Beginning the search...

First of all, I have to say how touched I am by everyone in this community.

I am a newbie to HPV. Three years ago, at 19 years old, I had an abnormal pap with results showing ASC-US. An HPV test returned positive as well....which left me with an overwhelming feeling of guilt and shame from the moment my primary care giver said "sexually transmitted disease". Granted, I'm from a small, conservative town and my family is a strong believer in saving sex for marriage, but I've always considered myself a responsible person. Admittedly, I was also a little angry when my boyfriend and I had been so careful, followed all the rules, went through all the tests...I had never been given the information that there is no reliable HPV test for men, that it predominately effects women, and condoms aren't 100% effective in preventing contraction.

The colposcopy from three years ago came back completely normal, and everything HPV was pushed to the far corners of my mind. I've had three years of healthy paps, until this last month. My new doc gave me the news that my pap results showed LSIL. I had a colposcopy yesterday, as well as a cervical biopsy and an endocervical curettage. My results are in Tuesday. I know it's a promising pre-diagnosis...with a possibility that nothing further will have to be done. It's all the hypotheticals that are scary. I grew up in a family that ingrained upon us that, when dealing with the medical field, if you want the information, you have to know the questions to ask. So, so true in this situation. My doctor wasn't telling me anything about my results until I started asking direct, specific questions. The only problem is, when you're looking up all the information to explain your results, you're looking at all the possibilities of future procedures and further complications. As a 23 year old with no previous health problems besides the occasional cold...words like "dysplasia", "cervical intraepithelial neoplasms", and "hysterectomy" are a shock to the system. As mild as this situation is, it's still scary. I've read so many of the discussions of this community... For the position I am in, I am so grateful. So many of you have been through far more traumatic experiences and I am so humbled by your strength. Even more encouraging is the forum of women talking openly about HPV and other things associated with the virus. Sources I've read have put anywhere from 52-80% of women will contract HPV by the time they're 50 years old. I'm still shocked that such a stigma and shame is attached to a virus that affects the majority of our sex...as well as the lack of common knowledge. I had never heard of HPV until I was told I had it...and I grew up with a mother who was the head sex educator of an entire state for three years.

Which leads me (in a round-about way....sorry :) to a question...does anyone have credible sources for information about treatment? I've read a lot about maintaining the over-all health of your body...sleep, low stress, no smoking, etc. I'm in the middle of the Gardasil vaccination... But there has to be more possibilities than that, right? Specific supplements? Diet? I've accepted that recurring bouts with HPV are something that I might be dealing with for a long time...and I want all the things associated with a healthy life...family, kids, healthy sex life, career (I just started my first year of law school!), etc. If anyone has information that can help me get on the right track now, I would very grateful.

Again, you're all amazing. I'm so glad I stumbled across this community...you're examples of the strong women I grew up admiring and hope to be one day.