Abnormal Pap Tests

kw0602 · 02-11-2003, 02:15 AM

I have had abnormal pap test since I was 19! When I was 23 I had a LEEP procedure done to remove the abnormal cells. With this procedure a piece of my cervix was removed. Well here again I have the abnormal cells. I have HPV. 90% of women with cervical cancers have some type of HPV. Anyway, I was windering if others have had abnormal tests and if so what was done about it. I may have to get another LEEP done. If so, I am concerned that when I get pregnant, I will have an incompetent cervix because of the cells being removed. Has anyone else had this problem? If so how was it dealt with?

edswife · 02-11-2003, 02:25 AM

I too have had abnormal pap smear results, I had a leep procedure and then almost a year later I had another leep procedure done. I too have been worried about getting pg. My dr told me i may have scar tissue that may make it hard to get pg. I may have to do it through IUI and/or IVF

Best of Luck

Mazlynn · 02-11-2003, 06:36 PM

Had a friend who had some sort of cerivcal proceedure like this - not sure if it was the LEEP or not, but something similar. She ended up being on bedrest for a few months - they checked the cervix weekly, and when it seemed to be having problems put her on bedrest until she was far enough along that premature labor wouldn't endanger the baby - now is a happy mom of a health baby boy. So I think you'll need more monitoring, but if you're good about listening to the dr and staying off your feet if bedrest is needed, it's definitely possible to have a full term, successful pregnancy.

Gigi Lewis · 02-12-2003, 02:58 PM

I have also had abnormal paps, HPV diagnosis, LEEPS and 2 D&C's all within 2001 and 2002. I only had 3 periods last year and ZERO yet this year! I am VERY scared not only about being able to get pregnant and carry full term but of gettting cancer! I am working with a herbalist and trying the natural way since having all the traditional procedures isn't helping! My next pap is due in June so I'm hoping to have at least one period before then if not more. Docotors don't really give you any ideas on how to help yourself they just repete the procedures that is why I've turned to a herbalist to try and change and help my body from within. I have NO idea if it will work but I'm willing to try anything at this point!
Good Luck and I will keep up on this post to see what other cysters suggest, hopefully we can work on this together!

Diane In Colorado · 02-13-2003, 05:07 PM

I had abnormals, diagnosed HPV and a colposcapy (sp?).
I also have a beautiful 3 (almost 4) year old daughter. Healthy I might add. But I continue to now have normal paps also.!

Mazlynn · 02-13-2003, 10:16 PM

One thing my Dr did recommend was taking 500 Vit C and 400 Vit E daily to help boost the immune system, so the body can more effectively fight off the virus.

mary71 · 02-17-2003, 12:40 AM

I recently went to my dr for pain and my pap came abnormal and they thought i had a bladder infection so they gave me antibiotics and i came back, no bladder infection but they found my pap still abnormal and so they automatically ran tests for std's which scared the crap out of me...couldnt find nothing wrong so they said i must have some virus and they gave me more antibiotics! They finally gave up on the fact that i kept having abnormal pap smears....

--mary

Emily80 · 02-17-2003, 02:32 AM

I was tested for all STD's in February, 02. Everything was fine.
I married my husband in April of '02 (we slept together for the first time in March, 02.) Only had sexual contact w/ husband.
In August, '02 I was tested for all STD's again, came back positive for HPV.
January, 03, I had the LEEP procedure.

This was really traumatic for me, and not that worrying about PCOS isn't enough now I have to worry about cancer. I also was very angry at my husband for giving me this disease, even though it puzzled him because we both had previous clean STD tests run...........

My gyno said that I had a small amount of displaysia, and it was nothing to worry about.

I am also concerned about future pregnancies.....Any thoughts?
-Emily

Stacie M · 02-17-2003, 03:09 AM

Well, here is some info from CDC on HPV. It might make you feel better to knkow that these forms of HPV are VERY VERY common ( add me to the list of dx). Even though they are linked to cervical cancer, as long as you have routine Pap tests you should be able to catch anything early enough to be treatable. Also, it is important to remember that in MOST people, the immune system will keep it in check. I have noticed that when I have had abnormal Paps (2 or 3) it has been during times of ALOT of stress (physical and mental) which weakened my immune system. My doc told me to try visualization (imagining the good cells fighting off the bad ones) for a few minutes each night when going to sleep...WELL i havent had an abnormal one since!! KNOCK ON WOOD! I have had to colposcopies also, and I know they SUCK!!

DONT STRESS over this too much! I couldnt even guess where I got it from (I havent been with very many people either)....

StaciieM

Human Papillomavirus
CDC researchers also reported that an estimated 20 million people in the US have human papillomavirus type16 (HPV-16) infections that can be transmitted to others, and every year about 5.5 million people become infected.
HPV can lead to cervical, penile and anal cancer, and HPV-16 accounts for 50% of all cervical cancer cases. Some types of HPV cause genital warts, while others cause "subclinical" infections that cannot be seen. Genital warts are extremely common, but can be treated and cured. Subclinical HPV infection, for which there is currently no cure, is much more common than genital warts, although most infections are cleared up by the body's immune system.

HPV is transmitted through sexual contact with the genital area. Because HPV can infect genital areas not covered by condoms, condoms provide incomplete protection. HPV can be prevented by abstaining from sexual activity or having sex only with an uninfected partner.

The study of HPV revealed that the prevalence of HPV-16 was at least two-fold higher in women compared to men. Women of all races had an HPV-16 prevalence of 17.9% percent, compared to 8% for men. African-American women age 20 to 29 had the highest prevalence of HPV-16 at 36%. African Americans overall had 19.1% prevalence, compared to 12.5% in whites.

The prevalence of HPV-16 increases with the number of lifetime sex partners. Seven percent of people in the CDC study with one lifetime sex partner had the infection, compared to 20.1% of people with 50 or more lifetime sex partners. Overall, 13% of the study population carried HPV-16 antibodies. However, the figure does not represent all people in the study with the infection because not all people who have been infected develop detectable antibodies.

Mazlynn · 02-17-2003, 11:55 AM

As the above post mentioned, HPV can be dormant and not show... as far as the information I've been given the only way you can tell if a guy has it is if he has the genital warts, and only a small proportion of infected guys get those. And, remember that it's not like most STDs - it can be transmitted just through skin to skin contact. That's why condoms aren't very effective against it since there is still plenty of skin contact. It also means it doesn't need full fledged penetration to transmitt... skin to skin contact is enough. So, in most cases, it's easy enough to transmit that you can't really tell who gave it to whom, or where it might have been picked up, so it's best to let that go and just focus on getting better. Good luck!

Stacie M · 02-17-2003, 03:48 PM

Exactly..it is VERY hard to tell if someone is infected. Remember HPV is the same virus that causes common warts (on fingers etc), genital warts, and cervical changes. There are many, many, many strains of HPV.

As for the type that causes abnormal cell changes, guys do not show ANY symptoms and suffer only a SLIGHTLY elevated risk of penile cancer from it. Pretty much, I think of them are carriers of the disease to women.

StaciieM