Bleeding after sex :(
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi Everyone
I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts/advice on my problem.
Two years ago I was diagnosed with HPV and also had borderline abnormal smear test result but colposcopy came back okay.
Ive had problems with nasty pain in pelvis/uterus (i think those are the right terms for the location!) on and off for ages. It's not an infection as theyve tested my urine a few times in the last three years and more recently done swabs that were fine.
What worries me is that I bled twice after intercourse this week which has never happened to me before. It was not a problem with dryness or menstrual spotting. They were small bright red dots (sorry tmi)
I've been referred to see a gynaecologist but it might be a long wait.
Have any of you had a similar experience. What could this mean in relation to the HPV? Is post coital bleeding usually related to a health problem?
0 likes, 3 replies
eliz52 Artdeco
Posted
I don't know your age or whether you're on the Pill, but it's probably something like a cervical erosion, a benign condition. It's usually found in women on the Pill or during pregnancy and it doesn't require any treatment unless it's causing problems. In the latter case sometimes the area is treated with cryotherapy. (or some other treatment)
You're HPV+ ...about 40% of women are HPV+ before age 30, usually transient and harmless infections that clear in a year or two.
By age 30 the number falls to about 5%, these are the fairly small number of women who might benefit from a 5 yearly smear/pap.
Most countries don't have evidence based programs though so they do pap/smear tests and even HPV testing before age 30, this can cause issues, young women produce the most false positives which can lead to excess biopsies and over-treatment. Also, HPV testing should not occur before age 30 as it can also lead to over-investigation/over-treatment and a lot of worry. Sadly, cervical screening does not benefit those under 30, not one country has shown a benefit, but all have evidence of harm from over-treatment.
In my opinion, for those who wish to screen, the best program in the world is the Dutch program, 5 HPV tests or HPV self-testing at ages 30,35,40,50 and 60 and a 5 yearly pap/smear test will only be offered to the roughly 5% who are HPV+
This will save more lives and takes most women out of pap/smear testing and harms way.
Most countries will never see this sort of program, far too much money is made testing as many as possible and "treating" a lot of them unnecessarily. It's also concerning there is no respect for informed consent and even consent itself is often missing with this testing.
I declined to screen MANY years ago, now I know HPV- women cannot benefit from smear/pap testing. I'm so pleased I took the time to do my own research and stand firm in the consult room. I look at the worry and damage this testing has caused to so many friends and family and despair, almost all of the damage was avoidable with an evidence based program and informed consent.
Anyway, best of luck, don't worry too much...
By the way, if you're worried abou cervical cancer, keep in mind the lifetime risk is LESS than 1%...0.65% AND you've had a recent normal colposcopy.
Artdeco eliz52
Posted
Thank you for your reply, I appreciate you taking the time to reassure me about my problem
I have to ask in regards to the info you gave re cervical screening, what about the younger women who are diagnosed with cervical cancer, wouldn't they slip through the net if we waited until 30 to have a smear test?
Also I have come across a fair amount of women who didn't get screened (or had big gaps between tests) for a variety of reasons and unfortunately this resulted in a delay in them getting much needed treatment.
eliz52 Artdeco
Posted
The smear/pap test was designed to prevent/detect squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. So young women are often the false negative cases, they're usually diagnosed when worsening symptoms drive them back to the doctor and they're finally referred for a proper investigation.
Unfortunately, a "Normal" pap test/smear test (false negative) in a young woman can falsely reassure and lead to a delay in seeing a doctor for symptoms, a later diagnosis and poorer prognosis. We've known for a long time now that cervical screening does not help women under 30 but leads to lots of excess biopsies and over-treatment.
This is why the Dutch and Finns have always protected their young women, no testing before 30.
A few older women are helped by testing (30+) but there's a better way to find these women rather than the slash and burn programs that worry and harm so many women. Here is Australia we have shocking (and hidden) over-treatment rates as a result of early screening and serious over-screening.
I made a decision many years ago now to accept my near zero risk of cc rather than the 77% lifetime risk of colposcopy/biopsy under our program. (and often it leads to over-treatment as well) For a few years now I've understood that HPV- women (MOST of us) cannot benefit from this testing. (but can be harmed)
Artdeco, almost ALL women having "treatment" after an "abnormal" pap/smear test are simply being over-treated. It's impossible to save so many women when the cancer itself is fairly rare. (and has always been fairly rare) The numbers speak for themselves...
I'm not against screening per se, but non-evidence based screening worries and harms a lot of women and there must be some respect for informed consent. We should receive ALL of the information for and against screening so we can make an informed decision, instead we have a program that attempts to drag all women into the program. Incredibly some women think they MUST screen, like it's mandatory or a law, something we can't reasonably refuse, wrong!
Women should understand what this testing can and can't do....it's your body, health and life.
I think real information is finally starting to circulate now, screening rates are falling as more women get to the evidence and decide to stop screening, start later, test for HPV, perhaps, with the Delphi Screener etc. in other words, making an informed decision about screening.
My point: we're entitled to screening supported by the best evidence and should have a say in what happens to our body.
HPV Today, Edition 24, sets out the Dutch program