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Genital Warts
Hello,
About three years ago, I was having protected sex with my girlfriend when she told me she felt something funny (through the condom) on my penis. After looking down, I noticed one small, fleshy bump on the middle-right side of my penis shaft. At the time, I figured it was just a pimple, but then two weeks later I grew worried when it still hadn't gone away.
After a couple of months, I went to the local outpatient clinic to have an "STD test." The clinician who came in asked me if I had any worries in particular, which prompted me to tell him about my "bump." He took a look at it, said he wasn't sure what it was, but that it could very well be a wart. He referred me to a urologist, but my health insurance ran out before the appointment, so I canceled and that was that.
For about a year and a half after that appointment at the clinic I lived in complete shame. I thought my sexual life was over, unless I chose to risk the embarrassment of telling a potential partner about the condition. Even though I wasn't definitively diagnosed, I was sure that what I had was a wart. All the meantime, I still had (and still have) the same girlfriend.
Anyway, about a year ago the bump disappeared. I had been taking some super-strong Vitamin C pills for a few months beforehand, and I figured the Vitamin C helped boost my immune system enough to kill the virus. All was peachy for about 12 or 13 months...until last week.
Suddenly, I've noticed another small "bump" (looks like a wart) growing at the tip of my penis, where the urethra and the skin of the penis meet. I stopped taking Vitamin C about six months ago, but that's neither here nor there, as I have absolutely no idea as to whether or not it helped.
I have no idea who I got the infection from. I'd (stupidly) had unprotected sex with a few different women before my girlfriend, all of whom I was SURE weren't the "type" of carry an STI. Well, that goes to show you what ignorance can do, because now I'm the "type."
That's the history of my bout with what appears to be genital warts, but that all said, I have a few questions that I really, really need help with:
1) I didn't have any bumps on my penis shaft for a full year after the first one disappeared. In the meantime, I haven't slept with anyone other than the same girlfriend I've had from the first time I noticed a bump on my penis.
Could this new bump be the same virus coming back or is there some way I contracted a different strand of the HPV virus? How am I getting what seems to be a wart again if it appears my body fought off the original infection, and there's no way I could have gotten another strain of HPV (through sex with someone else)?
2) This is an issue I've read conflicting reports on EVERYWHERE: Is it possible for genital warts to spread to areas of the body outside of the genitals? I have a huge fear that when touching my penis the infection is going to spread to my hands, and then from there, to my face, etc. Can this happen? I've been washing my hands more than Howard Hughes because I'm afraid of spreading the infection!
3) I've apparently had a second outbreak. Once (if) this clears, what are my odds of getting a 3rd outbreak? I'm extremely fit, healthy, young (mid-20's) and for the most part I eat really well. I'm just looking for a ballpark figure if there's one available. 50%? 25%? 10%? 1%? Will I ever have piece of mind?
4) Should I go to my PCP or an STD clinic to get this checked out? Just looking for advice on that one...I really want to have the best expert I can find locally help me out. My PCP specializes in pulmonary and geriatric issues, so I don't feel completely confident in his expertise of STI's.
5) Any general advice for me moving forward?
If possible, I would appreciate if AJ found time to answer my questions. I've read her responses to others, and she seems to be far and away the most knowledgeable person I've seen who's discussed this topic. She's worth her weight in gold.
BTW, this forum is a godsend. Thank you to all who run it! Apologies for the novel.
About three years ago, I was having protected sex with my girlfriend when she told me she felt something funny (through the condom) on my penis. After looking down, I noticed one small, fleshy bump on the middle-right side of my penis shaft. At the time, I figured it was just a pimple, but then two weeks later I grew worried when it still hadn't gone away.
After a couple of months, I went to the local outpatient clinic to have an "STD test." The clinician who came in asked me if I had any worries in particular, which prompted me to tell him about my "bump." He took a look at it, said he wasn't sure what it was, but that it could very well be a wart. He referred me to a urologist, but my health insurance ran out before the appointment, so I canceled and that was that.
For about a year and a half after that appointment at the clinic I lived in complete shame. I thought my sexual life was over, unless I chose to risk the embarrassment of telling a potential partner about the condition. Even though I wasn't definitively diagnosed, I was sure that what I had was a wart. All the meantime, I still had (and still have) the same girlfriend.
Anyway, about a year ago the bump disappeared. I had been taking some super-strong Vitamin C pills for a few months beforehand, and I figured the Vitamin C helped boost my immune system enough to kill the virus. All was peachy for about 12 or 13 months...until last week.
Suddenly, I've noticed another small "bump" (looks like a wart) growing at the tip of my penis, where the urethra and the skin of the penis meet. I stopped taking Vitamin C about six months ago, but that's neither here nor there, as I have absolutely no idea as to whether or not it helped.
I have no idea who I got the infection from. I'd (stupidly) had unprotected sex with a few different women before my girlfriend, all of whom I was SURE weren't the "type" of carry an STI. Well, that goes to show you what ignorance can do, because now I'm the "type."
That's the history of my bout with what appears to be genital warts, but that all said, I have a few questions that I really, really need help with:
1) I didn't have any bumps on my penis shaft for a full year after the first one disappeared. In the meantime, I haven't slept with anyone other than the same girlfriend I've had from the first time I noticed a bump on my penis.
Could this new bump be the same virus coming back or is there some way I contracted a different strand of the HPV virus? How am I getting what seems to be a wart again if it appears my body fought off the original infection, and there's no way I could have gotten another strain of HPV (through sex with someone else)?
2) This is an issue I've read conflicting reports on EVERYWHERE: Is it possible for genital warts to spread to areas of the body outside of the genitals? I have a huge fear that when touching my penis the infection is going to spread to my hands, and then from there, to my face, etc. Can this happen? I've been washing my hands more than Howard Hughes because I'm afraid of spreading the infection!
3) I've apparently had a second outbreak. Once (if) this clears, what are my odds of getting a 3rd outbreak? I'm extremely fit, healthy, young (mid-20's) and for the most part I eat really well. I'm just looking for a ballpark figure if there's one available. 50%? 25%? 10%? 1%? Will I ever have piece of mind?
4) Should I go to my PCP or an STD clinic to get this checked out? Just looking for advice on that one...I really want to have the best expert I can find locally help me out. My PCP specializes in pulmonary and geriatric issues, so I don't feel completely confident in his expertise of STI's.
5) Any general advice for me moving forward?
If possible, I would appreciate if AJ found time to answer my questions. I've read her responses to others, and she seems to be far and away the most knowledgeable person I've seen who's discussed this topic. She's worth her weight in gold.
BTW, this forum is a godsend. Thank you to all who run it! Apologies for the novel.
Once you have hpv you will have the virus in your body though in most people your body eventually can keep it at bay though it is also possible that you got another strain- I guess overall through I'd say who knows and who cares? If it is genital warts that is what it is regardless of who gave it to or when- most sexually active people have hpv at some point anyways. Outbreaks vary from person to person in their severity and occurence. Keep in mind that over 85% of the sexually active population has had hpv at some point, most totally unaware so the "type" of woman to have it is most women and hpv is a very common disease and not the end of your sex life. While genital warts is actually a low risk, or non cancer causing, type of hpv so if you do have this std it literally is just some extra skin that will come and go like a normal wart you get on your hand. From personal experience I would recommend going to a clinic just because I personally find them a lot more knowledgeable ( they deal with that stuff every day) and if you don't have insurance they will be more affordable. Also, hpv could manifest itself somewhere else like in the mouth but this is very rare and usually in immunocompromised people- go to the doctors forum and read some of the stuff there concerning hpv I think they have great advice and a great outlook on this overwhelmingly common std. Good luck
Thanks for the feedback.
I would definitely appreciate more info from other folks as well!
I would definitely appreciate more info from other folks as well!
Once infected with HPV you will have it in your system... They say that once all warts are gone you are no longer a transmitter of the virus but that not forsure.
you can typically spread it if you scratch it off causing shedding... like when I shave i use two different razors to keep from spreading ti my legs. But it is not that common to spread it that much.
And yes you could have a different strain of HPV you can have more then one.
They also say that HPV can clear up with in 2 years of infection.
You should see your dermatologist to have it diagnosed and if it is a wart they can remove it.
you can typically spread it if you scratch it off causing shedding... like when I shave i use two different razors to keep from spreading ti my legs. But it is not that common to spread it that much.
And yes you could have a different strain of HPV you can have more then one.
They also say that HPV can clear up with in 2 years of infection.
You should see your dermatologist to have it diagnosed and if it is a wart they can remove it.
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