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Genital warts/ itch

I was diagnosed in Nov "07" with genital warts and was subsquently treated and supposedly cured.  I know it comes from HPV which I guess I now will always have, but why do I still have this persistant ITCH!  I have been back and forth to five different doctors and none of them can find anything wrong.  It is driving me CRAZY!  I seems to flare up around my period cycle, is this possible?  As soon as my period starts things straighten out. Will it ever go away?  Vagisil helps, but I wonder why all this started after I had the warts.  Searching and Suffering


This discussion is related to Persistent irritation of meatus and urethra.
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Avatar universal
The information you posted from the website is very generic, basic information about HPV designed for people who are first learning about the disease.  And there is information on the websites AJ posted about HPV clearance.  There is even more clear-cut information about this in the expert forums.

HPV is a tricky virus and is sometimes more persistent in certain individuals than in others.  Typically, high risk HPV (cancer causing) infections tend to last longer than low risk (wart causing) HPV infections.  Regardless, average duration of an HPV infection is 6-24 months, it is highly atypical for any HPV infection to persist longer than this.  People should still consult their doctors and follow through with check ups, and never substitute a web forum for a doctor, we are not encouraging anyone to do any sort of harm.  As far as HPV STRAINS go (not "strands", I'm not sure where you picked up this incorrect term), all HPV strains become inactive in time.  A lot of doctors tend to say HPV does not "go away" because it goes latent in the system (I described this to you using chicken pox as an example), but it is definitely not contagious past a certain point.  Again, reaching a non-contagious state differs from person to person infected with the virus.  

Bottom line: HPV is NOT contagious forever, and those ONCE infected with an active HPV infection have no ethical obligation to inform their partners once their infection has cleared/reached a latent state (why? because it's not transmittable and they are not putting their partner in any sort of harm or at risk AT ALL.).  There is no "big chance to take" because the infection is no longer active and therefore can not be transmitted.

Again, you will probably choose not to believe me, but these are the facts- pure and simple.
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207091 tn?1337709493
COMMUNITY LEADER
Where, exactly, did we give her the ok to do anything?  We said, over and over, that "most" hpv infections clear within 2 years.  We didn't give her permission to go out and have unprotected sex and not tell anyone - that's not even what we are about.

I am failing to see where the problem is.  We didn't tell her it was ok to do ANYTHING.  All we said was that most clear.  We didn't say don't follow up with your doctor, we just said, and its true, that 90% of HPV infections will clear within 2 years.

AJ
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Avatar universal
this is from this website

Prevention
Total abstinence is the only foolproof way of avoiding genital warts and other STDs. You can also avoid STDs by having a monogamous sexual relationship with a partner known to be disease-free.
Skin near the warts and around the genitals, anus, and other areas can pass the virus from one person to the next. Therefore, male and female condoms cannot fully protect you. Nonetheless, condoms should still be used. They reduce your chances of getting or spreading STDs. These precautions must be taken at all times. HPV can be passed from person to person even when there are no visible warts or other symptoms. See: Safe sex
A new vaccine called Gardasil prevents infection against four of the HPV strains responsible for the majority of genital warts and cervical cancer in women. The vaccine is given as a series of three shots. It is for use in females only.
Outlook (Prognosis)
With proper treatment, genital wart outbreaks of usually can be controlled. However, the warts frequently reappear after treatment. Even after you have been treated for HPV, you may still infect others.

I am not ignoring science I am just saying there is still a possibility; you don't even know what strand she has. You are talking about scientific truth well I have read the sites too and the blogs from doctors again there are some cuts from this site I know you are not encouraging people to have hpv but it isn't responsible to say go ahead don't worry when you do not know all the facts. Maybe you are right that she is in the clear and her specific strand does go away. All am saying is she should talk to a doctor that can exam her and do tests. No one should say that it should be ok and for them to take that risk isn't really fair...all I have seen from both of you is opinion...although you both seem very informed and intelligent this is a big thing to advise some one on. I am sorry if I offended either of you I am not trying to be disrespectful but it just seems like a big chance to take.
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Avatar universal
Old research indicated that HPV was a permanently infectious disease.  It's a relatively new discovery that HPV isn't contagious forever.  Many doctors are not aware of this yet.  Though some individuals never fully eradicate the virus, it persists at such low dna levels that it is virtually impossible to transmit.  It's sort of like chicken pox in principle, you have an actively infectious period, then the virus goes latent/dormant and you can't infect anyone anymore.  I've been to three doctors as well, who have told me this isn't a permanently contagious virus (though it definitely does have a contagious period).  There's A LOT of good, scientific information about this in the expert forums.  It isn't horrible for AJ to be telling someone the scientific truth.  She isn't encouraging anyone to "have it".  People who once had HPV and haven't had complications from it in years can not transmit it to another partner.  Again, Dr. HHH and Hook in the expert forums go much more into depth about this and scientific probabilities.

My words probably fall on deaf ears as it seems you have made up your mind about this subject.  Regardless, the science speaks for itself.
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207091 tn?1337709493
COMMUNITY LEADER
If you read further on the sites, it talks about clearing the virus.  

I stand by what I said.

Go ask in the HPV forum, too.

Aj
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Avatar universal
Genital HPV is passed on through genital contact, most often during vaginal and anal sex. A person can have HPV even if years have passed since he or she had sex. Most infected persons do not realize they are infected or that they are passing the virus to a sex partner.

Individuals can also lower their chances of getting HPV by being in a mutually faithful relationship with someone who has had no or few sex partners. However, even people with only one lifetime sex partner can get HPV, if their partner was infected with HPV. For those who are not in long-term mutually monogamous relationships, limiting the number of sex partners and choosing a partner less likely to be infected may lower the risk of HPV. Partners less likely to be infected include those who have had no or few prior sex partners. But it may not be possible to determine if a partner who has been sexually active in the past is currently infected.

this is some copies from those sites you told me to look at..I really don't see were it says it ever goes away..the warts may go away but the virus is forever and you can infect every sexual partner according to what i have been told and read..and I really don't think you should be telling people otherwise that is a horrible thing to pass on to someone who doesn't have it and to encourage people who have it to have it, that they don't have to worry about passing it on..
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Avatar universal
k well I don't know how 3 different doctors can be wrong (not to mention one was a specialist that i saw) and telling people this is a big chance your taking on helping the virus spread..I will look into it further but i wouldn't take any chances
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207091 tn?1337709493
COMMUNITY LEADER
Your doctors are wrong.

Check these websites -

www.ashastd.org

http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm

Also check with the HPV forum here, and read through the STD Expert forum here for more info.

HPV does go away.

Aj
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Avatar universal
actually I would definitely talk to your doctor because mine said yes once infected always and actually 3 different doctors have told me this hpv is forever and you can always spread it to your sexual partner..I would check to see if maybe the warts have grown back..Im pretty sure its just part of hpv.
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207091 tn?1337709493
COMMUNITY LEADER
Bacterial vaginosis is caused by normal bacteria in the vagina overgrowing.  Your doc should be testing you for that when he tests for yeast, but that's not always the case.  A simple call to your doctor will help answer that question.

I would really look at what kinds of pads you are using.  Don't use the scented kind, and many places carry "natural" or "organic" ones now.  You might also try tampons and see if that helps, if you don't have other reasons for not using tampons.

Good luck!

Aj
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Avatar universal
I just wanted to add this :)

As AJ said, you won't have HPV forever.  Most low risk HPV infections (wart causing types) clear on average in about 8 months (quicker than most high risk types).  Of course this varies from person to person, some may clear the virus quicker than others and some might take more time to fully clear the virus.  I doubt the itch has anything to do with once having warts.
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Avatar universal
Really?, I thought once infected always infected, that's nice to hear. Yes, I have thought about the pads and others products I use at this time and  have switched to products free of dyes and scents.  I feel I am allergic to myself. No yeast infection, been tested, but the bacterial vaginoses, never heard of it, fill me in. S&S
Helpful - 0
207091 tn?1337709493
COMMUNITY LEADER
You won't always have the virus - most people clear it within 2 years.

However, have you been tested for bacterial vaginosis, yeast, etc?  The other thing is that it might just be hormonal if its around your period.  It could also be that you are having a reaction to the tampons or pads you are using, wipes if you use those, etc.

Aj
Helpful - 0
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