Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with hpv

Germs: pretty much everywhere

Busoni — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:37:21 -0800

Epidemiology-and-Germ-Theory-Filter: are bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc. that cause common conditions (such as warts, conjunctivitis, and ringworm, for instance) pretty much everywhere (already)? The relevant literature suggests that they are fairly contagious, and spread by contact. But while one can take precautions towards limiting contagion, doesn't it seem that given the prevalence of these diseases and the lack of precautions most people take, that the agents that cause these diseases must already be pretty ubiquitous, and that the only reason that not everyone has warts and pink eye is that people's immune systems are functioning properly?

In other words, am I right in saying that: although you probably want to avoid wrestling nude in the shower room at the Y, and farting bare-assed on people's pillows, people usually get warts and pink eye not because they failed to take these precautions, but because the germs that cause them are already pretty much everywhere, and happened to catch these people on a bad day, immunologically speaking?

Finding a doctor to treat recalcitrant HPV in an uncomfortable location.

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:57:20 -0800

Finding a doctor to treat recalcitrant HPV in an uncomfortable location. ("The back seat of a Volkswagen?") Closeted gay man in Central Texas looking for a doctor to treat genital and anal warts.

I know you can only treat the symptoms. I'm not trying to hide my STD status from anyone. But the warts are ugly and uncomfortable, I'm vain and tired of having 'em — and while they're not spreading any, they're not going away on their own either. Humor me, k?

First question — what kind of doc do I see? A dermatologist? (They're not used to looking up people's butts, are they?) A proctologist? (Warts aren't really their thing though, right?) An STD clinic? (Maybe I'm sheltered, but I've only heard of Planned Parenthood — and they sort of focus on women, no?) I've got good health insurance and a GP I see occasionally, but he's not someone I'm comfortable discussing this with.

Second question — any recommendations? Austin's the closest big city. San Antonio's not too far away, and I can probably make it to Houston if I really have to. I don't care if the doc's gay or straight or what gender they are as long as they're gay-friendly and good at what they do. And, you know, okay with looking at butts.

email: yetanotherthrowawayemail@gmail.com

Advice for keloid scar treatment after HPV treatment.

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:37:51 -0800

Advice for keloid scar treatment after HPV treatment...I know, YANAD/YANMD, but I need your help! I am a 25 year old, white female who was treated last September for a first time occurrence of HPV. I had three smaller warts, clustered on the "top" (?) patch of my pubic hair. My OBGYN used two treatments of trichloroacetic acid to remove the warts successfully. But...

Almost immediately I noticed a reaction to the acid. The treatment left deep red scabs which have now formed into keloid scars. The scars total about half an inch in diameter and are very hard and raised. Quite noticeable and make me feel very self conscious when having to explain to partners not only the HPV but also the leftover scars.

I have been back to OBGYNs to have them checked, as well as two dermatologists. The first dermatologist said they would just get better over time (its been a year - def. no signs of improvement). The second dermatologist tried injecting cortisone into the scar, but there was no change.

Are there other options I should suggest to the dermatologist? Should I try someone else? I don't think home treatment can work on this intense of scars, but I'm open to trying. I'd be happy if the scars were just flat, instead of raised up with hard tissue. YANAD/YANMYD, but is there anything I can do?

Disclosing HPV: What Do I Say & What Should I Expect?

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:09:28 -0800

I've tested positive for HPV, and I am mostly concerned about disclosure. The question isn't whether I will or not (I most certainly will), but how and what should I expect? I just received a call today from my doctor informing me that my pap smear was abnormal because of the presence of “atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance" (ASCUS), which is somewhat common. She also told me I was positive for HPV, and recommended a follow-up with a gyn, which has been scheduled. This is one of those things that could be absolutely benign or could be the first signs of cancer. My question has nothing to do with the whole cancer thing though. I now have to disclose the HPV to my male partner, and I’m just wondering what to expect.

Though we are not exclusive, he is actually the only person I have had sexual contact of any form with for over 18 months. I don’t think the same can be said of him, but I don’t know for sure. This is one of those things I could have given it to him, or he could have unknowingly given it to me. Even though we are both tested regularly and I receive annual paps, we will never know. Given how common and possibly benign it can be, and since I am absolutely confident that this would not have been something he knew about but did not disclose, I am not upset at the idea of him transmitting this to me. I do not know if he will be as understanding. I have never had any warts, lesions, or any symptoms until this pap smear, so I’m hoping this will just cycle out of my body in a couple of years without any symptoms, and the same will go for him.

So, those of you who had had to disclose HPV, how did it go? If it was to a male partner, how concerned was he? How much educating of your partner did you have to do? For those who were on the receiving end of the news, how did you feel about the HPV disclosure? What was important for you to hear? If it was a recent development, could you treat the who-gave-it-to-who thing as a non-issue? Lastly, how do you handle protecting your current & future partners? From what I’ve read, condoms may help but are far from a guarantee. It sounds like unless I’m celibate, I run the risk of transmitting it to someone, which makes me sad. Not because I plan to be abstinent, but because if things don’t work out with my current partner, then I will have to have this unpleasant conversation again. I still have a lot more reading and research to do myself, but hearing about personal experiences is always very enlightening for me. Throwaway email: hpvanon@gmail.com Thank you very much, hive mind.

Gardasil off-label for men in SF

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:44:17 -0800

Who in San Francisco will prescribe Gardasil off-label to men? I figure there's probably a couple doctors around here doing it. Maybe someone practicing in the gay community? I'm a 29-year-old straight male. I want to be vaccinated against HPV because:
1) I care about your cervix, baby.
2) I don't want warts on my dick.
3) Thumb my nose at Jenny McCarthy?

According to most sources, 29 is pretty old to get the HPV vaccine. But I think that's because most 29-year-olds are already saturated with a hundred different strains of HPV. But the first time I had sex was a month ago. So I figure I have a sexual history similar to the target demographic.

I realize I'll have to pay around $400 for the vaccine. That's fine. I'm going to ask the doctor to sign some insurance paperwork anyway. I want to try and make my health insurance pay for it. I see it as a low-stakes test drive of the HMO bureaucracy. It'll be valuable experience if I ever need to fight them over something important.

I'm particularly looking for names of doctors or clinics that are known to prescribe to men. I can poll the usual places myself if no one here has a more specific recommendation.

Experience with Aldara... "down there?"

Anonymous — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:03:08 -0800

Experience with Aldara... "down there?" My husband and I have been in a monogamous relationship for the past 10 years or so. He has HPV; I do not. I have a screening during each annual pelvic exam and so far, nothing. Also, the warts he has had removed have been typed by a pathologist and are not the type that cause cervical cancer in females.

He has to go to the doctor about once every 12-18 months to get a wart or two removed from his penis. This last time, his dermatologist suggested he try Aldara. The treatment takes 8 to 12 weeks. It's 50-50 odds of the warts coming back, which entices him. But what is not so attractive is the logistics of it all: 8 to 12 weeks of abstinence, right? No one can give a clear answer on whether it's OK or not to continue having sex--with a condom, of course--during treatment. The patient literature we've read does not give a conclusive answer, and the pharmacist told us to be abstinent during the treatment period.

So, those of you who used Aldara for HPV--or anything else in the intimate areas--how did you handle the logistics of it all? I've set up hpvquestion at yahoo dot com for answers as well.

Any other advice or tips for using Aldara on the penis (I can't believe I just typed that!) are also welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Straight answers about HPV

Anonymous — Sat, 16 May 2009 18:19:56 -0800

I'm a straight male, and I have genital wart-causing HPV. I have searched high and low and can't find straightforward answers to a few questions. I need some help! 1: In most people, the virus eventually clears. But since there is no test for men... apart from not warts disappearing, how will I know when the virus has cleared?

2: Please give me a simple list of sexual activities that I can safely partake in without spreading HPV. The only one that I have on my list so far is "looking longingly at each other through a window". I'm worried.

3: Any encouraging words that give me reason to believe that I might not have to be completely celibate for the next 10 years would be welcome.

HPV and sex

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:48:03 -0800

HPV and sex question.... It's been close to a year since I found out I had HPV (no genital warts) and an abnormal pap smear. I took the vaccine right after finding out, but it's not as effective when you already have HPV so I will continue to get tested for any changes every 6 months that could possibly lead to cervical cancer. I've only had unprotected sex with one person and that was my ex-boyfriend. How do I continue having a sex life without feeling guilty for passing on my strain of HPV on to other partners (women and men)? I'm single, 23, bisexual, and don't want to be in a monogamous relationship. How do I go about having sex when I can pass this on through giving, receiving, and intercourse especially when I have a high risk HPV? Is it something you would inform people you've slept with or plan on sleeping with? How would you go on with your sex life?

How I learned to stop worrying and love the Human Papillomavirus

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 09:03:28 -0800

Why does a healthy adult keep getting warts? How to prevent? How to cope? I’m 24 years old, relatively healthy, and seem to be uniquely susceptible to warts. I also have tendencies towards obsessive-compulsive behavior, and lately, I’ve been showing symptoms of depression. I’d really appreciate some medical information and psychological counsel, as well as some personal anecdotes.

Right now, I have a very small wart on the bottom of my left big toe, and something that seems to be developing into a wart on my left thumb. Probably wouldn’t be a big deal for most people, but it’s affecting me pretty significantly, especially this last discovery with the thumb. I keep looking at it constantly and prodding it and seeing if there’s any new development.

In the past, I’ve had warts crop up here and there, which have thus far been eliminated (after a lot of stress and multiple different treatments were thrown at it), with the exception of my most current warts, obviously. Even the giant plantar wart that was three inches in diameter (pretty amazing, really) was eventually eliminated with cantharidin treatments my freshman year of college.

Still, these warts take their toll psychologically, and recently, I’ve been led to do some thinking. It strikes me as odd that a healthy adult, especially one with OCD tendencies, would keep getting warts like this. So my first question would be: is there anyone who, as adults, have or have had the same problem? My guess is that there are, but I’d like to hear about it.

Second, is it even worth stressing over warts like this? What are the real dangers of having warts? Also, should I now be keeping my thumb covered at all times? Because I more or less did that for my foot (although I have been going to bed barefoot) and yet here I am with another wart, on my thumb, of all places.

Which leads to the third question: is HPV pretty much everywhere? Because I was originally going to ask a question a while back on MeFi about how to kill/inactivate HPV on surfaces, like the floor, for instance, but I’m now led to believe the attempt would be futile and impractical. Am I right? Am I to worry about shedding on my instrument (a string instrument, so made of wood and covered with varnish)? (Viral shedding, not shredding.)

Fourth, anything else I should be aware of, from a medical standpoint? I’m wearing flip-flops in the shower, drying my feet (which I didn’t do before, figuring I was safe). I’m treating my toe with salicylic acid and waiting on the thumb. Anything to help my immune system?

Fifth, probably the most important. As I mentioned, this latest discovery of the possible wart on my thumb has gotten me pretty down. I guess it’s partly because I was more or less coming to terms with the one on my foot, which seemed like it was on its way out, and now I have this new thing on my thumb, which is worse, since I’m a musician and I work with my hands. And let’s not forget the fact of my dealing with OCD.

Now, I’m thinking these are the thoughts, conscious and subconscious, that are running through my head:

I shouldn’t be getting warts.
In a just world, this wouldn’t happen to me.
I did everything and it didn’t make a difference.
Nobody else seems to be getting warts. Especially not the cool kids, who seem so worry-free.
These warts are going to get worse.
These warts are going to multiply.
They’re going to get on my hands, my face, and my groinage area.
I’m going to turn into the treeman like that guy from Indonesia. (Probably unlikely.)
I’m going to contaminate the things around me, especially my instrument.
I won’t be able to do my job.
I’ll keep passing them on to myself.
I’ll pass them on to others.
I’m going to have to deal with this stress, with treatment and “quarantining” and just the general fact of having warts, for months to come. (I’m stressing over stress.)

Now, these are examples of distorted, irrational thinking. I think. I mean, some of them might have an ounce of truth to it, but it’s getting magnified and twisted beyond what’s reasonable. I haven’t gotten beyond Chapter 4 of David Burns’s The Feeling Good Handbook, so my final question: how do I deal with these thoughts? How do I learn to stop worrying and love the Human Papillomavirus? Any help would be welcome. Repeating “It’s not your fault” like Robin Williams might not hurt, either.

If you made it this far, congratulations. I’ve put hours into editing this, and because I have so many questions and now would just like some answers, I’m posting this as is. Thanks for any help with any of the questions in advance. IANAD disclosures for the medical questions would be appreciated.

Postscript:
I really don’t know if this thing on my thumb is a wart or not. I noticed some rough skin on the nail groove, next to the nail, and I pruned it with a nail clipper. It’s still a bit hard, so, I really don’t know. I wish I did.

As for why I’m not seeing a professional psychiatrist, it’s because I’m cheap, and due to my circumstances, geographic and otherwise, it’ll take forever to get an appointment, and it’ll be expensive, and by the time I get an appointment I might not be here.

My obsessions and compulsions arise mostly out of thoughts dealing with contagion. I didn't originally respond to the notion of actual germs, just the notion of general filth, passed on by touch (ad infinitum), but since moving, I've noticed that my thoughts started dealing with actual pathogens. Less so now, but it's become a factor.

Now that I’ve thought about it, I’ve pretty much gotten warts while I was away from home: away at college, away at a summer program, and now while I’m in Europe. So stress seems to be a big factor. Doesn’t make it easier, though.

What to do about HPV-51 infection?

Anonymous — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 08:37:22 -0800

My ex has been diagnosed with HPV-51. She probably passed it to me. Cervarix and Gardasil do not protect against this strain. What should I do about my current relationship? My ex was tested positive for HPV using the Digene Hybrid Capture II HPV DNA test. She took this test after we broke up, and, according to her, before she engaged in sexual intercourse with any one else. She subsequently went for a HPV PCR test, and the results showed that she has HPV-51.

Because the ex-relationship I had with my ex was sexually active over a period of more than five years, and assuming she did not contract her current HPV infection from sleeping with anyone after we broke up and before she got the Digene test, I think it is almost certain that I contracted HPV-51 from her.

It has been a few months less than two years since I had any sexual contact with the ex in question. I am now in a relationship with someone else. This is a serious relationship, not a fling, and I treat relationships as things you enter into with a view to seeing if the two of you would be suitable for marriage. My current girlfriend has tested negative for HPV under the Digene HPV DNA test. Cervarix and Gardasil, the only two HPV vaccines commercially available (to my knowledge), do not protect against HPV-51.

Obviously I am hoping that my system either has or will soon clear the HPV-51 infection. But given the lack of any commercially available male HPV tests, it would be difficult to verify this. This is an avenue that I still hope to explore, however.

Assuming that I cannot find a way to tell whether I still have HPV-51 or not, what should I do? Should I end the relationship even though I love my girlfriend very much because I don't want to expose her to the risk of contracting HPV? Does this mean that I can't ever marry anyone else, unless they happen to have the same strain of HPV that I do?

As far as my girlfriend is concerned: she isn't sure what I should do either. Any advice would be much appreciated. If you have additional questions or wish to contact me directly, use hpv51question@gmail.com. Thanks in advance.

Sharing a sex toy w/o spreading HPV?

Anonymous — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 13:58:51 -0800

What precautions should my partner and I take if we want to share a silicone sex toy without spreading HPV between us? What we've been able to find on the web suggest that HPV can be spread by sharing toys, but doesn't give much practical advice on what to do about it. (For various reasons, the other means of transmission aren't an issue for us right now.) Tips?

HPV Clearance in a journal article

zeek321 — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:45:30 -0800

Clearing HPV: Help me understand this journal article, specifically the concept of rate ratio and how it translates into real-world risk. Let's say someone is found to be carrying the hpv-16 strain. Based on this article, what's the chance that they will test negative viral DNA in X number of months? What's a rate ratio?

Can anyone recommend more/better articles on clearance statistics? I'm most interested in the high-risk strains. Here are some more snippets I found that I haven't carefully examined yet.

The question underlying all of this, of course, is if a guy or gal is infected with a high-risk strain, what are the chances that it'll be completely gone in a X number of months with Y confidence?

Where can a male get an HPV vaccination in Los Angeles?

DarwinianDan — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:38:25 -0800

Is there a doctor in Los Angeles that will give me, a male, an HPV vaccination? It's not FDA-approved for men yet, but I've been reading a lot about it and I want to get it.

Do I have HPV or not?

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:12:01 -0800

Do I have HPV or not? I engaged in unprotected oral sex in early December (dumb, I know). About a month later I had a terrible cold and after I recovered I noticed that there was a small soft flesh-colored bump on my scrotum about 2mm in diameter. I thought it was a skin tag and ligated it off with a piece of thread. It popped right off and didn't leave a scar. Now I can not even find the exact spot where it was. Shortly after I read an article about HPV and began to wonder if what I had just removed was in fact a genital wart. Since then, there has been no reoccurrence in that area or anywhere else as far as I can find.

There is some conflicting information out there on the Internet about HPV. Some make it sound like the end of the world, some make it sound like it is no big deal, especially if you have the strain that may cause warts (They almost always go away eventually and these are the strains that don't cause cancer, supposedly).

Two prevailing ideas I hear though is that most people who have HPV either don't know it or don't develop symptoms and diagnosis for men is not easy. Most pictures I have found look like something different than what I had or worst-case scenarios.

I went to a urologist today to ask about it and he says that it is probably not HPV. His reasons were: 1. Although genital warts can appear on the scrotum, they mostly appear on the shaft and near the head of the penis. 2. If it were a HPV wart, it probably would have returned and spread due to the way I removed it. Tying off a wart, according to him, is not very effective because in order to remove it, one needs to go a bit deeper into the skin in order to remove the immediately infected tissue.

My Questions: Does this sound feasible or should I get a second opinion? I'll probably get one anyway. If not a genital wart, what could it have been?

Throwaway email: eyedunno63@gmail.com

Multi-dose vaccinations - what happens if you miss a dose?

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 13:45:57 -0800

Gardasil is given in 3 doses across 6 months, so what if you decide not to get the the last two doses? I have custody of my niece, who is 12. At her physical, her doctor recommended the typical booster shots as well as the HepA vaccination and Gardasil, the vaccine against HPV.

I agreed to the vaccinations.

When I checked back with the 12-year old's mother to tell her about the physical and the shots, it turns out that my sister doesn't believe in vaccinations. In particular, she was fearful of new vaccines on the market, like Gardasil. I immediately regretted my decision to allow the vaccinations and kept mum about the Gardasil.

So, what happens if I don't agree to the final two administrations of Gardasil? Will it be as if the 12-year old never got the vaccine, or will she be more susceptible to getting the virus now, or...?

Also, any suggestions on how to come clean with my sister? I am annoyed by my lack of foresight and disappointed that I never sought her consent first.

I do have an appointment to discuss this with the 12-year old's doctor, but it's not for a few weeks and I want to try to defuse the situation as much as possible with my sister. I'm posting anonymously because I don't want my sister to know about this before I tell her.

HPV Vaccine questions

b33j — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 03:07:16 -0800

Is it worthwhile for me to have the Gardasil (HPV) Vaccine? There have been ads on Australian television recently (I think paid for by the pharmaceutical company but it's not explicit). These ads encourage women who aren't in the 14-26 age bracket that is covered by the Public Benefits Scheme to consider the vaccine. If it was worthwhile, I might be able to find the cash.

I asked my doctor about it today and he said, that if I already had HPV it would show up on the cells of my pap smear. Is he right? I thought what the cells showed was cancerous behaviour, not HPV. I thought that HPV could lie dormant in the body for a while (that being the whole point of the virgin-vaccination thing).

Suppose he's right and I don't have HPV. If I never have sex again - is there any other way to catch HPV?

Suppose I only have sex with my long-term partner, and let us assume that he is always faithful, if he hasn't already given me HPV, does that mean he doesn't have it and can't give it to me?

The last time I was vaccinated for something (flu), I developed psoriasis. I can't say that the vaccination did it of course, but it was the only major change in my environment at the time. Psoriasis sucks and I'm finally at a point now where it's very minor. How irrational is it of me to be wary of all vaccinations because of this?

I am aware that not all cervical cancer is caused by HPV, and therefore with or without the virus/vaccine, it is important to have regular pap smears.

In summary:
Will pap smears always show if you have HPV?
If you have never had genital warts, does this mean you don't have HPV?
IS HPV transmitted in any way other then sex?
Can HPV lie dormant in your, or your partner's body?
Is it likely that psoriasis will be stimulated or exacerbated by a vaccine?

Should my young sister get a LEEP or wait and see?

rmless — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:45:21 -0800

GirlpartsFilter: Please help my sister decide if LEEP is the right option. Her doctor gave her the choice and she has reservations. My sister is 23. She had an abnormal pap (her first abnormal ever) and went in for a colposcopy. She has a high grade abnormality. Her doctor said that she could wait and come in for another check up in 3 months, by which point it might clear up, or she could have a LEEP done.

The doctor mentioned that if the abnormality recurs and she has to get another LEEP, she could be infertile. From what the Dr. said (and my research verifies), she most likely will not need another LEEP later on. But there is a possibility. (From everything I've seen, it looks like one procedure is fine and doesn't do too much to fertility, but two and you might not have enough cervix left to retain the pregnancy. Please correct if I am wrong.)

She has no children but eventually would like some and is worried about risking her 1 out of 2 shots at the LEEP when she is still so young.

Further complicating the situation is that while she is home in Boston now, she is supposed to be doing a fellowship in the republic of Georgia and will go back there between appointments. She saw a doctor there and had a terrible experience,which is why she is home with a doctor she trusts.
I am worried about her waiting and being nervous and alone in Georgia for three months, so I would like to advise her to get the LEEP done now. However, she does have very valid concerns about her fertility, and if the doctor thinks it is ok to wait and see, she might want to let it try and clear up on its own.

Please give any advice, anecdotes, statistics about recurrence (of high grade abnormalities or of the need for a second LEEP), or information that might help her make a decision or help me talk her through it.

I have seen the these threads (12597 and 38963).

Please don't pass the cauliflower: HPV

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 18:05:23 -0800

Okay, I'll just say it: I've got genital warts. I was diagnosed in July after a rather regrettable one-night stand in May. It was a mild case, looking nothing like the scary pictures I'd seen online -- the warts were smooth and flat and fairly small, and all were external. My pap (taken at the same time as diagnosis) was clean, as were my complete STD screens (including HIV).

My doctor gave me Aldara (imiquimod) cream for one month. When I went in at that point for a check-up, she said the spots that remained were more or less gone and it would be okay to stop using the cream.

In the month that followed the warts came back, at least in a couple of places. I filled my refill of Aldara and used it for a couple more weeks, but didn't have any luck. It's not any worse than it ever was, but of course now it's just making me mad. Ever since I came down with this I have felt disgusting, like I'll never be sexually appealing to anyone again.

Something that complicates matters is that I take a drug that suppresses (part of) my immune system, for a separate immune dysfunction. I imagine this is part of the reason I haven't been able to fight off the warts.

And I've tried a high-dose regimen of folic acid and one of the B vitamins that I read about online, which seemed to have no effect.

I'm going to go to a doctor in the next few days, but I'd like to hear from people who've been successfully treated -- what worked for you? Should I do cryotherapy next? How painful is it? How long did it take you to clear? How did you deal with the awful feeling that comes with being "tainted" this way? How are you now? Did anyone have success with Aldara? Any other alternative measures I can try?

(And please, spare the safe sex lectures, etc. I already know. And I'm tested regularly for everything including HIV and will continue to be.)

I've been diagnosed with viral warts which happen to be around the base of my penis, does that mean I have a form of HPV?

Anonymous — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 06:53:25 -0800

I've been diagnosed with viral warts which happen to be around the base of my penis, does that mean I have a form of HPV? A couple years ago, I noticed a small wart hidden amoungst my pubic hair down there. A couple years pass and a few other buddies grew in to keep it company just around the base of my penis and a couple on my scrotum. I have kind of a tanned complexion (I'm half white and half black) and these warts are slightly browner and mostly flat and pretty small compaired to the giants I see on google images. The biggest one being um maybe like 1/8th the size of a pencil eraser or so? I think maybe.

I was sleeping only with my wife for 2 years with them(she hasn't grown any warts after sleeping with me for 2 years) and got a divorce recently and finally decided to have it checked out since I'm back in the dating scene (I wasn't even sure they were warts, but the DR verified). So she says they are a form of viral warts and not genital warts because of their small size, color, shape (they aren't all cauliflower lookin). She said they are viral warts like the kind most people get on your feet or fingers, and is as common as acne.

She asked me a series of questions and concluded that they probably popped up down there because I used the same hair clippers on my head as I do down there to trim up.

She gave me a freeze treatment and told me to buy my own freeze treatment from Walgreens because it may take a few more treatments. So here are my ultimate questions:

Since they are around my penis, could this possibly be some form of human papillomavirus (HPV)?

After my freeze treatment, after the scabs fell off, the skin tone was a lot lighter, will the color eventually return? And they sorta itch now, is this normal? They did not itch before. And they didn't puss before, but they don't leak puss now either. She said they would itch or puss if they were some form of genital warts.

Also, if they are viral warts and I freeze them all off, should I still be worried about spreading them to someone?

Is it really serious at all if it is as common as acne? If this is HPV I'm a little reluctant to sleep with anyone because apparently it causes cervical cancer in women.

Please leave an email if you have any questions. I'm afraid to leave mine in case someone googles my email and finds this post. :-/

Why can't I get Gardasil at 27?

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 08:30:08 -0800

Why can't I get Gardasil after I turn 27? I'm pretty sure that somewhere before Gardasil came out, I read that the reason the upper age limit was set at 26 is because that is the age by which most women have lost their virginity. (Gardasil is given before you become sexually active, so that you don't catch HPV.)

I turn 27 next month, I have no insurance (and have been denied Medicaid twice) and there's no way in hell I can afford $130 per shot, for 3 shots. (I really can't even afford a payment plan, unless they'll take like $5 a month.) I'm a virgin. As long as I remain a virgin, can I still get the shot later on?

My general doctor and GYN seem to want to rush me to get the first shot before my birthday. As far as I can tell, though, there is no magic switch that flips the minute I turn 27, saying I can no longer get the vaccine. Is there any reason beyond virginity to not give Gardasil over that age? Will it be hard to find a doctor who will vaccinate me later on?

(FWIW, so there is no doubt - I'm not a "technical virgin" - the farthest I've gone with a guy is that I've been kissed on the cheek.)

Oral HPV? If so, what do I do?

Anonymous — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 13:20:27 -0800

Help! What's the best resource for HPV in the St. Louis metro area? Specifically, I'm looking for someone in this area who knows something—you know, anything at all—about the diagnosis and treatment of HPV's manifestation as oral warts.

Eight years ago, I was diagnosed with genital warts, and about a year ago, I started to develop warts on my hand. That was disturbing, but that was it, you know?

But then six weeks ago, I came down with mono—and two weeks ago, I started to notice little white bumps on the inside of my cheeks, as well as slightly different white spots on my lips. My upper lip is swollen and, when stretched a little, looks as though it has dozens of little tiny white bumps inside. There are also several tiny white bumps on the surface of my lower lip.

So I'm thinking oral warts. The white spots on the inside of my cheeks, especially, look like images I've found of oral warts, and it makes sense, given that the warts on my hand already provide evidence that viral shedding from the HPV has taken place. Given that the mono has kind of knocked out my immune system, it makes a lot of sense why this would happen now.

But I still don't know definitively what this is, or how to treat it. I've done due diligence on this one. I've searched Google fairly exhaustively, I've read everything I can on the subject, and I've consulted with a general practitioner and a friend who works in a clinic out of state. But in general, I'm not getting a lot of useful information to work with, and most of the people I've talked to seem fairly dismissive of this. I can't help but think that may be because most of them have never seen a case of this.

I've found the phone numbers for national STD hotlines, but—surprise!—almost none of 'em operate on the weekend. The ones I have reached were of dubious value, considering that oral warts is a rare manifestation of HPV. Most of the hotlines are geared more towards general information—and the one national HPV hotline seems to have been rolled into a more general STD one.

So yeah—I'm looking for anything you've got, St. Louisans: references to doctors who specialize in this who you (or a friend, or whatever) have had experience with, references to the type of specialist I should be looking to see, less obvious references I might not have come across via Google, etc.

I've scheduled an appointment to see a dermatologist that's about a week and a half away—but right now, I'd like to know what I can do about this. It seems to be getting worse on an almost daily basis—and I don't even know if a dermatologist is the person I should be seeing about this!

Thanks in advance...

Getting laid without getting HPV

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 23:48:44 -0800

Other than abstinence, condoms and being careful, if there anything that can be done to help avoid catching HPV? I've read the many other HPV threads here but I didn't find this covered and need to know, so:

Is there anything that can be done in advance of sexual contact with someone who probably/might have it that would help boost the immune system to aid it in fighting off the virus? Assume that I'm in good health, eat well, do not smoke, etc... and want to give my system a fighting chance. Is there anything out there that can assist in this?

Please don't answer this question by telling me that I probably already have it. I don't... and that's not the information I'm looking for. I am only looking for info on possible ideas for stuff such as vitamins or herbs or supplements (or...?) that can help the body to help itself to not catch this. For example, might taking something like Echinacea help?

Or am I doomed to just have worrisome sex with this person and then spend the next year checking myself for warts? I'd love to go thru with this in a way that will lesson the likelihood of contracting the virus, and help to put myself at ease so that I can enjoy myself while doing the deed. The alternative being not having sex with someone that I'd really like to, who isn't even positive that he's been exposed (he's never shown any symptoms). I don't want to not sleep with him just because it's possible he's got it, but I'd like to protect myself as best as possible (yes, I wanna have my cake and eat it too!).

Oh man. ANOTHER HPV question?

Anonymous — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 04:08:30 -0800

I know HPV has been talked to death here but I have some questions about viral shedding. I don't really understand it. What is viral shedding exactly? So, if you have HPV does viral shedding occur only around the genital region or also on your hands and so on? I know a condom does not offer protection for HPV already. I'm just trying to figure out what kind of risk I might be posing to others even in non-sexual contact situations. Anyway, as a man, I'm not even sure I have it although my partner two partners ago was just diagnosed with HPV and my last partner just had an irregular pap smear so I'm looking like I might be a likely carrier.

Confusion! It's such a terrible (HPV) strain . . .

Anonymous — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:14:51 -0800

HPV and all that it entails. Transmission, treatment, talking with partners. I've read this and this and this. I've talked to my doctor, I've read the websites, I'm still confused. And do I need a new doctor? Males don't have a test for HPV. But supposedly the virus will clear itself from their bodies in two years--does this mean ten years down the line there will still need to be disclosure about the possibility of HPV (I'm thinking yes)? "Hey, I'd love to bang you, but you could get cervical cancer from it"?

For men and women, I'm correct in assuming that if you have HPV, visible warts or no, viral shedding is going to make it essentially a given that your partner will get HPV if the entire genital area isn't covered in saran wrap?

And what about oral sex? I've heard you can get warts in your mouth, I've heard you can't, I've heard it's rare. How rare is rare? Is it a risk worth taking?

Then there's treatment. There's freezing, there's lasers, if you have it on your cervix there's LEEP, there's creams, there's electrocautery. My doctor is advocating the use of lasers, but I read there's a high risk of reemergence (70-80%, according to WebMD). He says there's too much damage done to the tissue by electrocautery. I asked about using creams and lasers in conjunction, but he was evasive and says he's not a fan of self-treatment. Also, they're itching like mad. He tells me they don't itch and the itch is an indication something else is going on. But online one of the symptoms is itching! I'm getting bad feelings about this guy. Should I be? And if better doctors are out there, how would I find them?

Then there's having sex with the partner who infected you with HPV in the first place. If they're asymptomatic and your warts are removed, are you going to promote reemergence by having sex with them? This relates to the first question about the inevitability of transmission. Will the two of you keep giving it back and forth to one another, neither to ever fully clear it out of their bodies?

I know there's a lot of information out there about HPV, but little of it is fully comprehensive and a lot of it is contradictory. Perhaps MeFi could provide some solid answers?

HPV disclosure?

megatherium — Thu, 25 May 2006 06:24:11 -0800

HPV etiquette: Given the ubiquity of this organism and its imperviosness to condom use, what is the etiquette for informing a new sexual partner that you have been discovered to harbor the virus, for both men and women? (Given the absence of symptoms and the inability to test in males, some sleuthing will disclose how it was discovered.) For women, if you have been diagnosed with the virus at age 20, should you be expected to disclose it to new partners indefinitely?