Worry Wart!

[Bobby_Digital]

Dr. Rockoff

posted question before, this will be last.

7 mo. ago had >2min protected sex w/ massage parlor sex worker. Brief closed mouth kissing. Did NOT perform oral on her. Been tested for everything, all negative.

A month and a 1/2 after incident, noticed a bump on my lip and went to a dermo. who said it was a wart and froze it and froze 2 “flat wart” on back of hand. Still have couple on back of hand. You said wart diagnosis, especially on lip may have been a snap diagnosis and I hope it was. I haven’t seen anything on lips for like 4 mo. now but still nervous and check lips daily.

Here are questions.

1 I’ve seen you mention molluscum warts. I know there's no way for you to know for sure what I had but is it possible my lip wart wasn’t even caused by HPV. He never mentioned HPV. I kind of remember seeing very tiny rubber like core when freeze blister fell off.

2. What’s difference between Molluscum warts, HPV warts? just different viruses?

3. Have you seen many patients with flat warts on lips? I’m so worried I got from her lips and will forever spread to future partners.

4. Is it really gone or just laying dormant? Is this a life long thing?

5. Still confused if I had oral HPV, just not sexually transmitted? Or maybe was?

6. Oral wart, is it like having oral herpes? I’m so confused.

7. You recommended against having biopsy done on lesion on back of hand that looks identical to what was on lip because flat warts aren't usually sexually-transmitted, but if I could find some one who’d do it, can they even test a wart for the type/strain #, so I could know for sure it’s not std type strain?

8. I know no guarantee, but is there any point (now) 7 mo. post exposure or in the future I can be almost 99% sure I’m not going to get Genital warts from this and just move on with my life?

9.. ither way is what ever I had on lip nothing to worry about, long gone now and should just move on with my life?

So scared, thanks so much

[Bobby_Digital]

Thank you doctor, but you didn't answer question number 9, but maybe that was intentional. Meaning either way whatever I had on lip is nothing to worry about, long gone and I should just move on. I guess you've said that pretty much......I've been getting mental counciling but medically, still struggle with what I am dealing with.

For question 7, I thought it might help me since what's on hand looks identical to what was on lip and showed up around same time I think.

I apreciate all your help, I'd like to get another quick comment here, but thank you either way and I'll never bother you again!

Basically if you can just confirm if I can just like forget that I ever even noticed whatever was on lip and move on like it didn't happen? My fear is just infecting others.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

1 I’ve seen you mention molluscum warts. I know there's no way for you to know for sure what I had but is it possible my lip wart wasn’t even caused by HPV. He never mentioned HPV. I kind of remember seeing very tiny rubber like core when freeze blister fell off.
Does not sound like molluscum.  Not important if it was.

2. What’s difference between Molluscum warts, HPV warts? just different viruses?
Yes, correct.

3. Have you seen many patients with flat warts on lips? I’m so worried I got from her lips and will forever spread to future partners.
No, I haven't.  Too short a time period to have caught it from her anyway.

4. Is it really gone or just laying dormant? Is this a life long thing?
It can't be dormant if you never had it.

5. Still confused if I had oral HPV, just not sexually transmitted? Or maybe was?
Don't know for sure.  No way to know for sure.  Doubt it was.  Doesn't matter.

6. Oral wart, is it like having oral herpes? I’m so confused.
No, not at all.  Different viruses, different behavior.

7. You recommended against having biopsy done on lesion on back of hand that looks identical to what was on lip because flat warts aren't usually sexually-transmitted, but if I could find some one who’d do it, can they even test a wart for the type/strain #, so I could know for sure it’s not std type strain?
A biopsy of the hand, even if it showed a wart, would tell you nothing about the lip.

8. I know no guarantee, but is there any point (now) 7 mo. post exposure or in the future I can be almost 99% sure I’m not going to get Genital warts from this and just move on with my life?
Sir, your problem is not warts: it's guilty obsession.  You need some help dealing with both.  If you can't move on, then you need help doing so.

Good luck.

Dr. Rockoff

9.. ither way is what ever I had on lip nothing to worry about, long gone now and should just move on with my life?