Although monogamously married, I’m thinking of getting the HPV immunization (I’m 25). My student health insurance covers 90% of it, so I’m thinking that’s a pretty good investment against future, improbable, but certainly possible cancer.
Any other Dopers get the vaccine? Should I? I know it’s already approved, but Phen-Fen/Vioxx/whatever still looms in my mind. Is there anything I should know? I’m querying my Dr. about it in the a.m., but wanted some Doper experiences with the drug.
We’re at the point of having to think about this for Moon Unit (she’s 9) in a year or two.
No plans on getting it for myself. I’m also monogamous (and my spouse is also) so if I haven’t been exposed before I’m not likely to be. If I have already been exposed, the vaccine is too late, if I haven’t, hopefully I won’t have any opportunity to be!!
A lot of parents of slightly older girls (early teens) are discussing this very topic on a mailing list I participate in. The consensus seems to be either “yes, get it now” or “wait a bit since it’s so new”; so far I haven’t seen any BS along the lines of “no, because my daughter will surely not be having premarital sex and this would be telling her she’s allowed to do that!”.
I think it is a very very good idea for everyone, especially teen girls, to get this vaccine!! I was diagnosed with HPV when I was 17, and had a bout of bad pap smears over the years. Thankfully I am fine now, but I think it is imperative that young women get this. The sooner, the better. At the very least, before they go off to college.
I had a wart on my foot once, and was told by a doctor to be careful not to let it touch my underwear, because I could get genital warts if the wart virus got in that area.
Is that true, that you can get genital warts from ordinary warts elsewhere on your body? That’s the only way I could imagine being exposed to HPV these days, since I’m married and we’re both monogamous.
Thanks for info, everyone – I’m due for my pap/BCP refill here in about a month or so, so that will be time for me to ruminate on it. I totally agree that every girl should have this by menarche. In any case, I better figure it out soon - 26 is the cutoff age, for whatever reason.
This is false. (Last sentence under the “cause” header.)
That’s the only hangup I have myself; except for the possibility of rape. It’s not a nice thing to think about, but really, if (Og forbid) something like that does happen, the possibility of HPV transmission would just add insult, er, more injury, to injury.