Genital Warts....Should I get a second opinion?

[playedwfire]

I am a 27 year old female. I slept with somebody in January and February of 2011. He had a bump on his penis, which looked like a normal skin bump that I've seen before, but some part of me wondered. I still had unprotected sex with him (The (stupid) choices we make). About a month/month and a half after last sexual contact w him, I started experiencing horrible cramps (I never get cramps, not even during menstruation). Also, I had itching and burning around the inner opening of the vagina...I think near the hymen, somewhere around there. At some point within three months of sexual contact until now, I've noticed a few isolated incidents of bumps growing on my gums (I also performed oral sex on him). Some were flesh colored, others kinda white. They were not canker sores or oral herpes. (I have oral herpes, these were different). They went away within a week. This last round of bumps occured on my inner bottom lip. One stayed for about a week and a half, it got fairly big to where I could feel it with my tongue, now it has shrunk significantly, but it is still there. Around it there were tiny white and flesh colored bumps that came up and went away within a couple of days. Also, I think I see very tiny white bumps starting to grow on the outside of my top lip. My vaginal area still itches and burnes, and gets worse when I touch it where it itches and burns. My right eye had a tiny wart like growth about a month ago that stayed for about a month and went away. It has been itching the past couple of days, got puffy, and I think I can see very small skin bumps in the spot where it itches.

To wrap this up, I believe I have genital warts. BUT, I went to my gyno who said my vaginal area and cervix looked fine. I showed him my inner lower lip, which was pretty much resolved by the time he saw it, and he said those were not warts. I've even told him the bumps have popped up on my gums before and went away. He said they were probably just clogged mucous membranes. He dismissed the itching and burning I feel, even though I tested negative for both bv and yeast, and prescribed me a steroidal itching cream. He also told me that most of the time genital warts occur on the skin on the outside.

His answer leaves me a bit perplexed. Everything I've read about genital warts falls in line with my symptoms just fine. Also, my best friend who is a doctor said that if she respectfully disagreed with my gyno and said that what he said about clogged mucous membranes being the cause of the breakout of bumps on my lip and gums is, and she was sorry to say, "hogwash."

I slept with someone else afterwards, I already told him what my doctor said, I'll be so upset if I have to turn right around and tell him my doctor was wrong (which I believe he is).

QUESTIONS:

-Do my symptoms sound like genital warts?
Do I need a second Opinion?

-Also, What are the odds that I, a 27 year old female, can clear this virus? As you get older, does it get harder for your body to get rid of it? I've read different statistics, but is it true that apx. 90% of ppl 'clear' the virus w/in two years?

-And, for once and for all, by 'clear' do they mean the virus has left your body, or do they mean your body has built up enough anti-bodies to keep the virus in check, but it is still in your body?

[playedwfire]

Yes, it helped, thank you. I paid for the doctor's answer as well. He told me he agreed with everything my gyno said. My gyno is a great doctor, I just freak out too much. I am going to try and find out what is causing the itching and burning, however, because I'm not satisfield w/ not having a reason. Either way, I'm just going to keep paying attention to my body, and if those bumps appear in my mouth again, I'm going to pay a visit to a dermatologist. Thanks again for your comment!

[soscared872]

I think your gyno is right about your mouth. About why you still itch and burn, I don't know. What did he tell you - to ignore it? That is the part of the story that gets me to think you should have a second opinion. I recommend paying the money for a complete STD blood test. They tell you results on HIV, Herpes (HSV-1/HSV-2), Hepatitis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, etc.

If you did have any oral issue in your mouth and it resolved so fast, it probably was not HPV but some non-STD, maybe a STI that resolved itself. Just a companion ailment that you got over with. I had a nasty oral virus after giving cunnilingus to a woman once. A doctor prescribed for me Valtrex just to be safe. Turned out I did not get herpes. Just a sinus infection with a secondary infection. They were sexually transmitted, but not diseases.

At 27 you have a great immune system compared to a woman at 57. Most likely you can clear HPV if you have it.

Stats truly say that within two years 90% of the viruses are cleared. True. That's usually the upper bound. So some people clear it far sooner than 24 months. At my age (early 50s) I would probably require 3 years to clear HPV.

By "clear" they say HPV is in such a weak stage that is undetectable except possibly by DNA tests. They don't really mean it left your body. There are instances when a person's immune system and stress can activate the dormant HPV and cause it to be detectable. Like when a woman becomes pregnant. But this is extremely rare. Most people never realize they ever had HPV. 80% of all adults in their lifetimes get HPV.

Nevertheless it behooves you to eat very healthy - lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, quit smoking or do not start smoking, go light on the alcohol - very light, or don't start drinking at all, exercise regularly so that you do not become obese (obesity compromises your immune system), and keep getting regular doctor checkups. It is very important to get regular dental checkups too. They look for oral cancer.

Hope this helps.