After a few bumpy years or cell changes and persistent (stubborn!) HPV I was discharged back to my GP for a yearly smear. I received a letter last week inviting me for a smear test. My last colposcopy was only in April so tempted to wait a little longer. Either way, im anxious and nervous. I find myself thinking about it a lot and worrying about the results. My last smear and colposcopy showed HPV and no abnormal cells. The year before I had HPV and a biopsy for cin1. I was happy the cells appeared to have regressed but worried again what might show up this time
Be brave, Rachel, and don’t wish for problems when you don’t know you’ve got them. If your last smear and colposcopy were clear that’s great news. There’s no reason to think things have changed for the worse - and if they have, deal with it when it happens. It’s a new year, try to think positive and enjoy life in 2022!
Hello please go to your smear test if is good news you will be so relieved ,and if there is something that needs treatment then also be happy you caught it on time and you will be sorted before it turns to something bad
Hi, just wanted to update. I had my smear and it came back HPV positive with no cell changes. Hard to feel happy about this as I’m still stuck with HPV and into my 4th year. I’ve cleared the abnormal cells I had in 2019 but just can’t understand why the HPV still lingers around. I’m researching alternative therapies to try and boost my immune system if any benefit at all.
You should allow yourself to be happy, Rachel. You have HPV (join the club) and it’s still active - so immune boosting supplements might be a good idea - but you have no abnormal cells. This is great news. Only you can stop yourself worrying. There is no guarantee any of them will work for anyone, but you will feel you’re doing something positive if you pay special attention to your health and diet. And keep getting your checks! X
Thank you. I know it is good news to many but it’s just been a rough ride for me emotionally. I really wish people were educated more about HPV from a younger age. It would make women feel much more reassured when situations like this do arise. It’s brilliant that a vaccine now exists for young people but much more education is still required !
Hey I’m feeling the same worried and anxious I was hpv positive last year with normal cells and last week half my smear I’m hoping the hpv as gone as I’m so scared it means I’m going to get cancer! It’s so scary! It can send you into so much worry especially not knowing much about it x
Take a browse at the Jo’s Trust information pages - you can become well informed, which is a good thing because as Rachel says, people don’t know enough about HPV. It’s so common, and the incidence of it turning into cancer is actually very rare - we who have had cervical cancer on here are the unlucky ones. With any luck you will not be one of those. Coming on this forum is wonderful but it can give you the impression that every woman having a smear is going to end up with cancer, and that’s simply not true. X
Thankyou for commenting with that information I’ll take a look! I’m sorry for those woman who have unfortunately had to be in that situation it’s so scary I couldn’t imagine! It’s just hard to not think about the worse case! I read in here somewhere that testing for hpv first is a better way of testing do you know if this is true ? Xx
It is possible to have cervical cancer without the HPV virus, but such cases are negligible. HPV is a common virus that about 80% of the sexually active population have some variant of. It causes things like warts. Some variants have the potential, when they are in an active state, to cause cell changes in cervical tissues. These cell changes can resolve spontaneously, or they may, in a smaller percent of cases, develop into cancer over time. Hence vaccination now for HPV in young women and the screening for the presence of active HPV are essential. If you have active HPV variants that have the possibility of causing cell changes, the lab will look for cell changes. If you don’t, then you’ll be invite for a further smear after the required period of years, because these things generally change very, very slowly.
Thankyou so much for taking the time to explain these things it ls really helpful and does help put your mind at ease knowing it’s common and screening helps prevent anything sinister! Lack of knowledge is what makes you go into panic I think! It’s really kind of you taking the time to help with our questions xx
Just looking for some support im currently awaiting my smear results phoned this morning after 5 weeks they are still in the lab ive had to hpv virus for 4 years now and a colposcopy which showed mild infection
Should i be concerned and worried about how long it has been?
@Drgaon-32 Hey, I wouldn’t worry too much about how long your results are taking. From personal experience I’ve always waited between 4-6 weeks for results and my biopsy results once took 6 weeks. I worried about why it took so long but my results reflected what the dr doing the colposcopy had already told me, mild changes.
Hopefully you get your results through soon xx
