Fungal feet Vs. cervical screening result

[Cherryfloat]

Last month my cervical screening came back HPV positive, but the sample wasn't good enough to test for abnormal cells so I have to repeat the screening in 3 months time. Shocked by the result, considering all 3 previous screens I've had were HPV negative, and I haven't had any new partners for 10 years. (I used to live overseas where women are screened younger and were tested for HPV before the UK btw). Anyway I'm worried about it. DP doesnt really get it, tried to be understanding, but has also been dismissive like 'oh it will be fine, stop worrying.' From what I understand, it's quite likely they will find abnormal cells at some point and I'll need a horrible procedure to get rid of them, or I could even develop cancer.

Anyway, DP has just discovered he has a fungal foot infection - not nice but very common, easily treatable with cream. But my god you'd think the world had ended. He's really down about it, miserable and worried for days. He's expecting vast amounts of sympathy from me (which he has got) but I'm a bit upset he's not offered me much support over my issue to be honest, when it could be more serious. Aibu? How do I approach this with him?

I am trying to understand the point of your post. I'd understood it that you couldn't take the fungal foot medication due to interference with other meds you might have to take.

I am not sure if the problem is you feel your husband doesn't care enough about you or if you're cross he doesn't give same care and attention you gave to him back. Fungal foot infection is a pain by the way. He has that. You currently don't know if there is a problem at all do you as being screened again in 3 months.

No idea where the perspective should lie to be honest

Fungal foot infection has very jarring symptoms, whereas most HPVs have no symptoms.
Your feet smell, itchy etc. so I'd say he does deserve sympathy.
Do not assume you have a strain of HPV that can cause cancer. Many don't do anything, and some can cause warts. These can be frozen off.
It is a very common virus, apparently 80% of the population will have it at some point. I hope you get the reassurances you need. And yes, your husband should definitely be more sympathetic. Especially as he's probably also got HPV.

To be fair, if you need a procedure to remove cells it's not "horrible", it's very quick and straightforward. You'll hardly notice. But health issues aren't Top Trumps, so the two of you really just need to sort out your own stuff and not feel the need to be in competition.

As PPs have said, he's probably experiencing physical symptoms caused by his virus, whereas you don't, you have fear of potential negative developments.

However, if you want to impress upon him the cancer health risks of having HPV, show him this recent article by the BBC about the increase in penile cancer caused by HPV. The words "penis amputation" might focus his mind.

Sorry, this was the wrong place to post. I realise very few people have have basic understanding of HPV.

It's high-risk HPV @BobbyBiscuits that's what screening tests for. That's the point of screening. Screening doesn't test for low risk, 'harmless' HPV.

Hello

I have an understanding of HPV, having tested positive myself last year. You are massively over worrying this!

Approximately 80 percent of the population is infected by HPV at some point. You could have become infected years ago and the virus lay dormant in your body, only reactivating to show up on your most recent smear. It can activate and then lie dormant off and on throughout your life.

In approximately 80-90 percent of cases, the virus will clear itself within a year.

It is only when the virus is active that you have an enhanced risk of developing 'abnormal cells' (dyskaryosis). These abnormal cells ARE NOT cancer, they are PRE-cancerous and will be removed by a simple colposcopy.

It takes between 10-20 years for 'abnormal cells' to develop into cancer. Hence the smear picks up cells VERY early on and they are UNLIKELY to develop into cancer.

With a positive HPV result you will be called back for another routine smear in a year. Chances are, it would have cleared by then. If not, you will be on another yearly recall. If still positive after 2 years, you would be referred for a colposcopy so they can have a closer look for any cell changes.

Plenty of women have colposcopies and I repeat cell changes are NOT CANCER.

I had a positive result last year so was called back a year later. This time, it was negative.

I hope that reassures you.

Possibly including you op.

HPV screening tests for strains of HPV likely to cause cervical cancer - there is no high/low risk test - all women's samples are initially tested in the same way op. Only if the HPV is detected are additional checks carried out

A positive HPV test does not guarantee that you will go in to develop cervical cancer. I had a positive test last year (after negatives all my life) and being with the same dp for 15 years. They don't even test the cells for abnormalities these days, just the presence of HPV virus which can lead to cell changes. I don't think they retest the original sample for changes either, so waiting 3 months is a perfectly normal (if worrying) time to wait.

At the moment you have tested positive for active HPV. Many women and men carry the virus and it can become active from dormancy for many reasons, and may fall back into dormancy again before your next screening. Please be reassured that you are still quite unlikely to develop cervical cancer/ require life-changing invasive surgery from the results of one test. There are many many steps to go through before any actual "horrible" surgery.

I've had several fungal nail infections, a couple requiring almost year-long treatments with aggressive drugs that can affect the liver - whilst relatively minor (in the grand scheme of things) it's an ongoing ballache.

Please take a step back from comparing illnesses. I hope your next screening has a positive outcome.

It still doesn't mean much at this point. It just needs another test in 3 months.

And even if you have changes to your cells at that point, that doesn't mean cancer. Changed cells can revert to normal.

I wouldn't worry much at this stage and can see why DP is saying the same.

@BloodyAdultDC

They WILL look at the sample if positive for HPV. >99 percent of cancers are caused by high risk HPV.

However you are correct and if negative for HPV, the cells will not be looked at.

Last year for example; I got a positive HPV result with no cell changes.

This year, negative HPV so cells weren't looked at.

I'd wonder how you got HPV.

@Apileofballyhoo - over 80 percent of the population are infected by HPV. OP could have been infected years ago and it simply lies dormant.

The lack of education on smear tests in the Uk is shocking. I only found all of the info out as I had a fantastic doctor who explained all of this to me!

Apart from him probably having given you the HPV in the first place (hence his dismissal of everything, hoping you wouldn't put two and two together and think 'But you didn't have it to give to me the last time I was checked'), the appropriate reaction for his itchy toes and smelly feet is to point and laugh.

It can lay dormant for years that's why it's essential to get screened.

OP you could well be just monitored for the next couple of years, I have friends who have been. A smear test every year instead of every 3 and it could well resolve itself too. Try not to panic.

Men always seem to have worse of everything in this house too 🙄😉

I've had the "horrible procedure", if it gets to that point, which you're not at, then you'll deal with it. It's a quick zap, not really that different to a smear test really. See if you can find out more facts about the HPV results you've had, hopefully that will make you feel better.

I'd seek your sympathy elewhere, and tell him his toenails will be fine, and to stop worrying. A who's the illest competition will not end well, it's like a who's the tiredest when you've got little kids, it's futile, and probably representative of other unvoiced resentments.

@Cherryfloat ah, ok, sorry. I thought the test was to see what type you had.
In that case definitely more serious than fungal feet.

Please don't make OP think her partner gave it to her and therefore has cheated.

This is damaging misinformation.

Despite OP getting annoyed that she thought posters didn't have basic understanding of HPV - she (and you) don't have either.

Let’s talk about HPV: 6 common questions answered - Cancer Research UK - Cancer News

I know! I work in a biomedical field, thought I broadly understood HPV, but had no idea about the ins and outs of what it means if you actually have a high-risk type, the possible outcomes, treatments and whether cell changes are cancerous or not, etc etc.

They just tell you that you have it, you're at 'high risk' and then... nothing. There's basically no easy to understand info anywhere. And a lot of info out there is conflicting or unclear. I've had to read through medical journals and research papers to learn more, which most people don't have access to (and would find very hard to understand anyway). It's really shocking.

You can't overgeneralise with these things. They're worse for some people than others.

That's nothing to be embarrassed about! You can find lots of information online, or just read the helpful links PP have posted

Your healthcare provider should help too; if you're going for a colposcopy and they spot anything they'll take biopsies (not pleasant, but quick and straightforward) or zap it there and then (ditto).

You also get to see your cervix on TV, which was a unique moment, I found 😀

What's unclear?

I linked above a very easy to find, easily understood document on what HPV is and how it's transmitted.

And this:

Cervical Screening | Cervical Smear Test (patient.info)

@Ladylaylayday I do understand HPV, as well as I can. I've never once said I think my partner has cheated. I either picked it up from him when I first started seeing him, or from my previous 2 partners. Either way it's irrelevant really, just the luck of the draw. HPV is everywhere. I didn't know that it could be undetectable for many years when I got my results, but yes, found that out through my own research. I knew it could be 'dormant' for a long time, but assumed the test would still be able to pick it up. It appears that isn't the case.

@Ladylaylayday I think I'm looking for a deeper level of understanding tbh, like I said above I work in biomedical science. All the stuff online is very much glossing it over, I want the nitty gritty.

I've had HPV related cervical cancer. However the majority of people with the HPV virus clear it on their own. Also the coloscopy that removes abnormal cells ( that haven't even been diagnosed) is a bit undignified but no huge deal

@Cherryfloat Totally agree! It is shocking.

More so because the way they now do smears has changed in recent years. It used to be they didn't test for HPV and only looked at the cells.

What this meant was some people may have normal cells but may in fact be HPV positive. These people (because the HPV wasn't tested for) would have been on a three year recall, by which time they are more likely to have moderate/severe cell changes if they have persistent HPV.

Hence testing for HPV is a positive as it is identifying a 'pre-marker' which may cause cell changes.