High grade CIN & HPV Positive - life after removal?

Hi my name is Rachel

First time I have posted on here, I am a little more clam than I was in March.  My lady bits weren't feeling ok for a while and due to covid I just put up with the feeling etc.

Finally in March I went to my GP. The doctor took another doctor in and reassured me that it was a "prolapse/rectocile"... as I had not had a smear for around 11 years (I know...) this was taken! I was then surprised to find HPV positive and abnormal cells. It felt like the end of the world.... the wait is always the worst! 
 

Had my appointment and my consultant explained what would happen, that horrible metal contraption.... and he would probably treat the cells there and then.

that didn't happen, everything he described didn't happen.. he took a biopsy instead! The 5 week wait was torture the letter I got just said "CIN Cells", after speaking with him today he explained it was CIN 3/High grade cells. So I had my leetz treatment and I asked about my HPV, when these cells are removed with HPV will they come back and hesitantly he said yes but we will just see what happens in 6 months.

I seen the part they removed as the nurse asked me if I wanted to see it, I'm lying there thinking "hell no"... she did say you won't get to see it again so it's upto you, couldn't believe the size of it when I said yes! Wow! The nurse then said you will receive a letter in a few weeks with the results, I was confused at this point thinking I thought we were finished with the result stage and waiting! No the sample will get tested also!

Would love to speak to people who have or have had HPV and CIN3, and their experiences whether good or bad.

  • Hi Rachel

    The first thing is, HPV is extremely common-almost everyone who has had sexual contact will encounter this in their lives, and for most it causes no issues. Sometimes it does and causes abnormal cells to develop, which is CIN. The treatment you have had is to remove those abnormal cells, but it does not remove the HPV, as there is no “cure” for HPV. 

    This virus can go through stages of being dormant/inactive or active and when it causes CIN3, these cells need to be removed. Keeping your immune system as healthy as possible is the best thing you can do to keep the virus from doing damage. 

    All tissue removed at treatment is biopsied-that is standard practice. This is to make sure that the doctor has removed all the abnormal cells with clear margins (ie he has got everything) and to confirm that the cells are CIN3. It’s important to remember that CIN3 is not cancer. 

    You will closely monitored now to check your cervix, but hopefully the treatment you have had has done it’s job and you may not need treatment again in the future.