HPV positive inconclusive smear

[Bubbles4eva]

DD24 has just had first ever smear test which came back HPV positive but inconclusive result for cell abnormalities so she has to go back in 3 months for a repeat.
Apparently the nurse had trouble doing the smear as her cervix is very high? Will this make much of a difference to the next one?
She is in absolute bits at the moment and I want to reassure her with real stories rather than scaremongering which she will read online.
I know HPV is very common and she was vaccinated when she was at school so this might offer some protection, although I know not all strains are covered.
Who knows where she picked this up. Might have had it for years but that’s irrelevant at the moment.
I know we will have to wait for the next test before we know what’s happening but can anyone advise or offer any words of reassurance? Have you had experience of similar?

I've just had a HPV test instead of the usual smear test. The nurse was saying lots of young women cleared the virus and they weren't doing testing at pre 25 in my country (not the UK). They apparently overtreated in the old days and most of these woman would have cleared the virus without treatment.

I remember friends having treatment in those days though and they are all alive and kicking 30 years later with no recurrence. So even if treatment is needed it was very successful. One went on to have two babies after 40.

I have had a recent smear that said I had hpv but with no cell changes and have to have a repeat smear in 1 year to see if I've cleared it from my system.

Midnightgrey in the UK the smear test looks for HPV and if positive they go on to check for abnormal cells.
I don’t think it would seem so bad if they had found no abnormal cells but with being inconclusive there is the added wait time and extra worry.

My 25-year-old cousin had to have a LLETZ last week after a first scan. Had the vaccine at school and so it was a shock.

Yes the vaccine does not stop you getting HPV. Did she have her first smear then treatment?

I car abnormal cells at her age, had one round if laser treatment and it was gone. That was 30 years ago so there's probably a lesss invasive remedy now.

I had HPV found in a smear about 10 years ago. The cells were tested with a biopsy and no further treatment. I had yearly smear tests after and all was fine - including a pregnancy.

Yes. Smear then LLETZ.
Thanks @wineandsunshine 🙂

I had this and had to have LLETZ and had to have yearly smears for some time. The nurse was nice but I knew something was off when she starting asking me if I wanted anymore kids! It was awful I had a child at the time but I remember feeling like I would never be able to conceive ever again.

I don't remember having any type of vaccination at school and I'm early 30s.

I would tell her not to Google, I did and it's nothing but cancer and scary stories!
I had HPV and inconclusive results at my first smear at 25, was sent for a colposcopy for a closer look but they didn't need to treat it any further. I had smears every year after that and one more colposcopy as I was still HPV positive (3 times). It really stressed and worried me even though I never needed any treatment.
Anyway, I am HPV free and no cell changes as of my last smear 6 months or so ago - it can take a while for your body to clear it.
It's super common though, a nurse told me once more than 80% of people will have it at some point!

Thanks wineandsunshine.
I didn’t realise that they only test for abnormal cells now if the test comes back positive. Otherwise they don’t bother.

Thanks. I’ve done all the googling and didn’t realise how common it is.
Everyone has an awful story which is what I’m trying to get her to avoid.

I had this last year. Same partner for over a decade with negative tests previously for HPV.

At first, I wondered if my husband had been cheating! But nurse told me i probably had it for years and it can be something like covid that triggers it to “wake” up from lying dormant. I had had covid a few months before my test, so v likely.

I had to go to hospital for further look, they didn’t repeat the smear test but used a solution to check cells etc. Totally fine, no abnormal cells, back On 3 yearly smear tests.

apparently, the test can be inconclusive because they didn’t get a good enough sample.

The odds of an inconclusive test being something sinister are really really really long (think they were in the leaflet the nurse gave me? Or I found them online). That gave me a lot of comfort.

Inconclusive usually means they didn’t get a good enough sample though, that’s what nurse told me.

I was honestly insane with anxiety til given the all clear though. I really feel for your DD.

Thank you so much. Yes I’ve heard it can lie dormant and flare up at times.
Thats reassuring

I had exactly the same, all clear given 12 months later.

It will be an inadequate smear. So HPV detected but insufficient cells in the sample to determine if there are any abnormal cell changes. Not unusual if the sampler struggled. Yes, can't be re-attempted for three months.
Tell her not to worry.
Practice nurse.

This is what’s worrying me about our niece. LLETZ but no children yet. She is in a five-year-old serious relationship.

Thank you tokesqueen. I’ll tell her x

tokesqueen if it’s a high cervix is it much of a problem? The nurse did struggle.

Well it makes it more difficult to see the cervix clearly . Sometimes I will use a longer speculum or ask the patient to make her hands into fists and put them under her bottom to tilt the pelvis, or lie them on their left side. The nurse should have a few tricks up her sleeve and if still struggling ask someone more experienced to help.
I've never known it to be impossible.

Thank you.
She managed to do it but maybe the sample was not enough or compromised in some way.
she did say the cervix looked fine so was able to see it. But you are the expert here.

Blood or mucous or excess lubricant can also mask the cells although this is less likely with the advanced technology in the labs.
When people refer to having a smear as like taking a swab, it really isn't at all. The cells have to be obtained from quite a specific area in a particular way. Even our best efforts can sometimes fail.

What happens if it fails again tokesqueen?

They'll wait another three months and have another go. Three inadequate results will invoke a referral to colposcopy in our area.