How concerned are you about HPV?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’ve just been talking to a friend of mine (who is potentially a friend-with-benefits, if we ever end up in the same city at the same time) and she’s just found out that she has HPV (she’s going to the doctor again to find out what strain). Partly out of curiosity, and partly out of fighting ignorance for the sake of safety, I thought I’d ask this question in the only place I can think of getting honest opinions.

Given that it appears to be relatively ubiquitous, and most people seem to fight it off without too much trouble, and also that there’s not much you can do short of abstinence to prevent infection, do you worry much about HPV? On the flip side of the coin is the fact that some strains are connected with cervical, penile and anal cancer, and are difficult to treat. Does this cause you sleepless nights? What precautions do you take? Enquiring minds (well, mine, anyway) want to know! Please share your experiences, if they’re not too personal. Also, most prevention of HPV seems to focus on women, so if you could share your gender, that would be useful as well. I figured a poll would be too restrictive, so didn’t bother. Thanks!

2

F here. A doctor told me I have HPV when a PAP smear came back mildly abnormal, around 5? 6? 8? years ago. I spent a few minutes in “OMG! I have an STD! Oh noes!!11!” mode until I poked around the 'Net for a few facts.

I went through the same thing when, years earlier, during the course of a routine checkup (I wasn’t feeling the slightest bit ill) my doc casually informed me that I was positive for mono. “OMG! I have a virus! The kissing disease! Oh noes!!11!” ensued until I saw how prevalent it is in the general population.

Kinda like HPV.

Here’s my take: The food I eat causes cancer. The water I drink causes cancer. The air I breathe causes cancer. Why shouldn’t sex cause cancer too? Get yer PAP smears done, and go find something else to worry about.

3

F here, too. I cared enough to spend a pretty penny on the vaccinations (though I know they only cover a few strains). It doesn’t keep me up at night, but I figured I would probably do the same for any other STD vaccination if it became available with little risk. One of the doctors who injected me had just recovered from cervical cancer, and she seemed really supportive of the vacc. I’m happy with my decision.

Also, never, ever Google Image Search HPV on a full stomach.

4

It’s not an issue for me right now, but I did what I can to prevent it.

Reminder to everyone: Men can get the vaccine too.

5

I forget the exact numbers, but oral cancer rates in the US have increased 200% in the last decade, caused mostly by HPV.

Thought I’d mention it since it wasn’t on the list of cancers the OP gave.

6

I was diagnosed with HPV a long while ago (from a routine pap) and the doctors were so nonchalant about it that I almost sort of didn’t believe them. I was just told to keep having regular paps and if I have any symptoms and need treatment, let them know.

It came up again last year on my pap and I have a new doctor and she didn’t bat an eye either. Just called to give me the results and said “Bad news - you have to get a pap smear every year instead of every 3 years. Oh, it’s because you were positive for HPV.”

I’ve never been worried about the cancer risks. I’ve never had any open sores that I’m aware of. I just make sure to get tested every year for cervical cancer.

I do remember one incident, before I was diagnosed, where my boyfriend was cheating on me and he was done with the other girl. So the other girl called him up and said “I HAVE HPV AND NOW BOTH OF YOU HAVE IT TOO!” So I looked it up and read about how “everyone” has HPV and it’s no big deal, and when I told him to tell her it’s no big deal, she asserted that “I HAVE THE BAD KIND THE KIND THAT IS GOING TO GIVE ME CANCER!”

Shortly thereafter he left me for good to be with the hypocraziac, possibly to take care of her HPV-and-cancer-ridden body. I think in this case, HPV was a blessing for me.

7

M Here.

I have it. It has had ZERO effect on my life, or on Mrs. Homie’s (who, regretfully, got it from me).

8

I found out a couple months ago that I have HPV, when my Pap smear came back abnormal. I freaked out for a few weeks and read a lot online, but the consensus of both my doctor and the internet was that it’s just not that big of a deal and pretty much everyone gets it.

I got the shots a few years ago, so I was kind of annoyed that I got it anyway. Different strains and such.

Up until I read the thread title, I’d forgotten that I have it.

9

This partially why I didn’t get it when a few years ago when I was on the cusps of the effective age. Not only that, my friend got the shots (three I believe) and said they HURT.

I’m not really, even though I don’t have the shot. People get it all the time it seems.

10

I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2002, and had surgery, and have been completely HPV-free for many, many subsequent Paps. However, I was also clean for many, many previous Paps, which I was religious about having done. HPV is apparently nothing to mess around with. If I had a daughter, I’d get her vaccinated for sure.

11

Ok, I’m curious then – if it had no effect on you, how did you happen to find out you had it?

Also male, and my wife has HPV. I have no idea whether I do, but it’s pretty likely now I suppose. I’ve taken no precautions and not consulted a doctor about it.

Edited to add: Please feel free to tell me that it’s none of my damn business.

12

I had the HPV vaccinations as soon as I could because there is no reason to take unnecessary risks. Sometimes young people clear the virus without problems. However, as the OP noted, some strains of HPV do raise the risk of cervical, penile, oral, and anal cancer (this is why some doctors feel that people who engage in anal sex should get anal pap smears). Other strains cause genital warts - which are certainly unpleasant and embarassing if not dangerous.
Condoms don’t reliably protect against HPV incidentally, since all that transmission requires is skin to skin contact. I did not find the vaccinations to be particularly painful, so I don’t see any reason not to get them if you can.

13

When Mrs. Homie was diagnosed with it, the only person she could have gotten it from was me-- I’m her only sexual partner.

…and there are these teeny tiny little bumps on my Johnson that seem to come and go…

14

I had cervical dysplasia back in the late 90’s, went through both cryo and colposcopy with LEEP and it sucked, sucked, sucked! The cryo made me bleed for 6 weeks, the colposcopy and LEEP hurt worse than anything else I’ve ever experienced, including labor. I was a mess.

And yet noone so much as mentioned HPV until about 5 years later when I went to Planned Parenthood for a checkup. I don’t know if it’s because when I had they dysplasia, they didn’t know HPV was a likely cause, or if my suburban gyne didn’t want to suggest I had an STI. Whatever, I now know that I probably had (have?) HPV, at least one of the strains.

That being said, it hasn’t affected me all that much in a practical sense. I do let my potential partners know about my medical history, 'cause I’m a firm believer in informed consent, but it hasn’t changed anyone’s mind about having sex with me. There’s not a whole lot I can do to protect myself from catching another strain, since condoms are only minimally effective in preventing the spread. (Though I still use condoms to prevent the spread of other STI’s, including pregnancy. :wink: )I haven’t found a doctor willing to give me Gardisil, since I’ve obviously had sex already.

So yearly PAP smears it is, with increasing to every 6 months if they see abnormal cells again. If it gets to the point where it needs treatment again, I’m going to push for a partial hysterectomy, though. I’m done breeding, and any more chopping at my cervix is going to be done while I’m unconscious, thanks.

I will vaccinate my daughter when she’s old enough (but not too old; 12 is about right, I think), though. My son wasn’t a candidate, as when he was the proper age for it, it wasn’t approved for boys; if it had been, he’d have gotten it, too.

15

WhyNot, even if your son has had sex, he is still a candidate for it. While it is likely he may have been exposed to some strains, it doesn’t meant he haven’t already been exposed to the strains covered by the vaccine. Especially since he is still a teenager, right?

Heck, I was affected by it and I still got the vaccine! It’s being pushed very much so by the women’s clinic at the university. In my case, I knew I wanted to have it before anything came back positive. And sorry about your procedures, mine have all been relatively painless and problem-free. And I got nice narcotics for after procedure at home use. :wink:

I have to say, HPV is not a problem… until it becomes one. Yes, it is common, yes, many people have it. But it can cause lasting damage even after it is cleared. BTW, someone can be HPV positive with normal pap smears (and no warts), someone can have abnormal pap smears and be HPV-negative (the virus was cleared but had already caused the damage). Heck, in some studies, HPV-status at the time of diagnosis has been used for prognosis (no HPV detected means less likely recurrence).

Also, the HPV strains that cause the nasty problems up the cervix are not necessarily the same strains that cause the lesions in the outside. So someone may very well never have had warts yet end up with abnormal Pap smears.

16

He’s 18, yes, and this is an argument I get into with his physician every time I see him. I don’t understand why, but he (the physician) is adamant that the recommendations are for vaccination *before *first intercourse, and he refuses to administer it now.

But if that’s not universal, I will begin doctor shopping today.

17

I recently had tongue cancer, almost certainly due to getting HPV in 1989 or 1990. Had a LEEP done in 1990, then nothing since. Diagnosed with the tongue cancer in 2009. Had surgery twice. In the first, they removed a chunk of my tongue and several lymph nodes in my neck; in the second they removed a tumor in my neck, and followed up with radiation therapy and chemo. The oncology staff in the small regional hospital where I got radio and chemo had never treated anyone as young as me for tongue cancer – it’d always been old men smokers – but Boston Medical, where I had the surgeries, is getting used to us young 'uns.

Do not fuck around with HPV. Please.

My son will be getting the vaccine as soon as he’s old enough.

18

Perhaps it is different with men? I mean, the original age limit on the vaccines on females was 26 years, and I don’t think many expected that all of them were going to be virgins.

19

Sorry for the double post, but from the CDC

Gardasil approved for males up to 26 years old.

It is not in the required immunization schedule, though.

20

That’s not universal; my gyno actually suggested it to me. She’s not far from you, and I’m happy to pass along her contact info if you want it - just PM me.