General Advice on testing for my scenario

[guyinva29]

Background: I am a 29yr male who was tested for all STDs in August 2011 and all results were negative. Since that time (or forever for that matter), I have only had protected anal and vaginal sex (I always am the giver/top). I've also received unprotected oral sex, but have never performed oral sex.

1. I received oral sex with a guy who I know has many sexual partners. He also fingered me (i made him wear a condom on his finger), but he dipped his finger in a container of lube which I'm pretty sure had been used by his other partners in the past. I did speak with him and he said he was negative as of July 2012.

2. I had protected vaginal sex with a CSW here in Virginia. I received unprotected oral sex from her and she licked my ***.  

3. I've also had a few other encounters of unprotected oral sex (always receiving) with about 4 males and 3 females.

4. My last sexual encounter was a month ago and I have no pain or discharge from my penis. Much of my anxiety is over some medical conditions I have recently noticed: (1) Mucus in Stools and some diarrhea ( I was diagnosed with IBS years back but this bout seems to be a bit different). I have a appt with my GI doc next Wednesday. (2) I've been experiencing lower back pain that extends to my testicles a bit. I do alot of weight lifting (squats, deadlifts), but I've read that some STDs can provide similar symptoms (epidymitis). (3) Every now and then I will get small bumps around my inner thigh and pelvis area (not on the penis). They don't itch or open up like sores and usually go away after a couple of weeks.

I'm anxious because I'm now in a commited relationship with a woman and I obviously don't wanna pass anything onto her. My std screening is next Wed, but I've been really anxious thinking about my situation, which has worsened my stomach and led to insomnia.

Would you reccommend testing for a person with my sexual history? Given my scenario's above, am I at any realistic risk for any STDs (including HIV)?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Thanks for the follow-up data.  Glad to hear your results, as I am sure you are. Take care. EWH

[guyinva29]

This is not a follow up question. I just wanted to communicate to the forum the results of my testing. My test results for HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea and Chylmedia all came back negative.

Thanks to the doc for his help in answering my previous questions. Dr. Hook and the doctor at the STD/HIV clinic I went to pretty much communicated the same information to me.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The activities you describe are for the most part safe.  I have described the small risks associated with recept of unprotected sex above.  EWH

[guyinva29]

Thanks Doc. I have one final question and this will be the end of the thread.

Generally speaking, are the practices I describe above considered safe and protected sex.? Going forward, I want to protect myself as best I can (without being abstinent)

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I would say your risk for HIV from the exposure you report is virtually zero.  EWH

[guyinva29]

Doc,

Thanks for your input.

Would you say my risk for HIV is fairly low then or nonexistent?

Thanks.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I will try to help.  Your most meaningful, but still not very worrisome encounters were your receipt of unprotected oral sex from multiple partners. For starters, oral STDs are rather uncommon making the risk of getting one from receipt of oral sex rather low.  In addition however, oral sex is an inefficient way to transmit STDs.  Of the bacterial STDs only gonorrhea and nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) are transmitted through oral sex; chlamydia is not and without an obvious sore or lesion on a partner’s mouth, the chances of syphilis and herpes is likewise tiny.   If you had gotten gonorrhea or NGU you would have most likely developed symptoms of urethritis (penile infection) within a week or so, so you should be in the clear from this.  Even if one of your partners had an STD (any STD and it is likely she did not), most exposures do not lead to infection.

Exposure to lubricant that others have used should not put you at risk for any STD or HIV.  

I would not worry and anticipate the your screening tests next week will be negative.  We do encourage routine screening for persons who have had multiple partners in the past year, even in the absence of symptoms) because you have had multiple partners over a period of less than a year.  As a matter of personal protection, we recommend annual testing for anyone who has had two or more sex partners in the past year (we consider this to be health maintenance- we also recommend you get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly).

I hope these comments are helpful. EWH

[guyinva29]

Doc...it looks like one of my words was filtered in my bullet #2. *** is basically that she rimmed me with her tongue.