...An STD?
Yeah I know no one ever wants to talk about it.
It does happen and happens to good people.
A girlfriend of mine is in nursing school and has an assignment about how common they really are in women.
I thought what a better way to get some info then doing a poll on here.
You can comment if you'd like or simply answer the poll and it stays anonymous
The info will be very appreciated.
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No, thank heavens. I have a friend who got HSV from her supposedly monogamous partner..... not cool at all!
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Thanks to all that have voted so far!!
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I haven't but my BFF got HPV when we were in college.
ETA: I do get cold sores, but I have had them since I was a baby so I am not sure if people count that as an STD since it is a form of herpes (Herpes 1 is cold sores and 2 is genital, but I think most people don't know there are different kinds):/
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Can someone clarify HPV for me? From my understanding there are multiple strains and not all of them are STI's.
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@prettylizy: Yeah, I've read a lot about these with her and HSV is so common some don't know they have it for years!! Crazy!
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Never, thankfully.
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Thankfully no!
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@.twist.: I'd be interested in this as well!
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No I havent
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@mrsmenow: It actually is considered a STD but you could have gotten that from an aunt kissing you when you were a baby. It's so common.
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@.twist.: There are a bunch of different kinds, but I do believe it is from sexual contact.
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@.twist.: I think all strands of HPV are STI's but they manifest in different forms. There are strains that manifest as genital warts and those that manifest as pre-cancerous cells on a pap smear. I'm pretty sure that is how it works!
My doctor told me that 80% of the sexually active population has some variation of HPV but most never know or have any symptoms.
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I have not.
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@.twist.: One of my besties had HPV, and it went away after two years. I didn't want to ask more about it, but she said she was afraid it was the 'bad one', but it ended up going away.
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My younger sister had a form of HPV. It is really common.
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Thanks ladies.
I've had abnormal paps that were of concern for Cancer. It ended up going away. Thankfully.
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Nope, thank goodness...
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I had to take my roommate to the hospital because of intense pain she was experiencing. It turned out she had a triple whammy of HPV, herpes and a UTI. She was in so much pain, it was so terrible. The worst part was she was totally committed to this one guy and he was just was not. Ugh.
Nothing for me though.
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I have (had?) HPV that manifested in precancerous cells, which resulted in many colposcopys, a cryo procedure to freeze off the cells and then paps every 3 months until I got 3 consecutive normal results. Not fun! Im finally back to annual exams though. I was under the impression that it is pretty common. I never got the vaccine.
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Now I feel like the dirty bird of Hellobee
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@petunia354: haha I did get the vaccine, but yea, I totally felt like a loner admitting that!
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You forgot chlamydia.
I've had it twice. Both times just got some meds & cleared right up.
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Yes.
To clear up some confusion, there are roughly 100 types of HPV - some can cause cervical cancer or genital warts. The vaccine only protects against the 4 most common types. 80% of women will get HPV before age 50. So, for most of you "no, never" responses up there, you may have already had it. Most of the time, it clears up on its own and it never detected. If it leads to other issues or you happen to have your annual exam during that time, it will be detected. The biggest issue is that there's no way to test men for it so there's really no way to tell when or where you "got" it.
I had HPV when I was 23, I believe. I had an abnormal pap and had to go back for a colposcopy (they scrape off some of the abnormal areas to test). Turns out, it was fine. I went for paps every 3 months for a year until things came back normal again! Another friend had a LEEP done where they electronically remove the abnormal areas. I got the vaccine afterwards.
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@LindsayInNYC: Yep, I have had two colposcopy's and one of my friends has also had the LEEP procedure!
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No, but there have been a couple of time I thought I did.
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I never have.
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no, thankfully. DH and I were each other's "firsts".
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I had HPV but it went away. Just showed up in an abnormal pap. No signs of it nor took anything for it.
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@petunia354: Nah, you aren't alone at all.
I had HPV and it turned into pre-cancerous cells that required 2 colposcopies and eventually a LEEP to get it all. I had 3 normal paps in a row before getting pregnant, thank goodness, but it was definitely stressful.
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@Pumpkinspice: does mono count? I got that from a bf in college?
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Nothing here.
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@LindsayInNYC: Thanks for sharing all of that. It is interesting how most women will have it at some stage but never know it. I tested positive for HPV twelve years ago but the colposcopy came back fine and six months later, it was all cleared up. Whilst some strains increase the risk of cancer and others cause warts, most strains don't in fact do anything and go away on their own. Had I not had an exam when I did, but waited a bit longer, I probably never would have known that I had it once upon a time and would be one of those answering 'no, never'.
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@Ree723: I get very defensive/protective of people with STDs. I believe that most people who have them (myself included x 2) did not get them in the "stereotypical" way. Some of us have carefully selected partners, protected sex, everything and still manage to contract one. I just hate the guilt and feeling of shame when no one deserves to feel that way or have those thoughts. I wish I could be more outspoken on my experience but yet I still have too much shame around it. =/
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@petunia354: Don't feel like a dirty bird! Like @LindsayInNYC: I think I had HPV. I had an abnormal pap, had a colposcopy, and it turned out to be okay. I had to continue to have paps until they were normal.
@knittylady: That is a horrible story. I feel sorry for your friend
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Thanks for everyone who came and out and said they've had one! Like @Lindsayinnyc said it's not necessarily something to feel shameful about! Even the most careful people can get one.
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@LindsayInNYC: Absolutely. This whole stereotype of people with STDs being 'dirty' or engaging in unsafe activities makes me so mad (not here in this thread, in society in general). We all have sex, it's not an unnatural act that only 'dirty' people engage in. Despite using precautions, things happen, particularly with diseases like HPV that do not require the exchange of bodily fluids to be transmitted. We shouldn't be ashamed or feel the need to explain ourselves. Like you though, I can say this stuff here but I'm not quite at a point where I'm ready to go take on the world yet.
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You all are wonderful!
Thank you for all the info and for the honest answers!
@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I'm not sure if mono would count or not that's a good question.
@sera_87: I def did forget that one, thank you!!
And no one should feel ashamed. It happens, as proof of the poll. It doesn't have to have the stigma attached to it. -
I never have, which is a miracle, because I engaged in quite a bit of unprotected sex my freshman year of college (oh, to be an 18-year-old idiot).
I agree with PPs that the stigma surrounding STDs is ridiculous and unfair. I know several people who had HPV and one person who has herpes, and they all had protected sex and are not "dirty."
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Thanks again to all that answered the poll and commented!!
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