Page 2 | To wonder why older women are not offered the HPV vaccine

DangerNoodles · 2022-06-27T11:10:52+00:00

When gay and bisexual men are. I recently found out that smear tests only check to see if you have HPV. I already knew about the vaccine offered to girls at school but looking into it, it seems it is effective for women up to the age of 45 (but most effective before 26). Gay and bisexual men are offered the vaccine up to 45 on the NHS so why aren't women? I can't afford the £500+ it costs to get the vaccine privately so I can't help but feel a little bit pissed off about it. I honestly thought smears were actually checking for cancer, not just for a preventable virus. I'm guessing it's a cost cutting measure.

powershowerforanhour · 27/06/2022 14:40

" I hate smear tests and I just don't see the point of them now. I am HPV negative and have no intention of changing partners anytime soon."

Me too. I've been in a relationship with (and faithful to) my now- husband for 12 years and every time the NHS advise it, I dutifully traipse along to have my vagina carefully penetrated with a speculum held by a stranger and my cervix prodded with the minimum force and pain necessary to yield a decent cell harvest, and I'm thinking hmmm I'm the one lying here with my pants off whilst all you're doing is basically just fidelity testing my husband, who at this moment is innocently driving to another site for his job or relaxing with coffee and a bit of daytime telly or having a peaceful wank or whatever he does in his spare time. Of course if he spends his spare time getting sucked off by hairy truckers in laybys or is at that moment in our bed riding the arse off some wee piece half his age he met in the supermarket, and the hairy trucker or supermarket tart have and are shedding HPV and they aren't using condoms, then the NHS will having been doing me a favour I suppose. Still though, having known Mr Power for 12 years I think the small likelihood of identifying a marriage based on lies, terminating it and saving my cervix from cancer doesn't outweigh the arse of getting my nethers penetrated by a kindly female professional stranger I don't fancy the bones of, even if it is only every 3 years or 5 years or whatever.

Anunusualfamily · 27/06/2022 14:49

I believe HPV can lay dormant for several years prior to appearing so although you previously tested negative you may suddenly test positive without there being any infidelity

Lemonyfuckit · 27/06/2022 15:11

RagzRebooted · 27/06/2022 13:35

It changed to 'HPV primary' testing around 3/4 years ago. So yes, only samples with HPV are now checked for precancerous changes. There are usually many years between HPV infection and progression to cervical cancer as it first causes precancerous changes (CIN 1 up to CIN 3), so checking for HPV first does make sense as it's really only when the HPV hangs around too long that it causes problems.
The 80% figure is how many of us get HPV over our lifetime, most of us clear it within a year or two without it doing any damage. If HPV is found, cells will be checked and if normal the smear will be repeated a year later to see if the HPV has gone. This approach has been supported by research. In future, it is likely that smears will only be done on those who have HPV and it would be a simple swab test (London trial currently of self swabbing for HPV) first of all.

My past two smears (last year and the year before) showed HPV but no abnormal cells. So I realise that it's common and the body usually clears it, but my concern is I presumably must have had it for ages - haven't had a different partner for 7 years, and I'm confident he hasn't cheated. I also hadn't had a smear test for years (I know, I know...) but one before which would have been before I met my DH showed nothing abnormal (albeit I also understand they didn't test for HPV then). So I feel like I've potentially had HPV for over 7 years. Or can it be dormant and then flare up? As I said the past two smears albeit showed HPV, didn't show anything further, but am slightly concerned about it being the strains which hang around longer which are more likely to then lead to cell changes. Can anyone enlighten me? - could it be that I maybe got it years ago but has only more recently flared up and equally could then clear? Because of this I've been on annual recall so will be due again this Nov/Dec.

Thebeastofsleep · 27/06/2022 15:45

Lemonyfuckit · 27/06/2022 15:11

My past two smears (last year and the year before) showed HPV but no abnormal cells. So I realise that it's common and the body usually clears it, but my concern is I presumably must have had it for ages - haven't had a different partner for 7 years, and I'm confident he hasn't cheated. I also hadn't had a smear test for years (I know, I know...) but one before which would have been before I met my DH showed nothing abnormal (albeit I also understand they didn't test for HPV then). So I feel like I've potentially had HPV for over 7 years. Or can it be dormant and then flare up? As I said the past two smears albeit showed HPV, didn't show anything further, but am slightly concerned about it being the strains which hang around longer which are more likely to then lead to cell changes. Can anyone enlighten me? - could it be that I maybe got it years ago but has only more recently flared up and equally could then clear? Because of this I've been on annual recall so will be due again this Nov/Dec.

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You've probably had it 7 years. But 7+ ago HPV testing want automatic in all areas, it was rolled out quite slowly.

MickeyMouseEars · 27/06/2022 16:01

DangerNoodles · 27/06/2022 14:21

Has anyone ever used the home HPV testing kits? It looks like they test for more HPV variants than a smear test but I don't know how easy it would be to test at home. I'm tempted to buy those in future and only go for an NHS one if I get a positive result. Even after going through childbirth I find smear tests embarrassing and uncomfortable. Plus I always have to be quite firm with the nurse about having a small speculum, they always try and go for the big one just because I've had babies and it hurts!

I've been doing this since I found out that the testing had been changed to HPV first and that there were trials going on for women to test for HPV at home. I have always found smears very painful but the home HPV test is very easy to administer and completely painless. It's also not very expensive either which is why I'm surprised that they are still doing smears (which take up a surgery appointment and the nurse's time which must be quite pricey). If I ever get a positive HPV test then I will obviously get straight down to the GP surgery for a proper smear test.

powershowerforanhour · 27/06/2022 17:38

"I believe HPV can lay dormant for several years prior to appearing so although you previously tested negative you may suddenly test positive without there being any infidelity"

Yeah that's why I keep going I suppose. There must come a point beyond which if it was going to recrudesce enough to be detectable it probably would have done so, not sure when that is.