved that gets). She sent me to the diagnostic enter for a pelvic ultrasound. The woman at the center took pictures of my kidneys, ovaries, etc. (I guess whatever equipment is down there…lol). As if it’s not bad enough that I have a polyp on my cervix, now this woman told me that I also have a cyst on my one ovary. Uh boy, I really didn’t want to hear that, but I’m really trying not to worry. Let me tell you, though, honestly if they would tell me that it’s cancer I know I’d break down crying. That’s the way I am; it’s hard to be different when you’re natured that way. Well, I’ll just keep my fingers crossed that it’s not much of anything at all. Oh yeah, I forgot to say that I had to drink 48 oz of water by 2:00 today and then not go to the bathroom before my appointment at the diagnostic center. Talk about feeling like you’re ready to explode!
I’m very sorry to hear that you’re having problems of your own. That’s great that your polyp was benign, but it sounds like you aren’t over your troubles yet. Now you saying that you have a tilted uterus putting pressure on things makes me wonder if that might be my problem, but I guess maybe they would have told me that by now. What’s weird with me is that I hurt in the middle and on the left side but yet the ovary with the cyst on it is the right one. Go figure. I’m really sorry for the pain that you’re in. I’m in a fair amount but not unbearable yet. It doesn’t feel too good when she’s up in there with that probe moving it around to get the pictures. I’m glad that’s over with. I just hope the pain doesn’t get keep getting worse from now until when I go in to see the specialist or I’m really liable to go through the ceiling when he looks up in there! I hope you and I both have good news in the end. Thanks again for your words of encouragement.