Normal Pap - Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Message Board

jaspa21 · 02-26-2009, 02:45 PM

My Pap smear was normal back in october and i found out the other day that i had HPV i was showing symptoms a week ago...does this mean that i contracted HPV sometime after i had a pap smear?
Also how do i know if i am High or Low risk?

Pickle Eyes · 02-26-2009, 07:51 PM

What symptoms are you talking about? warts? If you are developing warts, then that is low risk HPV.

To know for certain, call your doctor's office and ask if they tested you for HPV. Ask for a copy of the pathology report from the last pap. Tell them about these symptoms. They will give you some good advice as to what to do next.

jaspa21 · 02-26-2009, 09:06 PM

Yeah have warts around the opening...The doc looked at it and told me it was HPV but never took any tests just prescribed some cream. When they do a normal pap smear are they sposed to do a seperate test on it for HPV i thought if you had HPV then it would show up on any pap smear. The last pap smear i had in oct came back as no action required.

Pickle Eyes · 02-26-2009, 09:16 PM

Paps do not detect HPV. Paps only determine if the cells on the cervix are irregular. Further testing, like a colposcopy are needed to determine more information about the irregularity. Sometimes, testing beyond the colpo is needed.

I have never had a bad pap in my life. I'm 45, have had my paps every year since I was 19 . . . and last year I was diagnosed with cervical cancer. I am an extremely rare case, but my point is that paps do not detect everything that can possibly go wrong on the cervix (and some women think they do).