Dear Ducky: I Have HPV
January 18, 2012 § 4 Comments
Dear Ducky,
I just got a call from my gyno saying I’ve contracted the HPV virus. They say it’s not a huge deal, a lot of women have it and that I just need to keep an eye out to prevent cervical cancer.
I freaked out. I have no symptoms; I just got the test because it was offered. They said I’ve never been checked for it in there office because the usual blood tests don’t search for HPV. I guess I could have contracted it long ago. I thought I was getting tested for everything with each pap smear and that gave me a clean bill of health?
Am I likely to get a cancer? Warts? What can I do to keep my body healthy and not feel like it’s the end of the world?
-I Have HPV
Dear IHHPV,
News like this can be shocking. But take a deep breath. There are reasons why your doctor said it was not the end of the world. One of those reasons is that HPV is so wide spread that gynecologists consider it to be a “benchmark of sexual activity.” In other words they assume all humans have it. Most doctors do not bother testing for it unless you specifically ask.
HPV is so common that Planned Parenthood reports about half of all men and more than 3 out of 4 women have HPV. But most people who have HPV don’t know it. Most people will have no symptoms.
What I am saying is that – you are normal. Nice, good, kind, beautiful people get sexually transmitted infections (STIs) everyday and HPV is the most prevalent.
What do you do now? Have a pap smear done every six months for the next three years. This will check for any cell change in your cervix. If all is well after 3 years, start to go yearly. It does not sound like you have any visible warts (inside or outside). During a pap your doctor looks for internal warts. If you have them externally, you’ll feel them while you wash your vulva and will be able to see them if you look at your body with a mirror.
If warts develop, make an appointment and your doctor will remove them. This procedure takes a moment in an office visit. Internal strains of HPV are the one that have a chance of developing into cervical cancer. But if you are getting regular paps, you will see any cell change early and they can treat you.
Try not to let this drive you crazy. Find ways to be kind to yourself – call a friend, go for a walk, get a massage… Because like I said – nice, good, kind, beautiful people get sexually transmitted infections everyday. And they are still totally loveable. It all starts with you loving yourself.
Get more info from Planned Parenthood’s HPV page.
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