Please help!!! - Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Message Board

Scareddd · 06-16-2009, 10:48 PM

I am a 30 year old woman who has been single for 2 years this October. While I was with my last ex, it was discovered I had HPV and I forget all the details, but I almost had cancer, had to have the biopsy and my cells froze. I wasn't planning on dating again, but found a wonderful man. Now I am worried about my HPV. Will this turn into warts eventually? Will this affect him? Should I just forget about ever being in a relationship because of this? Please respond asap...

Pickle Eyes · 06-17-2009, 09:07 AM

I understand that you are afraid.

I suggest you get an appointment with your doctor who did the biopsy and freezing, just to ask questions. Take a written list of questions to your appointment, and leave space to write your answers. I also suggest you ask for a copy of each pathology report that led to the diagnosis you had.

What type of cancer did you have? squamous and glandular? What stage and grade? Did you go to a gyn/onc?

HPV that can lead to cancer does not cause warts. Warts are caused by low risk HPV, cancers can be caused by high risk HPV. There are many, many strains of low and high risk HPV.

jana83 · 06-17-2009, 11:16 AM

I too can understand your fear and concern. Talking to your doctor is a good idea and you should definitely do it, if possible, but perhaps it won't give you all the answers you want.

I recently went to a consultation with my ob/gyn and asked her about having other forms of sex, aside from vaginal, before my 6 weeks wait is done. And she blushed and got all flustered and just told me she can't really say anything about that, but that there is a risk of oral and anal cancer involved with it and that was that. So I can say apart from giving me something else to worry about, she wasn't helpful at all.

I'm not sure any doctor can tell you whether or not to have a relationship and when/if to tell the guy about the hpv. When I found out about the hpv, I had been in a relationship for 2 years and of course I told my boyfriend and warned him of the risks, but he took it very well. Remember, only a small percentage (if I'm not mistaken) of people get cancer from an hpv infection. Most people live with it without ever having problems or complications. So it's not like you're passing on a death sentence!

Maybe you should just focus on getting to know the guy better and then before you become intimate you could tell him about almost having had cervical cancer and having high risk hpv. You could explain how it's transmitted, the risks it poses to men, etc. and let him make an informed decision. Just so you know, most hpv positive men and women lead normal lives.

Of course, he may already be hpv positive too! (you can point that out as well) As for whether you are ready to possibly expose yourself to the virus again (same or different strain), is your decision. However, the only way to prevent an hpv infection is total abstinence. You have to decide if that's what you want. Personally, I'm not letting this virus get in the way of my life.

tgrobar75 · 06-20-2009, 11:08 AM

I am hoping to quell your fears, however, since I am not your doctor all of my statements may not be fact. Most likely if you had your cervix frozen in an office procedure, you did not have cancer. Most likely you had mild dysplasia which is a form of PRE-cancer (cervical cancer is usually slow groing and it may not have developed into actual cancer for many years). HPV types that are related to cervical dysplasia do not effect men. Although, they can contract the virus and pass it on to someone in the future. As for you, it is very important that you get your pap smears and any additional testing recommended by your doctor at least once a year to prevent recurrence. It should not feel like a death sentence (or a death of sex sentence for that matter). If you feel that way, I suggest you speak with your doctor or nurse and perhaps they can put your fears at ease.