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HPV - Abnormal Pap and Transmission Questions
Recently I had an abnormal pap smear, the doctor said it showed a few abnormal cells. She said it didn't mean it was cancer and could just be a yeast infection or inflammation but they recommend looking closer with a scope at an OBGYN clinic. She also said I had some clear discharge (I commonly get this around my period) that could be a sign of a yeast infection. The pap was also done 4 days after my period and I recently (within a few weeks) had had a urinary tract infection.
When I went to the OBGYN - the doctor told me I had mild dysplasia and HPV. She hadn't done the colposcopy or anything at this point - only had the fax of the pap results from my physician.
Just to give a little history, I'm in my mid-twenties. 've never had sex which made the HPV a shock. I've had genital contact (but very brief at that).
1. Can HPV be diagnosed from a pap smear alone?
2. Can mild dysplasia be diagnosed from a pap alone?
3. How fast can it clear?
4. What does it mean for future relationships/partners I'd have?
5. Once it's "cleared" - do you still consider yourself at risk for transmitting it to others?
6. What other "actions," if you will, can HPV be transmitted through?
7. Is there a chance it is still not HPV?
8. I'm going in for a colposcopy, is there any chance it would show it was just from inflammation/yeast infection?
I'm just in shock seeing as little of genital to genital contact I've had.
When I went to the OBGYN - the doctor told me I had mild dysplasia and HPV. She hadn't done the colposcopy or anything at this point - only had the fax of the pap results from my physician.
Just to give a little history, I'm in my mid-twenties. 've never had sex which made the HPV a shock. I've had genital contact (but very brief at that).
1. Can HPV be diagnosed from a pap smear alone?
2. Can mild dysplasia be diagnosed from a pap alone?
3. How fast can it clear?
4. What does it mean for future relationships/partners I'd have?
5. Once it's "cleared" - do you still consider yourself at risk for transmitting it to others?
6. What other "actions," if you will, can HPV be transmitted through?
7. Is there a chance it is still not HPV?
8. I'm going in for a colposcopy, is there any chance it would show it was just from inflammation/yeast infection?
I'm just in shock seeing as little of genital to genital contact I've had.
Thanks for your quick and informed response. Just a few further questions -
1. I don't know that genital rubbing ever even happened. Contact, yes - but (sorry for being so blunt) nothing intense/no intentional "rubbing" where fluids would've been passing or anything. Just light contact and not for very long (let's just say "general area" contact would've lasted maybe 5 minutes (if that), more direct contact for a matter of seconds). No penetration/sex. I don't know if that description helps at all, makes sense, or even makes a difference. Is just light/indirect contact enough?
2. Am I right in that the GYN was a little forward to assume it's mild dysplasia and HPV just from my pap before anything further (i.e. another pap, colposcopy) is done?
3. If it does indeed turn out to be HPV, in telling your partner - what advise do you have? Am I correct in saying something along the lines of me getting diagnosed with this virus, it's very common (the GYN said 80% of women have/had it) and usually people have it and don't know because their immune systems clear it before anything shows up (i.e. abnormal pap). It takes 3-12 months to clear and the doctor monitors it and will tell me when it's cleared. Once it is "cleared" - I am no longer contagious and not putting the partner at risk unless it resparks later down the road. If I do pass it on (to a male), he's not at much risk himself (I don't have warts - or if I do, I've never noticed or seen any). If I did end up passing it on somehow, he'd likely clear it himself but it doesn't pose the same risk to males as females. but could then potentially pass it on to others in the case we ever split.
4. Could actions such as fingering cause inflammation/abnormal pap? Or, as I said, my period had ended maybe four days earlier and I would have been wearing tampons - is 4 days long enough that any inflammation caused by those would not have affected it?
I'm just crossing my fingers that she was assuming (maybe because of my age?) that the abnormal pap meant HPV/mild dysplasia but that it's really just some other infection (i.e. vaginitis, yeast infection)...
1. I don't know that genital rubbing ever even happened. Contact, yes - but (sorry for being so blunt) nothing intense/no intentional "rubbing" where fluids would've been passing or anything. Just light contact and not for very long (let's just say "general area" contact would've lasted maybe 5 minutes (if that), more direct contact for a matter of seconds). No penetration/sex. I don't know if that description helps at all, makes sense, or even makes a difference. Is just light/indirect contact enough?
2. Am I right in that the GYN was a little forward to assume it's mild dysplasia and HPV just from my pap before anything further (i.e. another pap, colposcopy) is done?
3. If it does indeed turn out to be HPV, in telling your partner - what advise do you have? Am I correct in saying something along the lines of me getting diagnosed with this virus, it's very common (the GYN said 80% of women have/had it) and usually people have it and don't know because their immune systems clear it before anything shows up (i.e. abnormal pap). It takes 3-12 months to clear and the doctor monitors it and will tell me when it's cleared. Once it is "cleared" - I am no longer contagious and not putting the partner at risk unless it resparks later down the road. If I do pass it on (to a male), he's not at much risk himself (I don't have warts - or if I do, I've never noticed or seen any). If I did end up passing it on somehow, he'd likely clear it himself but it doesn't pose the same risk to males as females. but could then potentially pass it on to others in the case we ever split.
4. Could actions such as fingering cause inflammation/abnormal pap? Or, as I said, my period had ended maybe four days earlier and I would have been wearing tampons - is 4 days long enough that any inflammation caused by those would not have affected it?
I'm just crossing my fingers that she was assuming (maybe because of my age?) that the abnormal pap meant HPV/mild dysplasia but that it's really just some other infection (i.e. vaginitis, yeast infection)...
1) Pap tests can indicate a HPV infection, but they'd need to look further and do more tests to see if what the pap detected was infact HPV
2) Same as above
3) most clear in up to 2 years as long as they monitor there condition with paps and do any treatment suggested. To clear you need a strong immune system.
4) It is up to you if you tell them but I suggest you do. Once you are clear the HPV will no longer be detected in your system meaning you are no longer contagious, but the virus can become detectable and contagious again meaning you'd pass it on to other partners.
5) No once it's cleared it's laying dormant in your system, you will no when your cleared as your paps will not indicate anything. You will not transmit the virus when your cleared.
6) Skin to skin contact, genital rubbing etc. It is not spread through towels etc, only sexual activity
7) If you've never had sex, then yes. It could well be a yeast infection so you need tests done. The exposure that you describe is very low risk (but still a risk)
8) Yeah it can detect yeast infectionas etc
2) Same as above
3) most clear in up to 2 years as long as they monitor there condition with paps and do any treatment suggested. To clear you need a strong immune system.
4) It is up to you if you tell them but I suggest you do. Once you are clear the HPV will no longer be detected in your system meaning you are no longer contagious, but the virus can become detectable and contagious again meaning you'd pass it on to other partners.
5) No once it's cleared it's laying dormant in your system, you will no when your cleared as your paps will not indicate anything. You will not transmit the virus when your cleared.
6) Skin to skin contact, genital rubbing etc. It is not spread through towels etc, only sexual activity
7) If you've never had sex, then yes. It could well be a yeast infection so you need tests done. The exposure that you describe is very low risk (but still a risk)
8) Yeah it can detect yeast infectionas etc
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