I have been tested positive for HPV

[MuckyAnthea]

Last week, I got the results back from a smear, which showed I had abnormal cells showing CN1 - CN2 with a positive for HPV.

Today I had a Colposcopy which the doctor said showed definite signs of abnormal cells. He has sent the bioposy off which will take 10 days to come back.

My question is, what now. I am trying to find out info on the net and am scaring myself as everything comes back with cancer info, and as you can imagine I cannot comprehend the info, and am unsure what to think, as my doctor told me I don't have cancerous cells 'yet'.

I have never slept around, yet my boyfriend has just admitted to me he had a blow job from a prostitute in a hotel, when he was away on business a couple of years ago. Could she have passed this onto him, and then he passed it onto me? He has not had signs of warts etc though, which I do not have either.

Will I have HPV for life? and will it affect my chances of conceiving?
What kind of results do you get back from a biopsy? will I be on medication, can the HPV be treated with medication?

Sorry for so many questions, I am hoping someone who has HPV will be able to advise me better, because the information I am reading from the internet is really making me worried, and I just need someone to tell me the facts straight up.

Sue, I also had an extensive cone biopsy for CIN3 under GA, but was out of hospital the same day. Had the gauze packing too, that was no fun!
Anthea, it's quite normal to have a colpo and not have treatment, if they can see that you're likely to need more extensive treatment than they can do there and then. I'm sorry you're going through this.

So when the results come back from the colposcopy comes back, what then? Can the colposcopy pick up any signs of other stds?

Thanks coco, I am so glad I found this website. I have no one else to turn to. Everyone helping here is amazing.

It is possible to contract and/or carry more than one strain of HPV. Such as a strain that can produce genital warts on the vulva and a strain(s) that can cause cervical cell abnormalities.

The strains of HPV I have do NOT cause genital warts, they can cause cervical cell abnormalities - they did in my case!

But just because a person has cervical cell abnormalities doesn't mean they also have a strain of HPV that can cause genital warts or vice versa.

It is also entirely possible to carry many strains of HPV and be entirely asymptomatic for decades or one's entire life.

when I went for my cone biopsy I had a really really wierd gynae who said as he peered up my fanjo "goodness, don't you have a pretty little cervix"

Even with a nuse there I felt pretty wierd about it - I asked not to have him for the follow up cone biopsy.

Remember too that all this indicates is that a person has a greater likelihood of such cells progressing if they are not treated.

But CIN2 is not cancer.

Even cancer in situ can sometimes be quite localised and easily treated if caught early, hence, the importance of regular smear tests.

coco - I had problems with bleeding maybe thats why they kept me in the extra night. I was a very early theatre so I went in the night before.

agree with Expat - its important to keep in perspective. There is some suggestion that up to CIN2 should not be treated as so many solve themselves and don't go on to become CIN3 and CIN 3 is ususally easily treated.

I also think that the only differenc between CIN1, 2 and 3 is the area they cover - one is not WORSE (ie more cancerous) than the other just a bigger area of your cervix showing changes.

OMG Sue that made me laugh! My doctor told me I had a beautiful cervix, uh that's not the word I'd use! This was in a follow up colpo, she probably just meant it wasn't covered in lesions like the last time she'd looked!
I had bleeding problems too, but obviously not as bad as yours. Mine turned out to be proper invasive cancer not just CIN3, once they'd got the pathology results, but that's pretty rare.

Or the cell depth of the abnormalities.

They usually take three factors in consideration when deciding on a proper course of treatment - at least in US cases: a) the area affected by cell abnormality b) the depth of the abnormalities c) proximity to the endocervical canal (the opening that leads from the cervix into the uterus).

Cone biopsies are used to treat cell abnormalities in or near the endocervical canal. In such procedures, this canal is usually opened, hence, it's a more invasive procedure than cryo or LEEP/LEETZ.

I had problems bleeding after I went home too (despite being on the drugs to top you) was very scary at 2am gushing with blood trying to decide whether to call ambulance or not. Big girls blouse, I was absolutely fine!

So did cone biopsy sort you out, Coco? My Dr said I had an unusally large area removed but cells were definitely still CIN3. Apparently odd that my previous smears hadn't picked up changes earlier as they should have been there for a whil in order to cover such a large area. Strongly suspect dodgy smear results in the past.

Sue, I think CIN1/2/3 tends to correspond to the severity of dyskaryosis or cell abnormality. So CIN3 is a larger area AND more abnormal cells than CIN2. IIRC.
Anthea, Jo's Trust is a good website, has lots of info about cervical cancer but also pre cancer.

despite being on the drugs to stop it - wasn;t trying to top you (honest!)

thats a really good site - very interesting Coco.

Also Anthea - if you smoke, try to give up - smoking increases your risk of cervical cancer if you have the relevant HPV by 50%

Sue, sounds like we had quite similar experiences, I don't know how I got from normal smears to cancer that quickly
Yes the cone biopsy got it all, didn't stop them trying to scare me into having a hysterectomy though . I ended up having no further treatment, and 6 years on all is well, touch wood!

MuckyAnthea - sorry if I sound cynical, but how can you possibly have caught HPV if your boyfriend only had a blow job?

He's lying - he had sex.

Coco - they did say it was possible that the cells were changing that fast (apparently it is possible but relatively rare). My GP was so surprised by the speed of change from normal smear (not even CIN1) to CIN 3 that she thought I'd missed several smears and didn;t beleive me - had to check her records.

To be fair they did fast track me and I was in being treated within weeks.

She could have caught HPV from a previous partner not from him - it causes no symptoms and the majority of sexually active people have it. I could have caught HOV from my first ever partner at 18 and it didn't cause a problme until I was 36.

Blimey, that must have been scary Sue. I was amazed to find out how unreliable smear tests were, the new ones are better but it's still not foolproof. How naive I was!
You can actually get HPV without having intercourse, although that's the most common way it's transmitted, so Anthea's dp didn't necessarily contract it from sex. It's very very common to be exposed to HPV, it's just that usually the body deals with it effectively, but not in everyone. And smoking is a risk factor so worth bearing in mind, if you smoke Anthea.

Just felt I should add this form Coco's website link

Important facts to note about HPV

-HPV is a very common virus. Research states that 75% of the world's population (men and women) will come into contact with HPV at some time during their lives

-Your first sexual experience puts you at risk of infection

-Infection with HPV does NOT imply either infidelity or promiscuity

-HPV infection can reside in the body without causing any problems for many years

-HPV is more commonly known (but misleadingly so in regard to cervical cancer) as the 'wart virus'

-HPV infection, in itself does not require treatment in a woman or indeed her male partner

Exactly, Sue!

Anthea, however, your partner has admitted to engaging in high-risk sexual practices AND has a rash, it might be prudent to have a full STD screen.

Sorry, but better safe than sorry.

expat - yup - sex ith prostitute (oral or otherwise) is always good reason for a full STD screening. Make him do one too, might bring the risks home to him as I think they talk to you about risks at the same time.

Thanks for the jo's trust link, it is a great website, I feel a lot better after reading it. Just to update you - this morning I am going to be tested for syphallis [sp] and gonnerea [sp]. I can't think what else I need to be tested for, so please shout up if you think I have missed something.
Thanks to you all for your help, and advice.

Hey everyone
I just wanted to update.
I had a colposcopy done, and due to being away and stuff, I just got the results today. The results showed my cells are more abnormal now then they were when I had my original smear. I now have to have the electrosurgical excision - [LEEP. I Know a couple of you mentioned on here that you went through this procedure too, please can you advise what happens, I am having it done on Thursday.

I am so worried about all this, I spoke to my partner and we have patched up our problems, he is even coming with me to the docs on Thursday. But I am so worried, I kind of thought having the colposcopy would show everything was ok now, and I did not need any further treatment. Naive I know. Expatinscotland, can I ask how old you were when you had the LEEP done. I am 34, and am worried I will not be able to have children after this, I worry I have left having children too late, and this why I am having problems now.

By the way - I think in the UK this procedure is also known as Loop LLETZ. I am just reading the jo's trust website, and that is how it is refered to on there.