Aa
Just diagnosed; is a sex life now verbotten?
I am a gal in my early sixties who just resumed a sex life after 16 years of celibacy and just got a normal Pap smear return but a diagnosis of HPV. I was initally floored and confused, dazed to say the least.(All previous Pap's in my lifetime have been normal and no one ever mentioned HPV) So of course, being a nurse, I turned to the Internet and CDC, etc information on this. From what I gleaned, even condoms cannot prevent transmission! Am I doomed to not having a sex life until my next Pap which is not until one year from now? It seems like all I can do now is kiss! Oral -genital contact for both myself and my previous partners has always been important as well as penetration. Is HPV systemic and should I avoid anal penetration as well for risk of transmitting this? Please help! I do not wish to think of spending at least a year without having partnered sex again! Also would I have to take special precautions in cleansing a vibrator after this diagnosis..or is reinfection unlikely from this source? I used to think my germ phobic friends were overreacting but now I am beginning to wonder if I should have been more phobic.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Whether it is is so-called "high risk" or "low-risk" type is immaterial. This follows from what I said above. As far as disclosure is concerned, this is always a good idea. chances are, if your partner has had sex before, they have already been infected. And yes, if your partner aleady has infection, and if that is a different strain than you already had, you could get it. This would not change the advice I gave you above. HPV and HPV risk is a fact and part and parcel of sexual activity. It always has been. It's just that we know more now- don't let that make you crazy. EWH
Thank you for your comment. I still need to know if i can resume my sex life if I inform my new or old partners of my status. I currently do not know whether i have the low or high risk strain. If I get a new partner and a condom is only 70% effective, might I be able to contract a different strain than the one I have? Should I be avoiding sexual activity because of that? I am so confused. I appreciate your knowledge.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to our Forum. The topic of HPV and genital warts is a complex one and one which tends to cause more concern than is really appropriate- see below. I will try to provide some facts. For additional information on this most common of STDs, I would suggest search for other HPV- and wart-related Q&A on this site, as well seeking addition information on sites such as the American Social Health Association web-site (disclosure, Dr. Handsfield and I are both on the Board of ASHA)..
You have HPV and this concerns you. It should not. while I'm not trying to minimize things, for better or worse, at present HPV is a "fact of life" and most people have it or will have it at some point in the future. Despite this fact, only a tiny minority of persons with HPV get the consequences of infection (primarily women and primarily cancer and pre-cancerous lesions). HPV is the most commonly acquired STD. Over 85% of sexually active women will have HPV infection at some time in their lives. The figure for men is less well studied but similar. In some HPV will cause genital warts, in others it will not cause warts but may lead to changes in PAP smears. In nearly everyone who gets HPV, warts or otherwise, the infections will resolve by themselves without therapy in 8-24 months. In a very small minority of women, HPV infection can persist and lead to the pre-cancerous lesions that PAP smears detect and which can then be treated. For men there is far less risk of any sort. It sounds as though you had HPV detected which makes me wonder why someone would do an HPV test on a persons with a normal PAP.
I acknowledge that HPV is sexually transmissible but its consequences for men are incredibly rare. For women, regular PAP smears allow early detection and therapy.
finally, with regard to the vibrator, if it is not shared, routine cleansing- soap, water and drying are sufficient. this is probably the case if the vibarator is shared as well.
Hoe this comment is helpful. EWH
You have HPV and this concerns you. It should not. while I'm not trying to minimize things, for better or worse, at present HPV is a "fact of life" and most people have it or will have it at some point in the future. Despite this fact, only a tiny minority of persons with HPV get the consequences of infection (primarily women and primarily cancer and pre-cancerous lesions). HPV is the most commonly acquired STD. Over 85% of sexually active women will have HPV infection at some time in their lives. The figure for men is less well studied but similar. In some HPV will cause genital warts, in others it will not cause warts but may lead to changes in PAP smears. In nearly everyone who gets HPV, warts or otherwise, the infections will resolve by themselves without therapy in 8-24 months. In a very small minority of women, HPV infection can persist and lead to the pre-cancerous lesions that PAP smears detect and which can then be treated. For men there is far less risk of any sort. It sounds as though you had HPV detected which makes me wonder why someone would do an HPV test on a persons with a normal PAP.
I acknowledge that HPV is sexually transmissible but its consequences for men are incredibly rare. For women, regular PAP smears allow early detection and therapy.
finally, with regard to the vibrator, if it is not shared, routine cleansing- soap, water and drying are sufficient. this is probably the case if the vibarator is shared as well.
Hoe this comment is helpful. EWH
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
