HPV Support Group

I know EVERYONE who smokes has had their doctor tell them they need to quit because it is bad for them. In fact, they hear often enough that it doesn't bear any weight anymore.

I'm also sure, ladies, that your gyno has told you that you need to quit smoking if you have HPV. But I'm not sure they have fully explained WHY.

It took me understanding how and why smoking is especially bad for women with HPV to motivate me to quit smoking. And I wanted to share with you all in the hopes that at least one woman will connect to it and fight for her own recovery by putting down the smokes for good. (I went cold turkey when I finally understood and I've been quit for 228 days.)

"Smoking" is not the enemy here. I mean, it is, but here's why - when you smoke a cigarette you take in nicotine along with other chemicals. Nicotine impedes a process called apoptosis. Apoptosis, or "programmed cell death," is a normal biological function where your body identifies damaged or diseased cells, targets them, kills them, and removes them from your body.

HPV on its own, also impedes apoptosis in the cervix - which is why it is a concern. So women with HPV already have a struggle against abnormal cells on their hands. If you smoke, or ingest nicotine in any way, you are making your struggle even that much harder to overcome.

When you smoke, you not only take in nicotine which impedes apoptosis and your bodies ability to fight off infection and disease, you take in all sorts of other chemicals and pollutants. So you not only get in your bodies own way, you add poison to an already compromised position.

Smoking has been linked to cancer for a long time. Now you can understand why. Because cancer is just an accumlation of abnormal cells growing at a higher rate of speed than your body can fight off.

If you smoke, and you have HPV, arm yourself with facts. And then based on those facts you can make an informed decision about how important smoking is to you. Doctors can only remove so much of your cervix before you lose your ability to carry a child. And once you have cervical cancer, the very first line of treatment is a hysterectomy - either partial or full depending on the grade.

Those of us who have battled HPV and dysplasia know the cost of that battle. What I'm telling you, from experience and research, is that we are not completely helpless in the fight. That how we treat our bodies has a direct effect on our bodies ability to fight it.

I couldn't understand why I continued to battle dysplasia after two leep procedures a month and 1/2 after I quit smoking until I realized that I was wearing a nicotine patch for that entire month 1/2. My body did not recognize that I quit, because I didn't quit feeding my body nicotine.

One month after going cold turkey, my dysplasia (level 3) actually downgraded to "abnormal" cells. And 6 months after that I have had my first "normal" pap in 2+ years.

If you smoke and have HPV - put down the cigarettes (nicotine) and start helping your body fight off the virus. Because it IS possible to fight it off.

Much love and support to all of you in your battle. Fight is what I say! And fight hard!!!
Posted on 05/14/08, 10:05 am