Interview 09
Two abnormal smear test results, Referred to colposcopy clinic. Diagnosed with CIN 3 in 2000. Treatment given' Diathermy loop excision.
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She had expected to have an opportunity to discuss her treatment before it took place.
She had expected to have an opportunity to discuss her treatment before it took place.
Yes in the sense that may be before the smear or even when I had the test and I had the treatment all we have is notification as in 'you have an abnormal result so we need to get the treatment' they say 'you have this, this and this type of treatment' but at the end of the day we don't get to choose. We go to the hospital, I was actually supposed to go and see a gynaecologist and I don't know what happened, I mean the appointment itself took over 6 months and they told me it was kind of not urgent but it was, it needed to be done in the near future so it took over 6 months for me to get the appointment and when I get the appointment they say "Oh you were supposed to go to gynaecology but we're going to do the treatment today." So I think I have an appointment to the gynaecology okay well you're having the treatment today I'm like what, you know so it was a bit like sudden. They don't consult you I don't think they do that is one of my objections I would have.
She felt there needed to be more follow-up support after her diathermy loop excision.
She felt there needed to be more follow-up support after her diathermy loop excision.
Yes which is what I feel a bit strange is having such a big part of yourself taken out and after this LOOP treatment they provide you with some antibiotics and they tell you you can't exercise, you can't use any tampons or have anything inside your vagina for about a month and a half and yet the next follow up appointment is 6 months down the line. I think that's too far away for me and I mean I had my first period was very heavy and very painful and I still have my second period which is quite heavy, cramps.
When I phoned up my GP all they tell me is there's not much we can do so I insisted and they did some kind of bacterial test they said "Oh you've just had thrush that's all, so just wait for your appointment, there's nothing we can do," and I just wish that there should be more follow-up and more, not just say not sympathy but more consideration and more attention to the after treatment, I think that is really important, that is really lacking. Because I mean they always say "Don't do this, don't do this," it seems to be quite, not severe but quite important if you can't even run or you can't even swim, you have to be so careful. But they don't, they're not following you, they're not there for you when you think okay what can I do?