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Virgins all around, is there a possibility of HPV?
I've been with my boyfriend for almost two years. He has never been sexual at all with anyone but me (I was even his first french kiss). I have only had sex with one other person, and he was only sexual (no penetration) with one other girl who was also a virgin. I was sexually active (again, no penetration) with 2 other guys, and I was their first girlfriend/sexual experience.
Basically we were all very virginal. Is there still a chance that I could have HPV? I've been reading more and more about it and it makes me nervous. I once heard that guys have it from birth, how much truth is in that statement? I'm wanting to get the shot soon and I just wanted to know if I have to go through all of that if there is no chance.
Thanks,
Jess.
Basically we were all very virginal. Is there still a chance that I could have HPV? I've been reading more and more about it and it makes me nervous. I once heard that guys have it from birth, how much truth is in that statement? I'm wanting to get the shot soon and I just wanted to know if I have to go through all of that if there is no chance.
Thanks,
Jess.
Just wanted to say that, almost 2 years later, I had had an awful time worrying about things like that - I really, really dispise the medical system for creating such fear. I will never undergo any preventative tests/jabs/etc for that sort of thing - thinking about it gave me massive panic attacks about my own identity and sense of being. Not healthy at all. If it doesn't show up, it doesn't show up... if it does, then it does. I will not be a slave to such things that makes me feel impure. I don't really evision a long life, but a happy life, a fulfilled life. If I did expose myself to it, I already have, there's no stopping that. I don't want to avoid the consequences of what I had done.
I meant to say it *wouldn't* matter if you were careful about fluids because HPV is not transmitted through fluids.
It is important to note that it is entirely possibly to contract HPV even with the use of condoms (which are only 70% effective because they do not cover the entire genital area), it can be transmitted without intercourse but skin to skin (genital contact). HPV is not transmitted through fluids so it would matter if you were careful about this, it is transmitted through skin to skin contact. It is entirely possible that you already contracted HPV prior to your current boyfriend through your past sexual experiences, however limited, a woman does not need to be promiscuous in order to be infected with HPV. It only takes 1 partner - who has been exposed. You cannot rule this out with your past experiences (from your description any four of those guys could have exposed you to HPV)
Most people will never know they have HPV because for the majority of the population there are no symptoms. Just because there are no visible lesions does not mean a person is 'clear'. HPV can lay dormant in a person's system for years (over 20 even) before becoming active if it ever does. The digene test is the only FDA approved test (and is only available to women) can only detect an active stain(s) of HPV (and whether they are of high risk or low risk category) so if the virus is dormant at the time of testing then it will not be detected so even if a person doesn't test positive for HPV does not mean they don't have the virus. It is extremely common and very easily contracted, 80% of people will have an active infection by the time they are 50 - 80%! Four out of 5 people.
It is also important to note that the vaccine only protects against 4 strains of HPV (most aggressive), two of the low risk (potential to cause warts) strain and two of the high risk (potential to cause cancer) strain but there are over 30 strains of genital HPV.
If you choose to not have paps in the future that is your choice and your right but my advice to you is to reconsider. Even women who have never had sex are still advised to have a pap smear after a certain age. It is irresponsible not to, you could very likely already have been exposed to HPV. Yes, 99.8% of all cervical cancers and dysplasias are caused by HPV but there is still that .2% that is not. You state not having one is like some sort of gift to your boyfriend or future husband but what could be a better gift to him than you taking care of your own health and ensuring a long life with him to enjoy.
Most people will never know they have HPV because for the majority of the population there are no symptoms. Just because there are no visible lesions does not mean a person is 'clear'. HPV can lay dormant in a person's system for years (over 20 even) before becoming active if it ever does. The digene test is the only FDA approved test (and is only available to women) can only detect an active stain(s) of HPV (and whether they are of high risk or low risk category) so if the virus is dormant at the time of testing then it will not be detected so even if a person doesn't test positive for HPV does not mean they don't have the virus. It is extremely common and very easily contracted, 80% of people will have an active infection by the time they are 50 - 80%! Four out of 5 people.
It is also important to note that the vaccine only protects against 4 strains of HPV (most aggressive), two of the low risk (potential to cause warts) strain and two of the high risk (potential to cause cancer) strain but there are over 30 strains of genital HPV.
If you choose to not have paps in the future that is your choice and your right but my advice to you is to reconsider. Even women who have never had sex are still advised to have a pap smear after a certain age. It is irresponsible not to, you could very likely already have been exposed to HPV. Yes, 99.8% of all cervical cancers and dysplasias are caused by HPV but there is still that .2% that is not. You state not having one is like some sort of gift to your boyfriend or future husband but what could be a better gift to him than you taking care of your own health and ensuring a long life with him to enjoy.
i just really, really reccommend getting the vaccine, even though you're afraid of needles. it can prevent cancer...
yeah, you can get HPV. it only requires skin contact, and most strains are not visible (like no warts). my doctor said that ninety percent of the population has some strain. but they have that vaccine which works very well, so why not use that? really, HPV is so common and it's not even SUCH a big deal, since it can be taken care of. i had it, it usually goes away on it's own... do what you can to protect yourself, but since it's through skin contact it's pretty hard. but, just for your info... it can go away, there's a helpful vaccine, and it's not that bad. i got it and was totally, totally mortified. talking to people, i found out that so many others had it. i was treated, it went away, and i've had a problem again and the tests are negative, that was years ago... watch for it, but you cannot control everyone else's sexual history
Wow, I never knew there's another person out there like me. I'm a very private person and I'm proud of it. I share the same story with you and it sounds like I'm the one writing your enquiry! I've been searching around, wondering if my b.f. could've gotten it from his mother if and only if she had it. I doubt that she's got any of it since he says that she's been having regular Pap and it's all bee well.
I don't want the shot either, as it'll create a barrier between his mother and I. The doctor also implied that I'd need it if we break up - talk about poor bedside etiquette. Besides, I've also had non-penetrative sex with a few virgin guys, only mutual masterbation - oral with the last one who's not a virgin but he wore a condom the only time he did it out of pity with a quite active girl...and my b.f. and I plan to marry. So if I'm already infected with any strands of HPV from his side of the family or from, well, the guys whom I've only played with, then there's no point either...but it's not really possible. Guy one had a liberal mother, but we only ever played with hands and was careful with fluids. Guy two was a Asian rebound and again, only with hands, guy three was Indian and from a conservative family and guy four was Catholic (ironic) and had only touched one girl with a condom and we had oral but he didn't climax...he tried to penetrate but I didn't let him. I had a check-up for my throat but there was nothing. We were all teenagers - 14, 15, 18 and 20 and this happend between 2003-6.
Besides, it's only possible, not definite, that his mother could've contracted any HPV from the men she'd been in relationships with before her son was born and passed it onto him. Come to think of it, normal check-ups, plus the fact that my b.f. hasn't ever had any symptoms of that sort in his throat etc, makes me safe in that regard.
It also makes me angry. I'm proudly Chinese and I want to show my modesty and chastity to my western boyfriend and his family. I was so angry at being treated like mainstream society by the doctor, who, even after I said we're both virgins, went onto attack his mother and made me worried and also insulted his family....we argued for a night. Gardisil would only make me feel like any other girl who treats her sexuality openly, where I've only went ahead because we plan to marry.
I've been with my b.f. for 2 and a half years and through it I've had a long identity crisis where I questioned how I should be pure and be recognized for it. I've been troubled because I felt that my b.f. and his family didn't appreciate my culture...so I've gone overboard with my etiquette, modesty and "chastity virtues". I've been trying to balance again and two days ago, Gardisil completely ruined any confidence I'd built up.
Regarding pap smears, I wouldn't have them myself. I want my b.f. to appreciate that he's the only one who'll ever see my body. When I have kids, I'll choose a female obestrician and I'll give birth by the sea with only him and a midwife in attendance, not in some hospital room. If you're sure that you're only going to have one virgin partner and all your previous partners were virgins, then there's no point, especially if you're conservative like me. I reckon I'll start getting all that after children, if I ever "lose" my "chastity" - seriously I'll be in depression if another male or a crowd of midwives etc see me there. I really don't care about my kids dying at the moment and I know I sound selfish.
Sorry for the long rant, it's 2am here and I'm so relieved to find someone else so similar.
Fiona, 20.
I don't want the shot either, as it'll create a barrier between his mother and I. The doctor also implied that I'd need it if we break up - talk about poor bedside etiquette. Besides, I've also had non-penetrative sex with a few virgin guys, only mutual masterbation - oral with the last one who's not a virgin but he wore a condom the only time he did it out of pity with a quite active girl...and my b.f. and I plan to marry. So if I'm already infected with any strands of HPV from his side of the family or from, well, the guys whom I've only played with, then there's no point either...but it's not really possible. Guy one had a liberal mother, but we only ever played with hands and was careful with fluids. Guy two was a Asian rebound and again, only with hands, guy three was Indian and from a conservative family and guy four was Catholic (ironic) and had only touched one girl with a condom and we had oral but he didn't climax...he tried to penetrate but I didn't let him. I had a check-up for my throat but there was nothing. We were all teenagers - 14, 15, 18 and 20 and this happend between 2003-6.
Besides, it's only possible, not definite, that his mother could've contracted any HPV from the men she'd been in relationships with before her son was born and passed it onto him. Come to think of it, normal check-ups, plus the fact that my b.f. hasn't ever had any symptoms of that sort in his throat etc, makes me safe in that regard.
It also makes me angry. I'm proudly Chinese and I want to show my modesty and chastity to my western boyfriend and his family. I was so angry at being treated like mainstream society by the doctor, who, even after I said we're both virgins, went onto attack his mother and made me worried and also insulted his family....we argued for a night. Gardisil would only make me feel like any other girl who treats her sexuality openly, where I've only went ahead because we plan to marry.
I've been with my b.f. for 2 and a half years and through it I've had a long identity crisis where I questioned how I should be pure and be recognized for it. I've been troubled because I felt that my b.f. and his family didn't appreciate my culture...so I've gone overboard with my etiquette, modesty and "chastity virtues". I've been trying to balance again and two days ago, Gardisil completely ruined any confidence I'd built up.
Regarding pap smears, I wouldn't have them myself. I want my b.f. to appreciate that he's the only one who'll ever see my body. When I have kids, I'll choose a female obestrician and I'll give birth by the sea with only him and a midwife in attendance, not in some hospital room. If you're sure that you're only going to have one virgin partner and all your previous partners were virgins, then there's no point, especially if you're conservative like me. I reckon I'll start getting all that after children, if I ever "lose" my "chastity" - seriously I'll be in depression if another male or a crowd of midwives etc see me there. I really don't care about my kids dying at the moment and I know I sound selfish.
Sorry for the long rant, it's 2am here and I'm so relieved to find someone else so similar.
Fiona, 20.
If all your sexual partners were virgins and you are sure of it, then it is unlikely that you have genital hpv... but you have to get the vaccination shots... it's not that painful just a very very mild feeling for a moment... the choice is yours "HPV" or "NO HPV" in future... you've all your life ahead... do it before its too late... on the other hand, pap smear are a simple and a painless test, nothing to worry about just a minor test to check your cervical health so that you never get cervical cancer... now again, two option, "DO THE PAPS" or "BECOME SEXUALLY INACTIVE" :-)
Also, yes, I am positive of everyone's sexual history. It may be a lot of people but it was grade 9 - grade 11, so the sexual pool ran dry, as it were..
I'm not afraid that I have it, I was just wondering if there is a possibility that I could. I don't have any obvious symptoms, but I don't want to go there and get a shot (I'm afraid of needles, I should have mentioned) if there is a chance I already have it. And I don't want to get a pap test if it's certain that I don't.
That is a lot of different people and unless you know all their histories very extensively, like who they've been with and whatnot, then there is the possibility that they have it--if they are not telling you the truth, so are you sure!? If everyone is a virgin, well, and someone has HPV, it doesn't make since unless they did get it passed to them by their mother. You should gt a pap smear. They will tell you.
You never know, use condoms! It helps some. Sometimes warts are not even able to be seen by the naked eye. So be careful. It's very easily passed and common. IF you have it, it's NOT the worst possible disease ever, unless it's a high risk strain.
It's not true that guys are predisposed to having HPV warts/HPV unless it is passed rarely from their mother.
Sometimes people don't even know they have it, don't have signs and symptoms, it can be dormat, it's a very silent disease.
What makes you think you have it?
You never know, use condoms! It helps some. Sometimes warts are not even able to be seen by the naked eye. So be careful. It's very easily passed and common. IF you have it, it's NOT the worst possible disease ever, unless it's a high risk strain.
It's not true that guys are predisposed to having HPV warts/HPV unless it is passed rarely from their mother.
Sometimes people don't even know they have it, don't have signs and symptoms, it can be dormat, it's a very silent disease.
What makes you think you have it?
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