Accepted Answer

Hello; Thank you for writing in today. I understand your concern. At this point, I would have to agree with your provider. Unless you are due for a routine Pap, I don't think it would be indicated at this point. I will explain. The change in your cycle could be due to a number of things. First of all, having lighter periods after treating your fibroid is normal. Fibroids tend to cause heavy bleeding; therefore, after treatment of your fibroid, your cycles should have become a little lighter. Now, irregularity in cycles is very common for all women. The cycle is a good indicator of overall health and normalcy. When a woman experiences life changes, the menstrual cycle can change. This explains why some women have irregular periods when traveling, divorcing, etc. Stress can also be a very huge culprit for causing menstrual cycle irregularities. The body acts differently when under stress, particularly hormonally. Also, although it may be a little early, you may be starting to have some perimenopausal symptoms. Most women begin to notice menstrual cycle irregularities when they enter perimenopause (the stage before menopause). Again, this is a bit early; however, if you have a family history of early menopause in the women of your family, it is possible. As for the cyst, this is nothing to be too concerned about. Cysts are very common in women. They usually go unnoticed and resolve spontaneously. As for concerns regarding cervical cancer, this cancer usually does not present with bleeding. Most cervical cancers do not have any significant symptoms, and are found upon exam. In your case, there are a few reasonable explanations that would be more likely than cervical cancer. I suspect that your cycles may normalize once you are less stressed. I hope this helps. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please let me know. I want you to feel comfortable with this information. Lisa

Expert:	Lisa, MSN, FNP-BC, CCRN
Pos. Feedback:	100.0 %
Accepts:
Answered:	10/22/2009

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