Hpv positive!

Recently been diagnosed with hpv and low grade dyskariosis! I feel devasted. Ive only had 2 sexual partners im 32, i feel so embarrassed and disgusting like everyone going to be judging me.
Since being diagnosed its sent my anxiety through the roof. Its all i think about day and night no matter how hard i try i cant stop. Its making me feel ill! I feel like im avoiding everyone and becoming isolated because im scared im going to infect someone.
Ive got my colposcopy app this wed. Has anyone got any advice on what i should expect im terrified :sob:
Thanks xxx

Hi
I was just reading your post and just wanted to say please try not to feel like that,when I first found out I was HPV positive I tried hard to digest it but then reading the statistics we will all probably have HPV at some point in our lives and it is very common.
I have had a colcoscopy,it was painless for me just a little uncomfortable,they are looking further into the cell changes to detect if they are mild changes or more severe and if they may need to remove some of the cells,take comfort in the fact that they are monitoring you and keeping an eye on things xx

1 Like

Hey sunshine thanks for the reply.
Its just hard not to worry. Im scared about the colposcopy, im useless with pain and needles ill pass out.

Sometimes i just sit scrolling google and it makes me worse i read hpv can cause genital warts and other issues it just sent me into a meltdown panicing :pensive:
Do you still have hpv?or have you had the all clear if you dont mind me asking.
Xx

1 Like

Hi cookie32
I was HPV positive for 2 years but am now HPV negative on my latest smear :blush: it can come and go so it may return,it’s so common so your not alone,don’t Google things and stick to this forum would be my advice…the colcoscopy didn’t hurt,just a little uncomfortable and I too am useless with anything painful lol xx

Thank you for responding. Its put me at ease abit.
Glad your doing okay now. Fingers crossed it stays like that :slightly_smiling_face:i will definitely will stick to this forum from now on, everyone seems so kind and helpfull. Its settled me down a bit read other people stories i dont feel so alone now xx

1 Like

Hi @Cookie32

We all feel this way when we get that first positive result its completely normal and its important to remember your not alone… this diagnosis doesnt speak on who somebody is as a person, their hygiene or behaviours etc HPV is an incredibly common virus where 80% of the worlds population will contract atleast 1 genital/oral strain in their lives with only 1 partner giving us upto 70% chance of contracting it

HPV has more than 200+ strains that effect different parts of the body, only 40 of which are genital/oral specific, 14 of the 40 have been identified as high risk where they can (not will) effect our cells allowing them to become abnormal that could lead to cancer if left untreated (even having severe cell changes isnt a guarentee they will lead to cancer) its not likely you would develop warts they normally come from low risk HPV, low risks mainly just cause warts, veruca etc only in extremely rare cases do low risk strains cause cancer and most doctors go their whole careers without coming across such a case as low risk doesnt mean no risk

HPV is actually a skin condition that is aquired by close skin to skin contact with the infected bodypart/area that pretty much everybody is going to get regardless of how much we try to prevent it as condoms dont fully prevent the transmission… the only way to spread it is if someone had contact with our genitals via their own genitals doesnt even need to be penetrative, their mouth or something like someone using a sex toy straight after, this is the only reason its an STD as you dont have contact with genitals unless you are having sex, it is the most common way to get it, however since naming the 40 strains STDs they have discoverd virgins with no sexual contact with these strains, so even being celibate isnt necassarily going to stop someone from getting it HPV isnt that straight forward there are none sexual ways of contracting the genital/oral types… one of their biggest mistakes was naming it primarily an STD its just hard to double back on it now

Low grade changes that are picked up by our smears, despite an active HR HPV infection, can be caused by many unconcerning things like inflammation, yeast, vaginal bacteria/flora, sex or menstruation too close to the test among other things, as smears just describe how different cells look from normal the colposcopy will identify what the smear picked up and determine what the next course of action is, low grade changes that are identified as CIN1 at colposcopy/biopsy although a CIN isnt seen as a true precancer unless it persists or progresses to a higher grade CIN3 is seen as the precurser, most often CIN1 goes away on its own so the normal protocol is to monitor these changes with a follow up within 12 months

Over 99% of HPV infections are harmless, thats even with a high risk strain, with 90% clearing their infections within 1-2 years 10% will have an infection that persists passed this timeframe where cells changes are common but less than 1% of infections will actually turn cancerous… this all is very scary but you do have statistics on your side

Hope this helps and im so sorry for the long post :rofl: xx

4 Likes

Hello cookie32
I feel you! I was diagnosed of hpv positive back 2021. I just got done my Pap smear and hpv test and the result is paps smear is negative, but hpv positive. And now I just made an appointment for my colposcopy for next week. I feel like giving up with this HPv! I can’t even sleep. I did the best I can to increase my immune system. I am wondering why HPv positive but no abnormal cells? It’s just so confusing. I don’t know if I can rid this hpv in my system. :weary::pensive:

1 Like

I totally agree with the last lady if you are worried ring the help line the lady made me feel at ease as I was making myself so ill, I title my partner and he was fantastic and couldn’t believe I had kept this to myself for weeks… talk to someone you really trust and the weight lifts off your shoulders, the other sites aren’t giving the correct information adding to our stress levels.

2 Likes

Hiya all.

I’m new to this and I’ve been told I’m Hpv positive and have to go back and have another test in 12 months time . Can you or anyone tell me about HPv please X

Hi @Amystar1

I’m no expert but heres what I know/understand since also testing HPV positive for my last 2 smears (recently had the LLETZ)

HPV is also known as Human papillomavirus infection. There’s so many different strains and the strains associated with cervical cancer are 16 and 18 I believe!

About 80% of women will get at least one type of HPV at some point in their lifetime, and they say that sometimes your body can fight the infection itself and in other occasions it lingers and your kept a closer eye on! If the HPV lingers there’s a higher risk for any cells to become abnormal and then eventually them abnormal cells can lead to cervical cancer if your abnormal cells are not treated!

The main thing is you’ve done the right thing having your smear and they’ve found HPV now, so in 12 months time at your next smear your body could have potentially fought the infection or like in my case you may test positive again but if that’s the case you’ll be referred for a colposcopy so they can look at your cervix further to decide if you need treatment or not!

I hope I’ve explained it well (that’s about as much as I understand it to be anyway) x

1 Like

Thank you so much that helps a lot. I hope that you are okay. I’ve got to wait now 12 months for my next smear test. I have also asked questions to the clinic lady which has helped .
I am high risk HPV hopefully my body will fight it . It’s scary stuff. A few moths ago I had my tonsils out 7th dec 2023 and they was testing for cancer as one was bigger then the other one but when I called them back after I was healed they didn’t even test but I’m okay just need the doctor to check.

I think the thing that I don’t like is the waiting but they have told me I can’t do it any sooner as it will just come back positive and they would probably just refuse to do the swab xx

1 Like

Yeah I totally get the waiting part is horrible! That’s what happened to me but my body didn’t fight the virus, but yours might! Fingers crossed :crossed_fingers:t4:!! Anything health wise always gets you overthinking and thinking worst case scenarios, if you start getting any symptoms I’d definitely advocate for yourself and ask for your smear earlier

Sending positive and in the meantime just try boost your immune system with vitamins x