After a year of frustration - time to seek professional advice

[nade08ab]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with Genital Warts in Nov. of 2007, after I noticed three white bumps near the base of my penis. I went to a doctor and had them frozen off with liquid nitrogen, and they went away for a short period of time. About a month later they popped up again. Since then I have been treated in clinics for recurring genital warts over 15 times, they just don't seem to go away. They are very small in appearance and seem to have popped up just about everywhere around my genitals. I have been to five seperate doctors. I have mostly been treated with liquid nitrogen, but I have also gone through an entire 16 week course of Aldara, and have had both Trichloretic acid and Condyline prescriptions for myself to use for self-treatment. Doctors have also applied Podopholine to the warts after the liquid nitrogen treatment to provide extra irritation to the warts. I have even tried using "natural" methods of eliminating the warts, such as increasing antioxidants and upping my immune system to help my body fight the HPV virus internally. I have even stopped shaving my genitals as this is supposed to help slow the spread of warts. I am a young male and im in excellent shape.
My year long battle with HPV taken its toll on me. I once maintained an optomistic outlook with treatment, but my morale is starting to deflate. I have researched genital warts extensively on the internet, and it seems like most information suggests that my warts should have been long gone by now. I have a wonderful and supportive girlfriend of 4 months who I have explained my situation to and avoided genital-to-genital contact with, but it is starting to get very frustrating for both of us. She has since gotten the HPV vaccine. Are there any other courses of action to permanently eliminate the warts? Can I have my warts tested to see if my strain is one that the vaccine protects against? How much longer can this treatment potentially last!? Other advice?
Your help is greatly appreciated

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The vinegar test for HPV is very unreliable with many false positve results and the concentration of acetic acid in vinegar is too low to kill HPV/warts.  If you speak withthe dermatologist about your cost concerns he/she may be able to work with yo on the cost issue.  Hope so.  EWH

[nade08ab]

Thank you for the feedback. I have already arranged an appointment with my temporary Doctor (I am currently living Europe) to have a recommendation to a Dermatologist. The reason why I have had so many different doctors is because I am a frequently travelling for business. Since I have been diagnosed I have been in over 4 countries for durations of longer than three weeks, making it hard to seek medical advice with the same doctor over and over.

I am pretty sure that most of the bumps are warts because the topography and look of the bumps is a little different. The doctors also sometimes put vinegar on the wart to get an indication if the bump is actually a wart.

I have also heard of an apple cider vinegar treatment used by many people as a home method of eliminating the warts. Have you heard of this treatment option and would you recommend it? My medical bills are getting quite expensive with all of these treatments.

And do you also have any idea based on your past experience of how long I will have to wait before I can expect to see these things go away for good?

Thanks again

[Edward W Hook, MD]

It sounds like you are doing most of the correct things.  Stopping shaving is a very good idea and I'm glad to hear that your GF has been vaccinated.  Your history does however generate a comment or two.

I would advise you to find a doctor (possibly a dermatologist) and stick with them. Going to one health care provider after another does not work in your best interest since each must then, effectively start from zero in terms of helping you to address your problem.  Sometimes problems such as yours require a trial and error approach.

Another thought/question which comes to mind is whether or not all of these spots have been warts. There are many glands and "bumps" on the genitals which can sometimes be mistaken for warts and thus lead to unnecessary treatment.  A dermatologist could indeed biopsy such lesions to tell whether or not they were warts and if need be, what type of HPV is present.

Hope these comments are helpful. They really are a bit beyond the usual scope of this forum because of the complexity of your situation.  I believe you would be best served by finding a doctor your feel confident with and working with him/her.  Hope this helps.  EWH