Genital warts in the past ... and what to do now?

[arabesque]

Hi!

I would like to ask you few questions about HPV and genital warts because I am really mentally ruined about this.
In the past I had genital warts – almost 4 years ago. (My first partner gave them to me.) They removed them at the hospital under the complete anaesthesia and since then I haven´t had them again. Later I split up with that partner so we are not together any more. And now I am really worried because I don´t know if they can still be back or if I can tell to myself I got rid of them. Of course I would like to have a partner in the future, so I´d like to ask you: What should I do? What should I tell him? Is it neccessary to tell him? Can I still transmit these warts on someone else now? Thanks for the answers!

[Naveed777]

HPV warts are caused by low risk strains of the virus... Most of the experts & researchers believe that if you don't get a wart recurrance after 6 months of clearing first infection (warts), you have got rid of the infection and you are no more contagious... you are under no obligation to tell future partners... Currently, this is a matter of conflict among experts & researchers whether the body has cleared/ eradicated the virus or it has gone dorment in the body... You should get yourself fully examined by your ob/gyn to confirm there is no internal wart as well... further, you should continue with your regular pap tests which is necessary for every sexually active female no matter she has hpv or not...

you should adopt a healthy lifestyle...

[arabesque]

Well, I was asking my doctor this Monday what to do and so ... but I could see some kind of confusion or what in his answers ... I asked him if I can take it as I am already ok and got rid of that and he told me probably yes ... He told me I don´t have to have the virus inside of my body any more ... But he told me I should tell my future partner about it in order for him not to be wondered then (if something would appeared on him) I really feel so terribly :( But I don´t know ... would he see if I had some warts inside? I mean could he see it during a normal examination? And ... if they were inside wouldn´t they be outside as well? I think yes and especially after such a long time like this - 4 years.

[Naveed777]

I've shared the point of view that majority of experts believe... Now, it is your personal decision whether to tell future partners... You should call your doctor to ask whether s/he looked for your internal warts as well... The probability is high that you might have cleared internal warts as well but just to be extra sure and for mental peace...

[arabesque]

My personal decision ... well I think I wouldn´t be able not to tell him ... I would have a guilty conscience ... but if I want to tell him then when? When is it a right time to say it? My god why me? I had ONE partner ... one! :((( I am worried nobody will be able to be with me any more :(

And well in my case it´s a bit complicated because I met somebody on the internet and I feel he really worths ... we haven´t met each other yet. We are talking on the internet every day and love each other but I feel really hopeless.

[Naveed777]

Please calm down! we are talking about something that is so common that over 80% of population has any of its strain at any time... Ok... Assume there is a crowd of 100 people in a hall, you are one of 80 people out of 100... You are not the only one or out of few people having this... this is not a dread disease... specially in your case a low risk strain... this has no implications for men and more of a cosmatic concern... Most of the infections go away at their own withing 6-24 months... most of the people don't even know they had it and their bodies cleared up the infections... They might know it or not but they have it... you are the lucky one who got those warts cured and as per experts, you are no more contagious... Are you sure, you are going to build a relationship with a person who has never had sex... are you sure he is a virgin... If he ever had sex, chances are extremely high that he is already infected... no one can prove who got it from whom... just forget it and move on with your life..

[arabesque]

I´d like to be calm but how? And yes all these facts about percents are nice and I know them ... it makes me feel a bit better but how to explain it to a person who maybe has never heard about it ... The most probable thing is  - when somebody hears about something what is sexual transmitted, he or she will run away ... Many people are telling me - don´t say anything! everybody will run away! - easy to say, hard to do. And I am not like that. Maybe I will regret later that I had told I don´t know ... Anyway I am beginning to be crazy about that ... still trying the way of telling and what to tell and still round and round. I don´t know if somebody - and it´s really hard to believe - is able to understand that.

And one thing more ... if doctors say a person is not contagious when has no warts (and I haven´t had them for 4 years) why has he told me "I recommend you to tell your future partner about that in order for him not to be wondered then". Obviously he meant then - when he will get it.

As you can see I am really hopeless and it´s a paradox because I was ok for a long time after removing this and in January I found something what I thought about it was a wart - but it wasn´t. And since then I have been terribly scared about my future life.

[Naveed777]

Right, If you've decided to go for telling your partner, let me offer some advice to you... Below link will direct you to a journal entry by a very sweet, intelligent and experienced woman who is also community leader of STDs Community... Read her journal entry and equip yourself for telling your partner... Best of luck...

http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/15788?personal_page_id=2329

Remeber to tell him all the fact that I've already told you in previous responses... you can tell your partner that as per experts you are no more contagious... Please also tell him that for male it doesn't have any serious health risk and is more of a cosmatic concern... Most sexually active people will get HPV at some time in their lives, though most will never know it because HPV usually has no signs or symptoms... the maximum a male can get is a visible wart that can easily be treated... recurrances after treatement are rare and usually happen within 3 months... You and your partner may benefit from talking openly about your sexual health and HPV... If you don’t treat genital warts, they may go away, remain unchanged, or grow in size or number. Genital warts will not turn into cancer over time, even if they are not treated...