HPV/Warts Monogamous Relationship Question - Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Message Board

dceptiveophelia · 07-03-2007, 06:15 PM

Once you've had hpv/warts is it ever ok to have sex without a condom? For example, say i caught hpv/warts from my boyfriend (nothing for sure yet, but i've had a scare...am getting the gardasil (sp?) vaccine asap, and am on the lookout for any developments down below) but we are in a monogamous relationship. So, since we both basically have it, is it ever ok for us not to use condoms? What if we want to have children someday? Thanks in advance...I'm just a big confused anxiety messball right now!

Thisby · 07-04-2007, 10:10 AM

If you and your bf have already been having unprotected sex and one of you had hpv, then you can assume the other person now has it. There would be no point - as far as protection from HPV - to wearing a condom with that partner (assuming you each stay monogamous). Did that make sense? It's hard to explain. Like, since you both would have it, wearing a condom for it is pointless.

What makes you think either of you may have it?

Frynd1 · 07-04-2007, 01:24 PM

I'm kind of confused here too... First of all, there are different strands of HPV. I'm not sure how many, I just know you can catch it more then once and some strands are more aggressive then others. Meaning if you had HPV before sleeping with your current boyfriend, then it is possible he could give it to you again, assuming he has a different strand. The vaccination does not protect against every strand either. However it would still be a good idea to get it because I believe it protects you from the most dangerous kinds. Keep in mind... some strands of HPV don't have any symptoms at all...

LAgirl81 · 07-04-2007, 01:42 PM

If you two have already been having sex with a condom, chances are you both share the same strains now. HPV is transmitted skin-to-skin so condoms don't fully protect you-- that is why it is so common and most sexually active people in this world have it, have had it, or will have it.

Getting the vaccine is important! As far as having sex without condoms, I say it makes no difference now if you've already been having sex with them. But of course, if you want to take more precautions, definitely use them (although like I said, condoms won't fully protect you).

Who had the warts and when was the last outbreak? I believe that sex should be avoided during outbreaks because that's when HPV is most contagious. Warts outbreaks don't last forever though-- I may be wrong, but I believe that most people who catch the low-risk strains of HPV (that cause warts) *typically* have a few outbreaks and then they don't come back as the body recognizes the virus and suppresses it.

What you should be more concerned about is high-risk HPV which can lead to cervical cancer. Getting the vaccine will protect you from 2 strains of HPV that cause up to 70% of all cervical cancers. But remember to get your annual pap smear as that's the best way to detect any pre-cancerous changes.

dceptiveophelia · 07-04-2007, 05:00 PM

Hi Thisby! Thanks so much for your reply, it definitely made sense. My bf got tested for STDs a few months ago before we met and everything came up negative. We had sex with a condom twice, but then I got on the pill again and we've agreed to be monogamous, so we had sex twice w/o protection. Well, he went into the doc a couple days ago for something else, and decided to get tested again just in case. They found genital warts, which neither of us saw (he is used to having normal male bumps on his junk throughout his life), and froze them off. But his doc was saying I should get a pap and the gardasil vaccine, but that it was really likely I'd contract the warts as well. I just got a pap about a month ago, so my doc @ the clinic said it would be pointless to get another one, and to just let them know if I started to see any lesions.

I'm getting my first shot of the vaccine on Monday. I guess even if I already am infected, it might help prevent some of the other strains.

LAGirl- my bf had the warts, he just found out a couple days ago because he thought they were those normals bumps he's always had. They froze them off and said they should fall off in a week or so. I don't have any symptoms yet, but I think it might be too soon to tell.

I was just so bummed about this for the past couple days because he is only my 3rd sexual partner in my whole life, and we were both clean from our previous tests. And I'm all about monogamous relationships. Sorry if this was a total rant, hope it all makes sense! Thank you both for all the input! I'm feeling alot better about this today!