Not to bum everybody out but...

[Guest ramfan]

I'm just wondering how many guys out there have my problem.

 

I found out a couple of months ago that I had some nasty little anal warts (condyloma). I know that they are sexually transmitted, but I was bummed to get them because I am virtually always safe. I say virtually because I can think of one time in the heat of the moment when a guy (during a hot massage) entered me anally a few seconds before I made him pull out and get a condom. I have read since then that penetration isn't even necessary--you can get anal warts just by rubbing a dick around your asshole, which probably happens more often for me.

 

Here's what REALLY sucks: I just went through the surgery to have them removed and (not to be melodramatic or anything) I AM IN HELL!!! I'm telling you guys, I have never in my life experienced the pain I have felt over the past week since I had laser surgery. I can handle most of the day, but anytime I have to take a crap--I'm not kidding, it's like trying to shit shards of broken glass. I double up in pain on the toilet and the only relief is to stumble over to the tub and sit in a warm bath for about 20 minutes.

 

I have been dealing with this for over a week and it's really not getting better. I've talked to the doctor and gotten some anesthetic cream, which has helped, and of course I'm popping a lot of pain pills, but I'm at that stage where I feel like I'm never going to get better.

 

And my poor little ass!! That cute little rosebud asshole I used to have now looks like some oozing alien landscape. The mere thought of having a cock up there again makes me cringe. I'm going to be out of commission for months, I'm sure. And that's just physically--I don't know if I'll have the mental strength to bottom again. And if bottoming again increases the chances that I have a recurrence, I guarantee that I'm becoming a total top. I never, ever want to go through this again.

 

So after ranting and raving, I have a question. How common is this procedure out there and is the recovery always this difficult? I'm not very active in the gay community, so I really don't know anyone whose been through it. I've read a lot on the internet (Dr. Goldstone has been great) and I hear that more than 60% of gay men have anal warts. Can that possibly be true? I can't believe that that many people have been through what I've experienced over the past week and not been screaming about it like I just did. Or do people just let them go untreated?

 

Anyway, I'd love to hear from anyone, if you're willing to admit to having a similar problem. If anyone wants to email me, please do. I promise to be discreet. I just need to hear that I'll be "normal" again someday.

 

Thanks for letting me ramble. :-) You guys are great.

 

 

Mike

[Guest Charon]

When I got them in college a lot of years ago, they smeared something made from mandrake on them, and they went away. Was a completely forgettable process.

[Flower]

>

>When I got them in college a lot of years ago, they smeared

>something made from mandrake on them, and they went away.

>Was a completely forgettable process.

 

Hmmm--now he tells him :+

 

Flower :*

[+ Lucky]

Warts are the barebackers' badge! They can easily be caught. I think even from the guy's fingers if they have touched his warts. But, they do go away and ramfan will soon be cherishing the pink panther again!

[Candyman]

I just read a article in the newspaper saying that "duct tape cures warts" I am sure that they weren't talking about anal warts or that duct tape would be less painful. Sorry to hear what you are going thru, but it's a good reminder to all of us about the dangers we face. I hope you feel better soon.

[jasne]

Anal warts are easily transmitted through contact. The most important thing is to follow-up with your docs three months post-surgery as they can recur.

 

When I was hooking up with escorts, I always made it a point to be observant of their physical condition and on two occasions I discovered anal warts. One was so bad that I just backed away but tried to pretend nothing was wrong. I later contacted the guy on line and informed him of his condition (the guy honestly did not know) and advised him to seek medical attention immediately. He said, post-surgery, he was extremely sore but it did not last very long and surprisingly I noticed he was back in the chat rooms advertising himself (with exception of anal). The other escort had a mild case and he didn't believe me when I told him about it so I'm not sure if he sought help.

 

It's really important to get screened by a doc that knows what to look for and most primary care docs just don't bother.

 

I understand that early infection can be detected by using vinegar which exposes the warts changing infected areas to white patches. Not sure about this but I remember reading about this procedure.

[Guest Mikki]

"Buyer Beware"..........Everyone has to be responsible for themselves. A few months ago I was in L.A. on business and was going to hire an escort from Frontiers. I was warned by a friend to be very careful, as he also got infected with either HSV or HPV from an escort advertising in that magazine. He said they used protection, but condoms are not always effective with the skin transmissable infections, and sadly they are the worse nuisance. I also heard recently on the news that these infections are on the rise and that condoms do not always prevent the transmission. Herpes can be transmitted even if no sores are present, called asymptomatic viral shedding. Unfortunately this is when the virus is spread. My derm told me that some people are carriers and have no symptoms, so caution is important.

[Guest bottomboykk]

I know what HPV is, but what is HSV?

[Barry]

>I know what HPV is, but what is HSV?

 

Herpes Simplex Virus (I think)

 

Barry

[+ Lucky]

'surprisingly I noticed he was back in the chat rooms'

What? He was supposed to retire?

[N.N.]

>Here's what REALLY sucks: I just went through the surgery

>to have them removed and (not to be melodramatic or

>anything) I AM IN HELL!!! I'm telling you guys, I have

>never in my life experienced the pain I have felt over the

>past week since I had laser surgery. I can handle most of

>the day, but anytime I have to take a crap--I'm not kidding,

>it's like trying to shit shards of broken glass. I double

>up in pain on the toilet and the only relief is to stumble

>over to the tub and sit in a warm bath for about 20 minutes.

 

That was my experience too. Every day I'll have the tub ready

with as hot water as I could tolerate, and get into it as fast as

I could after each shit. It was at least two weeks before there

was any noticeable improvement. I stayed home from work (and

on schedule II painkillers) for those first two weeks.

 

>And my poor little ass!! That cute little rosebud asshole I

>used to have now looks like some oozing alien landscape.

 

When I left the hospital, they gave me tampons to absorb

the ooze coming off the area. Although I had great health

insurance at the time that paid for just about everything,

they refused to pay for the tampons because they're considered

routine personal items (nevermind that I don't menstruate).

 

>The mere thought of having a cock up there again makes me

>cringe. I'm going to be out of commission for months, I'm

>sure. And that's just physically--I don't know if I'll have

>the mental strength to bottom again. And if bottoming again

>increases the chances that I have a recurrence, I guarantee

>that I'm becoming a total top. I never, ever want to go

>through this again.

 

My doc told me I had developed an immunity to them after

the operations I'd had. Long story; I doubt that every

patient has the same experience. I went back to getting

fucked once I was healed, and never had them again.

 

>So after ranting and raving, I have a question. How common

>is this procedure out there and is the recovery always this

>difficult?

 

It's more common than many people realize. Some cases are more

mild and can be treated easily, some are not.

 

>Anyway, I'd love to hear from anyone, if you're willing to

>admit to having a similar problem. If anyone wants to email

>me, please do. I promise to be discreet. I just need to

>hear that I'll be "normal" again someday.

 

Mine was a bad case, the operation (cautery, not laser; this was

in 1981) left my nether regions a shambles. I got better, but it

took months.

[Guest bottomboykk]

DUH! I should've known that! x(

[IamI2002]

That's sad Lightingfart!

[Guest Mikki]

I wanted to make an important addition to my previous post regarding anal warts. The danger seems to be that one strain of this virus seems to be linked to anal cancer. I read an article that advises all gay men who engage in receptive anal sex to have pap smears to test for anal cancer. I do not want to "bum everybody out", but I think that gay health is really a collective issue, and the more we share and inform each other, the safer for all of us. Just like there seems to be a relationship between herpes and cervix cancer in women.

[Guest ramfan]

N.N.,

 

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I'm sorry you went through it, too, but I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who has dealt with it.

 

It's good to know there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

BTW, you're definitely correct that some cases are milder than others, and the sooner you catch them the better. If they are small and on the outside they can be treated with creams. But if they get bigger and start growing up inside your rectum, the only alternative is surgery. As I've described, you don't want to go there if you can avoid it.

 

I'd take the duct tape treatment (even on my ass) any day!!

 

It's sounds like a lot of guys out there haven't be affected. Do you think that the "60% of the gay population has it" statistic that Dr. Goldstone quotes is wrong?