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HPV 16
Hello there, I am looking for some help here. I am 46-year-old Female. I had HPV (May be 18) when I was 30. That time I did regular Pep test and after 6 months gap 2 tests came normal, So went back to yearly Pep test. All tests came normal all these years. I am going thru my Menopause. I missed one Pep due to covid in 2020. My 2021 Dec pep came abnormal with HPV 16 infection. Got colposcopy done in Jan 2022 and that came fine. After 6 months gap one more Pep done in July 2022 with colposcopy biopsy. Pep Came positive again with HPV 16 infection. Again biopsy came normal. Which is good news. I am going back for 6 months follow up for Pep and colposcopy biopsy in Jan 2023. Doctor is saying I may have contacted new virus recently or old infection was dormant and now got activated again. I am worried about my long-term husband so keeping our sex life closed for his wellbeing. We are really worried and have few questions:
1. At this age How long it will take for me to clear out this infection? any Max time?
2. How can we get him tested so we know he is fine. He never saw any signs in his body parts like wart etc.He is smoker.
3. What can I do to recover and not to contract with same infection in future?
4. Once my Pep tests starts coming normal should I still worry about reactivated HPV 16 on its own in future?
5. If this virus become dormant again in my body. Will that cause cervical cancer in future? Should I be afraid?
I am hoping to get good advice.Thanks for your hep in advance.
1. At this age How long it will take for me to clear out this infection? any Max time?
2. How can we get him tested so we know he is fine. He never saw any signs in his body parts like wart etc.He is smoker.
3. What can I do to recover and not to contract with same infection in future?
4. Once my Pep tests starts coming normal should I still worry about reactivated HPV 16 on its own in future?
5. If this virus become dormant again in my body. Will that cause cervical cancer in future? Should I be afraid?
I am hoping to get good advice.Thanks for your hep in advance.
COMMUNITY LEADER
You're 46. Not 90. :)
There shouldn't be any difference in you clearing the virus now, assuming you're in otherwise good health.
Why are they doing a colposcopy automatically? If your Pap is normal, there shouldn't be a need for the colpo.
1. At this age How long it will take for me to clear out this infection? any Max time?
Like everyone else, 90% of people will clear it within 2 years. The remaining 10% will take longer. We have no idea why the 10% take longer, or who those 10% will be.
2. How can we get him tested so we know he is fine. He never saw any signs in his body parts like wart etc.He is smoker.
There is no test for men for HPV. The high risk strains, like 16, don't present with symptoms. He shouldn't get any symptoms.
3. What can I do to recover and not to contract with same infection in future?
Just take good care of yourself. If you smoke, stop. Your husband should stop smoking around you, if he does. He should also stop, for his own health. (I know it's not easy - I used to smoke.)
Some smaller studies have shown a correlation with heavy alcohol use increasing the chances of HPV caused cervical cancer. More research is probably needed, but if you consume a lot of alcohol, now would be a good time to cut back.
The same would hold true for your husband, as heavy alcohol use and smoking increases the chances for a lot of cancers, not just HPV-related ones.
4. Once my Pep tests starts coming normal should I still worry about reactivated HPV 16 on its own in future?
Nope. If you get 2 normal paps, and negative HPV tests, you're fine.
5. If this virus become dormant again in my body. Will that cause cervical cancer in future? Should I be afraid?
I doubt this is a reactivation. You mentioned something about "closing your sex life" - do you have other partners? My guess is this is a new infection.
I wouldn't overly worry about this. Chances that this will cause problems for you are low - "In the United States, high-risk HPVs cause 3% of all cancers in women and 2% of all cancers in men." (https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/infectious-agents/hpv-and-cancer)
I hope this helps.
There shouldn't be any difference in you clearing the virus now, assuming you're in otherwise good health.
Why are they doing a colposcopy automatically? If your Pap is normal, there shouldn't be a need for the colpo.
1. At this age How long it will take for me to clear out this infection? any Max time?
Like everyone else, 90% of people will clear it within 2 years. The remaining 10% will take longer. We have no idea why the 10% take longer, or who those 10% will be.
2. How can we get him tested so we know he is fine. He never saw any signs in his body parts like wart etc.He is smoker.
There is no test for men for HPV. The high risk strains, like 16, don't present with symptoms. He shouldn't get any symptoms.
3. What can I do to recover and not to contract with same infection in future?
Just take good care of yourself. If you smoke, stop. Your husband should stop smoking around you, if he does. He should also stop, for his own health. (I know it's not easy - I used to smoke.)
Some smaller studies have shown a correlation with heavy alcohol use increasing the chances of HPV caused cervical cancer. More research is probably needed, but if you consume a lot of alcohol, now would be a good time to cut back.
The same would hold true for your husband, as heavy alcohol use and smoking increases the chances for a lot of cancers, not just HPV-related ones.
4. Once my Pep tests starts coming normal should I still worry about reactivated HPV 16 on its own in future?
Nope. If you get 2 normal paps, and negative HPV tests, you're fine.
5. If this virus become dormant again in my body. Will that cause cervical cancer in future? Should I be afraid?
I doubt this is a reactivation. You mentioned something about "closing your sex life" - do you have other partners? My guess is this is a new infection.
I wouldn't overly worry about this. Chances that this will cause problems for you are low - "In the United States, high-risk HPVs cause 3% of all cancers in women and 2% of all cancers in men." (https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/infectious-agents/hpv-and-cancer)
I hope this helps.
4 Comments
Thanks for your prompt response.
*Assuming you're in otherwise good health. : Yes I am.
*Why are they doing a colposcopy automatically? : My 2021 Dec pep came abnormal with HPV 16 infection, so they did colposcopy just to be safe.
* Yes I am not smoker and hopefully I will ask him to cut down. We are occasional drinker. surly we can total stop that.
*I doubt this is a reactivation. My guess is this is a new infection. : Oh ok so this is not something that I contracted years ago? but we both are with each other only from last 11 years of marriage. We trust each other for that. We both didn't have any other partners. because of Covid We were totally home bound in 2020- 2021 and still now. So not sure how we contracted it. Not sure if Covid Vaccine has anything to do with it ;).
*You mentioned something about "closing your sex life" - do you have other partners? - No we don't have any other partners. Infact we both are not really in to sex that much. After my first abnormal Pep in Dec 2021. We are not at all sexually active. In normal case also we have hardly 2-3 times a year sex but now it's been 8 months we are not active. I want to protect him for sure until I receive my 2 normal Pep results.
So my past infection at age 30 has nothing to do with this? I wonder what could have caused it.
So seems like I need to get my pep test done as per doctors advice and once I receive 2 normal pep results I shouldn't worry about it and that means it has been cleared/gone from my body.
Thanks a lot for your help in this matter. This means a lot to us. I really appreciate your time in this matter. God bless you all for this selfless work/help and advice.
*Assuming you're in otherwise good health. : Yes I am.
*Why are they doing a colposcopy automatically? : My 2021 Dec pep came abnormal with HPV 16 infection, so they did colposcopy just to be safe.
* Yes I am not smoker and hopefully I will ask him to cut down. We are occasional drinker. surly we can total stop that.
*I doubt this is a reactivation. My guess is this is a new infection. : Oh ok so this is not something that I contracted years ago? but we both are with each other only from last 11 years of marriage. We trust each other for that. We both didn't have any other partners. because of Covid We were totally home bound in 2020- 2021 and still now. So not sure how we contracted it. Not sure if Covid Vaccine has anything to do with it ;).
*You mentioned something about "closing your sex life" - do you have other partners? - No we don't have any other partners. Infact we both are not really in to sex that much. After my first abnormal Pep in Dec 2021. We are not at all sexually active. In normal case also we have hardly 2-3 times a year sex but now it's been 8 months we are not active. I want to protect him for sure until I receive my 2 normal Pep results.
So my past infection at age 30 has nothing to do with this? I wonder what could have caused it.
So seems like I need to get my pep test done as per doctors advice and once I receive 2 normal pep results I shouldn't worry about it and that means it has been cleared/gone from my body.
Thanks a lot for your help in this matter. This means a lot to us. I really appreciate your time in this matter. God bless you all for this selfless work/help and advice.
Oh so by close your sex life, you meant you and he don't have sex with each other. I took that a totally different way and thought you had an open marriage.
So there are documented cases with HPV where it has come back after years. It's not common, but that could be what happened here.
Could the covid vaccine have anything to do with it? Honestly, maybe? There have been reports of people who've gotten the covid vaccine and suddenly after decades of having herpes, they are getting herpes outbreaks, or shingles outbreaks. Maybe it's happening with HPV, too. I have nothing scientific to back that up, but it wouldn't surprise me.
As far as closing down your sex life, if you have this strain, your husband has it. Obviously, your sexual activity is your call, but if this is the only reason you aren't having sex, it's not necessary. You could also use condoms. They offer significant protection.
So there are documented cases with HPV where it has come back after years. It's not common, but that could be what happened here.
Could the covid vaccine have anything to do with it? Honestly, maybe? There have been reports of people who've gotten the covid vaccine and suddenly after decades of having herpes, they are getting herpes outbreaks, or shingles outbreaks. Maybe it's happening with HPV, too. I have nothing scientific to back that up, but it wouldn't surprise me.
As far as closing down your sex life, if you have this strain, your husband has it. Obviously, your sexual activity is your call, but if this is the only reason you aren't having sex, it's not necessary. You could also use condoms. They offer significant protection.
Thanks for your clarifications. This is really helpful.
Happy to help. :)
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