A
female
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes:Hi there, Hmm I don’t know how to start this off it is probably going to sound crazy, but anyway when I was younger I went off of the rails I suppose and was incredibly naïve, so much so I ended up having unprotected sex with two rather questionable fellows (although I’m not asking for people’s moral judgments or abuse on the matter, I’ve learnt from my mistakes, and pretty much beat myself up for it every day). Anywho years have past, I’ve never had contact with them again and I’ve been with my partner now near on three years, and all I think about is HPV. It has completely taken over life all I continuously worry about is that because of my stupid mistakes I’m going to end up with cervical cancer (my aunt died from it). I’m under a lot of stress at the moment, my dad hasn’t been very well and I can no longer bring myself to have sex with my partner. I just wondered if anyone had any advise… maybe so I would stop worrying. I get myself check regularly for STDs/STIs but unfortunately at my age in the UK I’m not able to have a smear test yet.(I’d also like to say a huge sorry to anyone that has had had cervical cancer or is currently battling it, I know there’s people a lot worse off than myself, and here I am worrying about something I may or may not have). Thanks for reading.
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female
reader, chigirl  +, writes (22 March 2013):
 You had unprotected sex with two guys? Oh jeez, well let me tell you, that's nothing at all. You're far far far far (you get my point) away from being anywhere near stupid or naive. Tons of people have unprotected sex, and if thats a mistake then you can count on 99% of the population to have done the same mistake more than twice in their lives. There's a reason they sell Plan B, and there's a reason they hand out birth control for free to every and all teenagers (or even young adults). Because EVERYONE does something that in retrospect was a bad idea. So, do not beat yourself up about it.
HPV is so common everyone who ever had sex have it. You would probably have a strand of HPV even if you had protected sex with those two guys. And either way, if you do end up with cervical cancer there is no way for you to know it could have been avoided by doing this or that, as you do not know if or how you got HPV (the strand that cause cervical cancer).
There are tons of other more likely things to die from at your age. So if you want to worry about something, worry about the more likely death-traps you enter every day. Do you drive for instance? Do you know how dangerous that is?
Let God decide when you are going to die and in what way. And until then try to relax and enjoy your life.
If it helps you relax I'll let you know that when I was 18 I had a boyfriend who I didn't use protection with. I thought it was okay as we were in a relationship, but I came to find out that he had NEVER used a condom in his life and NEVER gotten tested. He also didn't even know how many people he had slept with, AND took drugs. Now that was scary! I practically ran to the clinic. Turns out I was lucky (and I guess he was lucky too), no STDs. I had my first pap smear at 25, which is the age where everyone in my country gets called in to get it done, and that was fine too.
You can't waste your life worrying. If it happens it happens, if it doesn't then something else will happen. You can't know how and when, so just enjoy the good times while you still have them.
A
female
reader, So_Very_Confused  +, writes (22 March 2013):
 I have had in my lifetime (i'm 53) two abnormal pap smears one in my 30s and one in my 40s. I've been having smears since I was 12 (I had what would now be called PMDD but back then had no name) and at 14 I became sexually active and have had multiple partners over many many years....
Both of them said "cells consistent with HPV"
the only thing done was a removal of the abnormal cells by a procedure known as a LEEP procedure.
I asked my GYN about it... (they did not have HPV vaccines when I was your age) and he told me that more than likely I've had HPV and my body cleared it as that's what normally happens with HPV.
IF you are so worried about it that it's affecting your life, you can either PAY OUT OF POCKET for a pap test or can you get a psychologist to have one ordered for you as a mental health issue?
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A
female
reader, Honeypie +, writes (21 March 2013):
 I agree that you ought to talk to your doctor, I'm sure he won't judge you either.
HPV can't be tested by a pap smear unless you have A. an outbreak or B. genital warts.
However if you HAVE HVP ( the non-wart version) abnormalities in the endometrial cells caused by the transformation of these cells caused by HPV WILL show up as abnormalities.
So, TALK to your doctor, specially given your past and your genetic disposition (your aunt's cervical cancer).
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A
female
reader, Tisha-1 +, writes (21 March 2013):
 Talk to your doctor about the irrational fear and what you can do to overcome it. You sound obsessed with it. One option is to get the vaccine for it, even though you have been sexually active, there is still some potential benefit to you.If it is such a debilitating thought then you could pay for your own smear outside the NHS, by going to a private clinician.It's really difficult to defeat an irrational fear through logic, however, so do speak to your doctor about the fact that is has taken over your life and that you worry about it continuously. There may be some therapy or other treatment modalities which could help you lead a normal life, without this crippling worry.Best wishes.
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A
female
reader, R1 +, writes (21 March 2013):
 Looking at your age - didnt you have the hpv vaccine when you were younger? I know they have it to all girls of a certain age.
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