HPV Vaccine for men
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I've been toying with the notion of asking my doctor for the HPV vaccine that is recommended to women to prevent the virus (genital warts) that cause cervical cancer.
Just today I heard that there has been practically no debate, over giving the vaccine to boys just to prevent future warts and limit their spread of the HPV. For some reason it's not controversial to offer the vaccine to teenage boys but it is hugely to offer to teenage girls.
Anyway, since HPV is prevalent in the gay community, and the gay community would run the increased risk of rectal cancer caused by this virus, doesn't it make since for a clean (never had a STD) man to get this vaccine? What are your thoughts? Would you do it? And what other vaccines, if any, would a gay man possibly benefit from?
-sly
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I'm 23 and just got my first round. It came highly recommended from my doctor, especially as a gay man. Just go get it. :cheers:
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Definitely will ask the Doctor tomorrow.
-sly
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Because there is no general test for men or women to check their overall "HPV status," nor is there any approved HPV test to find HPV on the genitals or in the mouth or throat, it is reasonably best to be vaccinated before any first sexual contact that may possibly expose one to HPV (because, as I said, it is impossible for anyone who's had sex to prove that they do not have HPV). For that reason, the current recommended ages for the vaccine in males are 9 through 26 years (the ages of the only ones likely not to have HPV). The more knowledge that is accumulated about these things as time goes on may change that age distinction in the future.
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Well I asked my Doc about the HPV vaccine today. He was happy to order it for me but the federal and state governments had decided I had no need for it. Current legislation only allows for children to be vaccinated with public funds, and of course private insurance won't pay for it outright, regardless of age. Currently my doctor can only vaccinate people 18 and under with his private vaccine stock. I couldn't even pay bloody cash at the doctors office to acquire it. I had to have a prescription written, filled at a private pharmacy, vaccine brought back into the clinic and then administered.
Now I might see the reasoning in this if there were a shortage of the vaccine, and then the ones' not currently sexually active hold off on vaccinating until shortage is resolved. But to creating so many hurdles for such a public health issue is bad medicine.
Anyway the vaccine cost around $200 plus whatever my doctor is going to charge to inject me with it. But I'm still glad I'm having it done. Anyone notice any side effects?
-sly
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… He was happy to order it for me but the federal and state governments had decided I had no need for it. Current legislation only allows for children to be vaccinated with public funds, and of course private insurance won't pay for it outright, regardless of age. ...
... Anyway the vaccine cost around $200 plus whatever my doctor is going to charge to inject me with it. But I'm still glad I'm having it done. ...
Welcome to reasons why I'm glad that I live in Canada. As a Canadian covered under the Ontario Healthcare Insurance Program (OHIP), which is available to all residents of Ontario who are either Canadian citizens, or are landed immigrants, such things are covered. About the only thing that isn't is the mere $50 fee for an ambulance.
For residents in other provinces or territories, the equivalent to OHIP in their province flips the bill as this "universal system" is available to ALL Canadian citizens or immigrants, regardless of the province in which they reside.
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… He was happy to order it for me but the federal and state governments had decided I had no need for it. Current legislation only allows for children to be vaccinated with public funds, and of course private insurance won't pay for it outright, regardless of age. ...
... Anyway the vaccine cost around $200 plus whatever my doctor is going to charge to inject me with it. But I'm still glad I'm having it done. ...
Welcome to reasons why I'm glad that I live in Canada. As a Canadian covered under the Ontario Healthcare Insurance Program (OHIP), which is available to all residents of Ontario who are either Canadian citizens, or are landed immigrants, such things are covered. About the only thing that isn't is the mere $50 fee for an ambulance.
For residents in other provinces or territories, the equivalent to OHIP in their province flips the bill as this "universal system" is available to ALL Canadian citizens or immigrants, regardless of the province in which they reside.
Are you insane? How do they get away with charging $50 for an ambulance ride when they can charge $5,000 here (U.S.). Probably because having the most advanced private health care and insurance system in the world, as we do in the U.S., our ambulances are not your garden variety snow-dog team stung together, our's have wheels, bright lights, noise makers and can even work on snow free surfaces. Can't say that about you snow sleds.
-sly
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:funny2: :rotfl: :funny2: :rotfl: :funny2: :rotfl: :funny2:
Most of the things that add to the cost of the ride are covered by the province's healthcare system. That's likely the big reason for the difference in the price.
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Well I asked my Doc about the HPV vaccine today. …..I had to have a prescription written, filled at a private pharmacy, vaccine brought back into the clinic and then administered.❞
This is great news, I'm glad it worked out for you. That you were able to request a medication, purchase it, and then have it administered all within twenty-four hours is living testament to the benefits gained by those with access to such a thing, a resource that others may only dream of.
:cool2:
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Well I asked my Doc about the HPV vaccine today. …..I had to have a prescription written, filled at a private pharmacy, vaccine brought back into the clinic and then administered.❞
This is great news, I'm glad it worked out for you. That you were able to request a medication, purchase it, and then have it administered all within twenty-four hours is living testament to the benefits gained by those with access to such a thing, a resource that others may only dream of.
:cool2:
Well it wasn't actually delivered today. The pharmacy had to order it so it won't be in until tomorrow, and then I can begin the first course of injections, which I believe number in three.
It's still a hassle to get it administered under the age of 19, regardless of someone willing to pay all the costs or not. Red-tape had to be cut to simply allow me the right to purchase this immunization due to my elderly age of 31.
-sly
-sly -
My doctor has wanted to give it to me for months now, I tested poz for hpv and go to massachusetts general hospital for my care. It was offered as part of a clinic on a study basis only.
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In the UK, only girls are given the HPV vaccine.
So much for gender equality.
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I learned I had HPV after finding anal warts and going to the doctor to check them out. The other thing about there not being a test for the virus to confirm is which strain of the virus you might have. I likely have one of two strains related to anal warts and the vaccine only covers a single or certain strains, not all. I got the vaccine after the diagnosis for the future and with any chance to reduce the warts or fight the virus at all, although they say the virus could never go away. My warts did go away not long after the third/final round but that may just be coincidence based on the lifespan of the warts.
Someone mentioned an increase risk in rectal cancer in men from HPV, where did you see this? I don't remember seeing such a risk in my searches. I was under the impression the virus had non-cancer effects in men.
Another point about this virus I feel isn't widely known is you can still get it with protected sex. It can be transmitted by skin-on-skin contact. That is, the skin around the crotch, outside of a condom, against a rear end for example in anal sex. Scary thought in my mind.
In regards to after effects from the vaccine, I didn't notice or remember anything other than the typical sore arm as it the same type of shot as the flu.
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Mr. Mazda as a former Ontarian citizen I'm kinda resentful of you when i moved to the east coast gardasil was not covered by OHIP meaning this happened with in the last 2 years unfortunately even thought we have pretty good healthcare in Canada everything is not hunky dory, abortions are not preformed in pei the best you can do is take a 5 hour drive to Moncton in New Brunswick in pei also there's not sti clinic there you have to go to a doctor so therefore there's also no hiv clinics, in Nova Scotia sti treatments for things like chlamydia aren't free and vaccinations aren't covered by the government they're subsidized frankly hepatitis and hpv vaccinations should be provide for free like they are in Ontario and high schools should vaccinate against hpv as it is linked to a number of cancers any way get the injection itll be worth it in the long run from what Ive heard getting the wort's removed is incredibly painful and you cant have sex till they're all gone
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I learned I had HPV after finding anal warts and going to the doctor to check them out. The other thing about there not being a test for the virus to confirm is which strain of the virus you might have. I likely have one of two strains related to anal warts and the vaccine only covers a single or certain strains, not all. I got the vaccine after the diagnosis for the future and with any chance to reduce the warts or fight the virus at all, although they say the virus could never go away. My warts did go away not long after the third/final round but that may just be coincidence based on the lifespan of the warts.
Someone mentioned an increase risk in rectal cancer in men from HPV, where did you see this? I don't remember seeing such a risk in my searches. I was under the impression the virus had non-cancer effects in men.
Another point about this virus I feel isn't widely known is you can still get it with protected sex. It can be transmitted by skin-on-skin contact. That is, the skin around the crotch, outside of a condom, against a rear end for example in anal sex. Scary thought in my mind.
In regards to after effects from the vaccine, I didn't notice or remember anything other than the typical sore arm as it the same type of shot as the flu.
If you really want to know what strain it is, your doctor can have PCR test ran. But its probably not going to be cheep and why he didn't mention it. I'd say its still worth asking about it so you can both have a better understanding of your long term treatment.
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In Greece they promoted the vaccine as only for preventing cancer of the women's wound.
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If you really want to know what strain it is, your doctor can have PCR test ran. But its probably not going to be cheep and why he didn't mention it. I'd say its still worth asking about it so you can both have a better understanding of your long term treatment.
Thank you for the advice. I will keep it in mind. To be honest, I'd rather have been told the test exists and given the choice. I'm under the philosophy of people being responsible for their actions and always given the choices available to them. Maybe this test isn't as known about in "Family Medicine" circles?
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Does anyone in Germany knows where we can take a HPV vaccine?
