Smear test 4 years

Hi all,

 

It's been 3 years this year for me to have have positive normal cells.

I got to book for my 4th now. 

I had a colposcopy last year result were positive but cells fine. So now I'm booking to have my 4th. 

I've read that if it's positive for 5 years and cells normal they won't see you for another 3 years, how true is this? 

I'm worried that it could turn into C in them 3 years.

Also when I first went the nurse mentioned antibiotics could be prescribed but not once have they asked me if I want them. 

I feel like they waiting for it to turn to C before they treat It which eventually could be too late. 

Why don't they just give you antibiotics in the first instance to try and prevent it from getting serious plus all these appointments I have had for the smears could be someone else's time with the nurse. 

Thanks 

  • Hi mummydearest

    Can I ask please if you mean you have tested positive for high risk HPV, but have never had abnormal cells? 

    I’m not sure what antibiotics your nurse was referring to, but you don’t get antibiotics for the HPV virus as there is no cure for it. Usually the body’s immune system will get on top of things and clear the virus, but it’s not uncommon for it to be persistent. The main thing is that it has not caused any abnormal cells for you. But you do need to keep up with smear tests since you carry the virus. 

    Almost every person who has ever been sexually active will have come into contact with the virus, and for most it causes no problems at all and people will never know they even have it unless they have a positive result from a smear test. 

    The whole point of the screening programme is to check for abnormal cells if you test positive for HPV. This means that the chances of ever developing cervical cancer are significantly reduced, because abnormal cells are monitored and dealt with long before they have a chance to turn cancerous.

    Abnormal cells themselves are not cancer, and just having HPV does not mean that you would ever develop cancer. The medical profession certainly doesn’t wait for any abnormality to turn to cancer before treating it. 

    Hope this might have reassured you a little. X