August 7, 2009 – 11:35 am
Posted by H. Sandra Chevalier-Batik
The HPV test is helpful in women whose Pap test report is “ atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance”, often abbreviated as “ASC-US”. This means that the result is uncertain – it is not normal but it is also not abnormal in any precisely defined way. Some of these Pap tests with uncertain results show HPV infection on additional testing. So the HPV test can help your clinician understand the reason for the uncertain Pap. In addition, most experts believe that for women over 30, HPV testing along with a routine Pap test is the best way to screen for dysplasia or cervical cancer. This combination of testing is so reliable that if both tests are normal, the tests should be repeated only every three years.
August 5, 2009 – 11:07 am
Posted by H. Sandra Chevalier-Batik
Be sure to get regular check-ups, including Pap tests. If you see genital skin changes, make an appointment with your health care provider for an exam. These feelings are normal. It is common for people with HPV to feel angry, upset, depressed or ashamed about their condition. Some women may also be concerned about the risk for cancer. Keep in mind that HPV can be managed and cervical cancer can almost always be prevented. Talk to your health care provider about your concerns. Keeping yourself healthy and not smoking can help boost you body’s natural defense system to fight the virus.
Posted by H. Sandra Chevalier-Batik
You can increase your chances of not having cervical cancer or precancerous changes in the future by protecting yourself against sexually transmitted infections, not smoking tobacco products, and by getting routine Pap smears. A Pap smear is only useful in detecting and preventing cervical cancer or precancerous changes if you return for follow-up evaluation and treatment appointments, when necessary. Keep in mind that it is very likely that the cause of your abnormal Pap smear can be easily treated, if treatment is necessary. In addition, the earlier abnormalities are treated, the easier they are to treat.
Posted by H. Sandra Chevalier-Batik
HPV is a virus that is very common. In fact, most men and women are infected with HPV at some time in their lives. There are approximately 100 types of HPV. Some HPV typesonly infect the genital area and may cause warts, some cause mild changes in cervical cells that do not turn into cancer, and some cause changes that may become cervical cancer if present for many years. The types of HPV that are found in the genital areas are usually passed on during sexual contact (sexually transmitted). HPV types that cause warts on the hands or feet do not cause genital warts or cervical cell changes, nor do genital HPV types generally spread outside the genital area.
September 17, 2008 – 8:16 am
Posted by H. Sandra Chevalier-Batik
Vaginal and Vulvar Cancers Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control. Cancer is always named for the part of the body where it starts, even if it spreads to other body parts later. When cancer starts in the vagina, it is called vaginal cancer. The vagina, also called [...]
August 26, 2008 – 8:01 am
Posted by H. Sandra Chevalier-Batik
Follow The Money… Merck has a growing economic interest in Virginia. In December 2006, Merck announced it would invest $57 million to expand its Elkton, Va., plant to make Gardasil, helped by a $700,000 grant from a state economic development agency that is part of the executive branch. Two months later, Gov. Tim Kaine, who [...]
August 25, 2008 – 5:57 pm
Posted by H. Sandra Chevalier-Batik
Opportunistic marketing isn’t new. Mass merchandising of tobacco products to minors delivered millions of “Hooked for Life” or at least until premature death ‘users” for BIG TOBACCO. With recent regulations that allegedly limited marketing tobacco to minors, rapacious advertising agencies and armies of mercenaries (lobbyists) have moved to a new, even more, profitable venue —BIG [...]
August 21, 2008 – 1:04 pm
Posted by H. Sandra Chevalier-Batik
FINALLY! In June of 2006, my writing partner, Leslie Botha, and I, started writing articles cautioning women against the use of Gardasil® for girls and young women. We cited the limited nature of the clinical trials (the number, and ages of women tested) and the length of time from the clinical trials and the FDA [...]
August 18, 2008 – 11:20 am
Posted by H. Sandra Chevalier-Batik
In a previous Inconvenient Woman Blog entry we noted the death of 17 year old Jessica Ericzon, “an all-American teenager,” whose tragic death has been tied to the Merck vaccine Gardasil®. Jefferson County Medical Examiner Samuel Livingstone, reported Jessie’s death to the federal Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System. Her family started the Jessica Ericzon Memorial [...]
August 14, 2008 – 10:55 am
Posted by H. Sandra Chevalier-Batik
More Reports of Coincidental Collateral Damage Reported by Barbara Loe Fisher The reports of HPV vaccine reactions, injuries and deaths continue to roll in, not only to NVIC but also to the federal Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (Search HPV4 at: http://www.medalerts.org/vaersdb/index.html) newspapers, and television stations. And the only response that comes from officials at [...]
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