HPV Testing ~ All Women need to read this!

[Italianangel]

This is an email I got from a friend and felt it warrated posting!

if any of you have not gotten a SPECIAL hpv test IN ADDITION to your pap (do not just count on the pap because pap sometimes comes up negative for a
little bit but you could have hpv) - 2 separate samples must be sent to
the lab and there is an EXTRA cost (about $100 which may or may not be covered by insurance). do not assume because you got a pap you received an hpv test that YOU REQUEST, during your NEXT pap, an HPV test.

I was just informed my sister has it and now will need further testing to see what needs to be done and how severe it is.

HPV can turn into cancer if left untreated and can within MONTHS (before your next pap)

I knew women who RELIGIOUSLY got their pap smears and one at age 30 had to get a hysterectomy due to cancer (all her paps were always clean) or months after a clean pap had severe hpv that almost required a hysterectomy due to how bad it got..

I know no less than 4 or 5 women now who have been treated for HPV and one who had a hysterectomy because it was never diagnosed and only caught as cancer on her next gyne visit.

It is not up to your GYNE to determine what tests you get.. it is up to YOU to insist on them. I asked for the hpv test in addition to my pap and my doctor was happy to do it but just warned that not all insurance companies are paying for them yet.

Also, my gyne advised (she goes to seminars on these things) that even though the new shot indicates for girls 11-24, that if you're clean on your pap and never had hpv you should get it.. it won't kill or spare you from all strains of it but it is some protection.

Unless you're a virgin, any one of your partners can give you hpv. Often they say it is the first partner you ever had in your teens or early 20s is the one gave it to you, but may not come up until an irregular pap years and years (and other partners) later.

There is no way to know what partner gave it to you and condoms WILL NOT prevent hpv.

I've mentioned this in the past but make sure you TELL your gyne that you want an hpv test IN ADDITION to your pap.. EVERY YEAR.

75 to 80% of the adult population in the USA have it. Only women seem to suffer the cancerous results, however.

Please ask for a separate test. I'd never let my Doctor decide what to do.
They do what I tell them to do.