Thanks for responding back; I did not intend for my response to sound as though I was taking your concern lightly.
As I said, you are correct, there are "false-positives" possible with any test, and I am surprised that this was not acknowledged by your health care provider as a possible outcome; it is rare, but does exist!
From my understanding of HPV, the only non-sexual methods of transmission have included childbirth, but this virus is "tricky" as you can have a positive test, and then the subsequent tests can be negative...because your body has suppressed the virus enough that it does not show up on tests. This is why I questioned your wanting a 3rd test as "proof"; if it came out negative (and, just for a moment, assuming your's or any other woman's first test of HPV was correctly positive), it would only result in the two scenarios: 1) your body "rid itself" or "suppressed" the HPV that showed up in the first test, or 2) the first test resulted in a "false-positive"...but neither of these can be "proven" through additional testing, unfortunately.
I am happy to hear that you are advocating for yourself! Your response to "I don't know anyone who takes hearing the news of having an STD lightly"...you would be surprised! Especially with the news of an STD like low-risk HPV...the statistics really do show that most women--about 80%--(who have ever been sexually-active) have been HPV-positive at some point in their life! It is akin to the diagnosis of having the flu virus, that your body is able to suppress or "fight off" where you would test positive for influenza at one moment; negative at a subsequent test; my point is: it is low-risk HPV extremely common and usually does not have any long-term side effects.
For these reasons, I assume your health care providers had these stats in mind when talking with you, and thus, did not demonstrate the amount of care and concern you were needing, while also taking into account your specific situation.
I am sorry that my response was offensive, but I really was honestly surprised at the amount of anger you described having toward the staff. I hope you find a wonderfully supportive and more open-minded new OB/GYN, who can (at least) honestly you that there are possibilities of "false-positives" on tests.
Comment Reply
Thanks for responding back; I did not intend for my response to sound as though I was taking your concern lightly.
As I said, you are correct, there are "false-positives" possible with any test, and I am surprised that this was not acknowledged by your health care provider as a possible outcome; it is rare, but does exist!
From my understanding of HPV, the only non-sexual methods of transmission have included childbirth, but this virus is "tricky" as you can have a positive test, and then the subsequent tests can be negative...because your body has suppressed the virus enough that it does not show up on tests. This is why I questioned your wanting a 3rd test as "proof"; if it came out negative (and, just for a moment, assuming your's or any other woman's first test of HPV was correctly positive), it would only result in the two scenarios: 1) your body "rid itself" or "suppressed" the HPV that showed up in the first test, or 2) the first test resulted in a "false-positive"...but neither of these can be "proven" through additional testing, unfortunately.
I am happy to hear that you are advocating for yourself! Your response to "I don't know anyone who takes hearing the news of having an STD lightly"...you would be surprised! Especially with the news of an STD like low-risk HPV...the statistics really do show that most women--about 80%--(who have ever been sexually-active) have been HPV-positive at some point in their life! It is akin to the diagnosis of having the flu virus, that your body is able to suppress or "fight off" where you would test positive for influenza at one moment; negative at a subsequent test; my point is: it is low-risk HPV extremely common and usually does not have any long-term side effects.
For these reasons, I assume your health care providers had these stats in mind when talking with you, and thus, did not demonstrate the amount of care and concern you were needing, while also taking into account your specific situation.
I am sorry that my response was offensive, but I really was honestly surprised at the amount of anger you described having toward the staff. I hope you find a wonderfully supportive and more open-minded new OB/GYN, who can (at least) honestly you that there are possibilities of "false-positives" on tests.
September 3, 2009 - 11:49amThis Comment
Reply