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. 

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

Hi

It’s very possible that you could have a clear result with negative HPV. The virus goes through phases of being active and dormant, and you seem to be doing the best you can to keep it dormant by being healthy and taking supplements. That’s really all you can do. 

Some people do have persistent HPV, but having the virus in itself is not the issue. The point is to be vigilant about attending screening appointments to check for early cell changes. 

Hi sorry to jump on your post just seen this as I've had 2 hpv positive the first was no abnormal changes but the second was borderline. You mentioned yours was borderline did everything turn out ok?

as I am really worried about this 

thanks 

Hi so about 15 years ago i had borderline changes to my cells, i had those lasered off and and have been fine ever since

then 3 years ago i went for a test and i was hpv positive no abnormal cells

year later same result

then this year i had my third (which was when i was worried it would still be hpv positive and possible changes to cells)

but thankfully my third result was clear! No hpv anymore!

if there is borderline changes hopefully you can just get them lasered off and that will be the end of it. 
keep on top of your check ups always and although hpv will come and go hopefully your body will always clear it without making any changes to your cells again 

hope that helps x

Hi so about 15 years ago i had borderline changes to my cells, i had those lasered off and and have been fine ever since

then 3 years ago i went for a test and i was hpv positive no abnormal cells

year later same result

then this year i had my third (which was when i was worried it would still be hpv positive and possible changes to cells)

but thankfully my third result was clear! No hpv anymore!

if there is borderline changes hopefully you can just get them lasered off and that will be the end of it. 
keep on top of your check ups always and although hpv will come and go hopefully your body will always clear it without making any changes to your cells again 

hope that helps x

Hi 

this makes me feel so much better as I've got a colposcopy appointment on Wednesday as I'm hpv positive but borderline cell changes so hoping they just laser them off like yours and it's nothing to worry about but I can't help but stressing over them I'm very up to date on my smears as I always have been since having them done, which I suppose is a good thing. Just can't help thinking the worst . Im a worrier anyway but this has made me think alsorts and im so nervous for the hospital appointment 

I replied fast as im a worrier too and alot of people post then dont follow up with how things went

i wouldnt worry too much, i know its hard not to but my nurse said that it takes a long time for the cells to turn cancerous so as long as you are on top of appointments it should just be a case of catching it in time and getting them lasered off. Changes to cells dont always mean they will become cancerous either so im sure everything will just be fine. I had mine lasered a long time ago and thankfully so far nothing has come back but i also was very worried so i understand how you feel. Take it one step at a time ️

I've been Googling all sorts since getting the letter 3 weeks ago for my appointment but I know it's the worst thing you can do but I think sometimes it can't be helped. I have a neally 2 year old aswell so it made me worry even more. But your reply has made me relax abit so thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Like you say cause theirs not much info on it you don't really understand what it is do they tell you their and then about the abnormal results on the colposcopy also did you have them laserd their and then or did you have to go back?

Im the worst for googling then i convince myself of all sorts but honestly after a while i just had to stop and realise whatever happens is beyond your control and you just have to deal with it if it actually happens or you will make yourself ill. 
you go for the check up and they should laser them there and then. I have two kids too and when you have kids everything just seems so much scarier you will be fine tho its just borderline and going regularly you're already one step ahead ️ ️

Yes that's it isn't it like your kids depend on you so it's a lot scarier thinking the worst outcome. That's what my partner keeps saying like think positive cause I'm going to make myself really I'll. thank you so much you've made me ease abit I'll keep you updated once I've been and fingers crossed everything is ok. Is it painful when they laser it off btw just out of curiosity 

Its not easy to not worry but worrying doesnt change anything so just gota keep thinking that

i was lucky enough to be put asleep while they did it so i didnt feel a thing and recovery didnt hurt at all ️

It is isn't I think it's normal to worry about these things. We wouldn't be human if we didn't.

oh that doesn't sound too bad then!, did you do anything for your body to clear the hpv as December will be my 3rd since getting it so hoping this one will be clear 

I did tske some supplements that werent the cheapest but i read through extensive googling that it was good to rid hpv so i got them and it wents by coincidence or not i dont know 

i dont have the names of them at the moment as im not home and i cant remember the name. I'd have to let you know tomorrow ️

Yeah I've read that multivitamin does help the chance brilliant thank you so much and I'm sorry if I done your heading by asking thousands of questions

Its ok, like i said i hate when people dont keep updated when people ask