Hi ihave been googling and not getting any where just making myself feel worse is it common to have high risk hpv I just keep thinking I'm going to get cervical cancer I have 4 small children and I'm so scared its affecting my day to day life
i had a co.poscopy done and that was negative he also took a biopsy which was negative I had my check up smear done
Friday but because I was a bit under the weather he said that the results will probably show up hpv virus still I just dont understand this hpv is it common and do most people with boarderline have highrisk hpv
i hope someone can help me and put my mind at rest
xx
hi
im not sure what I am doing wrong but no one seems to reply to my post can someone tell me if I am doing this incorrect as new to tthis thank you
kerry
Hello,
I'm so sorry you're going through this, especially with 3 small children. I know it's easy for me to say but please try not to worry. HPV testing is a new thing with screening and meant to be a 'good thing' although I personally think it's causing a lot of women huge worry and anxiety. I do undertsand how scary all this can be, especially when you're not used to having abnormal results.
'High risk' HPV refers to certain strains of HPV that are known to sometimes cause cervical abnormalities. Firsty, there are around 100 types of HPV (I think) and most sexually active women will come into contact with it. In most women their immune systems will get rid of the HPV and they'll never know they had it. Even when women do have abnormalities in the majoirty these are treated and never become cancer.
Yes, HPV is common, but it's important to remember that cervical abnomalities are not cancer, they are early cell changes. Borderline changes are the mildest form of change that there is, and most of the time they return to normal. The fact your colposcopy biopsy was normal is good, it suggests that this has already happened.
I hope that this helps. If you can, try to put it to the back of your mind in between now and whenever you'll next have a smear. If you wish you can try to give your immune system the best chance of working well (ie keeping healthy, eating healthily, not smoking etc).
Take care, hope you're ok x
Thank you so much for replying it has helped a bit I had my 6 month smear on Friday and I had just had a bug that my daughter had so the consultant said the hpv may be present due to my immune system fighting the infection I had I just pray it comes back all ok can I ask did you have high risk hpv when you ad your abnormal smear and is it present in most boarderline results I have been googling it but not really finding an aanswer thank you
kerry x
Hi Kerry
I'm glad it's helped a bit. I understand how confusing and scary all of this is.
HPV is complex because there are lots of different types - some are high grade (or 'high risk') and some are low grade. Low grade HPV and high grade HPV can both potentially cause abnormalities. I think the NHS test might only be testing for the 'high risk' HPV types because ladies who have borderline or mild abnormalities who test negative for these types continue with routine screening. One way of looking at it is that at least you're being monitored which is a posiitve, and it doesn't mean you have cancer.
Because HPV testing is very new, I only had my first HPV test recently at colposcopy and I'm negative for high risk HPV. So unfortunately I don't know if high risk HPV was present in my earlier smears.
I hope that your results comes back ok, take care x
I will keep you informed once I get my rresults thank you kerry
hi,
Just wanted to reply. I had treatment for CIN 2 6 years ago and just had a (normal) smear but an hpv test has come back positive. I'm nervous about this, but I read that over 20% of women in our age group have HPV and the VAST majority never develop CC.
xxx
Hi got my results yesterday and smear was negative and hpv was negative just shows you that it can go back to normal I did take vitamins every day and walked as much as I could.
do I back to three yearly now if hpv was negative ..
Kerry xx
Kerry,
I'm glad you posted - and pleased for you that your smear and HPV resluts were normal. That's great news! Unless you've told otherwise, you're likely to be on 3 yearly smears now. Take care x
Jessica,
HPV is very common. Most women's immune systems will clear the disease, and even when HPV is present for many women is doesn't cause CIN let alone CC. So the answer is no, HPV infection doesn't mean that you'll defintely develop CC. Hope this helps, take care x
I have been treated twice in my life for high risk hpv. I have had pre-cancerous dysplasia both times. I'm getting ready to go back in next month for my 6 month follow up, which if the results come back positive, I will be having a total hysterectomy. The problem with hpv is that it stays in your blood. You won't always have abnormal results from a pap. I was 17 the first time I had it and had normal paps until just before I turned 30. Some times you will never have symptoms. This is a scary subject, but, just like with everything in life, you can't stress about something you don't have control over. Once you are introduced to hpv in your body, you will always have it, but it doesn't always show its nasty little face. There are also so many different types of hpv. Some cause warts, some cause cancer or pre-cancer, so do nothing, but if you have it, you will pass it. If you have children, I suggest that you get them treated. Gardasil, a shot to help prevent hpv, can be given to a child at, I believe, 11 years old. Boys and girls can both be treated. Hope you can or have found some ease. I have just learned to prepare for the worst. I have been having symptoms again, so I'm sure it will come back positive. Menstrual cycles can be affected as well, one symptom I no longer have to deal with. I had a cycle that lasted over a year. At that point I decided to have an endometrial ablation and they removed my fallopian tubes. I haven't had a cycle in almost a year and a half. Treatments are painful, but they work. I had laser surgery when I was 17 and 6 months ago, I had a leep, just not sure they got it all and I think it may have progressed. Best of luck to you. If you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer the best I can.
