Help Me !!!!! - Fernandina Beach,FL

I just want to let you know that yes, HPV sucks and can be scary. But it is very common now. You can totally get over the infection and just need to monitored after that if you get good medical care. My sister has it and was both horrified and scared to death, then she started talking to friends and found out most girls her age have it. It is very trasmittable and like 80% of sexually active young adults have it, or something crazy like that. You do need to see a doctor though, it isn't something to ignore. But don't be in a total panic about it. I wish you the best!

Yes it is normal to still be bleeding I spotted alot in between periods for almost 6months. Also 6weeks after my daughter was born I had a pap done and it came back abnormal I went in for the hpv test they took 2 biopsys and they came back negative for cancer. The only way they can tell if you have hpv is by doing paps or a coloscopy. I had both and 6 months later I got another one and it had all cleared up. There also is no test for men so I am still really confused on it and how they can just say because I had cancerous cells I have hpv. You do need to get more test done because you could have cancer and it is deadly if it goes untreated because it can spread through your body. Also if you do have hpv don't worry 99% of americans will have hpv in there lifetime so don't sweat it. Just make sure you keep going for check ups to make sure you don't have cancer! Also if you I belive firmly that hpv is a disease that will never be proven if you have or don't have because they cannot do blood test so how can they tell if you have it or not the only way they tell me is by saying I have cervical cancer when it showed up but then it went away but it can come back so that is why it is important to keep getting checked yearly! It is really really confusing that is why I just try to forget the whole deal but I do stress you do go to the doc if you are having health issues also no hospital in the US can deny you service it's against the law try and get some government help we don't pay taxes not to get anything in return especially for those of us who need it! Hope I helped!

Good morning. I have not had this issue but i do have a suggestion about getting some medical help. Depending on where you are, you might be able to go to your local health department and be seen by one their doctors for little or no cost to you. I have five children. I had my tubes tied after the last one and did not have any of the symptoms that you are having. I this helps in some small way. Or maybe a walk in clinic.

HPV many woman have it who are over 30-35 and no consequences from it I had an abnormal and yes positive for HPV but nothing to worry about.

Call your local health offices, see if you qualify for free or reduced cost testing, don't put if off, your family needs you healthy and something not right.

It took my best friend over a year to get regular (every 28 days or so) periods after she had her son. She didn't use birth control because she was breast feeding, but after the baby was weaned she got back on BC and got back to normal in 2 cycles. There are alot of factors, so don't worry - that's what can cause the worst damage - chillax mama :) Also - HPV, most everyone that is over 18 has it now days. Just because you have HPV doesn't mean you have or will have cancer - calm down mama - do what you can, get to the GYN as soon as you can afford it - tax season- make sure you put aside the $ :) Good luck - love your baby - stop worrying

Abnormal paps are super super common... and from someone prone to cervical cancer (I had 5 LEEPs while pregnant, and another 1/2 a dozen in the first year or two following for high grade dysplasia/lew level cancer) the idea of the treatments are scarier than the actual treatment. AKA, the worst part is the shot that numbs you up. Even assuming you DID have dysplasia that was of a high enough grade to warrant removal. Seriously, I've had bruises from kicking the coffee table in the dark with my shin that hurt worse and longer. Also (from a grossout factor... the kind of HPV that causes dysplasia that leads to cervical cancer is NOT the wart kind. So at least there's no double whammy. Don't know why that made me feel better, but it did. Actually, in it's worst form, it's rather pretty (kind of like a 2d mosaic with an opalescent sheen). So IF you have it, and IF it requires anything other than monitoring (most only require Paps every 6 months, instead of every year), it's not gross looking OR painful. (Although stirrups are never fun, nor is counting dots in the ceiling... but it's not like major surgery, or chemo... just some numb ya up shots -ouch- and boredome, and no sex for about a week.). And cervical cancer is THE easiest treatable cancer in existence when caught at the precancerous cell stage. Easy easy.

Okay, so the HPV stuff off the table...

From MY experience, the biweekly periods don't sound like cervical cancer/dysplasia. They sound like something has either gone wrong with your tubal or your hormones are out of balance. Hormones getting out of balance is actually a common side effect from tubals... and there's a bunch of treatment options for THAT... but it could be one of many other things as well (like the ever mentioned thyroid, or endometirosis, or an infection, or, or, or).

Sigh.

ALL of this means needing to see a doctor. And I'm with you, I didn't have insurance for 6 years. Most people don't realize that their $15 copay easily equals $300-$700 dollars even for a 15 minute visit. Problem is... you;ve been this way for 6 months. Something is obviously very wrong. It could be an easy simple fix of take 2 pills, or it could be major and require surgery. Although most likely it's something in between. Here's what I would do in your situation:

1- Ignore it for as long as possible (hey I'm being honest, but you've already ignored it for 6 months...okay probably 3... but since it's been happening for 6 months that's the timeframe. At this point when it might actually be life threatening I would move on to step 2)

2- Contact doctors I know. Since you just had your son, did you see the same OB a gazillion times last year? I would call them first. Explain the problem over the phone (both the physical problem... periods every 2 weeks for 6 months following an abnormal pap & tubal ligation & birth of your child (mention the stuff they should know... they probably won't have your chart handy)... and that you don't have insurance, can't pay up front, and can they recommend what you should do?) Many doctors will have you come in pro bono, or hook you up with the social workers department, or have a good friend/colleuge they respect who works at a clinic with sliding scale that they'll refer you to.

If I don't get a direction to go from my doc (or they reccomend the below:) then it's on to step 2...

2- Contact the Social Work Department at the hospital where you child was born. Explain your problem. Preferably with your OB backing you up. AKA either a diagnosis that needs to be treated, or a problem that needs to be diagnosed. But you can also do it on your own. Many people don't realize that child protective services is just one branch of social work. Social workers work in ALL aspects of healthcare... from arranging payment for services (through a variety of sources: charities, grants, etc), arranging or providing counseling (from grief to mental health), arranging for a gazillion things while a patient is under care, education, case management, goodness... the list goes on and on and on. Like psychologists social workers all have masters degrees and go through a multiple year rigorous internship & testing process after they earn their MA but before they become licensed. Their final "title" is LCSW -Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Unlike psychologists, only maybe 25% of their time is spent in counseling. The rest is moving heaven and earth for their patients and clients.

3a. A Charitable Hospital. These are private hospitals usually run by the catholic church (administered by the church, rather than a public hospital administered by the state, or the most common... hospitals owned and run by insurance companies). Pretty much step one in a charitable hospital is to walk into triage, tell them that you need to be seen but can't pay and where do you go for financial aid? Charitable hospitals will usually do a mix of grants, forgiven fees, and paying off over time. My sister paid $20 a month for 2 years for her $26,000 appendectomy. My cousin who makes significantly more paid $85 a month for something similar. Usually a charitable hospital will have some kind of religious name... like Mercy, or Grace.

3b. ER at "County". Most major cities have a "county" hospital (although sometimes there only is one per county) that is required to take all patients regardless of ability to pay. (Other hospitals can actually turn you away carrying a severed limb -seen it happen.) The downsides are that you have to be prepared to wait for HOURS to DAYS in order to be seen. The upside, is that from the moment you are admitted if you tick the box that says that you are unable to pay... your care is either paid for by the state, or the state admits you into their oh-so-exclusive (I know a family of 6 with an income of 12k a year that was denied for owning a 10 year old car. puh-leeze) state healthcare plan.

All of this is a pain. And I feel you. I HATE insurance (and I've worked in healthcare for years). It's not an easy decision to make when you cannot in any way shape or form afford to see the doctor to decide to see the doctor. There are ways to do it without having to decide whether to just not feed your family this month... But they ARE a major hassel, and you never know how far you'll have to go in order to be seen, and be seen by someone competant. I've seen too many people die of easily treatable problems in this country, because they don't have the money and don't know the back channels. Have I mentioned I hate insurance companies? I really am sorry... but it's doctor time.

<grinning> And the first step is free and easy, make a phone call & leave a message on your OB's voicemail! So go ahead and get an idea from them about what you're dealing with, and either how to treat it or how much longer you can put it off.

best
R

If your having your period every 2 weeks, maybe it's a hormonal dysfunction. I used to have all of those symptoms because my periods were really painful and find out I have endometriosis, although I was always regular. Abnormal paps are very common, it can be something very small that it might go away with treatment. So don't panic if they're suggesting the HPV test. Google and search for local clinics that don't charge so much, like planned parent hood.
Stay calm and don't stress because your baby and your family needs you!

Eve

I am sorry that you feel bad. It took me about a year to get back to normal. I was on the pill for most of that year and that was making me feel not well. So I don't know if that added to the time it took. My period was also screwed up after I stopped the pill. It took about 6 months to get back to some kind of normalcy. Also HPV is no big deal most women in america have it, most of the time that is what the dr says you have if you have had certian kinds of abnormal paps, not to say you truly have it but it is hard to tell as having HPV causes the same kind of abnormal cells as certan levels of stress can cause or many other factors. Unfortunately this is a general catagory. If it has only been 6 months I would say yea it will probably take more time. May take even longer depending on how you delivered, vaginal or csection. Don't fret I'm sure you will be fine, but remember stress (cannot be avoided) but it also adds to your symptoms. I hopes this helps!

Don't freak out. That's the most important thing. The irregular periods can be due to a hormonal imbalance. I am having the same problem, I had my period 2 weeks ago and Monday started bleeding heavily. I have not been sexually active, so it's obviously not a miscarriage, and when I asked the doctor, he said it was nothing to worry about due to the fact I had discontinued birth control and got back on it, and my hormones were getting readjusted. Could this be your case? Or did you start a new pill? I was diagnosed with HPV years ago, and although I was scared at first, I realized, after much researching, that a huge percentage of the population has it. I think 2 in 3 women will get it at one point in their life or something like that, the statistics are very high. Sexually active men carry HPV and it only takes him being involved with an HPV-infected person prior to you or while with you (without protection) to be able to transmit it to you. Most men don't even know they have it, so don't blame him as he may be unaware and it may have been a woman from his past that infected him. In many cases, your body will fight it off and be rid of it. You may also want to get the Gardasil shot, as there are many strains of HPV and the ones the shot protects against are also the ones that cause warts and cervical cancer. Not all strains cause cancer or warts, as was my case. The doctor noticed an abnormal pap, did a colposcopy, and in the process scraped out all the cells that looked abnormal. It came back negative for cancer, I had the shot, and 6 months later, my pap smear was normal and it's been normal ever since. Many ob/gyn offices will offer you a discounted rate if you have no insurance. You can also let them know that your financial situation's not so great and work out a payment plan with them. Paying their bill little by little will ensure that you get the adequate medical attention you need while also avoiding being sent to collections. Good luck, but please stay calm. Stress can only make things worse and put strain on your body.

Don't mess around with YOUR health. You wouldn't wait around with your child's health, right?

Call the doctor and see what he/she can do for you without health insurance. They should be able to see you for much less than what they charge the insurance company and then allow you make payments if necessary.

If they can't, ask them for other options. They should have several to give you.

Call the county and ask for help, as well as, Planned Parenthood. Both should offer sliding scale fees.

I would also ask if there are side effects to having your tubes tied, but if you had an abnormal pap, that is a good place to start.

GOOD LUCK and get your fanny to the doctor. (From one mom to another!) :)

Hi R., I agree with the other posters, you need to find a way to get to a doctor. It could be something minor but you want to know for sure. HPV can lead to cervical cancer, that's what the Gardasil vaccination is for, so I don't think this is something to put on the back burner. I don't mean to worry you or scare you, sorry if it came across that way. Also, if the doctor knows you don't have health insurance the doctor has the right to lower the cost of the appointment or treatment so perhaps discuss this with your doctor. Otherwise, I think Planned Parenthood would be a great, low cost place to visit for help.

I agree with everyone else. The only real resolve you are going to get is from going to the Dr. A lot of times at plan parenthood and places like that there are Dr.s who volunteer there services. I would try calling the health department or going if necessary or plan parenthood. I think if one of them can not helkp you, they should also be able to point you in the right direction. Also, my husband has an employee at his office, whose wife was diagnosed with something womenly, that recquired surgery. They are not poor, but not well off either. They have no health insurance either. Once she went to the Dr. and got a diagnosis and a treatment plan that said she needed major surgery, they had to pay for the first doc appointments themselves. Anyway, she applied for some type of program through medicaid. It was some govt. program that only qualifies you for medical coverage if you have a serious condition recquiring medical treatment over a certain amount of money. I wish I had more details, but I think you are going to have to make some calls.

If nothing else you have got to get to the Dr.

Good Luck, and I will keep you in my prayers.

I have no idea on the symptoms. However, if your pap came back irregular and your doc suggested an HPV test, I'd find some way to get the test. Contact your Public Health office (Dept of Health for your state) and see if they perform that test. Also, with a young baby, you can't afford NOT to have insurance! If your employer does not provide insurance, do you qualify for Medicaid? Your Dept of Health should also be able to provide information on applying (for you & baby).

Go to Planned Parenthood. They charge based on a sliding scale. They ask you how much money you make (you don't provide any documentation - they take your word for it!) and charge you less if you make less money. That's where I got all my gynecological care when I didn't have health insurance. Good luck!

R., you can't afford to NOT go to the doctor. You're trying to take care of a baby while you're ill from abnormal bleeding, & doing nothing will not make your condition any better. You dont have 2 get the HPV test, but 4 everyone's sake, Find out why you're having abnormal bleeding. You are likely to be anemic from too much bleeding, and that will not go away by itself. Please, please get help.
Peace,
Syl

Yeah, its called hormones and its a new world after a baby. I'm at 20 months since my daughter was born and still having problems. I'm 44 so it will be worse with age.I would look for a new doctor if that wasnt his first response. He is either unqualified or soaking you for the money. Ask the office what "abnormal" means. What scale and where on the scale was your test. Many women have "abnormal" pap smears and are just fine. Get a second opinion. I highly recommend Dr. Steven Fern, OBGYN of the palm beaches. Good luck.

Hi R.,
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