Got an STI

gayguy2009

hey guys, as you can tell from my user name i'm a homosexual man, I'm 20 years old and have only had anal sex with one guy. I was recently diagnosed with anal warts. I had them for 4 months but I have been to 2 GP's and a clinic and they said they were hemorrhoids. I have been reading about the HPV virus on the internet and now I dont think I can have sex again. I'll admit I was stupid having unprotected sex with my boyfriend, but I dont think he even knew himself he had the HPV virus himself. I'm in the middle of treatment, but when its over I'll be afraid to meet other guys. Has anyone been what I've been through. I feel so stupid!

LegacyUser

hi

i had a genital wart in the past. it is not the end of the world and you will be back up and running, but there are some realities to be faced:

- the hpv virus [of which there are 40+ strains] which causes the warts is not passed by purely sexual penetration. the virus lives in the outer layer of the skin, so skin-to-skin contact can spread the virus.

- wearing a condom will not give you total protection, in fact it will not give you anything close to total protection from hpv.

- hpv usually clears up within two years of contracting the virus.

- millions of people around the world have this virus but do not know about it. for most men, the only way they know they have the virus is when a wart appears. there is no "test" for hpv. the only female test is a pap smear and that is focused on abnormal cells in the cervix which is caused by a specific strain of hpv [not the strain that causes genital warts].

- stats show that approx 25% of sexually active people under the age of 30 have contracted the virus at some point.

- most people who have the virus do not get warts, therefore they never know they are carrying the virus. eventually the immune system eradicates the virus in these people also.

- approx 75% of all sexually active people have the virus by age 60. the other 25% is made up of monagamous partners and people who have never had sexual contact in their lives. the people who have never had sex are more of a worry to the medical profession as it shows a lack of social skills throughout their lifetime, which is in itself an issue.

in reality you were just unlucky to get the virus. it can happen to anyone, whether you wear a condom or not.

just to give you some of my experience. i went to two doctors who i didn't find particularly helpful. then i went to dr.freedman in ranelagh in dublin. he was excellent and his treatment has removed my wart and it has not returned [4 months ago]. usually if it has not returned in 6 months, then the body has suppressed the virus permanently.

all i can say is that it is not the end of the world at all. some perspective over time and you'll realise that this is part of life but it is certainly an eye opener about being honest about your sexual behaviour.

be honest with any future partners and most of all see a good doctor.

good luck.

LegacyUser

Hi gayguy2009, unfortunately you paid the price for having unprotected sex, but the main thing is that you are getting treatment. It's unfortunate that this happened to you after your first sexual experience. You are not the first person to get a STI nor will you be the last but learn from it and be sure to protect yourself in the future.

You are not stupid but you will be if you have unprotected sex again!

coolypop

coolypop wrote: »

Hi gayguy2009, unfortunately you paid the price for having unprotected sex, but the main thing is that you are getting treatment. It's unfortunate that this happened to you after your first sexual experience. You are not the first person to get a STI nor will you be the last but learn from it and be sure to protect yourself in the future.

You are not stupid but you will be if you have unprotected sex again!

Did you read the post before yours? Condoms make little to no difference. I wish people would just stop thinking condoms = safe sex. They don't. They protect you from SOME STI's. The only way to be sure not to get an STI is not to have sex.

LegacyUser

Actually when you post un-reg you have to wait for the post to be approved by a moderator so no I didn't see that post before me as it wasn't there when I wrote my message!

A very informative post from been_there which I hope the OP finds useful.

All I was saying is don't have unprotected sex and I stick by that message. Unfortunately only abstinence will save you from some STI's but all I was saying to the OP was that I hope he practises safe sex going forward so he doesn't increase the possibility of contracting another STI. People are always going to have sex so whatever you may think condoms do protect from STI's, not all STI's but the majority of them so condoms are the best thing to use in order to decrease the possibility of contracting an STI.

Condoms = safer sex