Hi All, not happy to find myself back on this forum. My issues started in 2018, started bleeding after sex... casually mentioned it to my gp who then saw that I had never had a smear (stupid of me as a 31 year old) . She gave me an emergency smear and she said she saw some abnormality which she thought was a cervical Ectrop?!
My results came back high grade changes so was booked in for colposcopy the next week. At the appointment, the nurse saw the abnormal areas so did the LEEP procedure there and then.
My abnormal bleeding stopped, fully expected everything to be okay. Test of cure was 8 months after LEEP, this unfortunately came back as low grade changes and hpv positive (type 16).
Waited 6 months for my next colposcopy, the nurse again confirmed that she could see some abnormal areas still so she took some biopsy's.
I'm now waiting for the results but slightly anxious as in the weeks before my last colposcopy, I started getting the abnormal bleeding again, this has continued (bloody discharge in between periods and after sex).
have any of you experienced persistant hpv? Feeling doubtful that my body can clear this ( I have immune system issues) . I'm slightly concerned about the abnormal bleeding.
Does this make me more likely to have cervical cancer?
I did end up with a persistent HPV infection that uktimately led to cervical cancer. I forst found out I had HPV when I was 25. I cleared it in 2 years and had no problems until I was 39 when I started testing positive again (no new partners). I had normal paps with HPV postive readings for two years, then an HPV negative pap totally normal. The the next year I was HPV positive with CIN III. Had a cold knife cone biopsy and was still HPV positive CIN I after it. Stayed HPV positive CIN I for two paps and then was at CINIII that turned out to be invasice cervical cancer. But we caught it early die to close monitoring and a radical hysterectomy was my cure. Most people clear the virus, but some lf the strands radically change cellular DNA once they get in there and make it hard to fight.
Try not to stress too much. As long as your regularly attend your doctor's appointments, you will stay on top of this and be fine. I know it is miserable and stressful, but other than eating healthy, not smoking, and getting exercise, there is just not much that you can do to control high risk HPV.
Hi thank you for your submission. I also have persistent high risk HPV. I had LETZ procedure for CIN2 a year ago and I’m still high risk with CIN1. I can’t help but think that it will progress within the next few years especially as I can’t clear the high risk changes and have abnormal changes after every smear.
Does having a hysterectomy stop you from getting cancer?
Removing the cervix through hysterectomy would keep CIN from developing into cervical cancer. In my journey I was recommended to have a hysterectomy after my first bought of CIN III but I did not trust the doctor and I sought a second opinion that said we could watch and see. I should have probably listened to the first doctor in retrospect because radical hysterectomy was no fun, but I am alive and well almost four years post diagnosis/surgery, so it is what it is.
Thanks for your response. You did the best thing for yourself at the time with the information you had, can’t be too hard on yourself for not being able to predict the future. I can understand you being sceptical of what the first doctor was saying as it can sound quite extreme so I completely understand why you went down the watch and wait route. Hope you’re okay now and have managed to keep CC at bay with your hysterectomy. May I ask how old you are if you don’t mind me asking? I’m 33 with persistent high risk HPV and abnormal cells even after Letz. Trying to get my mind to understand that I can still live a relatively normal life if I attend my appointments and if things get worse they can be treated- but having a hard time with this part! Xx
I am 28 years old and have had HPV since I was 19. It has unfortunately caused a lot of issues for me- persistent warts which affect my sexual relationships, and in the last year I have had CIN 3, LLETZ and now booked in for another colposcopy after bleeding after sex. I wish i could give you positivity but its hard.
One thing i will say, stop smoking if you do! I have been smoking since i was 13 and really do believe it has affected my body’s ability to get rid of my HPV. Take immune supplements, really look after your body and do research into different remedies of HPV. You can be lucky and have it go away on its own, but I do highly recommend doing whatever you can to get rid of it.
