After having odd symptoms (vaginal and anal itching etc) for about 2 yrs, I started developing GW about 5 mos ago. I honestly thought they were little skin tags, it never really occurred to me to suspect an STD. However once they started spreading over the perianal area, I went to to gyn and was diagnosed w HPV in August.
The cost of the aldara scared the crap out of me (my insurance sucks) so i tried to ACV route (worked but burned like hell and they came back), the aspirin paste route (also worked but with much discomfort and thet all came back yet again)...now they are starting to spread up towards my vagina (whereas before they were mainly confined to the rear end) and so i caved and ordered the aldara from Canada. I'm waiting for it to arrive. I'm scared to death of the side effects but more scared of having these things spreading on my body. What if the aldara doesn't work? I am so depressed and down about this. crying all the time.
I hope the aldara cream works for you. This cream falls under the category of medications called "immune response modifiers". It works by stimulating the body's immune system to fight certain skin conditions such as genital warts (GW).
You should also try stimulating your own immune system, to better fight the HPV infection. Some simple diet and lifestyle modifications can have a huge impact and can greatly reduce symptoms and recurrence of GW:
1. Increase your daily intake of fruits and vegetables: aim for 8 servings a day (1/2 cup of fresh or frozen fruit/veggies = i serving).
2. Eliminate white flour, white bread, white pasta, white rice, white sugar, and instead opt for whole grain varieties.
3. Increase your daily physical activity: mild-moderate walking for approx. 20-30 min everyday can stimulate your immune system.
4. There are also natural supplements available to further stimulate your body's defenses.
I hope this helps, good luck
Last edited by moderator2; 11-20-2011 at 06:29 AM.
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In the words of 'Hitchitker's Guide To the Galaxy,' Don't Panic!!!!!
I know this is scary and tough, I have the high risk cancer type rather than the warting type myself. I have been through my second surgery this week in a matter of months, have been spoken to about plausable cancer if this one doesn't work, and am being sent for larenoscopy and CAT scan as they believe I may have cancers elsewhere from hpv and smoking (trying my damnedest to quit). As you can tell I am not responding well. Facts are stress makes it worse. The more you stress the lower your immune system. I try to keep calm, eat well enough, exercise when I feel up to it. When I had money I was stock piled in vitamins I am still taking and thanks to X-mas being around the corner may be able to afford again soon. I also got laid off on my birthday almost one month after finding out about my hpv. I know this statement may be hard to believe but things could be worse! A lot of people have or know someone who has HPV. My doctor asked me if I was having sex a month ago which before a recent drunken interlude (yes I did disclose my HPV status even drunk) I was not, and she asked me why!!! I have a low viral output thank god so according to her lowered chances of spreading in safe sex and it's so common she couldn't understand me not having sex over it! It's really common and facts are most of us will battle it and most of us never find out and that's why it's spread like wildfire. I still try to be responsible, that was my only mistake in a year.
It's good you care about it, it's good you are fighting but please don't stress yourself out. If you'd like I can give you a list of vitamins and time tables to take them in which helped me enormously. I went from can't take a one mile walk without being covered in blood down there to no blood at all when walking unless on my period. Also have you started a birth control regimen? That is your number one fighter against hpv. I am sending you prayers and love hun. You just gotta love yourself too despite having hpv.
Thanks for the support. I really do appreciate it!! I have been on the aldara (well, really the generic version) for 3 weeks now and i have definitely seen some improvement. I'm using it 3 times a week for about 5-6 hours at a time. I don't think I could handle more than 6 hrs of this stuff. I sleep like crap but it would all be worth it if these damn things would disappear. I have a pretty severe case and I know it will take awhile. However sometimes I still feel that 'deep itching' where i feel like new ones might be growing and that makes me crazy. try as i might not to scratch the area, sometimes the itch is so intense i can't even describe it. and I know i am veeerry stressed which doesn't help.
I try to eat right and I'm taking echinacea and vit A and D. I have not had sex since I found out I had HPV. Luckily my bf is very supportive and shows no signs of having anything--I've only been w him for about 5 mos and we had protected sex only a few times before I was diagnosed, but I know condoms don't offer full protection so I worry he caught it.... I'm thankful for all his patience but sometimes i feel like 'will i ever feel normal down there and have sex again?!'
I want to love myself but it is hard. I hate myself for having unprotected sex and exposing myself to this. I was so, so stupid.
BTW-- what do you mean by 'a birth control regime'??
Please don't hate yourself for not having protected sex and contracting HPV!
Did you know that you can contract HPV even if you use a condom? It's contracted via skin to skin contact, and condoms don't cover the entire male genital area. So in other words, even if you'd had protected sex, you could have still contracted HPV, so please, stop beating yourself up.
I'm glad to hear that the aldara cream is working for you I just discovered a new supplement called papillex, and have been on it for about a 2 weeks now. I'll keep you posted about the results, the testimonial sound really promising, so, here's hoping!
Please remember, you are not alone. There are so many people walking around with HPV infections that don't even know it, and many more who do! Best of luck!
I hate myself for having unprotected sex and exposing myself to this. I was so, so stupid. 
