Genital warts?!

[msmissa]

I'm so completely terrified. I went in This week for my monthly visit and my pap smear. My ob informed my dh and me that I have genital warts. He looked at my husband and asked if there were any on him, and we both responded no. I was completely shocked. I've never been positive for Any STD until now.

My ob explained the options for removing them, then he told the only one they would do since I'm pregnant. He asked if I would be willing to do it, even though it would cause me some discomfort afterwards. I looked at him and said absolutely, I want to do anything I can.

I know all we can do is remove the warts themselves, but the virus itself isn't curable. I really don't want to cause any harm to my baby when LO is born. As I said I'm so terrified. I cried in the exam room. Thankfully my hubby was there for the exam so I didn't have to tell him later. He's been amazing with this. He said this changes nothing, and he's going to be with me the whole time.

I just don't know how to think or feel about this. I'm so stressed, and I can't help but break down into tears anytime I think about what has happeneed.

 

[sophieee18]

hey hun. i was diagnosed when i was pregnant with genital warts and i asure you theres no harm to your LO. i went and saw a consultant to discuss the matter, and suggested having a c-section as i didn't want anything to happen to my LO and he said there is more of a chance of something happeneing to me during a c-section, than something happening to bubs when im in labour.
i went on to have a vaginal birth, with a completly healthy baby. and i now am getting them treated. i was 37 weeks preg when diagnosed, so getting treated then was a big no no as i was already in so much discomfort with bubs lol.
i hope you stop worrying yourself. im always here if you want a chat
xx

 

[msmissa]

Thank you. My hubby keeps telling me not to worry, but idk lol.
I was completely embarrassed and mortified. I got checked in December for other STD's and my pap was normal she said. I get mine treated next tuesday (on my 21st birthday no less).

Thank goodness your LO came out ok. That gives us some hope.

I'm just haappy to have a supportive OH and a very nice ob

 

[flubdub]

Can you just "catch" them then? I thought they had to be spread through sexual contact?
Sorry if being a bit dim!

 

[Mindy_mini]

Can you just "catch" them then? I thought they had to be spread through sexual contact?
Sorry if being a bit dim!

its the same virus as the cold sore virus and you can cross contaminate if hand hygeine isnt maintained during a coldsore outbreak.

its not just sexual contact. Sadly most people still view it as a STI and fail to recognise its just a virus. Its like HIV and AIDS - thats just a tragic disease that means your immune system is comprimised. If someone said I have a dmaaged immune system people wouldnt be concerned about it but because its got a lable people still see it as this awful thing that you can catch and will result in a life sentence. Sorry having a bit of a rant now LOL

 

[sophieee18]

Also, you can have the virus for years untill you can actually see/feel the warts. A lot of people don't know they have the virus untill a while after they have caught it.

 

[msmissa]

Which is why I was utterly shocked when I found out I had it. I caught one of the many many strains of HPV, and I have no clue how. My husband is regularly tested and before me ALWAYS used a condom. Then I told him he didn't need to have sex to catch it. I had a pap smear done very recently along with tests for STDs and everything came out fine. I guess this shows that you can be careful and still get a "STD" (if that's what they classify this as) lol

 

[TattiesMum]

Which is why I was utterly shocked when I found out I had it. I caught one of the many many strains of HPV, and I have no clue how. My husband is regularly tested and before me ALWAYS used a condom. Then I told him he didn't need to have sex to catch it. I had a pap smear done very recently along with tests for STDs and everything came out fine. I guess this shows that you can be careful and still get a "STD" (if that's what they classify this as) lol

HPV is spread by skin to skin contact - just the same as the herpes virus, except that there are no active signs with HPV ... no condom will protect against it, and there is some evidence that it can be passed on simply by towel sharing

 

[lushious09]

Can you just "catch" them then? I thought they had to be spread through sexual contact?
Sorry if being a bit dim!

its the same virus as the cold sore virus and you can cross contaminate if hand hygeine isnt maintained during a coldsore outbreak.

its not just sexual contact. Sadly most people still view it as a STI and fail to recognise its just a virus. Its like HIV and AIDS - thats just a tragic disease that means your immune system is comprimised. If someone said I have a dmaaged immune system people wouldnt be concerned about it but because its got a lable people still see it as this awful thing that you can catch and will result in a life sentence. Sorry having a bit of a rant now LOL

sorry but it isint anything to do with the cold sore virus that is herpes and there is 2 strands of that virus one is an oral one and the other genital... genital warts are caused by the hpv (human pap virus) theres several strands and you can have a completely normal pap smear yet still be carrying genital warts as the strand that causes them to appear can be diff to the one that can cause cervical cancer which you find as abnormal cells on a smear... it cant be passed by bad hand hygeine it is an sti that can still be catched even through protected sex as genital skin to skin contact is all thats needed... you cant catch genital warts if someone has them on their hands and touches you down there... it is a total diff strand... there is a lot of misunderstanding about this virus... you may only have one break out in your life and never see them again as it stays dormant there is only a risk to baby if you are carrying the warts inside the vagina and they are so big they obstruct the canal which has a chance of spreading them to baby...

...It is one of the most commed STIs out there and hundreads of people have it and dont even realise as they may never get symptoms so you really should not worry x

 

[msmissa]

Which is why I was utterly shocked when I found out I had it. I caught one of the many many strains of HPV, and I have no clue how. My husband is regularly tested and before me ALWAYS used a condom. Then I told him he didn't need to have sex to catch it. I had a pap smear done very recently along with tests for STDs and everything came out fine. I guess this shows that you can be careful and still get a "STD" (if that's what they classify this as) lol

HPV is spread by skin to skin contact - just the same as the herpes virus, except that there are no active signs with HPV ... no condom will protect against it, and there is some evidence that it can be passed on simply by towel sharing

That's what I was told, too. I was just horrified and completely embarrassed when my OB said I have it. He had asked on our first appt. if I ever had any sort of SDT or history of any, and I told him truthfully (according to my knowledge) no. I cried off and on all day. I had been so careful.

 

[fairydreams]

I just wanted to reassure the OP, my mil once did some volunteering at a GUM clinic,and any kind of infection is all too common nowadays.

I learnt a lot from her working there and an sti / std can lay dorment for years before it is detected as many of them do not display any symptoms, which is why the health authority is always bugging for us to be regularly checked.

please dont be embarrassed about it in front of your OB, they are probably just happy to have spotted it and be able to treat you in time and you wouldnt have been the first person he had diagnosed hun

fairydreams

 

[aurora]

Your hubby should get checked for sure, as others have said, the virus can lay dormant for years but CAN be passed during that time.

 

[msmissa]

fairydreams: Thank you very much. I'm starting to feel a little better about it. All I want now is to make sure everything I can do is being done for the sake of my baby.

aurora: He most definitely will get checked very soon. We were just very surprised since both of us have been checked recently, and he gets checked very regularly.

 

[msmissa]

Oh and I forgot.............Thank you to all of you wonderful ladies....It's definitely been a rough week so far.

Your support has been a bit calming, so thank you all

 

[Rory]

Hmmm... I'm glad for this thread, my husband was diagnosed with this soon after I learned I was pregnant. Thing is, I realized then that I likely have it since we haven't used protection since we were married. But, you can't diagnose it unless there is a "symptom" which I understand is actually the wart itself. I was SO MAD at him. I didn't realize HPV could be spread so many different ways. Is there a link or something I can read? Thanks!

 

[lushious09]

thing is its not fair to be mad at your OH if you find you have these... as condoms arnt even effective against them so it really is no ones fault x

 

[loz]

Can you just "catch" them then? I thought they had to be spread through sexual contact?
Sorry if being a bit dim!

its the same virus as the cold sore virus and you can cross contaminate if hand hygeine isnt maintained during a coldsore outbreak.

its not just sexual contact. Sadly most people still view it as a STI and fail to recognise its just a virus. Its like HIV and AIDS - thats just a tragic disease that means your immune system is comprimised. If someone said I have a dmaaged immune system people wouldnt be concerned about it but because its got a lable people still see it as this awful thing that you can catch and will result in a life sentence. Sorry having a bit of a rant now LOL

are you getting confussed with herpes?

 

[msmissa]

She probably just meant that it's like the herpes virus....

 

[EmyDra]

Weird thing to say, but my Mum told me she got these after marrying my Dad in her early 20s. After they were cleared up I don't think they have bothered her since

However, it is a bit sad that she has only ever been with one man...and still got them whereas, I'm not so sure about my Dad, and he never got any symptoms!

She went on and had two healthy babies and so far neither of us have had it, so no worries to your LO :-D

 

[msmissa]

Just a little update on the whole situation....I had my warts burned and cut off today It hurts now, but my OB said that if I don't have a recurrence (since there's still a chance I might) then they have no reason to not let me deliver vaginally. I'm relieved to hear this, but at the moment, it hurts to do just about anything and I'm very swollen down there.

Oh well, I want these gone. Especially for my baby. My husband is being so great helping me around and letting me cry or get upset if the pain gets to me. Neither of us know when or how this was contracted, and he's sticking by me no matter what has gone on.

Thank you ladies for your support. It's been very much needed.