Conference turris::womannotes-v2

       I don't know much about them other than they are sexually
       transmitted and that they can be removed just like other warts
       with lasers or freezing. I wasn't under the impression that they
       were dangerous. liesl

    I've had them   WHOOPS!  my deep dark secret is out!!!  ;-)
    
    Actually, if more people would share their deep dark secrets they
    wouldn't be deep, dark or secret and this world would get a lot
    more done, like helping the author of .0 and others...
    
    Genital warts are transmitted sexually.  They are also transmitted
    in other ways, though the exact method is not understood.  My
    mother-in-law had them and one thought is that they may have been
    genetically regressive in my wife.  Another possibility is through
    contaminated utensils and the such.  Fact of the mater is they
    (the medical community) simply don't have all the answers.
    
    Most (if not all) forms are mostly harmless, though irritating(sp?).
     They can cause scaring if not cared for and are a cancer risk if
    they are continuously damaged.  They are also, like most warts,
    very difficult to remove, in that They're persistent and are a long
    standing frustration to the doctors that treat them.
    
    I had genital warts in the rectal area and underwent 3 treatments
    of burning them with acid.  In all 3 cases they vanished completely
    only to return a few months later.  The treatment was painful (tender
    area... ;-) and lasted many weeks (one acid application per week
    for 6 weeks to eradicate them).  After the last treatment failed,
    my doctor suggested surgery.  After talking with the surgeon I agreed.
    2 years after the first operation they began to return.  I went
    *right* back and had them removed again.  I have not had a recurrence
    in 4 years and still cookin'!
    
    I was quite heavily(sp?) infested, yet the surgery was outpatient
    and I was fully recovered in about 3 weeks.  (thank God that my
    wife recently had a baby so that I could use her do-nut seat cushion!)
    
    My best recommendation would be to take the recommendation that
    you feel most comfortable with.  Speak to a doctor that you trust.
     Understand that there is NO treatment for warts that is fool proof
    or guaranteed.  All treatments have there own level of pain and
    are uncomfortable to some extent, but not as bad as having the warts.
    It is correct for your SO to be checked, but a negative finding
    will not prevent him from getting them.  I also wouldn't worry about
    where they came from.  I had to answer a bunch of *real* embarassing
    questions when I was first checked out.  The end result is that
    *I* did not get them sexually, so put your mind to rest.
    
    Good luck and if you would like to talk some more you can reach
    me on TUNER::FLIS or in ELF.
    
    TTFN,
    jim
    

    PS: Also, while genital warts can be sexually transmitted, they
    don't have to be.  Simple precautions can be taken to prevent sexual
    transmission of these things.  Ask your doctor about it.  You may
    find that condoms are a big help.  Bottom line is that the fear
    of transmitting them to your SO should not interfer with your
    relations with him.
    

    One of my female relatives, who would *not* want to be identified
    here, apparently got them during childbirth.
    
    --bonnie

    My sister had them - thousands of them in the vaginal cavity - and
    they were not caused by any sexual contact (I'm sure of this - she
    was 8 at the time they started).  They were caused by a virus in
    her system that found it's way out in genital warts.  She had to
    have the entire area cauterized (sp?) and then used creams/jells
    for about 4 months before they completely went away.  The gynocoligist
    said that they may re-occur, but as yet, the cauterization seemed
    to have worked.  She's 20 now, and no sign of those nasty little
    warts.
                                                       
    I'm really glad for you that your SO didn't freak...guess you have
    a good thing going!  Pat him on the back for us!
    
    JayCee
    

    There is also evidence that there is a link between genital warts
    and cervical cancer. MS. did an article on this in the last 4-6
    months.
    
    If I remember correctly the link is increase risk of cervical cancer
    in women with male partners who have genital warts. Apparently this
    is new enough that many/most doctors aren't aware of the risk and
    don't suggest the woman be checked or have a PAP smear done.
    
    Tamzen

    I've had them.  I didn't get them through sexual activity either.
    I had them in the vagina, face, hands.......  I was never ashamed
    of the; was I supposed to be????  My doctor found them during a
    regular examination and cut them out at the same time.  He said
    they were very comman and it's actually the most likely place they'd
    grow; moist and warm........  Mine were caused by a virus....
    
    Anna
    
    

    I've had them too, and mine were apparently not sexually transmitted.
    I've never had a lover who had them.
    
    My doctor told me that like all wart viruses, they exist in the
    environment and are in everyone's body.  For reasons unknown, sometimes
    they break out into actual warts - usually they lie dormant. 
             
    They may cause cervical cancer if untreated.  Get regular pap smears
    from now on if you don't already.  Get them treated ASAP, either with
    acid or surgery.  I had mine burned off with a laser and while it was a
    little uncomfortable, they haven't come back in 2 years. 
    
    Elizabeth

    re: .0
    
    Several (read: many) years ago I found I had a 'growth' on my penis,
    and got sort of worried because Cancer and Abnormal Growths were
    starting their heyday of publicity.
    I went to my doctor, he said it was  wart, and did I want it removed.
    
    I did, he did, end of story. He never told me how I might have gotten
    it. I had been with only one woman at the time, for a  3 year  period,
    follwing a 9 year abstinence .. about 18 months after our first
    baby was born.
    
    Bob

This is an entry from a member of the community who would like to remain
anonymous at this time.
	Mez

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know that this is a year late for a reply but, I just wanted to tell of
my experience with genetial warts.

I was going out with someone who had all these bumps on his penis and I thought
how gross!  I never questioned him about them.  I still had sex with him and
never used condoms.  I hardly read the paper, but, one day I saw an article
on Sexually transmitted diseases and decided to read up on it.  I found a part
of the ariticle that talked about genital warts and it scared the hell out of
me.  I decided to call the State Venerial Transmitted Diseases department and
talked to someone.  They thought that maybe it was just a virus.  I pretended
to my boyfriend (at the time) that I only read about it in the paper (never
told him of the phone conversations) I told him that I could get them and if
I did it could turn out cancerous.  So, he made an appointment and the doctor
thought it was just a virus.  He was treated for a virus and they just didn't
go away.  He had about 50 or so.  So anyway, that doctor referred him to a
specialist and he told him they were warts.  I decided to poke around at myself
(cause one of his was raw one time) and I discovered some bumps!  I went to
a regular doctor and he put some type of a solvent on it to freeze or burn 
them off.  You usually have two treatments...my first burnt the hell out of 
me and was quite strong.  My doctor did a smear and found it to be Dysplasia
in the moderate state.  He could not perform surgery so he referred me to 
a gynecologist.  I had another biopsy done to determine what type of treatment
I was to have...either a partial hysterectomy or coning.  Where it came back
moderate (same as before) my doctor did the coning (which is done as an
outpatient at a hospital). When he got the results of the 3rd biopsy...it was
severe dysplasia...!!! On it's way to cancer!  I was only 32 or 33 at the time.
It didn't take long for it to spread to that point.  Coning is where they cut
out chunks or parts of the inside of your vagina. My warts were way up into
the cervical neck and they were large....So please do yourself a favor and 
get checked whenever you suspect them.  Also, your partner (if he has them, can
have them burnt off).

Sorry to say, but that isn't all that I got from my ex-boyfriend of a year
ago.  And it has ruined me, I feel forever!  We did stay together for 2 1/2 
years.

    The following is from another member of our community (not the basenote
    author) who also wishes to remain anonymous at this time.
    
    						=maggie
    
    ===================================================================
    
    Well.  How to start.  I noticed that I had some small bumps around the
    genital area January of this year.  I went to the doctor.  I had
    genital warts.  Yuck.  I told the guy I had been seeing who I knew had
    a few little bumps (didn't think anything of it at the time, did he?)
    and I told him what the doctor said.  I told him to go see his doctor
    and he did.  One treatment of liquid nitrogen was all it took to get
    rid of his.  Not so easy for me though. 

    I've been back 8 times for dilute acid treatments (there are two
    varieties, and one hurts a hell of a lot more but does a better job.  I
    started with the first and I'm now being given the later).  In addition
    they took a pap smear and it came back abnormal so I had to have a
    colpo (that's what they called it) which is when they look inside at
    your cervix with a microscope. They took 3 biopsies (ouch).  Nothing in
    there but the virus (thank god) but I keep getting more patches of
    warts.  It would be so great if someone could invent something that
    would keep them from growing anymore while their killing the ones you
    have but no such luck, because after they kill a patch another patch
    springs up.  Every acid treatment eats off another couple layers of
    skin along with the warts, so I'm very raw (got some anesthetic cream
    and it helped a lot). 

    I feel "dirty", like I'm being plagued for some reason.  Why don't they
    just go away?  All I want to do is be rid of them and I have to
    reassure myself of this every time I go back for the acid treatment
    (because I know it will hurt and there really isn't anything else they
    can do cause I guess liquid nitrogen doesn't work on that kind of
    skin).  I feel diseased.  I feel gross.  I feel angry with that guy
    because he got off with little or no problem. 

    So I've been out of commission sexually speaking for the past 3 months
    (grrrr) with no end in sight.  And since warts take from 1-20 months to
    show up I could always have another bout of them.  And although its not
    AIDS or herpes it really is a danger (particularly to women) and its
    annoying and it's much more widespread than most people think.  Do
    yourself a favor.  If whoever your having sex with has had sex with
    anyone else use a condom, their great at stopping this kind of thing in
    its tracks.  I know its awkward and it ruins the sensation and it ruins
    the spontaneous feeling.  But DO IT!  For both your sakes.