Hi everyone I’m new here
I’m a 28 year old female who’s normally fit and healthy. I went for a routine smear 3 weeks ago and it came back positive for HPV (low grade dyskariosis ) I have a colposcopy in 5 days. I am a medical professional myself but I have to be honest despite all my training I have found myself in absolute panic, not been sleeping very well since. I have been feeling very sensitive and just on an emotional roller coaster, I feel different within myself, I have no idea wether that’s psychological now or not and to make matters worse during intercourse today my partner said it wasn’t the same which made me even more paranoid
Hi Ash94 and a warm welcome to the community.
The result you’ve had from your smear test is a very common one, but I appreciate its worrying to get any sort of abnormal result. Most people who have ever been sexually active will have encountered the hpv virus but most will never even know about it, as their own immune system will suppress it.
With a result like yours, the virus has caused some cervical cell abnormalities (low grade dyskariosis) but these are low level changes and not cancer.
The colposcopy will be a more detailed examination of your cervix, with a liquid applied to identify any areas of abnormality. You may have a biopsy taken called a punch biopsy where a little sample is taken for analysis to confirm that it matches your smear result. The results from the colposcopy can differ from the smear results so it is just to check that this is definitely low grade dyskariosis- also called CIN, which has 3 different levels which identify the level of abnormality in the cells.
Neither the colposcopy nor the punch biopsy is painful and this is a short procedure.
Hpv in itself does not have any symptoms or cause pain, but the mind is a powerful tool, and can make you imagine all sorts.
For now you just need to sit tight and try not to let thoughts and your imagination run away with themselves. Low grade cell changes can regress in their own and go away if your immune system can suppress the virus, but unfortunately there is no cure for it and it does remain in your system.
When the virus is active it can cause cell changes, but it can go into dormancy where it doesn’t cause any issues. The whole point of the cervical screening programme is to identify any changes and treat them if required, which usually depends on how abnormal the cells are, at an early stage before they progress to anything more serious.
Treatment would normally be with a LLETZ procedure, where an electrical wire is used to remove the cells-this just involves a short procedure at clinic as an outpatient and is very straightforward. You are then followed up in 6 months with a “test of cure” to make sure that there are no further abnormalities and everything has been successfully treated.
Please try not to worry too much about this-the result you have had is not cancer and can be easily treated.
You are welcome to join us in the cervical cancer group-link is in my signature-but this is not because I believe you have cancer, but because the topic of hpv and treatment comes up there quite often.
I hope your colposcopy goes well and you can get on with your life without this worry hanging over you.
Sarah xx
