HIV,HPV positive (Please advise)
Hello, I was diagnosed with both viruses a few years ago. I am a male, 24. I was 20 when I got diagnosed with HIV (undetectable for nearly three years now), and after a few months, I got diagnosed with HPV and had a few warts on my chin, which were removed by freezing them. My doctor didn't give me any kind of information about HPV and said it was normal, and removing it meant it was cured (she is a fucking asshole for not providing any information, and I didn't want to check it on the internet as it was harming me mentally to check all the information without knowing it for sure). I was young and didn't take it seriously at all, as I didn't know what it meant fully, and when I knew I was cured, I had not done any other checkups. A few weeks ago, I got anal warts, and I am sure that is HPV as well. I will go next week to a different doctor to get it looked at and to get the treatment for sure! (I'm waiting for my salary; I can't afford it now, sadly.)
I just read the information about people having HPV at the same time as HIV, which is fatal, and in 80% of cases, people can't live more than 5 years after having my symptoms. Rushes, warts, and a little bleeding from the anus while going stool.
I am really afraid that I will die. I am 24 years old and have made a lot of mistakes, but I don't want it to end here.
I have been getting back on my feet since 21 years old, both mentally and physically, because I literally died mentally one time when I got my status at this young age!
Please, anyone who has or has had these two fucking horrible diseases, advise what actions I should take. Were you cured? Were you able to beat this illness together?
I just don't want to die, even though it kills me mentally and gets me back to where I was three years ago.
I am so glad you posted and reached out when facing these fears. You are right that looking online at information that may not be up to date or correct can really impact your emotional health! We are not medical professionals so cannot advise you directly, but I do have some information I can share to help you prepare for your doctor's appointment.
I could not find information about fatality or the 5 year statistic you noted - I hope your doctor can ease your mind at your appointment. I do know that the risk of HPV-related cancers can increase for those living with HIV and high-risk HPV, especially if they have a higher viral load. I'll post a little information about that here along with a link, so you can ask about it at your appointment:
"The ability of the body to clear HPV and prevent high-risk types from causing cancer depends on the immune system. If a person has untreated HIV, their immune system may not be strong enough to slow or stop cancer from developing. This means that people who are HIV-positive, especially those with higher viral loads, are at a higher risk of getting HPV-related cancers than others who are HIV-negative." More here: https://h-i-v.net/human-papillomavirus
Please keep us posted on how your appointment goes, and what the doctor advises for you. I'll echo what many have said here, that it can help to write down what your doctor says or even bring someone with you to your appointment. It is so hard to wait without answers, but I hope you get some relief soon and if you do have HPV, can come up with a plan for treatment - Liz (Team Member)Hi
. Given what you had read, it is certainly understandable that you would be extremely emotionally stressed. First, let me echo Liz in saying that it is good that you are seeking accurate information and have an appointment to see a new doctor.
Second, on top of the excellent information from Liz I want to share with you this article that notes that there are over 100 strains of HPV, about 30 of which can cause genital warts and not all of these may cause cancer: https://www.aidsmap.com/about-hiv/human-papillomavirus-hpv-and-genital-warts. In addition, this article discusses HPV and HIV and cancer risk. I want to share this extensive quote so that you have full information:
"Some strains of HPV can lead to cervical or anal cancer. The risk of this is higher in people with HIV because there is more chance that the virus will become re-activated due to loss of immunity, although both cervical and anal cancer are relatively rare in people with HIV. Very rarely, high-risk types of HPV can also cause vulval, vaginal, penile and some mouth and throat cancers. Being on HIV treatment, with an undetectable viral load, and having a higher CD4 cell count (certainly over 200) can reduce the risk of developing HPV-related cancers."
I want to note the part about very rarely, high-risk types of HPV causing cancer and that being treated for HIV and having an undetectable viral load can reduce the risk. Hopefully this information is helpful as you prepare for your appointment, as clearly there is a lot to learn about individual cases. Hoping you get some answers and a roadmap for treatment. Please feel free to keep us posted on how things are going and know that this community is here for you. Best, Richard (Team Member)
Hi
. I understand how overwhelming the information can be when you start looking things up. I felt the same way when I learned I was HIV and HPV-positive over 30 years ago.
This journey has many challenges, but I have found that when I face my treatment choices with confidence, I experience the most success. I want to share with you a post I wrote about making these decisions. I hope that you find some insight that will be helpful to you.
https://h-i-v.net/living/control-of-my-treatment-plan
Mostly, I want you to know that you are not alone; there are MANY of us thriving in our lives AND living with multiple diagnoses.
Let us know how you are doing!
