Tested positive for HPV virus

[DuckDuckGoosieGander]

I've just received a letter to say I've tested positive for the HPV virus and they will do another smear test in a year's time.

I feel a bit all other the place. Is there anything I can do to help my body fight this? Any advice or further tests I can get to put my mind at rest? I just feel for the next year I'm going to be thinking do I or don't I have cancer. Perhaps I'm over reacting from the shock?

I'd really appreciate any advice.

You do not have cancer. HPV is very common and is just a virus. Most women actually have it. If you have just positive HPV and they want you to go for another smear in a years time it will only be to check and make sure you have no abnormal cell changes. You must not have any abnormalities at present else you you would have been refferred onwards. HPV over many years CAN turn into cancer. It doesn't mean you have cancer. I had a HPV positive smear last month with severe abnormal cell changes. I was referred under two weeks wait pathway for a colposcopy. I had a cervical punch biopsy and the doctor told me I had high grade changes but it's probably not cancer. What I'm saying is if you had anything to worry about you wouldnt be be invited back next year. You would be invited back like NOW. Thers not really anything you can do. Sometimes HPV goes away on its.own sometimes.it doesn't. They've obvs classed you as low risk which is reassuring.

I have hpv detected at my last smear too. I didn't have any cell changes detected so will have a follow up smear after 1 year too. It doesn't mean you have or will get cervical cancer but you can be monitored more closely so it can be treated quickly if necessary

@AlltheJays23 (what is with the bird names in this thread haha) sums it up very nicely. You don’t have cancer, you just need monitoring and it’s good that they will be doing this.

I had HPV for three years and was on the verge of needing onward referral for a colposcopy to check for abnormal cells (three HPV positive smears in three consecutive years means you need investigating). But then it went away! Now I’m back to the once every five years smear tests. Your body can clear the virus and usually will within two years.

Tips are to take vitamins (a good multivitamin with iron), exercise for at least 3 hours per week and go teetotal. That’s what I put my clearing the virus down to.

Me too. I have HPV with no cell changes. I initially was a bit shocked when I found out but after a bit of research I realised it is extremely common. I barely think about it now. I have to have another smear in a year's time.

I have this frequently. My doctor says when my immune system is weak, the HPV comes back. Sadly I have a terrible immune system no matter what i try to do to boost it (obviously stress makes it worse)

It's so common

I only recently realised that veruccas are HPV

I've been taking vitamins etc and amazingly a verucca i'd had for at least a decade has gone

Im hoping my next smear will show the HPV has gone too but I won't hold my breath

Don’t worry! Most women have HPV.

HPV actually really common, I got a letter as well earlier this year. (it's because of how they've changed now how they look at smears) I won't lie I was a tad concerned and started taking vitamin type horse pills equiv for around 3 months (yuck) and had sorry thoughts about the only person I've been ever been part intimate with in recent years.

It was only when I've worked briefly in a GP surgery and there was honestly female record after record I saw with it all as HPV positive, I'll reckon we'll get to a point where everyone is diagnosed with it.

Hoping I get out of my now yearly smear (I better do) as I'm just jumping ahead of the process with an actual hysteroscopy that I'm now on waiting list for. (I had a gynae problem that doesn't mean much, but it occurred just before the HPV and really don't think it anything serious, I rationalise it's been a year and I haven't dropped yet as the big c doesn't wait does it, the hospital are only treating it as belt and braces as I've high bmi despite losing weight before I'm jumped on and have diabetes and one other substantial condition) I hope to get the result and go back to three yearly smears.

If nothing else, please don't think you are dirty or that cancer is a given.

As others have said - perfectly normal. I’ve had it, was clear at my follow up a year later. Don’t worry about it, it doesn’t mean you have or will get cancer.

I recently had a smear and was told I had HPV and have to have another smear at the end of the year (had not had it before, have had last check a year earlier, have been in long term relationship). I am wondering if it's worth paying privately to have the HPV vaccine, I read in a few studies that the HPV vaccine can stop the cells starting to develop abnormally, see here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10038021/, this para:

Indeed, in per-protocol analyses, the quadrivalent HPV (qHPV) vaccine demonstrated 94.1% efficacy against cervical dysplasia (any grade) related to vaccine HPV types 6/11/16/18 in women up to age 45 years in the global FUTURE III study4 and 100% efficacy in a separate study in China.

My friend is a senior doc and says don't worry and just have the smear at the end of the year. But... Has anyone else thought of the vaccine?

I thought about it but then I imagined how I'd feel if I'd paid hundreds and it didn't work

@solice84 true, I suppose it's then the risk of wasting the money versus the risk of getting actual cancer, seems worth it but as you say only if there's a pretty good protection rate so you know it will very likely work

Tbh I've already spent hundreds on various vitamins etc but I console myself with the fact they're doing me good in other ways even if the hpv doesn't piss off then it's worth it to not have constant colds etc
It has also got shot of 2 veruccas I'd given up trying to shift

Very common to have HPV and doesn't mean you have/will have cancer. Try not to panic.

Also the immune system can often suppress or even clear it.

I was infected after a sexual assault. Smear show no presence of HPV two years later.

I think most had this?

Thanks all. Yeah I think it's just the weirdness of it popping up 4 years into a relationship and that a friend had cervical cancer at my age recently that gets me thinking. @Startingagainandagain , really sorry to hear that you experienced that :( :(. and glad that you were clear of it.

i've just had one and I have to go for another smear in 3 months!

@choixduroi it flares up and goes and flares up again based on your immune system
So for example I had cells removed 2010 and had been fine since with negative hpv results until after I had been pregnant in 2020 and it flared up again

I had HPV and borderline cell changes diagnosed this time last year. 1 year on, after another colposcopy, my HPV result was negative and my borderline changes had disappeared.

It is awful when you first find out but there are definitely things you can do.

Things that worked for me were having the HPV vaccine twice (both me and my husband) because guys pass it back to you too. Lots of vitamins, Turkey Tail which is a mushroom extract known to fight HPV and lots of sleep. Basically followed the suggestions in this article

https://avivaromm.com/natural-approaches-hpv/

Hope this helps.

Currently anxiously waiting my latest smear result after CIN1 last year

My smear was positive for HPV last year (I've only been with my DH for almost 30 years) I had another smear last month and it was all clear. I didn't do anything differently in the year, no vitamins, no change of lifestyle at all.

@pharmachameleon that must have been quite a shock

I was initially shocked but after looking into it I realised how common it was. Glad I was clear on the repeat smear.

Nothing to worry about. I had it, had a follow up smear a year later which was all clear. Didn't do anything differently.

Good luck @solice84 , got my fingers crossed for you.