Genital Warts. What now?

[Whiplash4764]

I've just found out that I have genital warts. Apparently I've had it for quite some time, since my last sex partner was years ago, though I've only ever had one wart show up.

I'm really kind of freaking out right now. How the hell will I date after this? How do I discuss this with future partners? How do I keep them from getting it? My life feels over and I have the urge to go be a monk somewhere.

Anyone else deal with this in the past? Please, please help. I really don't know what to do.

 

[DesEsseintes]

Pray that no-one ever finds out your Lit password. Great first post.

And, of course, see a doctor, who will be able to get rid of them for you. Unless you live in some kind of backwards country that doesn't even have free universal healthcare.

 

[Wanderer0327]

Cryotherapy is your friend. See a dermatologist.

 

[Whiplash4764]

I had it cryo'd off this morning, and it should work fabulously. What I'm really struggling with is how to approach dating in the future. I'm still pretty young and I feel as if I'm....SOL.

 

[SweetErika]

It sounds like you need to educate yourself on HPV. Talking to a sexual health specialist is always a good idea, but in the meantime, read up on HPV from reliable sources like the CDC, NIH, Planned Parenthood, Go Ask Alice.

Learn about HPV, how you can minimize the risk of infecting future partners, and be honest with those people when it looks like you're heading toward more intimate territory with them.

May I ask your age?

 

[GiggLeGasm]

well.. you aren't able to fully prevent disease transmission. It does depend on where you are infected. You are likely to be instructed to use a condom even if you do not have symptoms. Condoms do not always cover everywhere that they need to.

Whoever did your cryo, presuming it was a healthcare specialist, should be able to provide you with information that is more applicable to the type of hpv you carry.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I had it cryo'd off this morning, and it should work fabulously. What I'm really struggling with is how to approach dating in the future. I'm still pretty young and I feel as if I'm....SOL.

You might want to check out http://www.positivesingles.com/ which is a dating site set up specifically for people with STIs - could be a good way to find a partner who will understand exactly where you're coming from and who won't judge you for it. I think there are other sites in the same vein.

Towards that, it might help if you can get your doctor to check what strain of HPV you have.

 

[stickygirl]

So does the HPV stay with you for keeps ( like herpes? ) I presuming if there are no warts present the person is no longer infectious. Hmm.. I ought to read up on this

 

[SweetErika]

So does the HPV stay with you for keeps ( like herpes? ) I presuming if there are no warts present the person is no longer infectious. Hmm.. I ought to read up on this

No one knows for sure, but in a person with a healthy immune system, the body either suppresses it to levels that aren't detectable or gets rid of it. The current thinking seems to be that healthy people who have genital warts, for instance, usually become asymptomatic and far less likely to spread the virus within two years of having the wart(s) treated. There are around 40 different types of cancer- and genital wart-causing HPV, so it's possible to be infected with different strains.

Most adults who are/have been sexually active have been infected with HPV at some point. Asymptomatic men aren't tested for HPV at all; women who don't have warts are only diagnosed when there are abnormal cervical cells present on a cervical exam/PAP smear.

The Gardasil vaccine may change the prevalence of infections as more and more young people are vaccinated, although the vaccine doesn't protect against all types of HPV, and it's unknown whether it fully protects against the types it targets. That's why I asked about the OP's age. I'm 33, and at least fairly asymptomatic HPV is pretty much an accepted part of being sexually active for folks in my generation and previous generations. Attitudes about it may be different in younger generations to some extent as more people are vaccinated.

 

[Whiplash4764]

Sweet Erika: Thank you very much for your reply, it was very helpful. To answer your question, I'm 35.

 

[SweetErika]

Sweet Erika: Thank you very much for your reply, it was very helpful. To answer your question, I'm 35.

You're welcome. In my experience, most of the people in our age group who are fairly informed about sexual health don't view HPV as a dealbreaker. Follow up with your doc to make sure the wart is completely gone (it usually takes multiple treatments, or a combination of treatments, like cryo initially then Aldara cream at home), learn about HPV so you can talk to future partners with facts in hand, be honest and take every reasonable precaution to avoid spreading it. You'll be fine, and hopefully this is your first and last encounter with an STI.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Share them with friends.

 

[stickygirl]

Share them with friends.

Weren't they handed out in rations in 'nam?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Weren't they handed out in rations in 'nam?

Woodstock.

 

[NightL]

Weren't they handed out in rations in 'nam?

Uncle jiblet pre-dates nam - he was sharing long before.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

SEE ME FOR ALL YOUR GENITAL WARTS NEEDS.

Fixed.

 

[Lord Pmann]

^^^^^
Bwhahaha. Oh man, I don't know why that made me laugh so much.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

^^^^^
Bwhahaha. Oh man, I don't know why that made me laugh so much.

Also official Ebola supplier to HT.

 

[box13]

I took a health class once and the funny thing they didn't teach you in college health class was that like 50% of all sexually active college aged women have HPV...which probably has something to do with why the vaccine for girls became almost mandatory I expect. Maybe that was awhile ago, and the CDC stats have changed since then, but anyways, it's not the end of the world, and you most likely find it easier to date someone who has already dealt with something like this already. Everyone who catches something they can't get rid of feels just like you do now. So go and find someone who understands, and put it behind you while you go on with life.

It's not the end. Being responsible makes you a better and more understanding person (although I did see a headline recently about a study claiming that while men are more attracted to nice girls, girls are more attracted to jerks, so just don't be too obvious about being smart, understanding, and responsible, I guess.)