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HPV "presence" ?? Can someone help ?

My wife received her pap smear(cervical) result through the mail by her doctor. The letter says that she has the "presence" of HPV & that she has to follow up in 6 months. What does this all mean? If it were that "SERIOUS" wouldn't the doctor call my wife in for a sit down at her office? By the way, I've been faithful to my wife & so has she. So this came as a surprise & still shocked. Don't know what to say or think at this point. Can someone clarify & or have some knowledge on this subject??  Please help!
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Avatar universal
You said no big deal? And you said the doctor will order a procedure?  Explain please
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Avatar universal
It means they found existence of the virus in her vagina. Not a big deal, hence the 6 month follow-up.  Were you two virgins when you met?  If not, one of you could have had it pre-marriage. She needs to be tested again and if its positive again, her doctor will order a procedure. If she is worried, then she ought to make a consultation appointment asap, for peace of mind. If she does have it, so do you.
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Avatar universal
My wife is very allergic to our cat. Is that harming her immune system? Another thing, you said it's rare to get cancer from hpv. Is that the case for both men & women?
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Avatar universal
Does a Healthy immune system means not getting sick a lot? Does this apply to eufe also? You think she'll likely be ok? You have good positive encouraging words & I appreciate that.
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A healthy immune system means staying away from activities like smoking and heavy drugs that damage the body and make you sick, and just treating your body right. As long as the doctor gives her an okay, she will be fine. Like I said it is rare for cancer to form. You should have nothing to worry about, you and your wife should be okay. I've never heard of anyone dying from a hpv infection.
Avatar universal
Low risk strains of hpv cause genital warts and high risk strains cause cerival, penile, oral, or anal cancer. There is no need to worry if you have either strain because the immune system will mostly suppress the virus within two years. With low risk strains (warts), if you have one, you may produce genital warts, but with a healthy immune system, it is uncommon. With high risk strains (cancer), the same method applies. It is very uncommon for men to get cancer from a hpv infection. Most of the time, low and high risk go completely unnoticed and don't produce any signs or symptoms because the body, with a healthy or decent immune system, suppresses the virus. You are safe. Most likely, with time you and your wife will have suppressed the virus. You most likely have already suppressed it.
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Avatar universal
I'm sorry, but what is low strain & high strain? What's the difference? So if I'm not showing genital warts, then I don't have low strain. So does it mean that I have high strain? Then it's possible that I can get cancer with high strain?  I'm sorry for all the questions. I'm just still confused about this virus. I appreciate all your help
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Avatar universal
Yes. You don't have a low risk strain if you don't show any signs and the doctor didn't find a low strain when he did your wife's test. Your wife just needs to see her doctor regularly and you both shouldn't smoke because research says that smoking can make the infection active or worsen an already active infection. You and your wife will live long lives if you take care of yourselves. The infection should go dormant if you both keep a healthy immune system.
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Avatar universal
I don't have a low risk if I show no signs of genital warts?? That's what you said?  Can I live a long life? And also my wife ?
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Avatar universal
Abnormalities???  Meaning the virus can vanish at some point? Another question, I don't have any genital warts, is that a good sign?  I'm sorry 4 the questions . I'm all new to this hpv.
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2 Comments
Abnormalities, meaning possible cancerous cells caused by an hpv infection. Technically, the virus does vanish meaning it goes dormant like it was when you two got together. She won't be a risk for any cancers, there will be no signs or symptoms, and she wont have to go get a pap smear as much as she is getting now because of the infection. Yes, not having genital warts is a good sign it means that you do not have a low risk strain of hpv. It's best to ask her and figure out which strain she has. I'm glad to answer your questions. Remember it's not the end of the world, Hpv is very common and most if not all sexual active people have it. It's just that most people don't have symptoms and their bodies clear the infection on its own so no one really worries about. If you two decide to have children make sure that they are vaccinated for hpv to protect them from it, but hopefully there is a cure by then.
Abnormalities, meaning possible cancerous cells caused by an hpv infection. Technically, the virus does vanish meaning it goes dormant like it was when you two got together. She won't be a risk for any cancers, there will be no signs or symptoms, and she wont have to go get a pap smear as much as she is getting now because of the infection. Yes, not having genital warts is a good sign it means that you do not have a low risk strain of hpv. It's best to ask her and figure out which strain she has. I'm glad to answer your questions. Remember it's not the end of the world, Hpv is very common and most if not all sexual active people have it. It's just that most people don't have symptoms and their bodies clear the infection on its own so no one really worries about. If you two decide to have children make sure that they are vaccinated for hpv to protect them from it, but hopefully there is a cure by then.
Avatar universal
Iwanttoknowhpv, So will I have a normal life and it's harmless? Can I continue sexual activities with my wife?
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1 Comments
Yes, you can have sex normally with your wife. It won't change anything. You can't catch the same strain again so you and your wife will not pass it back and forth between each other. Only a new strain can be transmitted, so stay faithful. Just a bit of advice to your wife, she should continue to get pap tests until the doctor can verify no more abnormalities, but that is nothing you should be worried about.
Avatar universal
So your saying the presence of hpv means that she has hpv. For how long can this virus be dormant? She is 39 years old. And we have been married for 16 years. She always has gotten this test done & always came back negative, until this time. I have ALWAYS been faithful to her. She has told me that she has been with 2 other men before me. So your saying there can be a POSSIBILITY that either men couldve infected her? And it came up now? And your saying that I have the virus also ?
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1 Comments
There isn't much known about how long the virus will stay dormant, but once you're infected, you're infected. The virus never leaves because there is no cure for it. The virus is known to become active when the immune system is weakened from old age or smoking. So yes, either of the men could have infected her, you could have infected her, or it could also be a new strain given by a new sexual partner which is why I didn't throw that option out. If she has a poor diet and excercise and smokes, the virus will become active even if she contracted it years ago since it never left her system to begin with. And yes, you do have hpv the virus is very easily passed. Condoms do not protect against it. Even just rubbing your gentials against hers can spread the virus. Once you are infected your body remembers that strain of hpv and suppresses it. So you two can not be infected with the same strain again. There are usual no signs of infection in men except genital warts if you have contracted a low risk strain, but with a healthy immune system even genital warts do not appear. Either of you could have brought the virus into the relationship. It is more common in younger people in their 20's since there is much more sexual promiscuity and reactivation of the virus is more common in older people who probably contracted it in their 20s.80% of women will contract the virus before they are 50 and there is no way to test for the virus in men. The virus, with proper diet and excercise, is normally harmless and doctor's even recommend that women do not tell their spouse that they have it because it may cause a lack of trust and blaming when either partner could have brought the infection to the relationship and most sexually active people have the virus with no symptoms at all.
Avatar universal
Hpv can remain dormant in your system for a while. Doctors theorize that most infections may be a result of the virus reactivating due to older age and weakened immune system. It doesn't mean that anyone was unfaithful, but I don't know you personally so I wouldnt throw that out, but she could have been infected from a previous relationship or you could have infected her since there is no test to identify the virus in men. The doctor wants her to come back earlier than usual so they can monitor the infection and make sure that it doesn't develop into cervical cancer. The best thing you can do is talk to her, figure out what strain she has, (high risk or low risk hpv strain) and decide want you will do since you both share the virus now. Most infections go dormant (clear up)  on their own and don't present a problem. They may have to cut off cancerous pieces of her cervix if it has developed cancer. Hope this helps.
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