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STDs (Expert Forum)
Discomfort coming and going
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
This forum does not cover AIDS/HIV issues. This forum is for questions and support regarding STD issues such as: Chlamydia, Crabs (pubic lice scabies), Gonorrhea, Hepatitis (viral), Herpes, HPV, Molluscum Contagiosum, PID, Rectal Infections, Syphilis, Trichomonas, Warts, Yeast Infection.
IMPORTANT
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
Discomfort coming and going
by CautiouslyOptimistic, Apr 06, 2007 12:00AM
I had a sexual encounter two weeks ago. Recieved unprotected oral and protected vaginal (used a polyutherine condom). My partner insisted she is not infected with anything and that it has been over a month since she last had sex.
I did notice her fluids had yellowish/greenish chunks. I saw them on top of the condom when I pulled out.
The next day I started feeling discomfort in my penis. I know I have been experiencing this on and off for most of this time since then. I know this part is likely due to anxiety over the event.
Two days ago, however, I noticed a slight discharge - very miniute amount - when I woke up in the morning, it was clear/white but it may have had a slightly green/yellow too. I wiped it off and it did not return.
On two occasions in the last three days or so I also had a sharp pain inside my penis near the tip. The pain went away by itself after maybe an hour or so.
What are the chances of getting infected with chlamydia or gonnorhea or another STD when using a condom? I've heard they are small but would like to be more specific.
What about when I took the condom off, is there a chance that during taking it off some of the bacteria or fluid was transferred to a place on my penis and caused it to get infected?
How quickly do symptoms of STDs arrive? What is the lag time between getting pain and starting to notice a discharge if you are infected with an STD? Do these symptoms come in certain stages or in certain time frames?
Lastly, is there anything I should look out for to give me a clue that I have or have not been infected? As far as I saw so far I have not had any abnormal growths or sores or anything.
Thank you for your help.
I did notice her fluids had yellowish/greenish chunks. I saw them on top of the condom when I pulled out.
The next day I started feeling discomfort in my penis. I know I have been experiencing this on and off for most of this time since then. I know this part is likely due to anxiety over the event.
Two days ago, however, I noticed a slight discharge - very miniute amount - when I woke up in the morning, it was clear/white but it may have had a slightly green/yellow too. I wiped it off and it did not return.
On two occasions in the last three days or so I also had a sharp pain inside my penis near the tip. The pain went away by itself after maybe an hour or so.
What are the chances of getting infected with chlamydia or gonnorhea or another STD when using a condom? I've heard they are small but would like to be more specific.
What about when I took the condom off, is there a chance that during taking it off some of the bacteria or fluid was transferred to a place on my penis and caused it to get infected?
How quickly do symptoms of STDs arrive? What is the lag time between getting pain and starting to notice a discharge if you are infected with an STD? Do these symptoms come in certain stages or in certain time frames?
Lastly, is there anything I should look out for to give me a clue that I have or have not been infected? As far as I saw so far I have not had any abnormal growths or sores or anything.
Thank you for your help.
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Apr 06, 2007 12:00AM
, Apr 06, 2007 12:00AM
You can't get gonorrhea or chlamydia through an intact condom. I suppose you could have chlamydia or nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) to explain your scant morning discharge, but if so, you didn't catch it during the encounter you describe. Many men have a small amount of clear mucus in the penis in the morning, especially if they had an erection during the night (which most men do during REM sleep). The convoluted scenario you are worrying about--contact with secretions when taking the condom off, and so on--isn't high enough risk to worry about.
Therefore, the timing of all the symptoms you ask about is irrelevant, since you couldn't have caught a urethral infection, and were at low risk for skin infections like herpes, HPV, or syphilis. But in general, gonorrhea symptoms typically start within 2-5 days, with large amounts of yellow pus and painful urination. NGU or chlamydia symptoms are milder, with smaller amounts of whitish discharge, usually not painful (often more of an itchy sensation when urinating, not really painful). Herpes lesions ('sores') typically show up in a few days, but it can take a couple of weeks. Warts ('bumps') take several weeks to a few months.
If you are pretty certain your morning penile mucus is not normal, see a provider about it. Regardless of that, if you have otherwise been sexually active and not tested for common STDs in the past year, this would be a good time, since it is on your mind. Your local health department STD clinic would be a good choice.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Therefore, the timing of all the symptoms you ask about is irrelevant, since you couldn't have caught a urethral infection, and were at low risk for skin infections like herpes, HPV, or syphilis. But in general, gonorrhea symptoms typically start within 2-5 days, with large amounts of yellow pus and painful urination. NGU or chlamydia symptoms are milder, with smaller amounts of whitish discharge, usually not painful (often more of an itchy sensation when urinating, not really painful). Herpes lesions ('sores') typically show up in a few days, but it can take a couple of weeks. Warts ('bumps') take several weeks to a few months.
If you are pretty certain your morning penile mucus is not normal, see a provider about it. Regardless of that, if you have otherwise been sexually active and not tested for common STDs in the past year, this would be a good time, since it is on your mind. Your local health department STD clinic would be a good choice.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
The comments by UnluckySoul probably are not relevant; as I said above, you can't get NGU through a condom. It is true that the bacteria that cause NGU (other than chlamydia) aren't detected in women. As I said above, your morning discharge suggests a possibility you have chlamydia or NGU. But if so, you didn't get it during the exposure you describe.
NGU and NSU are the same thing; just different terminologies across the Atlantic.
HHH, MD
I have gotten a urine test this morning for Chlamydia and Gonnorhea but I will not be getting the results back until Monday.
I am wondering if my pains were caused by just anxiety as my thoughts were focused on the whole situation when they were occuring.
Thanks for your help in assessing the situation and giving me much needed piece of mind. If my pains do persist along with the morning discharge I will definitley seek more tests but I think your explanations for this are adequate and probably accurate.
UnluckySoul, you are wrong about urine