HPV Free After 3 Years of Fighting!

My journey with HPV started in 2023. Having had clear smear tests up until this point I received a letter saying I was positive for HPV and I would be recalled in a year for another screening. Another year came and went, another smear… and then a letter informing me I had HPV (turned out to be HPV16) along with cell changes and I was being called in for a colposcopy.

I had my colposcopy and a biopsy in May 2024 which revealed level 2 changes to cells. I was scheduled in for a LLETZ procedure in August 2024 and everything went well, they were happy with the margins. My consultant even said that 9/10 times the HPV will clear up after this. I happy to presumably put the whole thing behind me and was glad I had it done. I had minimal pain and the doctors and nurses I encountered during the procedure were fantastic. I even joked it had actually been less uncomfortable than the biopsy.

“Test of cure” appointment came up February 2025 and I went in confident. My follow up letter said my results were inconclusive so off for another smear test I went. Still HPV positive. I couldn’t believe it. I was so down and started to believe that I would never shake it. Off for another colposcopy and biopsy I went. They followed up telling me they were happy with how everything looked and were putting me back on a 3 year pathway. I was astonished. These cells had appeared in just two years. How could I wait 3 to be seen again?!

A year later (Feb 2026) I went for my own private smear test and just received the results of this… HPV free! I had completely psyched myself up for the results to be HPV positive. I am so relieved I can put this behind me now although there is a little thought in the back of my mind that worries it will reappear.