Abnormal Pap

[BethanySublime]

Well, I just got a call from Planned Parenthood; lo and behold I had an abnormal pap smear - "slightly abnormal squamous cells" I believe were the exact words.  So I understand the basics of abnormal paps and following up and all that, but what does squamous mean?  Is it high risk?  :(

[BethanySublime]

I was doing a little online research and judging by what she told me, it's ASC-US (meaning they don't know if it's HPV or caused by an infection).  I have HPV and I was just treated for BV.  So if it was caused by HPV, does that make it ASC-H?  Or is it completely different.

[gracefromHHP]

They didn't qualify it to accurately say which category it goes in.  Basically at this point you need a repeat pap test and I'd also ask for a hpv test too while you are there. Find out if you havea cervical hpv infection too and if you do if it's high risk or low risk so you can decide how aggressive you need to be. In the majority of cases thankfully just taking the wait and see approach is fine.  

when is your follow up pap test?  

grace

[BethanySublime]

it will be in October.  If I had warts on my cervix (I have GW), would this be how they'd show up?

[gracefromHHP]

Yes I did remember that  you already have external genital warts. It's not uncommon to have more than 1 type of hpv infection at a time though ( the types that cause external genital warts are low risk - just a cosmetic concern - and aren't going to infect your cervix too ).  

You could ask to be retested in 3 months instead of 6 - I know I couldn't wait 6 months even with as much as I know about it all!! Well I could but I'd probably be going on the liver transplant list at the same time from all the booze I'd be drinking!!    

This very well could've just been from the bv too thankfully but I think it's hard not to cover all the bases once you've done a little homework.

grace