HPV - Everything you need to know

So, if I’m getting this right, we're talking about the human papillomavirus (whatever 😁 is), but how the hell do you even catch that?

I've got it 😢 you get it when you have unprotected sex... even if your partners haven't slept with anyone else before... like in my case... it's awful

It isn't strictly limited to sexual contact, though that is certainly how most people contract it, but you could also pick it up at public pools where there are large crowds...
There is actually a wealth of information available on sites like the CDC or similar health resources if you take a moment to look, and since we have had several community leaders start discussions on this topic before, it might be worth checking back through those threads...

Is there actually a cure for this?

And like, does it leave any permanent damage on people who are dealing with it?

Also, can you pass this thing down to your kids?

You’ve got a thread about this in the women's section and even on the last page, but honestly? It's just full of useless, "informative" fluff... nothing actually smart.

Sure, you can clear it, but there’s always a chance it comes back... so women dealing with this need to be way more careful, especially when their immune system takes a hit.

..plus, there's a much higher risk of cervical cancer in women who carry HPV.

Look, I caught it from a nurse I was head over heels for!!!

I finished my whole course of antibiotics too!!!

And now everything is totally fine!!!

But yeah, no more unprotected sex for me!!!

Actually, I'm just done with the whole thing altogether!!!

What are the symptoms, really? Like, how can you actually tell if you have it?

So yeah, it’s true about the pool thing, even if you’re just using someone else's towel

I have this friend who actually caught something right in the middle of the pool, so now I just don't go swimming😁 like, everrrrrrrrrrr 👍

Elizabeth Ruiz2 said:..it's also a significantly higher coincidence regarding cervical cancer in women who carry HPV

significantly higher...

Personally, I am quite alright with how things stand in that regard. I make it a point to avoid sexually transmitted diseases🙂

I laid everything out right here....

It’s all there in detail—for those who actually care. 🙂

Brenda Reed3 said:...what is even going on with these public pools? shouldn't the chlorine levels be high enough to kill off everything? seriously, after two showers following a pool session, I still smell like a damn bleach factory. just what I need, adding an HPV infection to my life... [/B]

....chlorine concentrations in public pools have to be strictly regulated much more precisely ...you can't mess around with this stuff ...if there's too little chlorine, nasty pathogens multiply and people end up catching every infection imaginable from the water ...but if there's too much, you kill off all the good bacteria too—it basically turns the water sterile by nuking every living microorganism ---so apparently, nothing is ever right.

...on top of that, they're supposed to take water samples every single week and run them through a lab ....then, if the results come back bad, the health department is supposed to step in and force certain measures ...all for the sake of public safety
,,,bottom line, those pools where people caught HPV (and who knows what else!) definitely weren't being strictly monitored ...the samples they took must have been garbage... because if they were actually testing properly, this wouldn't be happening ...pools with failed tests should be shut down immediately until things are fixed... plus they should be paying massive fines
...and then there's the other issue: how incredibly corrupt and bribe-hungry these people (in this case, the health inspectors) have become. instead of looking out for the public, they're only looking out for their own pockets

...that's why you should only stick to pools that have a proven track record

Hey everyone...

Where did you guys go to get tested for HPV? If you’re living in the Washington, D.C. area, I’d love some recommendations.🙂 Also, how long did it take to get your results back?

Are you kidding me?

It CANNOT be cured! You carry it your whole life and you can infect someone at any time. Even if your lab results come back perfectly clear and show absolutely no trace of HPV. You’ll always be able to pass it on.

And if you didn't have HPV—you DO have it!
Once you catch it, you have it forever.

Whether there are symptoms or not depends on which strain you're carrying. If there are symptoms, it might be a less dangerous type, and if there aren't, it's usually a more dangerous one (or something along those lines). If you do get symptoms, it's those nasty warts that you have to go get removed or burned off or whatever.

The consequence of HPV is cancer. It doesn't pass to children, and even if a woman needs surgery, she should still be able to have babies. That's my understanding, anyway.

All that talk about swimming pools, contaminated towels, or toilet seats is
(in my opinion) nonsense. I mean, it’s not impossible to catch it that way, but I think it's much more common through sexual contact.
In my view, the chance of catching it that way is like the chance of getting hit by a car while crossing the street. It isn't impossible, but it's highly unlikely to happen.

I don't know much about testing. I think it shows up on a Pap smear. At least the 2nd stage stuff does.

And here's another thing about HPV that makes no sense. There are CIN 1, 2nd, and 3. CIN 3 is the worst (I'm not sure if that's already cancer or if cancer follows after CIN 3). But... listen to this! (which doesn't make any sense to me)
When a girl has CIN 1, they do nothing and just wait a few months... When it moves up to 2nd—they still do nothing and just wait a few more months... It's ONLY when CIN 3 appears that they go in for surgery.
So why on earth are they waiting until CIN 3??? Why can't they do something once it hits 2nd?
(I've noticed this "wait and see" approach with several doctors, not just one, and I also read somewhere on a forum that this is how it's done—just waiting... 🙄 )

Larry Cruz51 said:I'm pretty good on that front. I stay away from STDs.

Oh, please. Give me a break!😁

Ashley Vaughn79 said:But... wait a second! (None of this makes sense to me)
If a girl is at stage 1—nothing happens, you just wait for a few months... Once she moves up to stage 2—still nothing, you just wait for a few more months...

When you're at stage 1, you just monitor things closely. You don't jump into treatment because stage 1 might actually clear itself if your immune system is strong enough.
...Why start aggressive treatments immediately if there's a chance your body can handle it on its own?
There's logic to it.

...but I'm pretty sure once you hit stage 2, they already start the therapy... 🤔

Hmm, I don't know, maybe I'm wrong.
That's just how I see it.
..I don't have any actual experience with this stuff.

Gary Sanchez said:...and I suppose you'd start treatments once you hit CIN2... 🤔

That’s just not how it works. 😁
I know one girl who didn't even get treated; they just waited until it hit CIN3 before doing anything about it. It's honestly sad...

Ashley Vaughn79 said:It’s just not happening. 😁
It wasn't even like one girl went out there; they were just sitting around waiting for some CIN3 diagnosis to turn into a total disaster. Pathetic...

...then her poor doctor is left holding the bag 👎

...honestly, I still think you really need to follow through with treatment if you're looking at CIN2.

I tested positive for grade 1 HPV, and my doctor didn't suggest waiting around for anything. I was just prescribed Vagylate and Sumamed 500mg. As far as the virus goes, about 70% of women deal with it; for many, it never even triggers a reaction, so they go their whole lives without knowing. At least, that's what my gynecologist told me.