Genital Warts, Lifetime? hopeless

[Joshua88]

Dear Doc,

Hi Doc, it's me again, I'm going back for my treatment again... new warts have emerged in my genitals "again"... I was encouraged and motivated not to give up on my case from your last reply.  But as I search the net, many suggested that what i have is a lifetime disease... that i'll keep on having genital warts even after succesful treatments... That i have this forever... Doc HHH suggested that my own body will take care of the virus overtime, do you agree? I even start taking "Transfer Factors" by 4life research to boost my immune system.

Things are getting frustrating, my 1st treatment was November last year (2006)... Im still under observation and keep having the new warts treated as you adviced... Treatment method is electrocaultery by my dermatologist... you can just imagine how painful each treatment is... after the removal of my visible warts... a few days to a week after, new warts will appear in a new area...

Everytime I stretch my skin... I see small bumps, some bumps are slightly bigger that the others... are these warts?

My fiance's physician cleared her of warts a couple of weeks back, only 1 treatment... Does this mean that I cannot have sex with her because I'll reinfect her?  A lot of questions are on my mind right now... from what i've read in the net, It almost tells me that Im a ruined person and have no more hope of recovery...

Personally Doc, Do you think that HPV cannot be cleared? Will I always have genital warts?



Thank you for your time and sorry for the pathetic questions.  Your past reply is the only thing that keeps me moving.  Thank you.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I agree with DR. HHH--warts 'give up' after a while.  I am pretty sure that a lot of the little spots you're seeing by stretching the skin are not warts.  Some people's warts go away faster than others, even though there's no difference in their immune status.  Please stop reading internet sites wityh posts by people who write melodramatic things--you aren't doing yourself any favors by thinking of yourself as 'ruined,' because you're not.  As far as reinfecting your girlfriend, it's not possible to assess the risk with any certainty, at least in part because her warts can come back by themselves, just as yours can.  Most people (and there are millions of you) go on with their lives, sexual and otherwise, and you should too.  If you need psycholigical help to do so--and I think you do--please seek it out.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[Joshua88]

additional info, some of the tiny bumps that i see everytime i stretch my skin is somewhat reddish...

Thanks again.

[ihatehpv]

Joshua,

I am a medical professional recently diagnosed with HPV. Although I am not a dermatologist, I would like to say a couple things and leave the more specific things up to the dermatologists.

First of all, I understand how you feel. Having been diagnosed recently with HPV I feel hopeless, dirty, and ashamed even though I did nothing wrong. In fact, I have only had sex with 2 people in my entire life, never unprotected.

It hurts doesn't it? Emotionally, as well as physically from the treatments. Then, on top of that, the pain is a constant reminder of how unfortunant we are to have gotten a form of HPV that is causing our warts. Life is difficult and we both know that now.

It seems as if there is no end in site sometimes. I some kind physicians take their time to give hope on this forum. It is true, some research has shown that some people clear the HPV virus after a couple of years. This is not a guarantee, but it certainly does give us hope.

As someone who also has HPV I just wanted to say, there is hope. I also want to say that even if it doesn't go away I know that you are strong enough to get through it. Think about the good things in your life and let us both be greatful that all we have to deal with is pain and embarassment. I see patients often with HIV, Crohn's, Heart Disease, and other illnesses that have taken a huge toll on their live's. My experience with getting HPV has made me much more empathetic with those wonderful people and I hope that you can find a way to turn HPV into an experience that helps you too. Just remember, there is always hope, keep trying and you will eventually get there.

[Joshua88]

CDC indicates: That "MOST" clears the virus on their own, but few doesn't...

Am I 1 of those few? or is it other HPV strains are easier to deal with than the other?

I'll still have my follow up treatments... I'm inspired by those who "DID" clears themselves of the virus... Me and my fiance are about to get married this coming December... We both gone through medications, and im happy that my fiance reacted positively on her treatment... I hope it goes the same forever... I'm not really concerned with the virus itself, I'm concerned with its effects, "Genital Warts and Abnormal Paps (Cervical Cancer)".

If we'll be having the virus with us for life..... I just wish that our body will keep it in check till the day we die... To atleast live a normal life even if the dreadful virus is within our body...

[girl522]

You have only been getting treated for 4 months.  I'm sure that they should start going away pretty soon.  I believe I have read, the body starts clearing it within a year.

[Joshua88]

6. Myth: If I have genital warts or dysplasia, I will have recurrences for the rest of my life.

Warts and dysplasia do recur in some cases, but by no means all. When they recur, they show varying persistence: Some people experience just one more episode, and others several. The good news for most people is that with time, the immune system seems to gain some mastery over the virus, making recurrences less frequent and often eliminating them entirely within about two years.

The limiting factor here is the state of the immune system itself. According to Thomas Sedlacek, MD, a member of ASHA's Scientific Advisory Committee and adjunct professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Allegheny University, if an individual's immune system is impaired--by the use of certain medications, by HIV infection, or by some temporary trauma such as excessive stress, serious illness, or surgery--it may be unable to prevent a recurrence. However, if the immune system is weakened only temporarily, most likely the recurrence will be short-lived.

The concern about life-long recurrences may be based on a misconception rather than a myth. It's true that at present there is no known cure for genital human papillomavirus. As a virus, it will remain in the infected person's cells for an indefinite time--most often in a latent state but occasionally producing symptoms or disease, as we have discussed elsewhere.

Recent studies from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and from the University of Washington suggest that HPV may eventually be cleared, or rooted out altogether, in most people with well-functioning immune systems. However, in at least some cases the virus apparently does remain in the body infefinitely, able to produce symptoms if the immune system weakens.

------ is this a reliable source from American Social Health Association

[ihatehpv]

Joshua,

What kind of answer do you want? You seem to have read enough to understand that it is possible the virus will be cleared and it is possible it won't. There is no guarantee. You are going to HAVE to give it time.

Good luck.

[Englishman]

It me again too.........

No offence, but you and "ihatehpv" have gone into some irrational panic-driven anxiety over something not particularly important.

Firstly, you are still being impatient (first treatment only about 6 months ago). It is very very unlikely that this problem will be with you in 2008. I would place money on it, knowing that the odds are high that I would win.

If it is any consolation my molluscum has only just cleared - I had them first treated nearly a year ago now.

Relax.

[LadyLinda]

First, i want to say I am impressed with the comments & compassion shown to Joshua. I was diagnosed with condyloma for the 1st time in my life last Nov. I am over 40 yrs old & not promiscuous. My Gynecologist's attitude made me feel very ashamed ( I have found a new Gyn Dr). The warts get almost cleared up, but I seem to get new ones just before the last 1 goes away. Its very frustrating.

I have done a lot of research on this topic, but I still have a major concern.
Can anyone in the medical profession tell me if I can spread my genital warts by shaving or sun exposure? I prefer to tan nude & don't know if that will make the condition worse (I am using an herbal product, not prescription Aldara). Also, can this be spread by shaving with a hair trimmer (blades don't actually touch the skin) or with a razor.

Please help.

[starbury22]

I just recently got diagnosed with HPV too, and what I'm interested in is not whether or not it will stay with me, but rather how long it will take for this first showing to go away.  I've been using Podofilm and I can't even tell if its made any progress, but does give me some pain.  Just wondering how long it will take before I see some progress and how long it will take to clear them with the Podofilm.

[builder2818]

Joshua, relax mate......it will not seem like that big of a deal soon enough. I can still remember the first time I got a wart and I was straight to the doctor to get it frozen off. Very soon enough, more and more popped up in strange places and I found I was always going back every few weeks to get them zapped. I also have used podyphillin paint to get rid of them at home too. This was in the year 2001.

To add to my luck I also recieved herpes in 2002 and didn't I feel like s**t, thinking I was going to have to take tablets everyday for the rest of my life cos I didn't want to have another outbreak which I seemed to get every couple of months (I was single too, and could never meet someone in case I had to tell them).

But eventually I stopped taking the tablets and I haven't had an outbreak for over 2 years now and the warts for some strange reason did come back for a period of around 6 months in early 2006 but again its cleared up. I am married now and my wife has had a couple of warts removed but since then she has been all clear.

If I was you, I wouldn't let it worry or get you down. You're getting married and you can't give her HPV twice and you don't have to worry about anyone knowing about you having it or giving it to them.