How to lose your fear of PAP 3D and finally get answers
Many women sit paralyzed in front of their gynecologist and only perceive these words as if through absorbent cotton. “We have found a precancerous stage in you”. What does this mean and what should you do now? Is there an alternative to an operation? Which steps are right for you now and what your doctor often doesn’t tell you: how to lose your fear of PAP 3D!
1. what you should definitely know about PAP 3D and nobody tells you
Here are three facts about PAP 3D that will finally take away your fear of this finding:
- First of all, the most important news: although around 750,000 women are diagnosed with PAP 3D every year – only in Germany – most women’s PAP3D goes away on its own – it really is a case of “wait and see”!
- Many women sometimes don’t even know they have it because they have no symptoms.
- Surgery is only necessary in a few cases.
2. PAP 3D – where does it come from?
In almost all cases, PAP3D is caused by HPV, which stands for “human papillomavirus”. The virus is transmitted through sexual contact. Most sexually active people become infected with this virus in the course of their lives, fortunately an infection usually heals unnoticed.
Did you know that there are many different – hundreds – types of HPV?
There are no typical HPV symptoms. Depending on which HPV type you have, you may develop warts on the skin and in the genital area (these are caused by HPV types with a low risk).
However, there are also so-called “high-risk types”: HPV types with a high risk, which are responsible for changes to the cervix. These are called HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73 and 82.
3. Can you improve your PAP 3D?
Have you already had experience with PAP 3D? Perhaps your doctor told you that although you have a PAP3D, you should just wait and see? How did you feel about it? Were you scared or panicked? Did you think at that moment “Why should I wait now?”, “What can I do now?” or perhaps “I hope it’s not cancer already!” or “Now I definitely can’t have any more children!”
Every woman probably has these thoughts and doesn’t know what to do next.
But what nobody tells you is that a PAP 3D1 or PAP3D2 is not cancer and will probably never become cancer. You also don’t have to wait anxiously forever, because:
PAP3D has a good chance of being cured!
As already mentioned: many women don’t even realize that they are HPV positive. And if they do notice or are told by their gynecologist that they have an HPV infection and have caused a PAP3D1 or PAP 3D2, it is very important not to panic!
An operation – the technical term is conization – is only necessary from a PAP 4. For good reason, because with a PAP 3D the probability of a cure is very high and why should surgery be performed immediately?
Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to improve your PAP3D – apart from the usual things: eat healthily, don’t smoke and support your immune system.
4. How long to wait for a PAP 3D?
In most cases, a PAP value improves all by itself, you just have to be patient. It sometimes takes up to 24 months (or even longer, but it can also be shorter) for the value to return to normal.
Of course, you don’t want to wait that long – especially if you don’t know whether the PAP value will improve or you suddenly have PAP 4. But it doesn’t have to be like this.
5. What you should do now with a PAP3D!
No more fear and panic about PAP3D! It’s very easy and we’ll be happy to tell you: ask your gynaecologist about “L1 capsid protein detection”.
What is that anyway?
L1 capsid protein detection is a test that is carried out in the laboratory. The cells taken by your gynaecologist during the smear test are sent there and evaluated – yes, the doctor does not do this himself. And your gynaecologist can then instruct the laboratory to check whether the L1 capsid protein is also found.
And what does the result mean for you?
If L1 is detected, it means that your immune system has recognized the HPV infection and is fighting it. You can therefore wait in peace until your body has dealt with the matter and the cell change on the cervix has disappeared.
What if I don’t have the L1?
Even if the L1 capsid protein is not detected in your smear test, you have certainty: namely that your immune system is not doing anything against HPV – and the cell change continues to develop unhindered. Until at some point it becomes PAP 4 or even PAP 5.
Or you can prevent this from happening in the first place and opt for conization. The earlier the procedure is performed, the better! Because then not so much tissue has to be removed from the cervix. This is important if you still want to have children.
All uncertainties removed?
One thing is very clear: the L1 capsid protein is the key. The L1 test will finally give you certainty about what is happening to your body and where your journey is heading.
Without panic, but with a little patience, you can calmly wait until your body has sorted things out. We had this experience with PAP3D – without fear or panic. The wait was really worth it – and that would be something for you too, wouldn’t it?
