Thursday, June 21, 2007

VERY IMPORTANT

Hi Everyone,

I have something important to talk to you all about today. Please please take yourself and you daughters to the Dr. for a pap AND an HPV test. You have to request the HPV test. Do NOT let your Dr. tell you it is not important. And DO NOT let him tell you your daughter does not need a pap or an HPV test until she is 25.

HPV is the virus that causes cervical cancer. It is treatable if caught early enough. It is transmitted by ANY sexual contact. An infected person could have it for years and never know it. There are no symptoms. A carrier may never know it. 95% of women will get HPV sometime in thier lives. Most times it is a mild case and your body will fight it off naturally without you ever knowing you had it. In other cases you could get cervical cancer. Meaning you or your daughter may never have children OR worse, you could die. Women over 30 are especially in danger of HPV.

There is a vaxcine for HPV. I have been seeing commercials and adds for this vacine for about a year now. I did not fully understand the importance of this. ALL young women should get this vacine BEFORE they become sexually active. Dr.s are telling women under 25 they do not need a pap. So not TRUE. Please make them give you the Pap, the HPV test AND the vaccine.

Why am I telling you this? My daughter who is 19 got a pap. It was abnormal. The Dr. did the HPV test without her knowing. She tested positive for HPV. She now needs to go back to make sure she does not have cervical cancer. Remember, she is only 19. If she did not have a good Dr. and if she would have waited until she was 25, who knows what could happen to her. She wants kids and I want to be a grandma. This may never happen. We are both scarred right now. Just writing this brings tears to my eyes. I pray her"s it not out of control and she can be treated.

I beg you all to listen to this warning. Get the vaccine for your daughters BEFORE she becomes active. If we can save just one of you from going through what we are right now I will be happy. REMEMBER, 95% of you will get HPV and never know it. Take precautions now.

I wish someone would have told me. I hope I have not let my daughter get harmed.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, I hope your daughter's tests come back normal for cervical cancer! Thanks for the reminder about the HPV vaccine. My daughter is just about to turn 15, and I have been going back and forth about whether to have her vaccinated. Will give it serious consideration now!

Kate said...

HPV can be treated easily and just because you caught it doesn't mean you'll get cancer. The vaccine is very new. Yes, I'll have my daughters protected. It is very important. I think some people think it a license to have sex... go figure.

Hopefully they'll be able to treat the abnormal cells. Both my MIL and SIL had minor proceedures in the doctor's office to get rid of the abnormal cells. Nothing else has shown up since. I hope it is the same for your DD

Lynn said...

I hear you. My dd was diagnoised about when she was 19 also! Thank goodness we have a wonderful, caring dr also. He did a full procedure in the hospital to remove all the abnormal cells and knock on wood everything has been fine. She gets checked every 6 months! I think that every young women should get the vaccine. It really could save her life.

april said...

my sister sells this vaccine. very important stuff!

nikki peterson said...

okay... i am going to make an appointment today!

Darcey said...

Thanks for sharing. I wish you and your daughter the best.

Pearl Maple said...

As a survivor – thank you for taking the time to remind people of the importance of these little tests and vaccines that can make all the difference. Good luck with the doctor, it is a treatable illness and hope you get a quick resolution.

Thank you too for your kind words on my blog, makes me want to get my act together to find something nice to share with folks.

Dustbunnies said...

Just asked my doctor about this vaccine. . he recommends it.

He's not one to get on board with the latest thing, so he's waited and watched before making recommendations

Jill said...

Really?!? Ninety five percent? They recommend it for all TWELVE year olds here, which I think is over the top (though 25 seems WAY WAY too old!), since I know where my 12 year old is 24/7...anyway, won't get into all that except to say - you should let yourself off the hook guilt-wise.

I know it's easier said than done, but you did not LET your daughter get harmed. She's chosen what she's chosen and you operated on the best knowledge you had at the time. But that's part of what the pap was for in the first place and you've done what you could to ensure her health. It won't make a bit of difference in how things work out for her, but for your own peace of mind, maybe you could congratulate yourself on getting her to the doctor & having the pap, which is something that would have escaped many, many parents of a young woman that age.