Hi Sarah,

I'm not an expert but I think that HPV can stay dormant in the body for years, so it could have been transmitted early in your life and never given any signals it was there. HPV is serious because it can cause cancer of the uterus.

You say your smear test didn't show any abnormal cells, so that means all is good and healthy, you don't have cancer. But since HPV can lead to cancer, you have a high risk of developing it in future, but it doesn't mean that you will. Some people do others don't.

I don't know how quick the HPV could develop into cancer but if you do a test every year you should be OK, please check with a nurse or doctor. I don't know if it is possible to cure HPV completely. There is a vaccine for tens now, but that was not the case years ago.

If you are not happy with your doctor's advice you have the right to seek a second opinion. The Macmillan Trust can also help with medical advice, they have a free phone line. Or you could ring the number below to ask the nurses here more questions.

Hope this is helpful. All the best!

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I am very grateful. I will speak to my gp or nurse as soon as I am able, I feel so awful that my smear test was rather overdue though I guess prior to this one only reason cells would have been looked at if they were normal then. I wouldn't feel so worried if I had been sexually active in recent years as I'd feel reassurance that most infections clear within it says 1-2 years, it just feels a little pointless waiting for another year to see as it states if my immune system will clear it when I know that it must be a persistent infection because it has to have been so long since exposure. I didn't realise there was any change in the way they processed smear results and got a really awful shock seeing the hpv positive result and then all the information saying it usually clears in 24 months but for some it can persist and this then results in cell changes, I can't seem to find any percentage or risk that says of those with a persistent infection x amount is likely to cause changes. Once again thank you so much for your kind words. S x

Everyone says HPV is very common and it is plus most people do clear it. I'm not a doctor but if you are a bit older (I was 43 when diagnosed) and especially as they've only been testing for HPV over the passed few years I would ask to be refereed for a biopsy or even if you can get one done privately to put your mind at rest.

Hi, 

I feel like I have found people who are wondering the same things as me!

I have been with my partner for 17 years. Always had regular smears with a normal result. Now this year, I am normal but positive for high risk HPV.

Pretty sure there has been no cheating etc. 
So I have been in the same boat of thinking, have I had this for 17+ years?! I feel kind of let down by my body, like why isn't isn't it clearing this? Has it been doing damage already? Like already advised it could have been dormant for years but I won't know because it wasn't tested for before. I feel like it is hanging over me a little bit because every time I'm happy, it pops up that it might turn into something. Yes, I am an anxious person but again I think it is like previous posts, I have 2 young children. I think I will look into the private thing but probably won't be able to afford it.  
 

Thanks Ladies 

Hi Saffy

You could have HPV for your whole life and it never cause any problems for you, you’ll never know how long you’ve had it or where you got it, but it’s just there. If there are no abnormal cells, what would they biopsy? Biopsies are performed on areas of abnormality, which luckily you don’t have. So, I personally would just continue to be screened under the smear programme and hopefully you will never experience any issues in the future. 

What was your bleeding like if you don't mind me asking? 
 

I have irregular bleeding all the time but my doctors put it down to the contraceptive implant. I sometimes have clotting too, and was bleeding for 12 days after the smear test but they don't seem worried about it as they said it's likely the implant. 
 

I also received a positive HPV result yesterday but no abnormal cell. Concerned as it was my first smear. 
 

really sorry to hear about the cancer. I wish you a fast recovery. 

I was I'm nearly the same position as you, had no abnormal cells every smear, then hpv was found and every one told me not to worry, then it was found the next year again I was told not to worry.

When I was diagnosed with cancer through abnormal bleeding a few months after my normal smear, I had been into the gynecologist and he had examined me and told me everything was OK. I was dressed and leaving the room when he said as you are here we may as well do a biopsy. It was only in that biopsy I found out I had cancer. The biopsy took cells from further up than a smear can. I was also told on calling the hospital to find out my results which took a month, that it took so long as we didn't think you had cancer.

My smear audit showed no mistakes were made in all my previous year smears. Its just my cancer was growing so far up that it couldn't be spotted with normal smears and examinations. It does happen in 20% of people.

With regards to bleeding. Not much bleeding at all nothing like a period, just a weird blood coloured discharge.

Hope this helps someone 

Hi Giggsy, 

It really does help and thank you for sharing your experience with me. 

I have sent my GP a message with my concerns but if I'm not referred I will wait for my next smear in a few months and if I am still positive then I will definitely go private to get this checked out. 
it may be nothing, but like you have shown - it could be something. 
 

I hope you are ok? Are you still in treatment? 
 

xx

I'm glad it may be nothing to worry about but you don't want to take chances with you health.

I've had 2 operations, 5 months of chemo and just awaiting another scan and will probably have to have further treatment as not feeling too good.

Hi all I've always been for my smear tests 

never before tested positive for hpv or had abnormal results 

now I've had both I've had a colposcopy done today & biopsies taken 

I'm so worried I've got cancer and y hasn't this hpv been mentioned in any previous smears I had my last one in 2018 

I believe its because they have only just started tezting for this..so u may have had it ages without knowing. I hope all will be ok .

Thankyou

Thankyou