Just found out I am high risk HPV positive. Must have had it for 20 years?

[anywinewilldo]

I have just had a colposcopy with smear and biopsy due to cervical erosion. The biopsy and smear were "negative", but I have been told that I am high risk HPV positive.

I had a biopsy done 6 months ago and tested negative for HPV.

I am 44 and have been with my DH for 20 years. I am certain he has been faithful, and I have been faithful.

So, presumably I have had this for 20 years and it has only just (re)activated? Can there be any other explanation? Can stress activate it? - I have had a pretty stressful few months.

I have however been discharged from colposcopy and told to get a routine repeat smear in 3 years.

My next question is this - if I have had high risk HPV for 20 years, surely I am at much increased risk of cervical cancer, so isn't 3 years leaving it far too long before testing me again?? I'm terrified at leaving it that long.

Is there anyone who can advise?

I would go and see your GP and ask for some advice/clarification, they should have a report from colposcopy. There are many strains of hpv, not all predispose you to cancer or are associated with genital warts. Hope you can get some useful info soon.

I have already spoken to the colposcopy clinic. They only test for strains 16 and 18, the highest risk, and it is positive for one of those

www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical/hpv-triage-test-of-cure.html

Is there anything on here that may be of help?

Mmmm. Thanks for that. It's not entirely clear, but it does seem to suggest that you should only be released to routine 3 yearly screening once the HPV test is negative.

Also just found some interesting research articles on HPV reactivating in women around the time of menopause (and I am definitely in perimenopause).

That's interesting. I've just been successfully treated for cervical cancer and am peri menopausal. I'd want definite reassurance that 3 years isn't too long to wait between smears.

I'm HPV positive too and have been since I was 19 ( or that's when it was discovered anyway ) and due to having several lots of precancerous cells removed I'm on yearly smears untill after the menopause. I'm 33 now.

3 years between smears if your high risk is a long time.

My last 4 smears have been normal btw but throughout my 20s there was issues.

Which is odd, because I've just been diagnosed with the hpv virus too, and I've been put onto six monthly smears. I'd go to the doctor if I were you.

I think I was on 6 monthly for a while but can't be sure, it was a loooong time ago! 3 years definitely too long.

Thank you all for your input. I found an NHS cervical screening leaflet relating to HPV testing which states that a woman should have a repeat smear in 12 months if HPV positive but no abnormalities found. This is essentially the same situation I am in, so I've written to the colposcopy clinic to query my release to yearly screening. It just can't be right.

Shewhowines - sorry to hear about your diagnosis but glad to hear it has been successfully treated. How was your cancer picked up - was it by screening tests?

release to 3 yearly screening. Oops

I read that most women will get HPV at sometime in their life even with just one partner, it does NOT mean they will get cancer. Also not all women who get cervical abnormal cells or cancer have the HPV. It is only a theory and only one possibility of a multitude of other combining factors that may contribute to it.
Try to obtain a yearly smear test on your results which will ease your mind.
In Germany we all had yearly tests as standard procedure.

My cancer was picked up by a routine smear test. Thankfully it was early stages. It is true that most sexually active people have the virus. It is interesting about the menopause bit. Why was it dormant for so many years then happen? I have been in a very long term relationship, so why now?

I don't know. I had another biopsy done back in February and was HPV negative at that point. Since then my periods have gone haywire - it has been confirmed by blood tests that I'm perimenopausal - and then, hey presto, HPV positive.

Google "reactivated HPV" and the articles come up - the main one is by Patti Gravitt. It suggests that HPV just exists at a subclinical level ie non-detectable, after the body initially deals with it, and can reactivate under certain conditions, for example when immunity is compromised or hormonal reasons like menopause.

But surely if this is right it must mean that many more people than previously thought actually carry HPV but that it is just not detectable for long periods of time? Like chicken pox and shingles?

That theory carries weight as most people are said to be infected, but surely there would be a rise in cancer cases at menopause and I'm not sure that is the case.

Just googled average age and it says 48, which ties in with the theory. I'm 47!

The average is probably 48 because most cases happen in the 25-40 age bracket, but then continue to be diagnosed for another 40 years until age 80+

I don't know why there isn't a rise in cc cases around Menopause - Maybe oder women are better at going for smear tests or maybe most women's immunity kicks in as their bodies have dealt with it before? Who knows, but I bet there'll be much more stuff comes out about the nature of HPV in future years!

They stop doing smears after 65 as statistics show at that age you are unlikely to get it.
I was diagnosed with CIS at 37. 7 years into an exclusive relationship with DH who was a virgin when I met him.

Hi, I have been told im high risk hpv to. Had cin removed 6 months ago and they tested me for hpv at 6 month follow up. Been recalled to colposcopy in 6 months with the result of normal smear but hpv positive. 3 years doesn't sound right. Chase them up good luck x

I had mine done 30 years ago - cone biopsy- diagnosed as Displasia grade 4 and discharged. No mention of HPV in those days and been fine ever since.

Gyny said once I had Thrush but had no symptoms and when a few years later a large black melanoma was noticed on my arm, Gyny said it was the same type of thing as my cervix which I was also told was all black at initial inspection after abnormal cells had been found on the smear 18 months previously.

I'm positive for high risk hpv too. It's extremely common. The majority of sexually active people will come into contact with the virus - we are just unlucky to have come into contact with the high risk strains. I've had mildly abnormal smears and am on 6 monthly recalls at the moment.

My first ever positive smear (after about 20 years of negative tests) came after taking a corticosteroid to suppress my immune system for 6 months. I don't think that is coicidence. I had probably had it for years and the drug reactivated it. And now I can't kick it, dammit!