Hi racla 

Hi completely understand your confusion. I’ve had my results back this morning and also had no abnormal cells but positive HPV. And my letter also didn’t explain much just like yours to go back in 12 months for my smear. I’m goin out of my mind with worry have you had any updates lovely. 

Thanks. Chelsea x

Hi all!

Just an update and thanks for all your responses.
 

its been a year and I went back for my smeer before Xmas. Got the results within a week and it all came back clear! No HPV or abnormal cells. 
 

My doctor did say that HPV can lay dormant and it can appear when the immune system is weakened. I was actually on antibiotics for nearly two months prior to the smeer that came back HPV positive so it could have been my weak immune system at the time! 

since this all happened I looked into ways to improve my immune system as I was always getting colds or tonsillitis. I now take probiotics and a multivitamin every day and I haven't been ill since! Not even a cold this winter. 

maybe you have been run down recently too which is why the test showed HPV positive?

i also learnt recently that not all counties test for HPV yet it's quite a new thing. The old way is testing for abnormal cells so if you don't have abnormal cells they told you before you was all clear but you might have had HPV they just couldn't test for it! This could be why it seemed like a completely abnormal thing to me as none of my friends had ever had it either yet they had abnormal cells so they also had HPV they just weren't tested for it! It's all quite confusing! 
 

I was worried sick but the best thing you can do is look after yourself and really it's a good thing to get tested for this yearly and monitored so that it doesn't progress into abnormal cells, and if it does it's caught so early that the chances of it developing into cancer is tiny. 

Hi, 

I have the same worries as you. I'm confused as I've only ever had sex with my husband, and he's only ever had sex with me. Neither of us has had other sexual contact with anyone else either. 

To anyone who might know, can you get it elsewhere? I trust my husband completely re. infidelity, but it does plant doubts!

This is my first smear, aged 24 as just had a baby, and the smear was done three and half months post birth. I had an emergency c section and lost two litres of blood so very much a weakened immune system!

Thanks in advance xx

Hey! I'm so glad to hear your second smear all came back fine! 
 

I was in the same situation as you and my first smear test came back as HPV positive and was called back for testing 12 months later. 
 

ive just got the results of my second smear test and unfortunately I've still got HPV but it said no abnormal cells. 
 

I'm quite worried about this because like you said, I don't know how long I could have had this prior to being tested originally in 2019 as that was my first ever smear test. 
 

ive got a call with the doctor / nurse to talk it through next week as I've had family members who have had abnormal cells removed and my paternal grandmother died at a young age from cervical cancer... I'm just so worried about this and there isn't much advice on the tests you should have access to if your results are persistent in positive HPV results. 
 

it's almost 2am and I'm up googling this because I'm worried sick!

Hey! I'm so glad to hear your second smear all came back fine! 
 

I was in the same situation as you and my first smear test came back as HPV positive and was called back for testing 12 months later. 
 

ive just got the results of my second smear test and unfortunately I've still got HPV but it said no abnormal cells. 
 

I'm quite worried about this because like you said, I don't know how long I could have had this prior to being tested originally in 2019 as that was my first ever smear test. 
 

ive got a call with the doctor / nurse to talk it through next week as I've had family members who have had abnormal cells removed and my paternal grandmother died at a young age from cervical cancer... I'm just so worried about this and there isn't much advice on the tests you should have access to if your results are persistent in positive HPV results. 
 

it's almost 2am and I'm up googling this because I'm worried sick!

Hello,

I've had a little read through and can relate to the anxiety 100% .

I got a HPV positive result but no abnormal cells in December 2019, and I was so so disappointed and disgusted with the fact I had HPV, I felt so ashamed, and so under educated. 
To this day I feel I can't go on a date, without having a "secret" to tell and if I do, they will run away. Ive been sure to use protection when with partners and have had all the injections as a child....I'm just confused and not feeling great about my body anymore. I was told on a routine check up I have a few small genital warts, yet nothing else was said to help with dealing with a diagnosis. I have 2 HPV strains now - one dangerous and one just plain ugly and humiliating. 

I know it's all very common but I feel there is no emotional support to a diagnosis at all

I also have PCOS .... I'm just feeling less woman like each day and feeling I can never date and no one will want me.

can anyone relate? 

xx

I could have  written this post! January 2019 I tested positive for HPV and abnormal cells but after a colposcopy, it showed no evidence of abnormal cell changes but to attend another smear in 12 months.

Fast forward to now, I have a 4 week old baby so need to book the smear in 2 months time however just been told I possibly have a tiny wart which may apparently go in 4-6weeks and may have shown up due to my immune system being suppressed in pregnancy. The same as you, I feel horrible about myself when I should be enjoying my new baby every thought I have right now is this HPV and its upsetting.

Does this mean I have 2 strains of it? One high risk one low risk? Could the high risk one potentially have cleared from my body so now I only have one strain? I'm dreading telling my other half as it just feels so filthy. I'm anxious all the time and not sleeping. 

Hi I've just found out that I have hpv with no abnormal cells and I knew nothing about it, so I'm terrified but I knew something was wrong down there.

I noticed a strange smell a while ago and I went to the doctors and even got checked for sti's and it all came back clear. I've also been getting bumps down there and it's often itchy.

im sooo thankful I found this group because I don't feel so alone. Xx

I had my first job positive result 2 years ago both test came back positive no abnormal cells, I've just had my 3rd smear and it's same result so going into outpatients for further test. Don't know what strain I have, but please don't worry. I have lived a normal life and have no warts or discharge so trying to be positive

after lots of research I've found it's very common and better to be tested and know you have it then leave it and never know. Smears are so important.

sending hugs to anyone needing them xx

Hi Driverqueen

Hpv testing on a smear is looking for high risk HPV, which MAY cause abnormal cells. These strains do not cause genital warts, which are caused by low risk HPV strains, so the 2 are not connected. There are over 100 different strains of hpv, and most never cause issues. It is of course possible to have more than one strain of HPV at the same time, but the specific strain number is not so important, other than knowing it is a high risk one, which it is if you’ve tested positive on an HPV test at a smear. You’re right in saying smears are very important to identify if you have a high risk strain, but for the vast majority of people even having high risk HPV will never become a problem. The positive thing for you is that no abnormal cells have been detected. As you say, you can live a completely normal life with HPV. Most people who have it will never know they do, unless they have had a test. All the best with your further tests. x

im so relieved to have found this forum and know i'm not alone. i got my smear results back on Monday and im the same..no abnormal cells but HPV positive. i've been in tears all week. i'm now paranoid about everything and i have had a slight sore throat for a few weeks so of course i've googled HPV and  mouth cancer and then checked the back of my mouth and i have discovered i've got a weird painless ulcer at the back of my mouth that you can't see unless i open my mouth wide and push my tongue down. i'm mortified, terrified and ive gone private to book a doctor appointment as i feel sick and paranoid that i might have oral cancer how can they just send a letter informing us we are HPV positive and wave us along the way simply telling us to wait another year like it's all hunky dory i'm sorry it's not they need to educate us!

Hi Tash

One thing I would definitely agree about is there needs to be more education about HPV so people don’t spend time being so scared and worried. Although reading google is not a good idea as you’ve found! Being HPV positive in itself is really not an issue and for the vast majority of people it doesn’t cause a problem-it hasn’t for you because you don’t have abnormal cervical cells.

It is entirely possible to develop an HPV in different areas of the body, such as the mouth, or anus, but it’s not something I have ever given any thought to. I have never been told I have HPV, but had an HPV related cancer so I guess it was a foregone conclusion! We can spend our lives worrying about something that is highly unlikely, and go looking for symptoms and problems where there are none, or we can get on with living. 

If it will reassure you to have the private appointment, then it will be worth it for you, and I hope everything will be fine. Hopefully then you will be able to move on with your life and not spend your time in a panic over a virus carried by almost every single sexually active person in the world.

Hi all,

im so glad I found this forum. I had my first smear test at 32 in October 21 and didn't hear from the gp since so I assumed it was fine until I went through my mail this morning and found a letter from few weeks ago saying I have positive HPV with no abnormal cells and inviting me to another smear in 1 year.

I was really shocked and confused. I only recently lost my virginity this year in April and have slept with the same person twice - most recently in august and we had used condoms on both occasion. I don't understand how I picked this up and feel so awful. 

Hi Kikiwi

You can pick up the virus the very first time you have sex, and unfortunately condoms do not offer 100% protection. It just needs genital contact to be passed on, so it will have come from the person you slept with.

In itself, it’s not a cause for concern unless the virus is causing any abnormal cell changes and in your case this hasn’t been the case. It is standard procedure for you to have another smear test in a year’s time. Having the virus doesn’t mean you will ever have abnormal cells, far less ever develop cancer, and the screening programme is designed to catch any cell changes at an early stage. Just make sure you attend your screening appointments and please don’t spend your life worrying about this. 

Hi 

i am due to go for my 3rd smear as last two have been hpv positive no abnormal cells. However about 15 years ago i had borderline cell changes which now makes me worried that my 3rd result will have some changes 

has anyone been for a third a the result be clear? Im jot sure why my body isnt clearing it but only recently have i been taking supplements because i thought by the 2nd test my body would just clear it. I comsider myself quite healthy and dont smoke but im definitely a worrier and this is not helping