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 Jen!

oh I'm so sorry to hear you are in the same situation I was. The best thing I could tell you is try not to worry. The fact that you have no abnormal cells means that there is literally no chance of cancer developing - I also was worried that it would develop in the year waiting for the next smeer but I have learnt that it is a slow progressing cancer so that is also a very low chance. 
 

I also learnt that the majority of my family and friends have had abnormal cells at some point which surprised me. Also HPV has only recently been something that they test for which is why I think I'd never heard of it. I read that 98% of cervical cancers originate from HPV so it's fairly likely that anyone who had abnormal cells also had HPV they just didn't test for it.  
 

I was not well at the time I had been on antibiotics for nearly 3 months so my immune system was obviously shot. I then just focused on eating better, exercising more, trying to be less stressed in general as I am a worrier! With vitamins and probiotics I went for bioglan for women probiotics and centrum for women multivitamins. I think the probiotics really helped as I haven't had a cold since still to this day and I used to fall ill very often. I think anything you can do to assist your immune system will help your body fight off the virus. 
 

I hope you feel better about it all soon. You will end up not thinking about it so often just initially it's very scary as it's all totally new information that you just don't hear about ! I felt like I had a STI and felt dirty but 4/5 people in their lifetime will get it and the majority will never know they have it so it is practically a part of life.  

Thank you for getting back to me hun I'm going to definitely order some of those then thank you and going to try not to worry too much about it but Yhh hpv is something I've never heard of before I did feel dirty and ashamed but now that I I've read that it's quite common I do feel a little bit better about it hopefully on my next smear it will be gone xx

Hi 

bit late to the party ... but this has just happens to me... I am slightly concerned - I feel like I've had the cervical cancer jabs so why should the high risk HPV show up? I know it doesn't stop you. I've got no abnormal cells. So I'm hoping it all just goes away. I'm bit concerned to how long I have had the HPV but I guess you can't trace that... my anxious thoughts get so out of hand I'm worried I will be the small percentage where it changes... it is intresting how I know a lot of people who have had the jab and are HPV positive but no abnormal cells... I also know lots of people who have had it and there isn't a history of cervical cancer in my family. But a few have had the virus or abnormal cells and see ok. It's just a worry - I have lots of thins to boost my immune system. I just feel dirty, stupid and embarsssd. I ha da full STI test that came back as negative for everything so that's reassuring. My GP said it's so common and nearly everyone will contract it in their life and only to get more concerned after two years... they said no point telling past partners.

i feel confused and I just hope the jabs help fight against it. A year seems a long wait... especially when you don't know how long you have had it for.

first smeer - HPV positive but not abnormal cells so low risk to cancer ... it seems the norm and common especially with those 2008+ who had the jab... maybe I'm putting two and two together and getting 100.

 Any reassurence would be great. I've looked and done research and that is scary in comparison to what friends, family and the GP are saying.

thanks x

I have just received the exact same result. In my case, I've just turned 25 but I did actually have a smear after I had chlamydia and asked the nurse to check if it had gone. This was a year and a half ago and everything came back normal. But now, I have tested positive for HPV but no abnormal cells. 
 

I have the same worries- is a year too long to leave it to check again? Can I be sexually active still? I haven't had sex for a year and a half (just after my smear last time), and will I be the one who gets cancerous cells next year?!

it was interesting what you mentioned about low immune system - I hadn't been on antibiotics but I had been going through exams, developed a stye on my eye a week later and I had an adjacent appointment with the doctor for another 2 pains/problems that were occurring at the time. So also pretty low. I'm thinking maybe this is why the virus became active. 

however, it's good to know we are not alone. 

Xx

Hi all

same has happened to me.. I regularly check for all other STIs and I'm always clear of them  - but not on this .. 

I wish someone would have told me to just get the injection before I went Out there - but hey here we are. Like why can't they have it at the sex clinic as a menu option when you first go & get a U test .. it makes no sense - we are supposed to know everything.. & it's stressy enough just going to check all the other stuff every 3 months.  No one mentioned it even when I had a scare once. 
 

abyways - I think much needed work is indeed warranted - I'm thinking of starting some kind of awareness myself - I'm an educated woman & I feel very embarrassed that I didn't clock this at all ! 
 

So mine came back HPV pos but pap was normal - wait for a year- and don't worry you don't have to tell anyone ‍♀️ So I thought ok - get some mushroom pills n vitamins n carry on with life. 

To me theres some misguiding info out there - I must have 2 different strains cause I got warts which were like little tiny lymph nodes & some sites are going on that that is the low level - but then I read later that the test only tests high risk strains (this is not made clear in my letter AT ALL ) so I'm going round thinking I've got low risk n not to worry. 

 - I mean should I crap myself & hide for 2 years or should I just see it as a part of life that's quite normal & only now more exposed than it would have been years ago when I was a teenager. Just like when you test for covid there are obviously going to be more people getting positives.. and that's gonna freak people out - like on the test at least say this is the way that we are testing now - not like the old days .. 

this and covid - I'm like ok I can't live my life hiding in a huge condom .. I mean if that helps others maybe we should just all say goodbye to relationships and be monks - hide in our houses for all eternity .. tho that seriously is tempting at the moment - for me I know that's not at all possible. 
 

Abyone who relates ? I reckon we should have action on some kind of campaign that educates not only young women - but older women like me - who may be dipping their toes into sex again after a long time .. don't expect me to do all the research for the love of god ! Us oldies coming out of divorces have enough on our plates. 

im not afraid to die at all - I'm just upset that I could carry this to others now & that my life will be much less fun. But I guess I'll learn to live with it in some way 

Yeah I completely agree. I'm thinking to myself now I'm going to be worried about having sexual partners until I know it's gone, and also I feel I have to tell them and then see if they still want me! It's a horrible feeling. I am the same, my letter says I am at low risk of cervical cancer but then I have HPV and that must be a high risk strain right? 
 

really confusing. 

Well that's what I assertained when I looked for the info - 

ive just signed up for a home test to confirm the exact strain - then I'll go from there on immunity 

ive booked a session with my natreopath in readiness 

it will be cool I'm sure - there are women I see on the chat here that have cleared - and well the nhs letters don't seem to give you much cause for concern. 
 

It's what's so right now - it doesn't have to stay that way - positive mindset