HPV ? - need advice from professionals w/medical bckgrnd pls.?

Question:

My sister who's been married almost 20 yrs - loving & strictly monogamous couple. She's never been w/any other man but he was w/ 1 other woman before her - 3 years before. Earlier this year, her papsmear had no abnormalities but detected HPV (high-risk ones). Of course, she was depressed after that; she thinks it could ruin her health & life. Anyway, she took 2 more tests after & the HPV tests were negative.
We read info from internet, asked her dr, but really did not find the right answers. Here are our ?s:
1) Is that possible that the HPV was dormant for years in her or his body? How could it just appear all of a sudden? The virus will not be passed back & forth between them, right?
2) If her tests came back negative - does that mean she's immune to that type of virus & she's just a carrier? Will it reappear next time, depending on her health? She is healthy - exercises regularly, eating right, & worry-free.
3) If it does reappear, will it be worse? develop into cancer?

Answers:
Here, I'll answer your questions as best as I can from what I know about the virus. I'm not a medical professional, but I have been living with HPV for over 5 years now. I developed cervical cancer at 17 years old from it, and about 10 months ago I got genital warts from it.

1. Symptoms of HPV can take SEVERAL years to actually show up. The most common symptom of HPV is warts. Since there are over 100 different kinds of HPV though, not everyone has a kind that will cause genital warts. So, this person can go years and years without realizing they have HPV until they develop genital warts, if they even ever develop them. I personally didn't develop genital warts from my HPV until 4 1/2 years after I was diagnosed! So, it can take a LONG time for symptoms to crop up. As for 20 years, I think that is kind of pushing it. That just seems like TOO long. It's definitely possible she has had it this long, but for a pap smear to come back detecting HPV NOW just seems a little weird. The pap smear should have caught it 20 years ago, not now.

2. If she has had one test detect HPV and 2 different ones not detect it, then she might NOT have it. Remember, tests can be wrong. They are not 100%. I've heard and read about people being diagnosed with the wrong thing all the time! It's also possible she got rid of the virus. Most people DO get rid of the virus on their own. There is NO cure for HPV, but many people's bodies actually get rid of the virus all on their own. If she did get rid of it, she can always get it again. And, this time, she might not be able to get rid of it. Some people can't get rid of HPV once they get it, and they have it the rest of their life. Living healthy does help though. It's really good she exercises and eats right, it helps keep her immune system up.

3. If she does contract it again, it can be worse. She might contract a kind that causes warts or even worse cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women (after breast cancer) and kills 4,000 women a year. That is why it is SO important she gets a pap smear done at least once a year, and more if she has had any abnormal pap smears. The last thing she wants is cervical cancer!

I hope I answered your questions. You can email me if you'd like. Take care, and good luck to your sister!

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HPV ? - need advice from professionals w/medical bckgrnd pls.?

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