Smear Results

Cervical screening (smear test)
1

Ive had my smear results back today and it showed a borderline results which have caused me concern.

The labortory also tested my sample for HPV and the report showed evidence of infection.

I now have to wait for an appointent at the hospital for a Colopscopy and then will know if i need treatment

i am naturally worried and have read up about this but unsure as to how i have got this HPV and if i can

pass it on to my partner.

Im in a real state and really need some advise please

many thanks

Kaz

2

Hi Kaz, I'm not sure if i can help you but i thought id reply. Colposcopys are not that bad its like having a smear but they look at you through binocular type things and where i had mine done project it on to a flat screen tv. they may or may not put, vinegar or iodine on your cervix to show up abnormal areas, and they could possibly take a biopsy. As for HPV it is said by health professionals to be sexually transmitted, regardless of method of contraception. I cant say if your partner will have it and it is a concern of mine too, my boyfriend is immuno-compromised and i worry that if he has it he wont clear it and i will have constant problems with this virus. Generally ive been told that people have HPV for a few years before it decides to start cell changes.

I hope this helps 

3

Megan thank you so much for your reply, ive been so worried, just want to get it all sorted soon.

Hope all will be alright with you, and thank you again x

 

4

I’m sorry to hear you are going through this. It is a very scary time. hugz

HPV is probably the most common of all STDs. Having said that, there is evidence emerging that it can be contracted through contact other than sexual contact, so it is not even strictly and STD. There are many strains of it and only a few of those strains are responsible for causing cervical abnormalities. Up to 80% or higher of sexually active people have HPV. For many people, there are no signs or symptoms whatsoever. It is hard to detect as it can only be tested for if it is in an active state, such as causing changes like yours. It can lay dormant in the body for many years, then become active, then go dormant again. Many people have it but their bodies clear themselves of it. Some people have ongoing issues.

I was really shocked when I tested positive because I hadn’t been sexually active for around 8 or 9 years, and hadn’t had unprotected sex for something like 20 years. I have no idea who I got it from and most likely the person that did give it to me had no idea he was carrying it. It’s a sneaky thing that can pop up when you least expect it. I couldn’t possibly say for sure, but if you’ve been with your partner for a while, you probably would have passed it on to him. It’s equally likely, though, that he gave it to you. Either one or both of you could have had it since your first sexual encounter and simply not known.

If you are going to have changes, borderline are probably the best type. This means they are only just starting to be abnormal. In many women with low grade abnormalities like that, they will resolve themselves with no intervention. I had an abnormal pap several years ago. I had to go back for another pap in 12 months instead of 2 years and it had cleared itself up. I had at least 2 normal 2 yearly paps before this last one which was high grade changes (it might have been 3 … I’m not real good with remembering things in chornological order). The idea of a colposcopy is scary, I know, but for me it was just like a pap smear. Some women have biopsies taken, but I didn’t.

I know it’s a scary time. Waiting and not knowing is the pits and it’s super stressful. Everything you’re feeling is perfectly natural and normal. Hang in there though. You will get through this more hugz

5

i had a borederline smear with HPV infection at my colposcopy they said i had CIN 1/2 but my biopsy result came back as CIN3 i had my LLETZ today the importang thing to remember is its PRE cancerous and can be treated

6

Hi all,
somehow you feel the only one in the world and that you will be the unlucky statistic!!
There I was about to eat lunch when the doc rang and told me that my smear came back with moderate changes. Never having any problems with smears before, I felt instantly sick and pictured my 4year old and 6 month old without me. It was overwhelming, the fear, dread and how that call had changed everything. The next few days were so bad I never ate, slept, my concentration was non existent. I kept looking at my kids and goin in another room to sob my heart out!
Off I went to Colposcopy in tears, waiting for the news I had the big C. As I sat down and listened to the nurse, i became a little calmer as I realised how pretty average my result was!! Lets face it, women have to leave their pride at the door wen havin a smear, kids and now this. It was slightly uncomfortable but not painful, I was gripping the chair waiting for her reaction but nothing. I had a Leep procedure for what she called a very small patch and there was nothing to worry about.
I’m more of a half empty glass kind of girl after that shock and expected a nasty result in the post. I spoke to a few people who had treatment and its not as rare as I thought. Anyway, got result and it was cin2/3, not the best result but they got rid of it.
Only thing is now I’m concerned about a few things …,…

  1. Will it come back?
  2. Have a got this HPV virus?
  3. If I have, whenever I’m poorly will it cause cell changes?
  4. Is this what Il be doing now every 6 month, waiting and worrying ?
    can someone help me out?
7
  1. Will it come back? Most often, no. For most women, a LEEP is all the treatment they ever need. There is a small chance it will come back, but for the vast majority of women, it does not.
  2. Have I got this HPV virus? Most likely. It is the most common STI and there are many strains of it. Only a few strains cause cervical changes. It is difficult to diagnose as it can lay dormant in your system for years. While it is dormant, it can not be tested for, so unless it’s active at the time you have a smear, it won’t be detected. Most people who have it clear it from their bodies, but for some reason, it sticks around with some people and can cause ongoing problems.
  3. If I have, whnever I’m poorly will it cause cell changes? I don’t think anyone can answer this for sure. Not much is really understood about how the virus behaves. Like I said above, most of the time it is cleared from the system. When I found out I had the virus, I had not been sexually active for something like 9 years, and hadn’t had unprotected sex for over 20 years. It can lay dormant and never cause any problems again, or it can pop back up and cause recurrent problems.It’s a sneaky lil critter.
  4. Is this what I’ll be doing now every 6 months, waiting and worrying? Unfortunately, for a while, yes. Depending on your doctor, you might only have to go back for one 6 month smear. If that comes back with no abnormalities and HPV isn’t detected, you might go back to normal routine smear. Some doctors do the 6 month smears for a couple of years. I’m not sure how it works in the UK. I’m in Australia.

It’s a horrible thing to have hanging over your head. It feels like you have a ticking time bomb inside you and you wonder if life is ever going to be normal again. While these types of forums are great, they do give a bit of a skewed image of things. The vast majority of women never need to come back here after their LEEP, because they go on to have no further problems, so what you get to see is the minority who do have further problems. Please try not to let this rule your life now. For now you are all clear, which is fantastic news :slight_smile: Hopefully you will never have any problems again and will go on to live a healthy, happy life. huge hugz