How did you get on? I have tested positive for HPV and have had a fully trusting relationship with my partner for 13 years! So there's no doubt in my mind that I have had the virus for at least that amount of time. My smear came back normal but I've read stories of people having normal smears that didn't detect their cancer. I've bled ever so slightly after sex a few times, not every time. I have been suffering with lower back pain for a good while now. Sometimes when I sit down my vagina feels swollen or something in that area does. I always get fobbed off by the GP with the solution being my Mirena IUD. But the HPV diagnosis surely changes things? Has anyone ever demanded a colposcopy? I've only just been a couple of days ago to see about my back and been sent to book physio but unsure whether to call back and highlight the positive HPV result? I just sometimes feel they don't connect the dots or write me off with health anxiety. 
 

I agree with others above. The aftercare after hpv diagnosis is extremely poor. It needs to change and full verbal discussion needs to be had, rather than a letter and that's it. 
 

I hope all are well and any updates from anyone in the thread very welcome as I've read all previous replies <3

Hi everyone, I'd like to thank you all for sharing your knowledge, experiences and fears because you have all really helped me. I've done lots of reading but this is the first site I've found that has acknowledged the difficulty of hpv that has been in the body a long time - and the anxiety that causes. It does seem that because they have only been testing for the virus for a few years, the research just isn't there in terms of whether hpv that's been in the body for years is more likely to develop into cancer.

Found I have hpv from my smear test at the beginning of February. Am 58 and not sexually active for 11 years so like many of you, wondering what it's been doing in my body for so many years and why it's surfaced now in particular. I am terrified. It doesn't help that my last 3 or 4 smear tests have been excruciatingly painful so I dread having to undergo more investigations.

Maz62 and Wellstone - have you had the results of your tests yet?  Really hoping you both get good news.  Dee1983 - if you are worried, I would flag up the hpv and really press for more action. Please let us know how you get on.

Hi, I am 64, abstinent for 10 years,with only two partners previously.  I was totally in shock when the hpv positive, no cell changes detected, letter arrived in February.  I have been trying not to worry but how can you not?  A year seems such a long time to wait and like others mentioned, I worry that the hpv is unlikely to become dormant after all this time.  I had kind of thought, when I was first notified, that maybe it had been dormant but all the stress of the pandemic plus losing both my parents and ex husband in a four month period and a house move, had been the cause of reactivation but reading all your posts it seems unlikely.  However, I am very grateful to have found this thread and to know I am not alone in this.

Hi Karen 

84% of the population have. HPV at anyone  time. In my case inwas  one if the really unlucky ones  my h p v 16+ has remained dormant for at least 40 years not detected  in any smears ias it wasn't checked until recently  4 years ago I had a lump in my collar bone thought I had pulled a muscle turned  out had h p v 16- tonsil cancer with several effected nodes. I have been married to hubby 42 years we trust each other implicitly I hadn't slept with anyone else and hubby had once prior to me. As my oncologist said we were unlucky probably been passing it to each other  for years.  There are no symptoms onky good thung us teenagers are now vaccinated nboty girls and boys But lucky in ine way that h p v oral cancers are curable treatment horrendous but I got through it. So put it out if your mind it's common to show on one smear but 12 month later you'll be clear. My cancer is extremely rare I don't smoke or drink. 
Hazel www.RadioactiveRaz.wordpress.com  my blog with tonsil cancer 

Hi  

I have been awake all night after getting my results from my smear test. I am shocked and now my health anxiety has been triggered off to the highest degree. I haven't had sex for almost 4 years and my last smear was negative but now it's still negative which is good...but i have high risk hpv. I wish they never tested for this, because by looking at all these posts...its made people really confused and worried. No support for people, the Internet says all sorts of things to scare you which doesn't help. Now I have seen I'm not on my own, I feel a lot better that others are suffering with the same situation. I have heard certain mushrooms such as shittake and turkey tail mushrooms have been good for getting rid of hpv so I might try that. I feel dirty and the Internet have said you can catch it from holding hands so I'm panicking now about that. Although I don't think that's correct I'm going to speak to my doctor on Monday. I feel so anxious  

Hi. I have been married for 12 years together for 15, with complete trust and no other possibility of an external connection. I have tested positive for HPV in my last 3 smear tests, each done on a 12 month recall, and after this latest result I was referred for a Colposcopy. I got my appointment within a couple of weeks, during the examination (its basically a more in depth smear) I actually found it more comfortable to be fair, the gynecologist showed me on the camera that she was examining me with, showed me my cervix, and the tiny dots of the virus, everything looked healthy and clear, However biopsies were taken, this can be slightly uncomfortable, it just feels like period cramps, and all my results came back clear. I'm now back onto a 3 year smear. It sounds horrible as its classified as "sexually transmitted" which I think needs addressing, and there certainly needs to be more correct information out there. I hope my reply has in some way eased your anxieties. 

X 

HinRay  don't worry about your dad chemo radiation is the gold  standard treatment I am now 4 years post radiotherapy for tonsil cancer with several affected lymph nodes happily living my life. As for your h p v status presumably from a recent smear test ? At any one time 84 % of the worlds population is h p v postive our bodies generally get rid of it over a period of time it's very very rare for HPV cancers to present so your dads  in an exclusive club which like me he didn't want to join but take heart HPV cancers are eminently curable .my blog below might help www.RadioactiveRaz.wordpress,com .

Its not usual to operate so don't stress the chemotherapy and radiotherapy work it's not uncommon either for patients not  to have all the chemo sessions radiotherapy is the main event so to speak.any questi9ns just ask always happy to help .please do it worry about yiur status there's no correlation to yiu dads cancer it's nit a genetic cancer  

Hazel 

Thank you Hazel. He's been give 88% chance of it being cured. Just got to get him through the next few months. I'll send him your blog, I'm sure he'll find it really helpful to read a real persons account rather then the stuff he's been googling! xx

Hi please please tell him to keep off Google the info is unregulated. As my oncologist ssud ti me he could go in and diagnose himself dead within 5 minutes. Please keep away verge info is mostly our if date. I'm 4 years post radiotherapy happily living my life. 
I will help if I can 

Hazel xx