HPV Support

[toughingitout]

Yea, this post was most helpfull to me. Answered a lot of my questions.

[geisha21]

thank you so much for the faqs. i found out about 30 minutes ago that i'm infected with HPV. i lot of my questions have been answered and then some. i'm a little calmer after reading this because i was in high hysterics earlier. i just dont know how to tell my mom.

[Infected?]

I think this is great information, by and large, but I'd like to point something out:

My most recent partner has had HPV for about 10 years, and gets warts about every 6 months or so. It's worth noting that he does have a compromised immune system due to diabetes - but I wanted to point out that 3-4 months wart-free does not mean someone's cured or their body has permanently cleared the infection. Yes, his situation is a bit different than the "average" person... but I just wanted to point that out.

Not trying to be doom-and-gloom, I promise.

[Winner!]

I can report clear paps for 17 years.GW outbreaks every 2 to 5 years high risk over the past 2. I'm very grateful to be able to come here and hopefully show people that it is possible to live a completely normal and happy life. However, I am a warrior and stay on top of each outbreak. I prefer to have GWs removed surgically.why drag it out with cremes that end up causing more discomfort?

[Bobby D]

So this FAQ was done in May of 2005 if the first post is correct. I wonder if Dr. Hansfield or anyone will ever do another one with possibly updated data thats been discovered in the last 2 plus years, if theres really been any. For instance Question 7 on condom use. I believe almost a year after this FAQ was done a study was done showing consistant condom use to be like 70-90% effective in preventing woman from contracting HPV. Maybe his answer wouldn't change really but if there has been new research info in the last couple years another FAQ would be interesting. I've attached a medhelp post from around when I think the study was done just incase anyones interested.


http://www.medhelp.org/forums/STD/messages/2887.html

[Bell]

I would just like to point out that the scenarios Winner and Infected are describing, are not in the majority of people who have HPV. I don't think this FAQ denies that people can live with HPV for a long time. While it will assist you in the long run to accept that you may be one of the 10% that don't clear it within two years, it's also not healthy to assume you are a minority.

I think winner makes a good point about dealing with it emotionally and not letting it run your life, no matter what the outcome. I think we could all benefit from that kind of attitude.
_________________
Diagnosed low risk July '05.

No symptoms since September '05 - Touch wood!

[chole]

Alright so this post made me feel so much better...definetly informative and HOPEFUL.

Im a nurse and somtimes I think thats what makes me so paranoid and crazy about this. But seriously, no other website or informational source has made me feel less like a target.

thank you so much again for this post!

[EspoirPourLeDésespéré]

I was so depressed when I found out that I had HPV, I told my closest friend about it and she made me feel horrible. Reading all of this gave me hope and when I told her about it, she kind of just wrote it off. Today she told me she talked to HER doctor about ME and told me I was wrong. That I pretty much had no hope and that I'd get warts and what not (I have physical sings of the virus). So I did more searching and eventually came back here where hope restored. I just wanted to say thanks.
_________________
~*~There's Hope For The Hopeless~*~

[mariposa107]

WOW! I wish that was the first thing I read and the the 5,000th in the last 2 days! Finally a silver lining!

[maisie2504]

really reassuring post. x

[Diagnosed AGAIN in 08]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT POST! I've seen nothing but negative information surrounding GW and HPV and this is the first one that's helped me to "see the light". Bless you!

[yikes!]

First of all thank you for this post it has been most helpful. But it has also raised some more questions. I apologize greatly if this question has already been brought up but I don't really have the attention span to read through all 8 pages.
Ok so my question.
"Q6. Do I need to tell future partners about my HPV outbreak?
A. My practical take-home message is that after several months with no wart recurrence normal pap, the person can consider him/herself cured; this is practically true if not always biologically true. Such persons probably transmit HPV to future partners rarely, if ever. Accordingly, I do not consider it ethically mandatory, or even recommended, that every person who ever has had HPV must henceforth and forever tell future partners they once were infected. My personal judgment is that you should inform partners in the next 3-4 months after your warts have disappeared, but if after then you have had no recurrences, you can safely assume your immune system has cleared the HPV infection and no longer need inform partners. "

I had been under the impression that since I had HPV and genital warts * that I would always be able to transmit it to somebody. But from what this says that's not the case? I'm a bit confused by this. So does this mean that when my pap smear finally comes back clear that I don't have the HPV anymore? and what if I have a clear pap smear but still have warts? am I still contagious then.
I really don't want to unknowingly infect someone without them even knowing about the possibility.
Again sorry for a question that's probably already been brought up.

[jessashley]

this helped my boyfriend understand,thanks

[hikaro11]

The FAQ was wonderful, i don't even know if I have it yet, but it took care of many doubts I had. Thank you so much!

[cemeterygirl]

Thank you so much for this post!