Genital warts - help!

LegacyUser

I know how touchy it is when people post on this board seeking medical advice , BUTTTTT

I'm just wondering if anyone else has been through or had a similar experience , and how did You / yee deal with this .

I have genital warts. I know ... its scanky. I had SWS. ( sex while stupid )
I was never that promiscuous but made two stupid mistakes and got into a whole load of trouble. Trouble that at the time , made genital warts pale into insignificance in comparison .

Anyway , I did try to deal with the problem when it arose but encountered the same problems that exist today. Every doctor I see ... its never a huge deal to them. They talk to me like i'm an idiot. They try and wring their hands of responsibility or even interest.

The most recent doctor I've seen , on my college campus , has made three chryo attemps to reduce what are not ... massively obvious or conspicious symptoms of gential warts ( ie. the warts themselves) She brought this flask of nitrogen in and applied it with a giant cotton bud , and made sure I knew how much it was costing her and what a nuisance I was for bringing this problem to her. ect ect.

She then advised me to go and queue up at a local gum clinic like everybody else in the country ( those are my words not hers) , because she doesnt have the latest technology that they would have to solve the problem. She is completely washing her hands of this. She wants nothing to do with me and my genital warts.

Thats that.

But I dont think anyone who has never had an std like warts understands how debilitating it is... although my nurse was sympathetic.

I asked the doctor to prescribe me some cream that i would apply it myself and try and get rid of the symptoms once and for all , she says no , because I could end up paralysed or some ****. She said if I was a guy with the warts on his penis , she could get rid of them no prob , but because of the position and location of them ( probably inside aswell ) she needs to refer myself to someone with the right technology.

So off I go at the next opportunity to the local (milles away) gum clinic. Where I will cue up in a waiting room for hours only to be interviewed about every single aspect of my life , only to be told that I can come back on a date when I will probably not be available due to commitments outside my vagina.

DOES ANYONE know the solution to my problem?????

I know that this does not just dissapear and could stay around for years , but what do other people do to just rid themselves of the shame and sheer feeling of ugliness that comes with all of the above.

according to the doctor this is a really common thing. That doesnt console me one bit. I want rid. FOREVER.




Thanks for reading.

ps. Stupid irish health service.

Victor

Have a look at this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=152605

You could pay to have the work done privately, at a time more suited to you.

The doctor is right. GP's are not the best people to deal with this. The best thing to do is indeed to go to a GUM clinic or gynecologist. Yes, it's a bit inconvenient but that's life. I've missed days of college with various health issues, having to see specialists and the like. That's life. You can't just expect to click your fingers and have everyone come running to fix your problems. It's nothing to do with the Irish health service, I live in the UK and it's the same. Everywhere is the same. GP's aren't magic, they're there to diagnose most things and refer when necessary. This is something which usually needs a referral. It's not your doctor's fault you have genital warts, or any other medical condition. If the GUM clinic is far, it's far. No-one's problem but yours, to be quite honest. I've had to travel home to Ireland while abroad for outpatient treatments. My health is worth the inconvenience.

missunderstood1

just spotting your thread i had them years ago when i was a teen, also had sws :P went to a std clinnic..it took months of going in to the clinnic to have them freezed..very painfull, nurse was lovely and even held my hand. (nurses really should be paid more) any way i also got this aldara cream think thats what it was called. had to be applied night and morning.. must admit i missed a couple of times and told the doc it wasnt working. then she gave me a cream called wartner (dunno how i remember these names) but anywho the magic of wartner had the warts gone in about two-three weeks happest day of my life when i walked out of the clinnis and had the all clear. after nearly 6months of being treated, as discusting as they are its just one of those this that happens to us unlucky people and i know how distressing it can be. i hope they clear for you soon

missunderstood1

oh sugar, it isnt called wartner i dont think, think maybe iv got a bit mixed up

Miller Boy

Please excuse my ignorance. Can genital warts only be contracted by having sex?

tenchi-fan

Fair play to Victor for suggesting you pay to get it done privately if you can't handle the "shame" of going to a clinic.

you're a student so I'm not sure what "commitments" you're referring to. What's so important that you can't take a day out of your busy schedule?

The solution is to learn an important lesson - you could have contracted a lot worse. Stop trying to blame your GP or the health service.

I got warts on my hands once (not my fault) but (the horror) I had to pay for a GP visit, then attend a public clinic every wednesday morning until they were gone. And at some stage i got a few small warts on my face... €40 for a gp referral, €120 for the consultant visit... major inconvenience regarding travel and time off work but guess what - I worked my busy schedule around it.

LegacyUser

I also have HPV causing warts and got them as a result of being raped when a 15 year old virgin. I have done the treatment and I appreciate how upsetting and horrible it is, and how crap you must feel but I have to say I found your post odd. You feel awful about what you have and want to get rid of them, yet you're bemoaning the fact that, essentially, the doctors can't make it more convenient for you?

mrs boomb wrote: »

The most recent doctor I've seen , on my college campus , has made three chryo attemps to reduce what are not ... massively obvious or conspicious symptoms of gential warts ( ie. the warts themselves) She brought this flask of nitrogen in and applied it with a giant cotton bud , and made sure I knew how much it was costing her and what a nuisance I was for bringing this problem to her. ect ect.

She then advised me to go and queue up at a local gum clinic like everybody else in the country ( those are my words not hers) , because she doesnt have the latest technology that they would have to solve the problem.

That seems fair enough to be honest. She doesn't have the right equipment for the job. Would you rather she continued applying painful cryotherapy with no results?

mrs boomb wrote: »

She is completely washing her hands of this. She wants nothing to do with me and my genital warts.

It sounds more like she wants you to get better and she knows that you'll achieve that by going elsewhere, specifically to somewhere that specialises in this kind of thing. Well Woman Clinics are quite good if you want to go private.

mrs boomb wrote: »

I asked the doctor to prescribe me some cream that i would apply it myself and try and get rid of the symptoms once and for all , she says no , because I could end up paralysed or some ****. She said if I was a guy with the warts on his penis , she could get rid of them no prob , but because of the position and location of them ( probably inside aswell ) she needs to refer myself to someone with the right technology.

Again, fair enough on the doctors part. Cryotherapy is, in my understanding, the best way to deal with genital warts. It needs to be kept dry after freezing, this generally isn't a problem when it comes to the penis which is why the doctor would have been able to remove them. Not so easy for us ladies.

mrs boomb wrote: »

So off I go at the next opportunity to the local (milles away) gum clinic. Where I will cue up in a waiting room for hours only to be interviewed about every single aspect of my life , only to be told that I can come back on a date when I will probably not be available due to commitments outside my vagina.

Make the time to go to your appointment. The fact that it is "miles away" is an inconvenience, nothing more. Get this treated and start moving on with your life. I completely understand how you feel but I do think you're being overly defensive.

mrs boomb wrote: »

according to the doctor this is a really common thing. That doesnt console me one bit. I want rid. FOREVER.

Look, I don't want to appear insensitive, but if you want rid forever you need to go to your appointment with the people who are in the best position to deal with it, ie. the GUM clinic.

LegacyUser

Thanks to all who replied.

Tenchifan , your post wasnt really that helpful , but thanks anyway.There's a big difference in having warts on your hand and warts on your genitals.
And also , a big difference between when men get genital warts and women get them. My GP told me that if I was a man , with visible warts on my penis , she would treat me no problem, but because Im a woman , and where they are , its way more complicated than that.

Misunderstood1 , I think it is called wartner ? is it not ? or is it warticon ! ? I tried it before , maybe I didnt use it for long enough ? and was impatient with the process?

I need to get this sorted anyway , it has gone on for way too long, and I look forward to the *all clear* day.

PLease god let it be this year.

missunderstood1

yes yes it was warticon. maybe diff treatments work for different people.
i said aldara didnt work for me but my friend who also had genital warts used it and that cream cleared it up for her no problem.

it took me close enough to a year to get them clear, and it was the biggest pain in the ass ever but when they are gone itll be worth all the effort of trying diff creams and treatments till you find one that suits you.

mrs boomb

mrs boomb wrote: »

Thanks to all who replied.

Tenchifan , your post wasnt really that helpful , but thanks anyway.There's a big difference in having warts on your hand and warts on your genitals.
And also , a big difference between when men get genital warts and women get them. My GP told me that if I was a man , with visible warts on my penis , she would treat me no problem, but because Im a woman , and where they are , its way more complicated than that.

Misunderstood1 , I think it is called wartner ? is it not ? or is it warticon ! ? I tried it before , maybe I didnt use it for long enough ? and was impatient with the process?

I need to get this sorted anyway , it has gone on for way too long, and I look forward to the *all clear* day.

PLease god let it be this year.

Yeah, but that's how it is. Women nearly always suffer worse effects than men from STD's, that's just life. It can be difficult to treat internal stuff - I have to go to the hospital every 6 months to monitor abnormalities on my cervix. Yes, it's inconvenient, yes I've been unlucky, but it's better than dying of cervical cancer from not getting checked out and treated. I'm constantly having to go for checkups and scans and get poked and prodded at gynecologists because of a condition I have. It's not my 'fault', I didn't do anything to 'deserve' it, but that is life. If you don't take the necessary steps to help yourself, you can't expect other people to. I'm not sure why you're having a pop at your GP or the health service when they're doing their job. I know how frustrating it is, but taking a day off college or travelling to a clinic is really nothing but a minor inconvenience when it comes to your health. Just do all you can and then you'll know you've done your best.

Zachariah

Genital warts are caused by HPV, a most common form of sexually transmitted disease. I think lot of people try to cheat on someone even though they have genital warts.

Magenta

mrs boomb wrote: »

I know how touchy it is when people post on this board seeking medical advice , BUTTTTT

I'm just wondering if anyone else has been through or had a similar experience , and how did You / yee deal with this .

I have genital warts. I know ... its scanky. I had SWS. ( sex while stupid )
I was never that promiscuous but made two stupid mistakes and got into a whole load of trouble. Trouble that at the time , made genital warts pale into insignificance in comparison .

Anyway , I did try to deal with the problem when it arose but encountered the same problems that exist today. Every doctor I see ... its never a huge deal to them. They talk to me like i'm an idiot. They try and wring their hands of responsibility or even interest.

The most recent doctor I've seen , on my college campus , has made three chryo attemps to reduce what are not ... massively obvious or conspicious symptoms of gential warts ( ie. the warts themselves) She brought this flask of nitrogen in and applied it with a giant cotton bud , and made sure I knew how much it was costing her and what a nuisance I was for bringing this problem to her. ect ect.

She then advised me to go and queue up at a local gum clinic like everybody else in the country ( those are my words not hers) , because she doesnt have the latest technology that they would have to solve the problem. She is completely washing her hands of this. She wants nothing to do with me and my genital warts.

Thats that.

But I dont think anyone who has never had an std like warts understands how debilitating it is... although my nurse was sympathetic.

I asked the doctor to prescribe me some cream that i would apply it myself and try and get rid of the symptoms once and for all , she says no , because I could end up paralysed or some ****. She said if I was a guy with the warts on his penis , she could get rid of them no prob , but because of the position and location of them ( probably inside aswell ) she needs to refer myself to someone with the right technology.

So off I go at the next opportunity to the local (milles away) gum clinic. Where I will cue up in a waiting room for hours only to be interviewed about every single aspect of my life , only to be told that I can come back on a date when I will probably not be available due to commitments outside my vagina.

DOES ANYONE know the solution to my problem?????

I know that this does not just dissapear and could stay around for years , but what do other people do to just rid themselves of the shame and sheer feeling of ugliness that comes with all of the above.

according to the doctor this is a really common thing. That doesnt console me one bit. I want rid. FOREVER.




Thanks for reading.

ps. Stupid irish health service.

First of all stop blaming the health service. It's your own fault you are in this situation.
Go to the Well Woman centre and use condoms in future.

missunderstood1

i think its unfair to say its her own fault, these things happen. i know when i caught them i had been going out with a fella for two years, i never strayed but yet i got them..is that my fault to?

its a terrible experience to go through, and yes maybe she did go out and have unprotected sex but i think every one has or will at some stage of their lives do something stupid.

as for the health service, the girl have some right to feel a tad mad at the health service..

some doctors, you know are just in it for the money, they lack in social skills and are unable to empathize with a person.
doctors are they to heal peoplea ns give advice not to pass judgesment or make the person feel like they are being a nusiense (sorry i proberly spelled that wrong) for looking for treatment.

missunderstood1

fair enough, but the girl said she had got them from sws, so she already knows why she got them. so she doesnt need people telling her its her fault shes looking for advice.

sesna

OP, first off my sympathies for your new life long condition. Genital herpes will unfortunately forever remind you of the dangers of unprotected sex.

There are creams available on prescription such as Aldara Cream which is used as short term treatment. Also there is an option to take anti-viral drugs when you get a particularly bad flare up of this condition.

You should inform all future partners of your condition.

Nevyn

Unhelpful and off-topic posting will get you banned from this forum.
Do take time to read the charter which contains the rules and abide by them.
Have a nice day.
Thaedydal

Barracudaincork

sesna wrote: »

OP, first off my sympathies for your new life long condition. Genital herpes will unfortunately forever remind you of the dangers of unprotected sex.

There are creams available on prescription such as Aldara Cream which is used as short term treatment. Also there is an option to take anti-viral drugs when you get a particularly bad flare up of this condition.

You should inform all future partners of your condition.

She has genital warts not genital herpes.

sesna

Barracudaincork wrote: »

She has genital warts not genital herpes.

My apologies, I misread and kept thinking of that line from The Hangover. That Aldara cream still can be used, as does the fact that its often for life.

Nevyn

and both genital warts and gential herpes can be contracted even if a person practices safer sex and uses a condom. A person can only have 1 sexual partner and have used a condom and it is possible they could get both, they would have to be very unlucky but it is possible.

It isn't about being at 'fault'. I really despair at the attitudes of people who think STD's only affect irresponsible people who deserve them. Anyone who is sexually active is at risk, condoms or no condoms, so some people might want to fix their attitude and stop thinking it might never happen to them. Guess what, if your long term partner used to get cold sores as a child, you too could wake up one day with genital herpes, if your partner has ever slept with anyone else, you too could get genital warts, so some people might want to go easy on the condemning.

It isn't that I think the OP deserves to have GW or anything like that, I just think her attitude is rather immature. Plenty of us have medical issues we don't 'deserve', but if we don't help ourselves, how can we expect anyone else to? A trip to the GUM clinic and questioning about sexual history is par for the course with this kind of thing. Nobody wants to take a take off work/college for something like that, but that's what adults do. I've missed loads of college and had to travel to specialists and spend money on expensive private care because of various medical issues, which are a result of pure bad luck. I've had to sit in countless GUM clinics and have countless STD screens, even though I've only had a couple of partners I knew my issues were gynecological. I'm sick to death of it all, but I want to get better and I will do what I need to to make that happen. Sure, it's not my 'fault' but it's no-one else's either.

consultech

If you want the cryo to take, you need a super-powered immune system. Think health shop pro-biotics, diet overhawl etc. Ive never had genital warts (touch wood, but not without a condom). I was on immmuno-suppressants for a seperate illness years ago though and couldn't get rid of 3 "ordinarily simple to get rid of" warts on my hand with cryotherapy until I came off the meds.

LegacyUser

GW can be spread by touch if someone has them on another body wart, hand etc. If you can't handle dealing with this then maybe you're not mature enough to be having sex.

skooterblue

Ok you played with fire with the SWS you got burnt. When werent you warned about HPV/condoms/STI/unplanned pregnancy??

Dont go blaming everyone else for it. Come down off your high horse and have a slice of humble pie. Your GP/College Doc is there for minor things. They are health managers/directors. They can do minor things. This needs a GUM Doctors, a person specially experienced in these matters. the same way you wouldnt ask a labourer to build and design a house.

Dont blame the GP/Health service they didn't pick the guy and make you have SWS with him. Grow up and take some responsibly for this yourself. This is you HEALTH, why would you take a chance with it? Go do the right thing, and be a bit more careful in future.

skooterblue

skooterblue wrote: »

Ok you played with fire with the SWS you got burnt. When werent you warned about HPV/condoms/STI/unplanned pregnancy??

Condoms don't protect against genital warts. Many people carry the virus and just don't develop actual warts. The only way to avoid them is to never have sex with anyone, ever. I guess people just like to think that the 'victim' was silly and irresponsible because that way they can convince themselves it will never happen to them. I am in a LTR but I'm not arrogant enough to think I'm immune to all STI's. Sure, on this occasion, she made a mistake, but it could have easily still happened with a long term partner.

Dont go blaming everyone else for it. Come down off your high horse and have a slice of humble pie. Your GP/College Doc is there for minor things. They are health managers/directors. They can do minor things. This needs a GUM Doctors, a person specially experienced in these matters. the same way you wouldnt ask a labourer to build and design a house.

This I agree with. Whatever caused the GW, they are there now and it's nobody's problem but OP's. I would think that having to travel or take time off college would be a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things.

matt-dublin

try using apple cider vinager on the affected areas.

(i havent used it myself but i know a fe ppl who have and they said it compleatly cleared up)

you should also get checked for HPV as warts are one of the symptoms of it

matt-dublin

and people get off your high horses, she asked for adivce on how to resolver her problem, not ridicule for having unprotected sex.

Stop giving out and start providing proper answers.

Miller Boy

matt-dublin wrote: »

and people get off your high horses, she asked for adivce on how to resolver her problem, not ridicule for having unprotected sex.

Stop giving out and start providing proper answers.

I agree with you, Matt. A number of posters seem to use Relationship Issues and Personal Issues to moralise and give out. I don't like that either.

matt-dublin

matt-dublin wrote: »

and people get off your high horses, she asked for adivce on how to resolver her problem, not ridicule for having unprotected sex.

Stop giving out and start providing proper answers.

There are plenty of helpful non-judgemental replies. Fact is, the best thing to do is go to a proper clinic and be seen by a doctor with experience of treating GW and other STI's. It is not a good idea to do home treatments for this type of thing, especially as she has been told some of the warts are internal.

And FYI, there is no test for HPV in Ireland. If she has GW, she can assume she has that type of HPV. The other type causes abnormalities on the cervix, which would be picked up during a smear test. Currently, only the effects of HPV are detected and treated, not the HPV itself.

LegacyUser

Magenta wrote: »

First of all stop blaming the health service. It's your own fault you are in this situation.
Go to the Well Woman centre and use condoms in future.

What a unhelpful and ill informed attitude.

OP, my husband got a wart.

At a Dublin GUM clinic we were told that just about everyone who's had unprotected sex with more than a partner or two has been exposed to HPV. Its like catching the common cold. But only maybe 1 in 100 develope a wart, often due to a reduced immune system, maybe from stress. For all the above poster knows, he or she is a carrier as well - unless of course that poster has never had sex without a condom, which gets more unrealistic and unlikely as you get older (even people with HPV wants kids for one thing...)

Go to the GUM people, they really are the best people to deal with this. And don't beat yourself up about it. This is just a fact of life, unfortunately.

Magenta

unregistered wrote: »

What a unhelpful and ill informed attitude.

First of all "go to the Well Woman clinic and use condoms in future" is good advice.
Secondly if you are prepared to have "sex while stupid" then you must be prepared to accept the risk of catching genital warts or any other sexually transmitted disease/infection.

LegacyUser

Magenta wrote: »

First of all "go to the Well Woman clinic and use condoms in future" is good advice.
Secondly if you are prepared to have "sex while stupid" then you must be prepared to accept the risk of catching genital warts or any other sexually transmitted disease/infection.

Ok - you can catch HPV/Warts while using condoms. I am in my mid 30's and have had two long term relationships in my life. I have only ever used condoms and only ever slept with these two men. I broke up with my current partner for 6 months - he slept with someone and I ended up with warts. SWS might be a factor, but lets not tar everyone with the same brush.

HPV causes genital warts, they are a different strain of virus to those warts on your hands & face etc - not likely to transfer from hands to genital area. Once the virus is in your system some people throw it off and some people develop physical symptoms such as warts - important to know that the virus may be transmitted by someone who is asymptomatic - i.e. not showing warts, but still carrying the virus.

Op, I got mine done in the Well Woman centre. It took about 6 months to clear them and I have stayed clear so far. There is a chance that they will reoccur - the advice I got included keeping my immune system boosted with a general vitamin & mineral supplement to give my body a chance to fight off the virus itself

LegacyUser

I apologise for my ignorance but can warts be transferred by having them on your hands and fingering/w**king someone? Will they contract genital warts from regular hand warts? I am led to believe that they are different type of viruses but its a question I've often wondered.

Mods, I know this is not a medical board, I am just curious, feel free to remove..

Magenta

ghghghgh wrote: »

Ok - you can catch HPV/Warts while using condoms. I am in my mid 30's and have had two long term relationships in my life. I have only ever used condoms and only ever slept with these two men. I broke up with my current partner for 6 months - he slept with someone and I ended up with warts. SWS might be a factor, but lets not tar everyone with the same brush.

The OP could just just have easily caught something else (and should get tested in case she did) so using condoms is a good idea.

LegacyUser

Magenta.

Lets apply a bit of realism to sexual relationships. While stds are always chasing us in the dark, if you consider that about 90% of the population probably has hpv (unfortunately) its not really fair to chastise the OP for it. People are safety aware but they still want and have to live their lives. Hpv is with us, this generation, whether we want it or not, hopefully we will get rid of it in the future, but someone called for help here, so it is our duty to help, not to state the obvious. Though I know from you previous posts that you are a very good and thoughtful person.

unregistered

unregistered wrote: »

Magenta.

Lets apply a bit of realism to sexual relationships. While stds are always chasing us in the dark, if you consider that about 90% of the population probably has hpv (unfortunately) its not really fair to chastise the OP for it. People are safety aware but they still want and have to live their lives. Hpv is with us, this generation, whether we want it or not, hopefully we will get rid of it in the future, but someone called for help here, so it is our duty to help, not to state the obvious. Though I know from you previous posts that you are a very good and thoughtful person.

Exactly. It's not an exaggeration to say that most people have HPV. It really is that common. That's why someone with even one sexual partner needs to get a smear test. It always does my head in when people judge others about having it or needing treatment for cervical lesions, when they most probably have it themselves and were lucky enough not to develop any complications. I've had trouble with abnormal smears and the only reason I have this problem and most women don't is that my body for whatever reason decided to cause hassle. That's it. Pure bad luck. Twenty years ago and even more recently, warts and abnormal smears were seen as things that just happened. There wasn't the stigma attached that there is today. The stigma is useless and pointless. HPV isn't really preventable the way most STD's are, so there's little point in making a big deal about it. The only way to prevent it is total abstinence.

Shayman

matt-dublin wrote: »

and people get off your high horses, she asked for adivce on how to resolver her problem, not ridicule for having unprotected sex.

Stop giving out and start providing proper answers.

Yes but she, very helpfully, had a dig at the Irish Health Service, at the end. Is it their fault? The staff of our health service have enough sh1t to put up with without being slagged off for stuff that CERTAINLY is not their fault?

Magenta

unregistered wrote: »

Magenta.

Lets apply a bit of realism to sexual relationships. While stds are always chasing us in the dark, if you consider that about 90% of the population probably has hpv (unfortunately) its not really fair to chastise the OP for it. People are safety aware but they still want and have to live their lives. Hpv is with us, this generation, whether we want it or not, hopefully we will get rid of it in the future, but someone called for help here, so it is our duty to help, not to state the obvious. Though I know from you previous posts that you are a very good and thoughtful person.

Point taken but she could just as easily have caught something else which is why she should use condoms.

[quote=[Deleted User];64450970]Exactly. It's not an exaggeration to say that most people have HPV. It really is that common. That's why someone with even one sexual partner needs to get a smear test. It always does my head in when people judge others about having it or needing treatment for cervical lesions, when they most probably have it themselves and were lucky enough not to develop any complications.[/QUOTE]

But I don't have it myself, and I know because I have had the smear tests.

Shayman wrote: »

Yes but she, very helpfully, had a dig at the Irish Health Service, at the end. Is it their fault? The staff of our health service have enough sh1t to put up with without being slagged off for stuff that CERTAINLY is not their fault?

That annoyed me as well.

dudara

Posters, one more word about bringing this upon herself and i will ban with immediate effect.

Stick to the topic at hand.

OP, you really need to suck up the inconvenience and get yourself to a specialist clinic or doctor. Because you are female, the STD is internal, meaning that treatment is not as simple or as straightforward as it would be for a male.

I know that this is a stressful time for you right now, and you're lashing out in anger. But you need to get calm and get this sorted.

Good luck.

dudara

Brian Capture

Is it possible to eat genital warts?

This is supposed to cure them but I have my doubts.

Magenta

Magenta wrote: »

But I don't have it myself, and I know because I have had the smear tests.

Sometimes I just feel like banging my head off the table. As I said, MOST people with HPV will not develop outward signs of it, and there is no test for HPV in Ireland. That means that the majority of people carrying HPV will not have visible warts or cervical abnormalities. Have you ever had sex in your life? If so, there is an extremely high possibility that you have or have had HPV. The fact you have not developed any cervical issues or warts is either here nor there. It means you're luckier than I am and than the OP is, it doesn't mean you haven't been exposed to HPV.

Once you are no longer a virgin, whether or not you develop any outward signs of having contracted HPV (either the high risk or low risk kind) is pure dumb luck. You might well be carrying it and passing it onto other people, who might themselves develop outward signs of having it. Less than 10% of women with high risk HPV have abnormal smears and only around 1% of people with low risk HPV have visible warts. That means a sizeable chunk of the rest of the population, including the people walking around looking down on other people for having it, are carrying it with no symptoms. And finally, those lucky people who are not virgins but do not have any form of HPV, are just that, lucky. It doesn't really have anything to do with their sexual behaviour or choices. Feeling proud of yourself or superior for not having HPV is like feeling proud of yourself for never having had the flu or the chicken pox - illogical and meaningless.

I think this thread is a good way to educate people about HPV and assure the OP that she is not alone, at fault or 'dirty', just unlucky. She said genital warts is not the same as a wart on the finger, but biologically, it is. It's just that finger warts don't have all the unnecessary stigma attached. It would be awful if OP or others put off getting the correct treatment because of embarrassment or fear of being judged.

Magenta

[quote=[Deleted User];64455337]Sometimes I just feel like banging my head off the table. As I said, MOST people with HPV will not develop outward signs of it, and there is no test for HPV in Ireland. That means that the majority of people carrying HPV will not have visible warts or cervical abnormalities. Have you ever had sex in your life? If so, there is an extremely high possibility that you have or have had HPV. The fact you have not developed any cervical issues or warts is either here nor there. It means you're luckier than I am and than the OP is, it doesn't mean you haven't been exposed to HPV. [/QUOTE]

Sweetheart, where did I say that I got the test done in Ireland? (a quote will do nicely).
I have the test results here in front of me.
Has it occurred to you that there are other countries that I may have lived in where they do pap smears? Do you think you know better than the clinic that tested me?

PS Mind your head.

dudara

Ernesto Yellow Guano and Magenta Take it to PM. Please do not continue any further.

dudara

sesna

My last dog had canine genital warts. They were rather unsightly but the vet removed them with cryotherapy.
I think they are also caused by the papillomavirus.

LegacyUser

Magenta wrote: »

Sweetheart, where did I say that I got the test done in Ireland? (a quote will do nicely).
I have the test results here in front of me.
Has it occurred to you that there are other countries that I may have lived in where they do pap smears? Do you think you know better than the clinic that tested me?

PS Mind your head.

I know mods don't want this this disagreement continued, but for the sake of education (this is an important thread), it should be stated that if Magenta thinks having a clear pap smear (from any country) means she has never been exposed to HPV and is not a HPV carrier, then she's misunderstood the previous posts. A clear smear means only that she doesn't have HPV symptoms. Very few people who have HPV will ever be symptomatic (cervical lesions, warts) so Magenta still doesn't know if she is a HPV carrier or not. But statistically its likely that she is, as most of us are.

You can still have HPV and get a clear smear.

Please bear in mind that there are probably people reading this who have warts or lesions and are terrified so its important to put the correct info out and take the stigma away from something that largely comes down to bad luck.

6th

This is not a forum for medical advice. People should just agree to disagree. Thank you.

unregistered

unregistered wrote: »

But surely you don't anyone to be mis-informed by this thread?

Its impossible to 'agree to disagree' about FACTS.

Indeed. Stating facts which help and support the OP isn't medical advice. I think this thread is really important and could go a long way in clearing up a lot of the misinformation about HPV.

One of the main issues OP has is she has is that she feels icky and dirty for having this 'taboo' STI, when in fact, it really is no more icky or uncommon than getting a verruca after going swimming. There is a lot of psychological trauma attached to things like GW for no good reason. If you got a verruca, you wouldn't think 'oh God, I'm such an idiot for going swimming, I feel so disgusted with myself.' You'd think 'that's really annoying and I was a bit unlucky, I'd better go to the chemist and get it sorted.'

There really is no need for anyone to feel smug about not having an STI if they're not a virgin. That's as silly as feeling smug about not having caught the flu and telling your mate its her own fault she got it because she went out in public instead of staying at home. You can take precautions and choose your partners carefully but the risk is always there. I guess it's human nature to blame the victim because that way you can convince yourself it won't happen to you. I think the Irish attitude towards STI's is something that needs to be sorted out ASAP. The reason infections like chlamydia spread so fast is because people don't get checked out because they think STI's are something that affects other people - slutty, stupid, careless people. They really don't discriminate.

LegacyUser

[quote=[Deleted User];64463311]Indeed. Stating facts which help and support the OP isn't medical advice. I think this thread is really important and could go a long way in clearing up a lot of the misinformation about HPV.

One of the main issues OP has is she has is that she feels icky and dirty for having this 'taboo' STI, when in fact, it really is no more icky or uncommon than getting a verruca after going swimming. There is a lot of psychological trauma attached to things like GW for no good reason. If you got a verruca, you wouldn't think 'oh God, I'm such an idiot for going swimming, I feel so disgusted with myself.' You'd think 'that's really annoying and I was a bit unlucky, I'd better go to the chemist and get it sorted.'

There really is no need for anyone to feel smug about not having an STI if they're not a virgin. That's as silly as feeling smug about not having caught the flu and telling your mate its her own fault she got it because she went out in public instead of staying at home. You can take precautions and choose your partners carefully but the risk is always there. I guess it's human nature to blame the victim because that way you can convince yourself it won't happen to you. I think the Irish attitude towards STI's is something that needs to be sorted out ASAP. The reason infections like chlamydia spread so fast is because people don't get checked out because they think STI's are something that affects other people - slutty, stupid, careless people. They really don't discriminate.[/QUOTE]
So true. I had cervical lesions and went through hell over it in my mind. Nothing is as important as information when you have a diagnosis, but this was years ago when they would not yet conform the HPV connection. This is why information is so important. We were all relieved when we found out about HPV and could understand why this happened to us.

Five years later, my husband found a wart on his penis, and would not believe what I told him about HPV. This was at a particularly difficult time in our relationship. He assumed I had cheated on me and went nuts. The neighbours called the guards.

When we eventually went to the GUM clinic, we were told that there is no way of knowing whether he had contracted the virus as a 15 yr old teenager and given it to me or I picked it first; only that just about everyone else has it too.

I don't want to scare anyone. But you can understand why I think information is very important. Of course, wear a condom and get tested regularly. Ironically, I was a fanatic about testing for stds and got tested with him years before it was the done thing. In fact, I've been tested about five times and have never had anything. Currently, there is no test for HPV. You are either symptomatic or you're not. But chances are, you have it. And that, is part of the great gamble of what we call life! We could all stop shagging and reproducing tommorrow and HPV would die with us. But for most people, it will still never be a problem, which shows evolution is already dealing with HPV and future generations will have great immunity, in the same way we can deal with the common cold but it would kill pure blood eskimo's who haven't been primed to deal with it for generations.

But thats no reason to look down on anyone who's genes aren't yet primed to beat HPV!

Though neither mys husband or myself are symtomatic anymore, so we've (hopefully) beaten it already!

Anyway, great thread.

Zachariah

I think it's fair enough, she admitted the mistake. Plus she looking for help, I don't think anyone should point the problem.

lyndak082

this prob isnt helping but i blame the men!

i know of a load if fellas who are roaming about the place spreading this ****e and dont care!!

most men are too ashamed to get help with these things

fools:mad:

LegacyUser

If you do happen to contract it how long does it take for warts to show? I have a bump that just came out of nowhere in the last couple of days, it's the same colour as my skin and doesn't look particularly wartish and I didn't even think that it might be a wart until I thought about the fact that I stupidly had unprotected sex two weeks ago. I've heard it's 3-12 months usually before anything shows up though? I'm not sure if I should leave it because it seems to be subsiding a little bit and I am prone to ingrown hairs and spots down there occasionally. I'm also a student and really don't have the money for treatment at the moment if it does turn out to be a wart. Is the GUM clinic free? Also if I did contract it from the person I had unprotected sex with would he get warts if we slept together again with or would he remain a 'symptomless' carrier? f***, the morning after pill was clearly the least of my worries.

Any advice would be appreciated.