So i’ve had abnormal smears for the last 6 or 7 yrs, 2 lletz procedures the last of which was in sept 2021, i saw a consultant yesterday as my smear in march again came back with abnormal cell changes, and he basically said theres nothing they can do, i am ‘one of a small group of women’ who cannot get rid of the hpv virus. Apparently if i had a hysterectomy there would be a chance of the abnormal cells affecting the vagina, and thats harder to treat. So i just have to be monitored every year to make sure they dont change further. Not sure what to make of this or how i feel, anyone else in a similar situation?
Hi Nicky,
It’s hard, isn’t it. You will find plenty of others on the forum who have harboured HPV for very many years - for some reason our immune systems just don’t overwhelm it. Some of us, like me, probably have had it well over 20 years, although of course it may not have always been active. There is some thinking that it can never be ‘conquered’ - there is no miracle drug to kill HPV - but in most women it’s kept dormant by the immune system unless there are period so stress and lowered immunity. It’s not been routinely tested for many years in the UK, so most of us with long term HPV only found out in the last few years that we had it, but have had problems as a consequence for much longer.
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Hello there is a few post in here about ladies that had LLETZ and hpv positive for years and after many more colposcopy appointments the body managed to get rid of the virus. Some others develop high CIN again and they go for Hysterectomy.
I been trying to search online information and percentages on exactly this women that after 1 or 2 Lletz still HPV positive with no abnormalities or low grade abnormalities and their outcome but not much information online.
There is definitely a need to do some study about it so people in this situation have a better idea and understanding of what can happen and the chances of that happening. Take care and stay positive you are monitored that is the most important.
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I am one of those women! 13 years of abnormalities, hysterectomy five years ago and still have abnormal cell changes on vault smear annually.
Don’t know if there is anything else that can be done?
