I was diagnosed with HPV nearly 2 years ago now. I had not slept with anyone for 5 years and after I had broken that, I started to notice changes. I was in SO much discomfort and pain and it took plenty of ‘checks’, sti tests, swabs, biopsy and so on to find out that I had HPV. Around 8/9 months in I started to develop genital warts I was mortified I felt disgusted of myself and felt damaged and that nobody would ever want to love me. I had many suicidal thoughts at this time in my life, I couldn’t accept what had happened to me and I felt like I almost lost apart of myself after this had happened. Even now, I still find it difficult to accept even nearly 2 years of the whole process of ‘why has this happened to me’. I would love to hear people’s stories as sometimes I feel like I’m the only person in the world, and that can be quite lonely and scary at times.
I haven’t had much treatment done as I’m just so embarrassed to go to my local GUM clinic over and over again to get help. I’m not sure what to do, it only seems to be getting worse down there and I’ve just been discharged from my gynaecologist as there is nothing further they can help me with.
If anyone has any tips or medication/herbal medication they can recommend I would be so grateful!
It made me so tearful but also made me feel so much better that I can relate with someone.
Im sorry that you had to go through it all when you fell pregnant that must of been a hard thing to process.
I agree, I think I need to swallow my pride and accept the help from the GUM clinic.
What did you find worked for you and GW? I’ve had one lot of freezing and around 4 weeks of Aldera cream but it didn’t shift a thing.. in my final gynaecologist appointment she told me to get aldera on repeat until they go, is this something you did too?
Thankyou so much for all your advice it’s been noted and I’ll act on it!
I have never had genital warts myself, though I guess I am facing up to the fact I very likely have HPV infection to be finding myself on Jo's in the first place with CIN3! But I wanted to try and still offer some support. I have been to GUM clinics for STI screening before, and I have also worked in them frontline seeing patients. I want to reassure you that you have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. I know that when it's yourself who is receiving the treatment it is impossible not to be, and it's never going to be dignifying getting your bits out so somebody can peer at them far closer than would ever be comfortable with anyone. But the people doing the peering have seen it ALL before, hundreds of times over. It is their bread and butter, and they see if probably at least once a day. I know you probably know all this but I just wanted to try and hammer it home a bit more. You have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, warts are so so so common, and so so easily treated. You absolutely do not deserve to feel the way in which you do from them, but you do deserve to have them treated and removed. It's all confidential and nobody outside of those 4 walls will need to know about it except for you and the small team looking after you. Sorry that I cannot relate better and sorry that I am probably just droning on with stuff you've heard before, but I wanted to just re-iterate it. People wouldn't work in GUM if they didn't want to help and they certainly won't be shocked or grossed out by it. Sending hugs x
Yeah aldera cream I think the nurse said helps to fight off the virus rather than just the warts.
Im going to call in this week after speaking in here, I need to push myself out of this box of being ashamed and feeling like the only one as I’m clearly not!
Thank you for helping with that!
I’m feeling much better Thankyou, you seem like a lovely and kind lady! Your daughter is lucky to have a mum like you :) x
Thankyou so much for your reply. I’m sorry to hear your going through these things too, I hope you get clarification on it all, I know it’s not an easy process.
youre exactly right, after I read your message and another kind replier, I realised that I’m not alone in this and i shouldn’t be embarrassed.
im going to go to a GUM clinic this week and access the help I need and stick to it also!
Thankyou so much for your kind words, it’s really appreciated. xxx
Understand entirely how you feel, it is such a hard thing to cope with. I have had similar feelings of "why me" and just can't manage to shake the feeling of regret. I remember being offered the vaccine 6 years ago at my gyn appointment, when I only had 1 partner and we were both virgins. I keep replaying it in my head and imagining saying "yes" that I'd get the vaccine. If I did, I wouldn't be in this situation and wouldn't have hrHPV. It is so impossible to not regret when it is a decision that is so life altering. It is what it is, though. As for now, I think yoga, meditation, and visualization could help. Eating well, taking care of yourself. I've read about folic acid helping? Sometimes I take it. Hearing others' stories helps, so I will keep checking this thread as well.
