Have you ever had HPV that you know of?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a GenXer who was married for years, which means: the vaccine was not available to us growing up; and I believed my husband was my only partner and vice versa. Wrong. I did get it, and had it removed in my throat. I am now 50, and I started the vaccination process a couple of years ago now that I am single. My doctor suggested it.

Did you get it before you married or are you saying your DH got it before you married, or that he cheated while married--? Trying to fit the "married for years" and "I believed my DH was my only partner and vice versa" into the equation. It sounds as if he cheated during the marriage and gave it to you but I'm not clear if instead you, or he, got infected before marriage. Asking as someone longtime married myself. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

No. I’m 53. I never had an abnormal pap.

They starting testing for all cancer causing strains at some point which wasn’t standard of care in my 20s/30s. Always been negative.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Abnormal pap, biopsy, precancerous cells and cryosurgery to remove. Paps every three months and then every six months until normal.

That was about 20 years ago and have had normal paps since. I'm too old for the vaccine, but glad it's available for my kids.

[Anonymous]

This whole thread has me thinking it's tragic, considering the potential consequences of the deadlier strains of HPV and the incredible ease of HPV transmission, that there is no HPV test for men. Men are the main carriers and transmitters but there is no test (other than what amounts to an "anal Pap smear for men" that can be done but isn't recommended by the FDA or CDC). The only advice for men I found online was that they'll know they might have it only when lesions appear. Terrible.

Vaccination of course is key, but with resistance to vaccines of all kinds, plus the already existing prevalance of HPV pretty much everywhere, both women and men should be demanding that a male HPV test be a research goal.

But I'm betting that two ugly realities are likely:

One, researching and developing such a test probably does not make enough money for pharma companies, and they make much more money on cranking out drugs to treat HPV and the cancers it causes.

Two, HPV is still viewed by many people in many parts of this country as a "lifestyle disease" that people bring on themselves because they are morally compromised. So there's no push to test for it, treat it more widely or cure it, since our culture wants to treat STIs as shameful and somehow "deserved."

[Anonymous]

Yes. In early 2000s and it cleared on its own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a GenXer who was married for years, which means: the vaccine was not available to us growing up; and I believed my husband was my only partner and vice versa. Wrong. I did get it, and had it removed in my throat. I am now 50, and I started the vaccination process a couple of years ago now that I am single. My doctor suggested it.

Did you get it before you married or are you saying your DH got it before you married, or that he cheated while married--? Trying to fit the "married for years" and "I believed my DH was my only partner and vice versa" into the equation. It sounds as if he cheated during the marriage and gave it to you but I'm not clear if instead you, or he, got infected before marriage. Asking as someone longtime married myself. Thanks.

To answer your question, he was sleeping around while we were married.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
This whole thread has me thinking it's tragic, considering the potential consequences of the deadlier strains of HPV and the incredible ease of HPV transmission, that there is no HPV test for men. Men are the main carriers and transmitters but there is no test (other than what amounts to an "anal Pap smear for men" that can be done but isn't recommended by the FDA or CDC). The only advice for men I found online was that they'll know they might have it only when lesions appear. Terrible.

Vaccination of course is key, but with resistance to vaccines of all kinds, plus the already existing prevalance of HPV pretty much everywhere, both women and men should be demanding that a male HPV test be a research goal.

But I'm betting that two ugly realities are likely:

One, researching and developing such a test probably does not make enough money for pharma companies, and they make much more money on cranking out drugs to treat HPV and the cancers it causes.

Two, HPV is still viewed by many people in many parts of this country as a "lifestyle disease" that people bring on themselves because they are morally compromised. So there's no push to test for it, treat it more widely or cure it, since our culture wants to treat STIs as shameful and somehow "deserved."

Uh, I’m not sure why you would think this when obviously it would be incredibly lucrative to have either a test for asymptomatic men and/or to develop drugs to treat this extremely common cancer and wart-causing condition in both men and women. If it doesn’t exist it’s probably because the science is hard and the drug is hard to develop. Maybe you think pharma just snaps its fingers and presto has a cure for any disease. Because it’s so easy. That must be why it took 40 years to get effective HIV medication? Or why there is still no cure for most cancers?

Maybe you also have a similar conspiracy theory about the HPV vaccine? Cause it makes so much more money to prevent an easily transmitted disease than it does to develop drugs to treat it? Yah that makes tons of sense. That must be why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
This whole thread has me thinking it's tragic, considering the potential consequences of the deadlier strains of HPV and the incredible ease of HPV transmission, that there is no HPV test for men. Men are the main carriers and transmitters but there is no test (other than what amounts to an "anal Pap smear for men" that can be done but isn't recommended by the FDA or CDC). The only advice for men I found online was that they'll know they might have it only when lesions appear. Terrible.

Vaccination of course is key, but with resistance to vaccines of all kinds, plus the already existing prevalance of HPV pretty much everywhere, both women and men should be demanding that a male HPV test be a research goal.

But I'm betting that two ugly realities are likely:

One, researching and developing such a test probably does not make enough money for pharma companies, and they make much more money on cranking out drugs to treat HPV and the cancers it causes.

Two, HPV is still viewed by many people in many parts of this country as a "lifestyle disease" that people bring on themselves because they are morally compromised. So there's no push to test for it, treat it more widely or cure it, since our culture wants to treat STIs as shameful and somehow "deserved."

Uh, I’m not sure why you would think this when obviously it would be incredibly lucrative to have either a test for asymptomatic men and/or to develop drugs to treat this extremely common cancer and wart-causing condition in both men and women. If it doesn’t exist it’s probably because the science is hard and the drug is hard to develop. Maybe you think pharma just snaps its fingers and presto has a cure for any disease. Because it’s so easy. That must be why it took 40 years to get effective HIV medication? Or why there is still no cure for most cancers?

Maybe you also have a similar conspiracy theory about the HPV vaccine? Cause it makes so much more money to prevent an easily transmitted disease than it does to develop drugs to treat it? Yah that makes tons of sense. That must be why.

How obtuse. The attitude around HPV is unfortunately this: "It's no big deal, it usually clears on its own, if I have it it's going to go away and if I give it to someone else, well, it's no big deal." Those who have had cancers from it know better but this is the prevalent way it gets thought about. So if there were a test for men, do you really think uptake on that test would be huge? That men would stampede to get it? Probably not, unless women demanded they do so and you should know if you read DCUM that women too often don't make it a priority for partners to test before they start having sex.

I have a family member who works in pharma so I know perfectly well that no one "snaps their fingers and presto" there's a cure. Your insult is ignorant and misses the point. I'm asking, is pharma even RESEARCHING and working toward an eventual TEST; I never said pharma could magically produce a cure in an instant. Pay attention.

What I say is not a conspiracy theory. Everyone knows that big pharma is about the money; that's no secret and it doesn't take a conspiracy theorist to believe it. And where did I talk about the vaccine being a money-maker or not? I'm addressing male HPV test research. You seem to be quick to shrug off the idea that pharma ought at least to research male HPV tests....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a GenXer who was married for years, which means: the vaccine was not available to us growing up; and I believed my husband was my only partner and vice versa. Wrong. I did get it, and had it removed in my throat. I am now 50, and I started the vaccination process a couple of years ago now that I am single. My doctor suggested it.

Did you get it before you married or are you saying your DH got it before you married, or that he cheated while married--? Trying to fit the "married for years" and "I believed my DH was my only partner and vice versa" into the equation. It sounds as if he cheated during the marriage and gave it to you but I'm not clear if instead you, or he, got infected before marriage. Asking as someone longtime married myself. Thanks.

To answer your question, he was sleeping around while we were married.

I'm sorry that was the case, PP. Thanks for responding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a GenXer who was married for years, which means: the vaccine was not available to us growing up; and I believed my husband was my only partner and vice versa. Wrong. I did get it, and had it removed in my throat. I am now 50, and I started the vaccination process a couple of years ago now that I am single. My doctor suggested it.

Did you get it before you married or are you saying your DH got it before you married, or that he cheated while married--? Trying to fit the "married for years" and "I believed my DH was my only partner and vice versa" into the equation. It sounds as if he cheated during the marriage and gave it to you but I'm not clear if instead you, or he, got infected before marriage. Asking as someone longtime married myself. Thanks.

To answer your question, he was sleeping around while we were married.

Dang. I’m sorry. Glad you left his *ss

[Anonymous]

No. I used condoms + birth control until I was with my now husband AND it was clear we were getting married. Unless it’s spread through other sexual contact, and theoretically it would have been more of a risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. I used condoms + birth control until I was with my now husband AND it was clear we were getting married. Unless it’s spread through other sexual contact, and theoretically it would have been more of a risk.

What? Birth control doesn’t do anything to stop the spread of HPV.

And yes, it does spread with other sexual contact.

It’s fine, sounds like you slept around a fair amount - some BJs, handies, the occasional anal. Your husband probably didn’t use a condom every time prior to you, no matter what he told you.

You probably have a strain that is neither cancerous (assuming you get Pap smears and they’ve been normal) nor prone to cause warts.

But it’s ok, you’ll be fine.

[Anonymous]

Not that I know of, and honestly, I am surprised. I haven't had many sexual partners which may contribute to it. The HPV vaccine came out when I was at the tail end of eligibility for it. I got it when I was 26 but I had already met my husband at that point and have not had new exposures since, so I doubt it was helpful to me.

I had a couple bad PAPs in my early 20s but they came back negative for HPV.

[Anonymous]

Negative for the HPV strains they tested for, you mean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I used condoms + birth control until I was with my now husband AND it was clear we were getting married. Unless it’s spread through other sexual contact, and theoretically it would have been more of a risk.

What? Birth control doesn’t do anything to stop the spread of HPV.

And yes, it does spread with other sexual contact.

It’s fine, sounds like you slept around a fair amount - some BJs, handies, the occasional anal. Your husband probably didn’t use a condom every time prior to you, no matter what he told you.

You probably have a strain that is neither cancerous (assuming you get Pap smears and they’ve been normal) nor prone to cause warts.

But it’s ok, you’ll be fine.

Of course my husband didn’t use a condom every time prior to me. But he only had a few partners- serious long term relationships. I only had one other and used condoms in that relationship. I know that birth control doesn’t prevent it but my point is that in addiction to the pill I used a condom to prevent stds. Did more minor stuff with people I dated in high school/college where it’s unlikely I would have gotten it. So entirely possible that I actually don’t have it if the chances are 1/2 as I think was stated here. Of course possible, but not like it’s super likely based on sexual activity alone. Either way haven’t had an irregular pap so I wouldn’t know.