HPV Showing in Pap Test Result

Updated on November 17, 2010
P.H. asks from McKinney, TX
11 answers

HI Moms,
I recently had a pap test come back showing mild changes and HPV. I found out a month ago and was told to get a colposcopy as a follow up. I was really surprised at the diagnosis of HPV. Have any of you had this experience/surprise? Did you any of you develpe cervical cancer after this result? Thank you for any information you can give me. I am waiting to get the colposcopy done until I can get health insurance, and am nervous about waiting.

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E.W.

answers from Dallas on

I too have HPV and have had it for a long time and never had an issue or developed cervical cancer. I go back and forth sometimes I get an abnormal pap and then I get an abnormal one and have a colopo. The colopo's have always come back fine (thankfully) but they are not that big of a deal.

Don't freak out about HPV as long as you stay on top of paps and colopos you should be fine. It is all about preventative maintenance :)

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A.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

I had a positive HPV result several years ago (yeah, not a fun surprise). As there is no cure, I was "fortunate" to contract a strain that cures itself and am now HPV free.

Please don't wait to get the colposcopy; you already know this can lead to cancer. If you don't know that you will have insurance right away, ask your dr if you can set up a payment plan. This needs to be addressed right away!

3 moms found this helpful
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T.T.

answers from Dallas on

First off, I want to say that last post sounds very scary, and while this is something you should not ignore, it is not something you should panic about either. 3 1/2 years ago, I was diagnosed with HPV. I was very blessed to have an OB/GYN who specializes in and speaks nationwide to other physicians, teaching about this condition. Here is what I learned. HPV is a PRE-cancerous condition. This means that it has the ABILITY to become cancerous if not monitored and left untreated. You said your pap showed mild changes/HPV; therefore I would be surprised if your condition had already progressed to cancer. The vast majority of HPV cases take years and years to develop into cancer, if at all. In my case, my doctor performed a colposcopy, which sounds kind of scary, but really was no big deal. During the colposcopy, he identified the dysplasia. I was then scheduled for an out-patient procedure called Cervical Coning. During this procedure, I was given general anesthesia and the dysplasia was removed. I was in and out of the hospital within a few hours with very little recovery time. I have since not had any abnormal pap smears. This is something that doctors do not quite understand (or at least they didn't at that time); however, once undergoing the Cervical Coning Procedure to remove all the abnormal cells, the vast majority of women never test positive for HPV again. All this being said, yes. I am by no means an expert or physician. This is just my experience. It's a scary thing to be told you have a precancerous condition; however, with appropriate, timely action, you should be just fine. I hope this helps!

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J.T.

answers from Dallas on

As long as you have a healthy immune system you are most likely going to fight the virus off itself. Despite what the pharmaceutical companies may want you t believe, most women get it and get rid of it without any intervention. But, because you have this knowledge, its important for you to follow up with your GYN so she/he can note any changes, should anything occur. This is a virus and there is no cure. Just be sure to eat healthy, make sure your vitamin D levels are adequate (primary immune defense) and stop worrying (that depletes your immune system also!) Also, getting the HPV vaccine once you have HPV is futile. There are approximately 40 different strains of HPV and it only covers 4 and only 2 of which are know to turn into cancer. It is riddled with problems and serious side effects. (Spain has actually banned the vaccine due to too many deaths and complications.) If you want to know more about keeping your immune system healthy, just email me personally. I help my patients everyday fight off little offenders--naturally. God Bless.

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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

Yes I had it and the colposcopy. The colp. is way easier than I expected. They sort of freak you out over it and honestly, it was nothing, so don't worry. I did not get cervical cancer. I had to have 2x/year paps for a while and then we went down to 1x/year and now I'm on the 'maintenance schedule' for women over 30. I still get an exam every year they just don't do a pap each year. Also, my doctor told me that HPV is super common and not to worry. He said that most people have it and it doesn't have any negative effects, so although it was a surprise, I wouldn't worry. I would however talk to your doctor about doing the colposcopy now though. Ask what kind of a deal they can give you and explain you don't have insurance. I would think they would probably work something out, I don't think you want to wait, even if it turns out to be nothing, which it probably will, I would try and get it done.

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M.C.

answers from Dallas on

P., I was diagnosed with HPV when i was about 3-4 months pregnant. I ended up having a colposcopy. My biopsy came back negative, but i continued to have HPV show up until almost a year after i had my baby. After almost a year it went away. I did not have any other problems with this for another 3-4 years (after I had my second child.) My lab work has not shown that it is the cancer causing HPV as of yet, but i do have to go in and have the paps done every 6 months until it comes back clear again. I know you are nervous about waiting, i was too.... I did not have insurance when i had mine done, but for me, especially since i was pregnant, it was worth the piece of mind. Good luck to you and i hope all comes out well for you.

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M.F.

answers from Phoenix on

I failed a pap due to mild cervical dysplasia showing HPV, had cryosurgery and pap tests every 6 months for the next 2 years and am totally fine. I know it will be hard to pay for, but if you wait to get the colposcopy, your condition can worsen and become much more serious than it currently is. Good luck!

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A.J.

answers from Williamsport on

Before the HPV vaccine came along -and the vaccine doesn't protect from all types-and this is coming from my doctor- practically EVERYONE pretty much has HPV who isn't married to their high school sweetheart for their whole lives-boht virgins at marriage- with neither one ever cheating. Even having only a couple of partners has exposed you to hundreds and hundreds of other people.

Basically, HPV causes 99% (or maybe all) cervical cancers, BUT, it MOST OFTEN does not cause it. It usually doesn't if you count the number of people with HPV vs. people with cervical cancer. My doctor said, "It rarely causes it".

Having your check ups still gives you the chance to catch things early on, which is the case for any health ailment that could be causing this reading. Don't worry about your HPV. Don't pre-worry about your results. Cancer can strike anyone any time for many reasons. The best thing you can do is eat well, exercise, keep your immune system strong and keep up with your check ups.

Do not delay the colposcopy. I've been without insurance my entire adult life but always went for check ups and procedures and simply paid monthly for my bills whenever I had them. Still do if I can't pay an entire bill at once, like 3 child births-one c-section...monthly medical debt is still less than private insurance (with outrageous deductible so I'd still be paying for all visits etc) would cost. You have to take care of yourself even though healthcare coverage in this country sucks!

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M.R.

answers from Chicago on

Get the colposcopy ASAP. If the cells are cancerous you really don't want to wait to have the cancerous tissue removed. Share your insurance concerns with your physician; he or she may be able to work something out for you. This is a quality of life issue.

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

Both of my sisters had PAP's come back with HPV results. They both had to go in for minor surgery. My older sister had hers in the doctor's office and my younger sister was in the hospital. But they are both fine now. Not a fun experience for either of them or the family, but not something to wait on!!

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J.A.

answers from Dallas on

I had a pap come back abnormal and was diagnosed with hpv. I took an all natural remedy and the abnormal cells went away by themselves and have not come back. It has been 9 years this year. Good Luck
http://www.alotek.com/

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