<p>I actually had a visit with my gyno today, and her office (in Kansas, mind you) is already giving the vaccinations. They have to special order it, but it's not too difficult of a process. The only problem is that you need a series of three shots (the first two 2 months apart, and the third 6 months after the second) before you're truly vaccinated, which might be difficult to schedule for those of us going away from home for college. I recommend that all interested females start looking into this soon in order to plan the dates.</p>
<p>It is currently only approved for girls and young women, there is no proof of durability (does it last for life or will it wear off?) and it's expected to cost $120 per dose - a total of $360 for the entire vaccination.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info. I would get any vaccine that would help protect me or someone I cared about from getting cancer or endangering someone else.</p>
<p>i got the vaccine last week. it was surprisingly painful. i had 3 other shots that day and it was definitely the worst.</p>
<p>well you got two more to go for another $240 (i assume insurance doesnt cover it at this point) - maybe using condoms is a better idea (although i dont think condoms do a very good job against HPV - correctly me if im wrong)</p>
<p>No, condoms don't protect as well against HPV. You can get genital warts even while still using a condom as the warts are usually on the outside of the body in parts that still touch.</p>
<p>is it like injected near the cervix?</p>
<p>Don't have sex with people you don't know? That's a pretty good vaccine. </p>
<p>Of course, getting this particular vaccine couldn't hurt either. Or could it?</p>
<p>^having sex with people you know, love, or are married to does not guarantee you won't contract an std. seriously, there's only one safe sex, the solo kind. realistically, do everything possible to stay safe -- find a quality partner, get (and continue to be) tested, use protection, and, when available, get a vaccination... basically everything you can do to protect the health of yourself and those you love.</p>
<p>or, there is always abstinence... but it isn't as much fun.</p>
<p>Well, if the person you love isn't a hooker (referring to people who get around) then STD's shouldn't be a problem. Relatively few people contract STD's at birth, so if you stick to one person and that person sticks to one person then you ARE safe.</p>
<p>That's a really narrow viewpoint. Just because your one person is sticking to just you NOW doesn't mean they haven't been with someone in the past. Or vice versa with you. Does that still mean you shouldn't get tested? No, that's ridiculous. You should always get tested everytime you're thinking about entering a sexual relationship with someone, regardless of how monogamous you plan on being. </p>
<p>Why are you trying to say that getting this vaccine is a bad thing? Even if you've never had sex with someone, if you've done anything beyond first base there's a possibility you could get HPV and not even know. Genital warts (caused by HPV) is spread through skin-to-skin contact. Anything that reduces the chance of getting cancer or a life-altering infection like genital warts is a Good Thing.</p>
<p>Amen, AULostchick! I'm wondering if we can get this vaccine at college, like if our new insurance will pay for this. (I'm goingt to Canada for college.) I realize none of you probably know, I guess I might have to call and ask or something.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Well, if the person you love isn't a hooker (referring to people who get around) then STD's shouldn't be a problem. Relatively few people contract STD's at birth, so if you stick to one person and that person sticks to one person then you ARE safe.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>From the CDC's website:</p>
<p>"At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. By age 50, at least 80 percent of women will have acquired genital HPV infection. About 6.2 million Americans get a new genital HPV infection each year."
<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm#common%5B/url%5D">http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm#common</a></p>
<p>And there is also no currently approved test for HPV in men.
<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV-and-men.htm#test%5B/url%5D">http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV-and-men.htm#test</a></p>
<p>So no, you Aren't safe. You should consider yourself lucky that an HPV vaccine came out in time for your generation to benefit from it. And you should seize this opportunity.</p>
<p>it's too late for me :(</p>
<p>I'm hoping my insurance (not through the school) will pay for it, too, mllestephanie. Some insurances don't pay for stuff like this but imine's been good about paying for my birth control and such, so maybe it'll pay for this too.</p>
<p>actually you can get hpv from heavy petting and such, not just full blown sex.</p>
<p>Found another link about the HPV vaccine.</p>
<p>I respectfully disagree with solo sex bring the only safe sex. Have you heard the stories of people doing stupid things and ending up in the hospital?</p>
<p>Fact is, you may be saying you're monogamous but you don't know if your partner is completely loyal and you don't know who they've been with in the past (and they could always lie about that) - no reason not to be safe and get the vaccine.</p>
<p>News about HPV:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Fact is, you may be saying you're monogamous but you don't know if your partner is completely loyal and you don't know who they've been with in the past (and they could always lie about that) - no reason not to be safe and get the vaccine.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Absolutely. This happened to a friend of mine. She was a virgin when she married; her husband had been married before. She contracted genital warts. HPV is often "silent" (asymptomatic) in men. He didn't know he had it. Get the vaccine.</p>