WannaBMomV

Hi 92203, sorry to hear about this.

After years of normal paps, I came back with an abnormal one early last year, the subsequent test showed high-risk HPV, after a colposcopy showing high grade dysplasia, I had to do a LEEP procedure to have the affected area removed. Overall, not good times!

Anyway, I've learned alot about the virus and can answer some of your questions.

First, it is spread by both men and women. When they say men are "carriers" - it just means that with the high risk HPV strains (which tend NOT to be the kind that causes genital warts) men show no symptoms, and there is no real way to test them or know that they have the virus.

As far as causing other changes in the body, the risk here is that HPV *can* cause the cells of your cervix to change and develop into cancer - this is not a definite, just a possibility that you need to monitor. Often your body will clear the virus naturally, but what is very important is that you keep on top of your regular pap smear appointments to make sure everything looks ok. (If changes occur, they occur over a period of years, and you have time to treat the problem before it leads to cancer.)

The other thing you need to do is keep your immune system strong - don't smoke (smokers with high risk HPV are at *much* greater risk for cancer according to research), eat well/exercise, and take Vitamin B supplements which promote healthy turnover of cervial cells.

I don't think you should be experiencing any other symptoms -- maybe you are extra tired from the stress of this news? I know that's how it affected me. If you continue to feel tender on the insides, I'd let a doc know to make sure nothing else is going on.

Oh, last thing, ask your doc if it makes sense to get the HPV vaccine to prevent getting other strains of HPV.

Good luck with everything.