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Avatar universal

HPV or NOT??

Hello. I am a 31 yr old female, Mom of 4. Months ago I noticed 6 to 8 very small flesh colored bumps around my anus. I didn't think anything of it because I thought they were skin tags, I am prone to skin tags, so I didn't feel a need to worry. However, They were bothering me just knowing that they were there and I wanted them gone, so I made an appointment with my OB. I chose the OB becasue its "that" area. At the appointment I see the Nurse Practioner who, at glace told me it was HPV. I FLIPPED! I have been with the same person for 13 years and have only had 3 sexual partners my entire life, HOW COULD THIS BE?  My husband has never had any bumps of any sort in the genital area ever. We go back and forth with questions in the office and came to the conclusion that I would receive a treatment of the acid and come back one week later to see if there is any decrease in size. If so, Then we would know for sure that it is HPV becasue it responded to the acid. So, I go back a week later and the bumps did not decrease in size and she said "Well, lets do another treatment" I told her "No" I want to do a biopsy this time so I know FOR SURE! We did the biopsy, she removed two. I asked to see what she cut off and to me they looked EXACTLY like skin tags, you could see the single line of blood supply to the tag, So I thought for sure they were skin tags. The biopsy came back inconclusive. The nurse didn't have anything to say, other then "We'll just keep an eye on them" I'm furious at this point. I decided to make an appointment with a proctologist. At glance he said the same thing (HPV) and suggested I get them burned off. I agreeded out of pure nervousness to get them burned off and he gave me cream (zyclara) This Proctologist came off very "as a matter of fact" type and bothered me to no end. At this point I just feel that HPV is so rampant that Docotors just assume thats what it is. Am I wrong to feel this way or am I just in denial? How can the biopsy come back inconclusive? How can a doctor make such a difinitve diagnosis at glance... especially when genital warts can look like other things? Where should I go from here?
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Avatar universal
yeah thats a good question. me and my mom were just talking about that yesterday because it seems as though HPV was made out to be like this completely new thing that just came on the scene that causes all these problems. but it cant be that new if so many people already have it. im not sure how many people are misdiagnosed with it but im sure that would be an interesting thing to find out. i suspect that some people do go to the dr and lie about their sexual history but i mean, if youre there then you might as well be honest because if there wasnt a problem then you wouldnt be there haha. i guess some people dont understand that. and plus drs have heard everything, nothing surprises them
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Avatar universal
My proctologist said the same thing. He said "There has to be other ways it is transmitted because if there's not that means 100% of my patients have lied to him about their sexual behavior." I think that statement says a lot... Of course he may have had a few liars but 100%? What would you have to gain or loose to lie? Because it is skin to skin contact...Lets say a man sctratches his genital area, then sakes my hand, I then use the bathroom and wipe where my hand has touch that area... doesn't that sound like a successful transmission? I don't know, I could be over thinking at this point but it makes sense to me. I think an even better question is... How many woman out of that 80% has been mis diagnosed?
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Avatar universal
I think thats just crazy that your Doctor would suggest something may have happened to you as a child that you have since repressed!!! I swear Doctors these days are wacky! It certainly could've been other things and that is just my point. I was told by 2 different doctors that it is in fact HPV and when its biopsied it comes back as inconclusive... If it was "in fact" HPV the biopsy would have indicated such findings. They can't "at glace" make a judgement like that BECAUSE it can look like other things.
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Avatar universal
im not sure. between the time we first noticed them and the time i went to the dr and got my results, we had already broken up and i havent talked to him since. even if he did have them i doubt he would have told me at the time or ever tell me now
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Avatar universal
Did your boyfriend at the time ever develop warts???
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Avatar universal
I was diagnosed with HPV a little over a year ago. my boyfriend at the time actually noticed little bumps on me down there and so i went to thee clinic at my university and they said (from just looking at it) that it was HPV and then recommended i go to an outside dr to get a pap smear and treatment. all i can think to tell you is that the nurse practitioner and the doctor i went to both told me that HPV is found in about 80% of women and that HPV can be spread in other ways than just through sex.  everything ive ever researched on the internet said it is only transmitted through sex, but both drs told me different
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Avatar universal
i was diagnosed with HPV before i became sexually active. imagine my surprise. doctor looked and said there's really nothing else it could be, so something mustve happened that you dont remember as a child.

Genital warts don't cause cancer, they are basically a cosmetic annoyance, I say get them removed, and move on. That's what I did.
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