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Hi. I'm 31 and was divorced a year ago after being married since 19. I have recently started dating a very nice man, we're in a strong, committed relationship and we've become sexually active. He's the only man I've been with since my ex-husband.
I went to my family doctor for a perscription of birth control for the first time in my adult life. (I had never needed it before because my ex had a vasectomy after he had kids with his first wife). Anyway, a routine pap was done and I'm ashamed to say, it had been years. But I was diagnosed with HPV. I don't have warts but I have abnormal/precancer cells on my cervix. Anyway, My family dr. sent me to another doctor for the culposcopy and they want me to have a LEEP.
Also, is the LEEP really necessary or is this just a "quick fix" money maker and I'm being herded through the medical path like a farm animal? Do I give the HPV a chance to go into remission on it's own? They said my cells are precancerous. Is that more advanced than regular "abnormal" cells or are pre-cancer cells basically "abnormal" cells? How do I evaluate my severity? What should I do and how do I know what the right decision is? How far is a reasonable time frame for testing my ability to make the HPV go away naturally? How likely are my cells to turn into cancer in the stage they're in now? If I find out additonal information about my diagnosis could you tell me about the severity/advancement of my specific cells? And most importantly, will it keep coming back from the partner I'm with since I know I've at least given it to him.... this is heart breaking. It sickning to even be in this situation.... can anyone help?
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Hi,
June 13, 2011 - 5:10pmYes, you have transmitted the virus to your boyfriend. Now that he is infected with HPV, he will transmit the virus to anyone that he has genital contact with.
A HPV infection can persist for many years even without the presence of genital warts. Persistent infections with high risk HPVs are the primary cause of cervical cancer. HPV s are a group of more than 150 related viruses. Some types lead to the growth of warts, over 40 types are sexually transmitted and some high risk types lead to cancer. Both high-risk and low-risk types of HPV can cause the growth of abnormal cells, but only the high-risk types of HPV lead to cancer.
Although there is currently no medical treatment for HPV infections, the cervical lesions and warts that can result from such infections can be treated. Methods commonly used to treat cervical lesions include cryosurgery (freezing that destroys tissue), LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure, or the removal of tissue using a hot wire loop), and conization (surgery to remove a cone-shaped piece of tissue from the cervix and cervical canal).
The LEEP procedure will not cure you of HPV, there is no cure. The procedure removes the precancerous cells and hopefully, prevents the progression of these cells to cancerous cells.
Only your physician is qualified to discuss the staging or advancement of your cells.
Hopefully, with the information that I have given you, you realize that waiting and doing nothing in the hopes that the precancerous cells will just go away is a risky and unwise decision. Of course, the choice is yours to make. You must realize that precancerous cells will do one thing--- turn into cancerous cells.
The bottom line is you are both infected with HPV. In 90% of cases, the body’s immune system clears HPV naturally within two years. I suggest you discuss your concerns about reinfection with your doctor.
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