Hi darling,

First off, feeling nervous is completely normal! I've had HPV for a long while and had a colposcopy last year. I was exactly the same as you, couldnt sleep, googled everything (which made me worry even more) I too find smears awful, they're so painful. The colposcopy, was absolutely fine! I think because I'd worried myself silly, I'd mentally prepared for it to be Awful. I had 3 biopsies taken, which didn't hurt at all. I just coughed as they took them, and I didn't feel a thing. When I went, there was a screen that you can see what they're looking at, but I just looked at the ceiling, and a health care assistant held my hand and chatted to me. 

I promise you, from one woman to another, you will be fine. But voice your concerns and ask someone to hold your hand, cause that really helped me. 

Take care,

Kate xx

Hi Kate, 

Firstly I just want to say thank you so much for being so lovely and reassuring, I actually felt a little bit emotional reading your reply. 
 

I feel ever so silly for being as scared as I am but I just cannot help but think the worst and I am just terrified. As I'm 27 I've only ever had two smears which both really hurt so when I saw the words abnormal cells and colposcopy I burst into tears.

Do I need to do anything about the HPV or will it go away on its own?

you really have put my mind at great ease seeing you find them more comfortable then smears and that you too find them painful as I know I can really relate to you now. 
 

I was thinking about ringing them and asking if I could have a women do the procedure and ask if I can have a healthcare assistant in there to hold my hand but I really don't want them to think I'm being rude or over dramatic I just don't want to cause anyone any hassle. 
 

Again thank you so much because you really have helped shrink my worries a little knowing it's not going to be as painful and dreadful as I am terrified it will be.

Take care, Amelia xx 

Hi Amelia 

Oh bless you, you're so welcome. I didn't have any friends or family that had been through it so found it extremely hard to relate to anyone. 

I still to this day have HPV but it's in my mouth as well as my cervix. Today I've got an urgent referral with ENT to have a look, so that should give me some more answers.

We're very similar in age, I'll be 29 later on this year. 

Please keep me updated, and if you need Someone to chat to, I'll always reply.

Take care of yourself sweet, 

Kate xx

But in terms of hpv, there is no "cure" as such, your immune system should be able to fight it off within 1-2 years. But for some people like me, it lingers around. I've read that keeping healthy, making sure your immune system is as great as possible gives you a better chance of ridding it quicker.

I absolutely would give them a call, they are lovely and will completely understand. Anxiety plays a big factor in a lot of things, but having someone with you chatting to you will definitely put your mind at ease. 

Hi Amelia 

Oh bless you, you're so welcome. I didn't have any friends or family that had been through it so found it extremely hard to relate to anyone. 

I still to this day have HPV but it's in my mouth as well as my cervix. Today I've got an urgent referral with ENT to have a look, so that should give me some more answers.

We're very similar in age, I'll be 29 later on this year. 

Please keep me updated, and if you need Someone to chat to, I'll always reply.

Take care of yourself sweet, 

Kate xx

But in terms of hpv, there is no "cure" as such, your immune system should be able to fight it off within 1-2 years. But for some people like me, it lingers around. I've read that keeping healthy, making sure your immune system is as great as possible gives you a better chance of ridding it quicker.

I absolutely would give them a call, they are lovely and will completely understand. Anxiety plays a big factor in a lot of things, but having someone with you chatting to you will definitely put your mind at ease. 

Hi Kate , Hi Amelia, 

sorry to jump on your post. 
kate how did you appointment go at ENT? 

I'm 29 too, I don't have HPV however I do have mouth cancer, well actually cancer of the salivary glands. 

Hope your both ok. 
 

and hope results are nothing to worry about.

take care 

S x 

Hello!

All went ok, nothing to be immediately concerned by. They want to see me again in 6 months to see if anything has progressed. But unlikely to be cancerous. 

I'm so sorry to hear of your diagnosis, are you all ok? 

Take care,

Kate x

Hey,

that's great news!! So relieved to read that.

I'm actually ok thank you, it was hard to swallow when it was first said because I have a 6 year old at home and I just kept thinking this can't be happening. But I had staging tests and stuff and it came back Stage 1 contained. So Iv had a couple of operations , 1 invasive one last week, that's a bit rough , struggling with speech and stuff like that. But hoping he got all of it. I'll know in a couple of weeks if they plan on extra treatment. Can't complain with the NHS tho within 6 weeks of seeing the GP, I had had 1 op, MRI , X-rays tests, diagnosis. Everything's best to get checked out :) 

thanks and take care 

S x 

Hello,

Oh bless you, I can imagine. I have a 6 year old too so I fully understand your worry. I'm so glad the NHS have been taking good care of you. Hope you have a speedy recovery from your ops and feel better soon. I'm so glad it's contained, that must feel a bit relief for you. I must say the NHS is fantastic, were very lucky in that sense. Have you any more ops planned, or is it a case of see how things go over a period of time? 

Thinking of you, please keep me in the loop with how you're getting on.

Take care of yourself, 

Kate x

Thanks lovely.. 

I'll find out more later this month, when the results come back from the last op. They weren't sent off to pathology. 
My specialist hopes to not have to do radio or anything like that so I'm keeping my fingers crossed he got the rest of it in the last op. 
 

take care 

S x