have high risk... started dating again..need info - Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Message Board

May75 · 01-14-2009, 04:11 PM

I have read on several websites that if you have a healthy immune system, your body is able to clear the virsu, ( goes away on its own?) I also checked the CDC website and it mentions something similar that some strains go away on their own while some linger if your immune system isnt able to fight it? I was diagnosed with high risk HPV last year ( never heard of it till two years ago). I also read that currently there is no way of testing males or figuring out if they have it unless they have low risk ( like genital warts). So what information can one go on? I just started dating someone and am trying to figure out the best way to tell him about my situation and how to inform him but I don't know which information to tell him. Regardless I'm afraid he will bail but anyways want to know what exactly to say?

Pickle Eyes · 01-14-2009, 06:55 PM

The reason it is so confusing is because there are so many if/then situations.

Low risk HPV looks different and acts differently from high risk HPV. Age matters, especially with high risk HPV. "Clearing" HPV can mean very different things and researchers are not conclusive as to what it means. Some people say (but I haven't seen the research) that the body completely clears the virus so it never causes future problems. Others say (and I think I've seen research on this) that the body can fight the virus so that it is a low viral load (or some phrase like that) where it isn't causing problems in the body. Some people call it dormant or cleared. From what I've read, most people agree that it is possible for HPV to not cause problems for years, or even decades.

eta: The Center for Disease Control has some really good information on their website. I highly suggest you go there and read up on HPV.