This week has been a busy week of appointments! I’ve had two important examinations. One has left me feeling very frustrated! But the good thing about these two examinations, they are yearly examinations. So now that they are done, I hopefully don’t have to worry about them until next year, unless something goes wrong inbetween!
Colposcopy
On Friday, I had my yearly Colposcopy and Smear Test. They do both together at the hospital, to save me from having to have two separate trips, two separate examinations. Being immunosuppressed puts you at a higher risk of Cervical Cancer. So it’s important to always make sure you have regular Smear Tests. Even if you are not immunosuppressed, make sure you always get your Smear Test when you get called. That one little test could just save your life!
I have abnormal cells in my Cervix along with the HPV virus. A lot of people get rid of the HPV virus on their own. However, because I am severely immunocompromised, it’s a lot harder for my body to get rid of the virus. Currently, there is no treatment either to help me get rid of it either. So every year, they just closely monitor me and check for no concerning changes.
Regarding the abnormal cells, I think they once did freeze them off or scrapped them away or something along them lines. But I think they just grew back. I can’t remember exactly, it was a few years ago! I know they did something, and I know I still had them last year on my Colposcopy results.
For Anyone Who Is About To Have One
If you ever do get called for a Colposcopy, please don’t worry about it. Yes, they are not the most pleasant things to have, but from my experience, they are not painful. Taking the swabs can sting a little, but doesn’t hurt. I think that’s down to the solution they use on the swaps. The only part that I would say can be a little bit painful, is if they take a biopsy. But don’t worry, they don’t always take one! If they do take a biopsy, you are then asked to rest for 1 to 2 days after, to allow the area to heal inside.
For any results from your Colposcopy or Smear Test, you normally have to wait 2 to 3 weeks.
My Eyes
On Saturday I had my yearly eye appointment. I have to have my eyes checked yearly, due to being on Hydroxychloroquine. For anyone who doesn’t know, Hydroxychloroquine can cause damage to your eyes, which eventually can lead to blindness. I was speaking to the eye doctor yesterday about this. I asked him if it was rare for this to happen. He said he normally sees it in patients who have been on the drug for 15 to 20 years. So there was me counting in my head how many years I’d been on the drug. I’ve been on it for 13 years! He then said something that really annoyed me! He said don’t worry about it, if you start showing symptoms, we just take you off the drug for a few years, and hopefully, your eyes should repair, as long as we catch it earlier enough.
I know that sounds like great news! And yes it is brilliant with the fact my eyes will be ok. But you can’t just stop one of my most important medications for a few years, and expect the rest of my body to be happy! That drug looks after my kidneys, helps with fatigue, etc.
The Wolf Seems To Love My Eyes!
Since having Covid, I’ve noticed my vision has become blurry, my eyes are sore and tired, and keep getting headaches. I was kind of hoping it was down to tiredness and not the fact that my eye muscles had become weaker again. However, yesterday I got the news I didn’t want! My eye muscles have become weaker. So now my prism has to be changed from a 3 to a 4. It seems to be every year at the moment! I’m having to buy a new pair of glasses, yearly! So annoying! And if I ask for advice from the eye doctor, they always say the same thing to me, I need to prevent having flares with my illness. If only it was that simple!
I’m not blaming Covid the virus itself, but I’m blaming the fact of being off my Methotrexate for so long when I was recovering from Covid, is quite possibly the cause! For some reason, the wolf loves attacking my eye muscles. I don’t know why, but I wish he would stop! My eyes were fine in December. Towards the 4th/5th week of being off my Methotrexate, I really noticed my Lupus flaring, and being very active in my body. I think it was maybe then when it decided to attack my eyes. But it’s again doctors thinking it’s ok to stop my important medication. I understand the reasons for needing to stop it, and it was for my own safety. But it doesn’t make it any easier for me!
Honestly, just feeling slightly mad about it all!
Anyways, that’s it from me this week! Looking forward to getting some new glasses next weekend again so I can see again!
Until next time,
Goodbye for now.
Emma
xox
If you would like to be notified each week, when my blog goes live, straight to your inbox, please subscribe here:
(don’t forget to check your junkbox for the confirmation e-mail!)
My book, How I Tamed the Wolf, Living with Lupus is available on Amazon via this link:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09M73X2JQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MWAF58981F0VVMNRV1WN
Want to catch up on my previous blogs, head to: My Weekly Lupus Diary
