Diagnosed; prevent this from happening to you!

My original instinct told me to put this in TDS, but I would really like the sexually-active youngins in SLR to read this.

Just like the vast majority of the population, as a young girl I had my share of flings and one-night-stands. Some protected, some unprotected. Being naive and young I basically blocked the thought of STD's and getting pregnant out of my mind, and since I had never experienced signs or symptoms of either, I assumed I was in the clear for a little bit too long. I became celibate for around 2 years until I met my current SO (happy anniv. soon!) and during the time of celibacy, I noticed some pretty strange pains going on in my abdomen. Specifically, my ovaries just felt sore, and if I used a tampon or anything it hurt real bad sometimes. I continued thinking nothing of it until my boo and I started fucking, and sometimes it would really really fucking hurt! He's bigger than most the guys I've been with, but the pains were not a stretching feeling, more of a stabbing in my organs.

I thought maybe he penetrated me too deeply, or hit it from a bad angle but these pains started to get more frequent during sex, my menstrual cramps started to be way more intense (I also hemmorage every time I get my period for about 3 days..and my period lasts up to 2 weeks...but this has been happening forever, just getting worse) and I started developing a discharge. My boyfriend and I went to the clinic and after being piss screened they concluded I had a minor vaginal infection. I took doxycycline for a month, and so did my boyfriend incase he had an infection as well... but my symptoms never went away. By this time my pains were still increasing, and it started to hurt to defecate and also hurt after orgasm. After a few weeks of being too afraid, I finally called a gynecologist and made an appointment.

After doing a pap-smear she concluded that I have HPV. Ok...HPV isn't uncommon or that terrible, but it's an STD so I got emotional over it. My boyfriend got examined by a doctor at a clinic and they discovered a few very small warts underneath the head of his penis, concluding that he had a low-risk form of HPV. I went for a few more routine visits and then I had a very strange episode. I got my period and about 15 minutes later I was in agonizing pain, sitting on the toilet with blood just pouring out of me (sorry to be graphic) also I started to vomit and convulse on and off for around a half hour. I should have called 911, I know, but I was home alone and couldn't even get up off the toilet or TRY to move. After taking some oxycodeine the pain finally subsided enough for me to fall asleep.

The next morning I called my doctor and let her know what happened and she was very concerned. She scheduled me to come in for a colposcopy ASAP (a colposcopy is a procedure where they wash off the walls of your uterus, cervix, and vaginal canal and they use a light and a microscope to search around for any abnormal-looking areas of tissue, and they take a sample and send it to the lab for results). I waited about 2 weeks for the results, and I finally got them. The doctor tells me I have the early-stages of cervical cancer and she wanted to send me directly into surgery to get the cancerous tissue removed before it starts to spread even more. She said I have a "dangerously-high" ridk type of HPV (along with a low-risk one, I'd presume, since my boyfriend and I *only* have unprotected sex). Since I am terrified of needles and being cut open, (they had to basically drag me into the colposcopy, and I cried the whole time and they only had to cut a tiny bit outta me) I told her I needed more time to think about it. She said there is no thinking about it unless I want full blown cancer.

I go into surgery on monday and the first procedure they are going to perform is a cone biopsy, to find out the exact level of abnormality of my cells. I find this pretty unneccesary since she could already tell it was (this is a direct quote from her mouth) dangerously high, but I'm terrified out of my skull and so is my boyfriend. I am in severe pain 24/7, it never subsides long enough to forget about it. I have to pay hundreds of dollars, maybe thousands, for people to cut me open! I do not want any of this, and it's going to be really hard to walk into that hospital. I just wanted to share my story with other girls (and guys, they're carriers) out there who are sexually active and not having regularly-scheduled gynecologist visits and pap-smears. Even anal paps for guys! It is not a joke. I didn't take my health seriously and now I have cancer. Great, right? If you are sexually active GO GET TESTED, USE PROTECTION, DON'T HAVE SEX WITH RANDOM PEOPLE (don't think someone you've known forever can't have an STD, though!), and GET THE GARDASIL VACCINE BEFORE YOU'RE SEXUALLY ACTIVE, OR ASAP. This all sounds like common sense but I can tell you that 99% of the people I know havn't even been tested well into their twenties, not to mention LIE and tell their partners and friends that they have been and are clean, to avoid questioning and embarassment. That is terrifying to say the least. I'm living my life in pain and stress because of some "fun" and attention I wanted as a kid. The cancer has caused me to gain weight in my abdomen, nowhere else. It has also given me terrible back problems, and it's impossible for me to sleep through the pain without some type of aid. I have not enjoyed penetration for quite a while because after a while it's just excrutiating and my boy has to stop. Trust me, you do not want to go through this.

It's SO much more important to be a little bit more safe, than a wholeeeeeee lot more sorry.

Good post and a good reminder about protection. Sorry about your situation though. How old are you?

Wow. I feel so terrible for you. Please stay strong and thank you for sharing your story. My heart aches for you.

HPV is so common and often goes undetected.

I know you warned against sleeping with random people, but the people who aren't so random often have it as well and don't know. An estimated 75% (and the numbers could be higher than that) of sexually active people have had the virus at some point in their lives. Even using protection is somewhat moot considering condoms don't cover the entire genital area and the virus is transmitted via skin-to-skin contact. The only way to be sure you don't contract or transmit it, is to remain abstinent.

Also do you know what test your boyfriend had performed? A few years ago, the only way to tell a man had contracted HPV was when he developed genital warts; and, only then were they determined to be a low-risk carrier since the strains associated with genital warts are not generally the types to cause cancer. That's excellent news they've found a test to screen the guys.

I would also add that all the ladies should get their Gardasil vaccinations. Not only can it prevent some cancer-causing HPV strains, but can help suppress your symptoms if you've already been diagnosed with the virus.

a great post. I was most certainly invisible in my younger days - but stories like these are good for us all because they keep us on our feet. I am so dreadfully sorry it happened at your expense. at least you are very close to your boyfriend (it seems that way) and he can be an emotional grounding for your suppport.

I can certainly understand that the surgery seems very frightening to you, but try to keep in mind that once it is over your health should improve and you will not have to worry about this. Hopefully they get all of the cancerous tissue out and the surgery will fix everything.

Last year, the girl I had been seeing for 4 years broke out with something and after I pressured her to get it checked out she discovered that she had HPV, which must mean that I had it because I was her first sexual partner. Something you wrote confused the heck out of me, though.

HPV can be tested for in women, but when we went to get tested together they were able to test us for everything, test her for HPV, but they told me that there is no way to test for HPV in men, so I am in a situation where I can only assume that I have HPV since there is no way to test for it in men.

If this is not the case, please let me know what the test is called so that way I can go to another clinic and ask them to perform that test. I am fairly sure that I have HPV because how else would my ex have gotten it, but you never know as she did have minor sexual contact before me and the only time she broke out was when she was using a steroid cream which lowered her immune system at the time (Her immune system was suppressing the HPV as is the case with most people who have it and never know).

Fortunately, the HPV that she has is not a strain that causes cancer.

I really hope that everything turns out OK for you, but the one thing that I couldn't understand with my ex and I can't understand with you is, when things started hurting why in the hell did you not go to a gynecologist then?

Getting tested between partners and waiting a few months in between sexual partners is very important. If your test comes up negative they will often tell you to abstain for a while then get retested just to make sure. My one good friend never ever got tested until I told him what happened to myself and my ex. When he went he found out he's got genital herpes (never had an outbreak though). He's got no idea who might have given it to him and he has no way of contacting his past partners to tell them. You know how it is, when relationships end a lot of the time you move away.

For those who wanted to know, I'm 18 years old, I'll be 19 on 4/20. I am not sure how they found out he had HPV we went on separate occasions. Actually, I'm not actually sure he got tested now that I think about it but he said he knew he had it for sure from his visit with the doctor. I don't know. I'll ask him. This is extremely hard for me to go through because my boyfriend's in jail right now and my grandfather is very ill (I live with my grandparents and dad) and I have a lot of court shit to deal with as well. I'm just very stressed and think about suicide very often. Thank you all so much for the support and kind words, and yes I did forget to mention how important the Gardasil vaccination is for every woman. I hope this helps someone out there.

I also had HPV at 21. Got it from my second partner and developed symptoms w/i 2 weeks, luckily. Got it checked out and it was indeed HPV.

It's very important for people to do regular STD checks if the are sexually active even in monogamous long term relationships. U never know.

After I got HPV I had pap smears every 6 months and it was always abnormal until recently when they said the virus has cleared up or is in remission cuz I had my first normal pap! But I still go at least once per year to make sure the virus is not back.

So regular STD checks for both sexes and regular at least annual pap smears for females are a must! Once u start having sex u need to start going to the gyno!

It's serious stuff girls, HPV causes cervical cancer. There are many different strains and the ones that don't cause symptoms are the most carcinogenic ones.




Wow, u are so young. U should be glad they caught it while it's still just in the cervical area. They will remove it and u will be fine. U'll be able to have kids in the future and stuff.

They will put you out, I'm sure so u won't feel the procedure. Then u'll get some pain meds. Your young so your body will recover quickly. Don't worry. It will all be over soon. U got lucky u got symptoms. Some women don't find out until the cancer spread to other body parts.

InTherapy82 said:

So regular STD checks for both sexes and regular at least annual pap smears for females are a must! Once u start having sex u need to start going to the gyno!

It's serious stuff girls, HPV causes cervical cancer. There are many different strains and the ones that don't cause symptoms are the most carcinogenic ones.

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Also remember that there is probably a free clinic right near you. You can go to Planned Parenthood's website to track down a location near to you. Some college's even have their own clinic where you can get tested there for free. There's no excuse not to get tested and it's always a good idea to go with your partner so you know that you have both actually gone.

I had been tested for STDs a few times prior to being with my ex, but since HPV, as far as I have been told when I have gone to get tested, cannot be tested for in men, I had no idea that I was carrying it. It's possible for a guy to carry it without any breakouts/warts/symptoms, and unfortunately it's possible to spread it without even knowing. No excuse not to be tested for other things, though.

In reply to the ones not showing symptoms being the most carcinogenic, at the gynecologist, over several visits, my ex was assured that the strain she (we?) have does not cause cancer. I should also note that she broke out because the steroid cream she had to use for another girl problem weakened her immune system down there causing her to break out. Her immune system was naturally suppressing it (and still is now), and that's why a lot of people might never even know they have it.

Important advice above, though. Listen to the girl!

laurengotdatfire said:

For those who wanted to know, I'm 18 years old, I'll be 19 on 4/20. I am not sure how they found out he had HPV we went on separate occasions. Actually, I'm not actually sure he got tested now that I think about it but he said he knew he had it for sure from his visit with the doctor. I don't know. I'll ask him. This is extremely hard for me to go through because my boyfriend's in jail right now and my grandfather is very ill (I live with my grandparents and dad) and I have a lot of court shit to deal with as well. I'm just very stressed and think about suicide very often. Thank you all so much for the support and kind words, and yes I did forget to mention how important the Gardasil vaccination is for every woman. I hope this helps someone out there.

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you can still get the vaccination after you've healed up, talk to your dr. about it.

good luck

I plan on getting the vaccination after I'm done with all of this, but I have like a REALLY bad immune system. I'm really anemic and I'm almost always sick and my cuts/scrapes/ even minor tiny ones don't heal for up to like 10 months and leave disgusting scars. That's I think why I showed symptoms and why I'm always in so much pain. The procedure I'm getting done on monday is a cone biopsy which will tell me the level of abnormality of my cells (which is a waste of my time, since she already saw in the colposcopy that it was "dangerously high"), and then I'm schedule for the LEEP, though I have a choice between the LEEP and a less effective procedure that's less intense.. They don't put you out for either and I'm terrified because I have really bad anxiety so my fear is just building up. Also, if something even so much as touches my cervix (even a bowel movement, that touches it from the outside!) causes me excrutiating pain.

^But will they give u any pain meds for the procedure? I can't imagine that they'll do all this stuff w/o anything for pain, especially since u'll have to be still and when in extreme pain it's gonna be hard to be still. At least maybe try to get some valium and pain pill yourself, dunno, if that's a good idea or not but I'm the same way about my cervix. I had an abortion which required dilation of the cervix and I passed out from pain.

There are pretty much two types of HPV. Ones that cause genital warts and ones that do not. The ones that do cause warts don't cause cancer. So that's why testing is so important.

Wikipedia has a good article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_papillomavirus

^^ my doctor assumes I'm some druggie bitch because I smoke cigarettes and have tattoos and she said she was worried about my home life, though she knows absolutely nothing of it and is completely being a judgemental cunt about it. I highly doubt she'd give me medicine. The administrator told me to tell her about how bad my pain is so I can get perscribed something for before the procedure at the least, and when I brought this up to my dr. She seemed like she didn't really believe me that the admin. Told me to tell her that. Whatever, I'm completely against taking pills, but I CAN NOT bare the pain of her going in there and doing something more painful than she did the last time. I felt close to passing out. Ugh man idk I'm gonna talk to her about it but she'll think I'm just trying to get drugs out of the situation which is completely not the case at all. I want to be better and not die trying plz!

I will definately read this later...not a good thread to read on an upset stomach

laurengotdatfire said:

^^ my doctor assumes I'm some druggie bitch because I smoke cigarettes and have tattoos and she said she was worried about my home life, though she knows absolutely nothing of it and is completely being a judgemental cunt about it. I highly doubt she'd give me medicine. The administrator told me to tell her about how bad my pain is so I can get perscribed something for before the procedure at the least, and when I brought this up to my dr. She seemed like she didn't really believe me that the admin. Told me to tell her that. Whatever, I'm completely against taking pills, but I CAN NOT bare the pain of her going in there and doing something more painful than she did the last time. I felt close to passing out. Ugh man idk I'm gonna talk to her about it but she'll think I'm just trying to get drugs out of the situation which is completely not the case at all. I want to be better and not die trying plz!

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Have you considered a second opinion? A diagnosis as serious as cervical cancer deserves a second look, not to mention from the sound of things, a doctor with better bed-side manner. If I were you, I would really, really think about finding another doctor.

Not that I'm discounting anything, but your symptoms seem more inline with pelvic inflamatory disease. I've never heard of such discomfort or blood with early stages of cervical cancer - though that doesn't mean it doesn't occur, of course. Did your doctor test you for PID as well?

Please ask your boyfriend for the "details" of how he was diagnosed/tested, as there is currently no FDA-approved HPV test for guys.

Redleader said:

Please ask your boyfriend for the "details" of how he was diagnosed/tested, as there is currently no FDA-approved HPV test for guys.

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It might be a good idea to get him to go get tested with you again for everything else under the sun, just to be extra safe. Definitely go with him to get tested. If nothing else, it will give you a little more peace of mind.

not to sound mean or anything but something got me curious. U took oxycodeine for the extreme pain u had before but u are completely against pills. I'm confused. I totally think u need pain meds in your situation. And if that means getting it from someone else, I'd personally take it, so u don't pass out from pain like I did.

And if u can, like others said, get a second opinion. This is serious stuff and u need to be treated properly which includes your pain being treated. Even addicts (not you) should be treated with dignity when facing serious medical procedures. Some doctors are just like that, unsympathetic. But u are not asking meds to get high. U actually have extreme pain which is evident and proven. Can u see some other doc and explain the situation?

There are so many doctors capable of treating you and this bitch doctors should be happy u are hiring her. U are doing her a favor by being treated by her and not the other way around. If she's not doing the job well and looking down on you when u are obviously in extreme pain and scared shitless, fire her ass!

laurengotdatfire said:

I plan on getting the vaccination after I'm done with all of this, but I have like a REALLY bad immune system. I'm really anemic and I'm almost always sick and my cuts/scrapes/ even minor tiny ones don't heal for up to like 10 months and leave disgusting scars. That's I think why I showed symptoms and why I'm always in so much pain. The procedure I'm getting done on monday is a cone biopsy which will tell me the level of abnormality of my cells (which is a waste of my time, since she already saw in the colposcopy that it was "dangerously high"), and then I'm schedule for the LEEP, though I have a choice between the LEEP and a less effective procedure that's less intense.. They don't put you out for either and I'm terrified because I have really bad anxiety so my fear is just building up. Also, if something even so much as touches my cervix (even a bowel movement, that touches it from the outside!) causes me excrutiating pain.

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Hi, I work in a lab and get to see the LEEP and LLETZ samples that get taken from women suffering this condition. It sounds scary but once you are there, you will not feel a thing at all. The anasthetic they use will block out all feeling and make sure you tell them you need pain relief for when that wears off. Insist on it.

The examinations you've had have most likely exacerbated the pain from the cervix. This area will be removed so it will get better.

I have seen absolutely massive pieces taken from very young women. These women may still go on to have kids, just with a little help from their gynaecologist- you basically get a few stitches in to help the cervix carry the beby later on.

But right now, try to relax, hold off on the sex with the boy. Try to not panic. It happens a lot, and if caught in time this procedure will save you from losing your cervix and uterus!

Thank you for sharing this - I m so sorry that you are going through such a horrible thing. My thoughts are with you - keep us updated