Abnormal Pap & HPV positive test

Cervical screening (smear test)
1

Hi all.

I am writing on this topic as I am very worried, and also very uneducated on HPV and it's link to cervical cancer. I am 23 YO and just got abnormal Pap smear results in addition to HPV positive. I had a regular one in 2018, and have one been with one partner since then, so this has taken me by surprise. The doctor told me I have Low-grade changes of the cells in my cervix (LSIL) and a positive HPV result. She then said she just wants to keep an eye out and retest me in a year. My anxiety of the unknown has been through the roof. 

I know that there are different types of HPV (low&high-risk) low risk sounds like it just creates annoying warts that aren't harmful, and high-risk sounds like it can lead to cervical cancer. Right? Well, I don't have warts or anything visible, so could some low-risk HPV cause cell changes, or is this a pretty good indicator that I am dealing with High-risk HPV? 

Also, since I have abnormal cervix cells already, does that mean my body is having a hard time fighting off the HPV, and should I be worried about cancer? Or is it normal to have some mild cell changes with any HPV infection?

 

When tested for HPV in clinic, do they test for HPV in general, or do they test only for high-risk HPV? If only high-risk, can the results tell them which strain I have?

 

Also, how long is one contagious with this virus? I know condoms can help decreases chances of passing it, but will I ever be non-contagious? If so, when?

 

How often for my age group do HPV infections and LSIL get better?? 

I also have been having abnormal bleeding (like a constant light period) for a month or 2 now. I skipped period using my NUVARING for 2-3 months, and my doctor said it could be that my body is just forcing me to have one now, but now with the results I know about, I can't help but to think of the worse (cancer-related signs). 

if anyone can help me understand/cope better please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it! 

2

Hi. I don't know much about what you are saying I thought that it was the high risk HPV that causes cell change but I could be wrong. I have also had HPV positive results and high grade cell change then diagnosed with CIN3. You don't have to worry about cervical cancer because as long as you follow up with your routine smears you will be fine and they will remove the cells before they can change cancerous. Remember aswell not all cell changes turn in to cancer. Only a small percentage do. I have had loop excission to remove my abnormal cells in February and I have my smear booked in for August. I understand how worried you are about the HPV as I am also but I am sure you will be fine xx

3

Hello!  Definitely do some internet reading to clarify this all, but yes, you have low risk and high risk figured out correctly.  And since you have CIN I, you definitely have a high risk strand. 16, 18, and 45 are the most common high risk strands and therefore cause the most cervical cancers, but there are others.  The HPV test they give only tests for high risk strands, and some tests can identify the strand.  I know which strands I have (yes, many people have more than one, which is why you should still get the HPV shot even though you have it already), but a lot of times they just say high risk HPV. It is very normal to have cell chances with high risk HPV. That said, about 90 percent of people in your age group clear HPV in two years.  As long as you have a high enough viral load to test positive you are definitely contagious.  Condoms help, but as the virus is passed skin to skin they are not 100 percent.  The virus can also be passed through oral sex, and anal sex.  HPV is the leading cause of oral and anal cancers as well these days. Research is divided on whether or not you can transmit the virus even when you test negative since it goes dormant, but never actually goes away. You will always have HPV whether or not you are testing positive at that moment. I got high risk HPV when I was 24 and cleared it within two years.  I had no new partners and it went dormant for ten years; it then came back with a vengence and I ended up with cervical cancer.  That is RARE though.  The numbers are on your side completely that you will clear this in two years and never deal with it again.

That said, you must stay current on your testing.  If you can have a yearly pap, I suggest you do even once you clear the HPV. Also, it is something you will want to alert future partners to if they have not been vaccinated.  As I said above, you might want to consider the HPV vaccine at this point to protect yourself from other strands in the future as HPV is very common with 80 percent of the population having some strand or another. They say it is so common that almost every sexually active person will get a strand at some point, most will just never know.

As for your bleeding, I would not worry about that.  CIN I does not cause symptomsand the NUVARING is notorious for that sort of symptom.

I know it probably highly unhelpful for me, someone who was the worst cases scenario, to tell you not to worry and that you will almost certainly be totally fine, but that really is the truth.  Since this is a support group for cervical cancer, most of us here were the unlucky ones to some degree or another.  We are not a random sampling of the population.

 

Most people with high risk HPV are walking around healthy, living their lives having cleared this thing in a year of two.

 

Best Wishes and hope this was somewhat helpful!