How do I know - Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Message Board

sara78 · 08-29-2008, 07:37 PM

My doc called and told me i had an abnormal pap so they tested for hpv and it came up postive, I just had a colposcopy yesterday. Do the docs already know if I'm at high or low risk? or will the colposcopy tell them that.
They never told me what risk I'm at so I was just wondering if they just didn't tell me or if they just don't know yet.

Pickle Eyes · 08-29-2008, 08:15 PM

Your pap and HPV test should determine if you are high risk or not. Since you have had the colposcopy, I assume you are, but I don't know for certain. Do they do colpos for low risk HPV? I don't know.

Have you requested copies of your pathology reports (from the pap and HPV test)? If not, I highly suggest you get copies. I also suggest you ask for a copy when they come in from your colpo and biopsy.

Did your doctor do an ECC at the same time as the colpo and biopsy?

Thisby · 08-30-2008, 11:30 AM

It all depends on the type of tests they're doing. The PAP test does not test for anything other than abnormal cells, doesn't even test for HPV although since HPV causes most abnormal paps, it's a logical assumption, hence the HPV test.

As for the HPV test, if it was an actual DNA test then yes, it should be able to tell if you have a high- or low-risk strain. If it was just a test for HPV in general, maybe not. And even if you have the type of HPV that can go on to cause cervical cancer, different strains have different degrees of risk (some more more 'high-risk' than others). The dna test (if they do it) and the colposcopy should tell you what's up.

Good luck. Just know that most times, this clears on its own

sara78 · 08-30-2008, 11:37 AM

I guess I will call the doc's office on Tuesday. I don't know if they did a DNA or what. I know that my pap came back abnormal so they tested it for HPV and it tested postive so I went and had a coploscopy. That's all I know. now, I feel stupid for not knowing anything, I thought I had all the info I needed at the moment.

Thisby · 08-30-2008, 12:34 PM

When you get the results from the colposcopy, you will have more information. Make sure you find out what strain you have, what degree, etc. etc. There is a lot of info, so Pickle Eyes' suggestion to get copies of the reports is a good idea. Sometimes it's too much info to digest in one shot on the phone.