Found out I have HPV - Want advice

[vaguy]

I went to the doctor because of some wierd growths in my superpubic area(mainly in the hair region above my penis) and I found out I have HPV. There were 5 warts and he froze them off.

So I need some advice in several areas:

1) I'm afraid to tell my girlfriend because we have been together for a while and I was her first. So obviously I got them....and now may have given them to her. We plan on getting married someday and the doctor said that if she doesnt have them she probably will get them but that it really isnt going to do much as long as she is getting regular gyn exams.

I was wondering, anyone have advice on how I explain it to her. Things I can say to comfort her. I know she is going to be very upset, especially since I was the one who had previous partners and she hasnt. Anyone got any advice on this? I know she loves me and will understand, I just want to find ways to make her more comfortable with the fact.

2) I'd like to know more about them. I've read about them, but I am just wondering more info that might be good to know from anyone who has them.

3) I know that there is really no way to tell about reoccurance from what the doctor has said. I'm just curious about people who have had just a small quickly treated case -- did they come back much? How many people have had a long period where none have come back at all.

4) For the most part, everyone agrees that its a virus and it isnt going away. I've read on some medical brochures in the doctors office that it COULD go away(the virus). I imagine this is quite rare (and probably untestable) for it to go completely away. Anyone know if there are any numbers or guestimates on how many people it eventually goes away for?? (As if this isnt a pretty stupid question since there probably isnt an answer)

5) As far as oral sex is concerned. Are their any risks involved. My understanding is that genital warts are local to the genital region. Any worry of transmission out of that region(in a healthy immune system) and any risks involved with oral sex?

Thanks so much. I'm just a little paranoid just getting back from the doctors office a few minutes ago!

[sdp]

I got HPV warts from my wife over 12 years ago. We were both treated over the following 6 months and we have never had any reoccurance. We use no protection and have never had any problems. You apparently know all the info on the subject but I don't know if you read the links I posted to another person a few days ago. They have good info. Check out the post to BethEs.

[livenlearn]

hi there...

just to let u know.... my ex husband had HPV the last few years of our marraige...... doc told him it's sometimes just a virus that some people have inside their bodies...... point is.... i never got it....

[sdp]

Originally posted by livenlearn:
doc told him it's sometimes just a virus that some people have inside their bodies

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't buy that at all. You pretty much have to be exposed to the virus in some way in order to get it. Maybe that's why he's your ex-husband. Anyway, you're lucky you didn't get it, but beware, the virus can lie dormant for quite a while before it appears.

[Anarchist]

Thanks to the HPV Center at ASHA, I have found out alot of current day info about HPV. Been doing alot of research about HPV, for other reasons which I may post about eventually.

Here is some interesting info:
*) 80% of sexually active people have atleast 1 of the 70 types of HPV.
*) Only a small percentage of people exposed to HPV actually get warts. And only a small few of the 70 strains of HPV produce warts.
*) Most people after being treated once, never have warts return. Our own immune system eventually isolates and attacks the HPV virus DNA.
*) Every year that goes by without getting a wart outbreak, your odds of getting another outbreak decrease. Some tests have shown that after 10 years of not having a wart outbreak the virus DNA levels are almost non-existant.


The information in most pamplets, and your doctors head for the matter, is probably out dated. Most HPV websites which show photos of the warts usually show only worse case scenarios.