Hi worriedbetty.

I’m sorry to see you’re so worried, but hope I can add some perspective as someone who has had cervical cancer twice now. 

It’s very common to have an hpv positive result-most of the sexually active population has come into contact with the virus at some point in their lives. It can go dormant and produce a negative result at another test but once you have hpv, you have it always in your body. 

Borderline changes are the lowest grade of cell changes, and are not cancer, and having hpv and borderline changes should not cause pain. There are many strains of hpv and the strains which are high risk for cell changes are not the same as those which cause genital warts, so the warts have no connection with cervical cancer. The colposcopy will be an appointment to look closely at your cervix and perhaps take biopsies if necessary. Biopsies may not be necessary depending on what they see, but borderline changes are the lowest type of cell changes so you may just be monitored.

Pain in the upper left abdomen does not suggest cervical cancer-pain would be expected in the pelvic area. 

Although I am not a medic, on balance I would suggest that you do not have cervical cancer, based on what you’ve said, my own experience and speaking to dozens of women who have this cancer. 

I hope you don’t have long to wait for your colposcopy and that it puts your mind at rest. Please let us know how you get on, and if you want to talk or have any questions I’ll be happy to try and help if I can. x

Thank you so much for replying to my message I really appreciate it.

I have a couple more questions, once a person has HPV is there no way of getting rid of it? not even through diets/ supplements?

I know this is a silly question, but the genital warts strain of HPV is why I tested positive right? but what about the bleeding? as that is supposed to be a key indicator of cervical cancer?

Thanks so much you've really helped calm me down, the information online is overwhelming and so much of it frightens me. I don't know if and when I will have a colposcopy so the waiting game is rather torturos.

It was moments of panic I had-I don’t allow panic to rule my life as that’s no way to live, and I don’t suffer from health anxiety thankfully. The 2 nurses told me they just needed a clearer image, that it was normal to have extra images taken, and that they would have called a doctor in if they had suspected anything unusual. 

My philosophy is to look for the positive and focus on it rather than immediately focusing on the negative and spending my days worrying. No amount of worrying will change anything anyway, so it’s just a waste of energy! xx

You're so right!! It is a waste of energy! X

Just had my breast biopsy results!! It’s benign!!! Thank God!!! Now to get a grip of this anxiety. Thanks so much for your support, Minska Xxx

Oh Linz, that’s such good news for you! I’m so pleased you’ve updated here and it’s a great result. 

Hope you’ll be free of all the anxiety now. xx

Hi! 
 

I had a high risk HPV and CIN1 diagnosis on my smear test. I am 25 with two little children and I have recently had my colposcopy. 
 

I had biopsy's taken and the majority of the opening of my cervix showed abnormal cell growths. 
I had this two weeks ago and I am still waiting the results and I am worrying. 
 

I have a few questions if anyone can answer. 
1) if I need these removed, will it affect fertility? I am unsure if I want any other children later in life. 

2) would giving birth 5 months ago have anything to do with these changes? 
3) I had and still have, cervical erosions while I was pregnant - does this play a part in the changes to my cervix? 
4) is CIN1 precancerous cells? 
5) I also have adenomyosis and endometriosis, does this have anything to do with the changes?
 

thank you, I have anxiety and I overthink. I always tell other not to worry until you need too but when the big C is involved, even if it's not that, just being tested for it is very hard to digest and relax. 
 

Hi [@K2710]‍ 

Sorry to read you are so worried, but it's understandable when you have needed further investigations. I'm not a medical professional so can't answer all your questions but can give you some info.

The hpv virus being active in your system is what causes the abnormal cells. 
 

CIN1 is a low grade abnormality of precancerous cells, but it's NOT cancer and having this level of abnormality would be highly unlikely EVER to become cancerous. The cells may regress and revert to normal on their own and you may not need any treatment.

if you do need treatment, this would involve removing the abnormal cells but this should have no effect on future fertility, and you would be well monitored and checked on again to make sure all the abnormalities had been removed.

The wait for biopsy results can be quite long due to current backlogs, so may be several weeks.

Hope you don't have too long to wait now.

Hi!

thank you so much for replying! 
 

You have explained this better to me than any doctor has. So thank you very much! 

If you can, try not to overthink everything and run ahead of yourself. Minor cell changes are extremely common and easily treated if need be, but you are young, so you may just be monitored without the need for treatment,

The whole point of the cervical screening programme is to pick up early changes before they become any worse and it's very successful at doing just that. Good luck!

Hi [@Minska]‍ 

thank you so much for replying! 
 

I have had my results back and they found CIN2 cells and still positive HPV. They have told me they are holding a meeting on the 20th September in which they will discuss my case and the treatment required. 
 

With HPV, I know it lays dormant then can reactivate, does this mean if I next have a smear and it's dormant, that the cells won't be there if I didn't have any treatment? 
I most defiantly will have them removed I'm just trying to understand how HPV works! Do you think they will just laser off the cells? 

Hi @K27210
 

With CIN2 cells it's possible they could regress and go away without treatment, so the meeting where cases are discussed will be deciding whether to monitor you or do the LLETZ treatment for these. I think it depends on lots of different factors, like your age and how much of an area of abnormality has been seen. The younger you are, the more chance your immune system can fight the infection and put it to an undetectable level.

Equally it's possible that without treatment the cells might not regress and if that were the case they would still be there next time even if you tested negative for hpv because it had gone dormant and was undetectable, as it has already done its damage.

It's a sneaky thing, hpv! 

Hi @K27210
 

With CIN2 cells it's possible they could regress and go away without treatment, so the meeting where cases are discussed will be deciding whether to monitor you or do the LLETZ treatment for these. I think it depends on lots of different factors, like your age and how much of an area of abnormality has been seen. The younger you are, the more chance your immune system can fight the infection and put it to an undetectable level.

Equally it's possible that without treatment the cells might not regress and if that were the case they would still be there next time even if you tested negative for hpv because it had gone dormant and was undetectable, as it has already done its damage.

It's a sneaky thing, hpv!