Pap Smear Test, STD and Cervical Cancer

I’ve been a mom for almost seven years now but my children had their share of regular check-up more than I ever did. I only had two Pap Smear tests and I didn’t even know what the results were of the first one. As long as I am enduring the discomfort, I was contented to let whatever I was feeling to stay that way.

My most recent Pap Smear test was a different story. Yes, I did notice some abnormal discharges and pain after giving birth to my son a year ago. I assumed it was only because of having tubal ligation. I thought that my system has been naturally disrupted. Until I noticed that my vaginal discharge was getting thicker and more frequent. There was discoloration too and only because I am a cardholder of a health insurance company did I finally decide to have my annual check-up. Good thing, Pap smear was included in the services.

So on the day of the check-up, the OB Gyne asked me how I was feeling and I said, “I’m okay. No problem”. Then she asked me to lie down for the procedure and she immediately knew that there was something wrong. “You have a lot of discharge. I’ll have to I.E. you. I think there’s something wrong in your cervix.” I got nervous and even though I have experienced the IE several times before, it was still discomfiting to feel the OB’s finger probing inside me. What’s more, it hurt. When she was finished, she showed me her gloved hands, “May gasgas ang cervix mo. That’s why you easily bled during the IE.”



(Photo is from www.mydr.com.au)

Her findings was, I have bacterial infection but we had to wait for the Pap Smear results to know what bacteria has infected my cervix. My mind was turning too fast, where could I possibly get the infection? Was it contagious? I didn’t really know because it was my first time to have that illness. The OB didn’t elaborate on my health problem she just wrote down, cervicitis. She repeated the need to see the results of the test. Problem was it will take one week. So what I did was turn to Google and search cervicitis. Instead of finding peace of mind, I was scared even more. Did I contract STD? Will my cervicitis lead to cancer? We’re not rich, how can I raise funds for my operation if ever I have cancer? What will happen to my children if I die? It was mental torture…

To ease out my suffering, I talked to my colleagues who comforted me by telling me to just wait for the results. I also brought it up with my husband who assured me, in a joking manner, that it is not STD because if there is one last man standing who is monogamous, it would be him. Sure… sure.. So I just tried to focus on my work because I was about to give a training in research and documentation in Isabela Province three days after my check-up.

When I came back from the training, I immediately went back to hospital where I had the tests. I gathered the results from the laboratory and went straight to the OB Gyne’s clinic. She was not there because she was doing her rounds in another hospital. I felt frustration creeping inside me but the secretary was so accommodating and said she’ll just call her boss and read the results over the phone.

The findings: it was normal bacterial infection. Not STD bacteria. She said it was the kind that thrives in our outer vagina and if unchecked, it manages to get into the cervix. Now that was also a cause that’s written in one my google searches but perhaps I have the knack for dramatics, so I focused on the more controversial causes. My illness was not life-threatening, my own OB Gyne said. I will just have to use suppository medication for a week and come back for follow-up check up. I also later found out from the doctor who was in-charge of reading all my test results that my urinalysis showed that I had Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). She said that it could be the cause of my cervicitis or the other way around. No matter what, she prescribed antibiotics for one week and a repeat urinalysis afterwards.

All’s well that ends well. I now fully realize the importance of a regular reproductive or even general health check-up. Of course, it was good that what I had was not what I imagined it was but it will be much better if I didn’t have any illness at all.