I've been told I have High Risk HPV
I'm now freaking out about the health of myself and my boyfriend. For example I've read it can also cause other cancers in the genital area and also HPV 18 causes a third of throat cancers
Is there any way of finding out which strand I have?
I can't beleive that something which causes so many awful illnessess can be accepted as 'something most people get.' I wish I knew more about it when I was younger and none of this would have happened!!
I have high risk HPV as well with abnormal changes in the cells of my cervix. I can only presume through reading up on high risk HPV that the two most common strains are 16 and 18. There are over a hundred but they causes warts (like those on the hands and veruccas) and some genital wart strains. High risk HPV refers to those that cause infection within the cervical area and this is usually 16 and 18.
I agree with you about the health of you BF I have only just recently entered a new relationship (3 weeks lol) but worry about the implications of passing it back and forth between us for a start. Baring in mind its "something most people have had or have got" chances are our partners have also had it in the past too, and maybe we have had it too but obviously testing wasnt done so we kind of lived in ignorant bliss.
Interestingly I read that in America both boys and girls are vaccinated against HPV at 13 - maybe, as we always seem light years behind the Americans, it will be introduced here too.
The use of condoms helps but not much because the HPV virus lives all round the gential area on both men and women, and by the time a condom is put on sexual contact has uusually already occurred.
Im no dr, just giving my advice as to what I know. Up until three weeks ago I knew naff all about HPV, Ive done a lot of research since then but even then the research doesnt give all the answers.
Finally dont beat yourself up about not knowing enough and then "none of this would have happened". The only sure fire way of not getting HPV is to stay a virgin. I dont think for the majority of the population thats an option. You just have to kind of reside your self to the fact that, at present, this virus is so common (like the cold) there is little to do to prevent it, apart from vaccination at 12-13 yrs....even that hasnt had sufficiently long enough time to prove whether that does indeed work.
I hope that helps sam
Lily x
