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STDs (Expert Forum)
Should I be tested?
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
Welcome to the STD Forum, which is intended only for questions and support pertaining to sexually transmitted diseases other than HIV/AIDS, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, human papillomavirus, genital warts, trichomonas, other vaginal infections, nongonoccal urethritis (NGU), cervicitis, molluscum contagiosum, chancroid, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). All questions will be answered by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. or Edward W Hook, MD.
Should I be tested?
by concernedguy22, Jan 19, 2006 12:00AM
Hi Doc,
Let me first tell you my history, then i will ask my questions. I was tested for HIV and syphilis in mid Feb 2005, both came out negative. Since then I have had protected anal and vaginal sex, I ALWAYS used a condom. I did receive unprotected oral sex. i have NEVER performed oral sex on anyone. I haven't had any type of sex since April 2005. Listed bleow are my concerns, thanks for answering.
1. Am I at risk for having HIV??? I hate to go in and get tested, cause I get so nervous. If I don't need to go in, I rather not.
2. I was never tested for chlymedia or gonorrhea. Should I be? I have had about 10 sexual partners in the past, but I have no symptoms at all. No pain or bumps on my penis or no type of discharge. I am taking 100mg of minocycline a day for acne. I have been on this for 3 weeks already and will be on it for some time. If i did have gonorrhea or chylemdia, would this dosage clear it up?
3. I sometimes get a pimple on my inner and outer thigh and buttocs and inside my anus. I have never had any type of receptive anal sex. They come one at a time. I have an acne problem on my back and face, this is why i am not too concerned about it. My doctor told me it is molluscocum. SHould I be worried about herpes or anything? Like I said they come one at a time and usually go away in a few weeks or so. Also, one time(September 2005) i had a bunch of little red pimples on my chest, I put some cortisone cream on it and it cleared up in a few days. Is this a symptom of anything??
4. The area where my penis was circumsiced, you can lift up the skin a bit. In there there is like a whitish/yellowish material. It's been there as long as I can remember. Smells alittle funny. I've had this before I even started having sex, if I can remember correctly. Do you know what this is? This was here long before my hiv or syphilis tests.
5. What do you think my overall risk of having an std is? Should I be worried? When I called the cdc hotline they say you can get any std from receiving unrpotcted oral sex (including hiv, gonorrhea, etc.) and that scares me. I guess I am looking for that peace of mind, but I wanted to get your honest professional advice. Generally speaking, are my practices considered safe and is there a need for me to get tested every 6 months like the CDC says if I am using a condom during vaginal/anal and only engagign in receivng unprotected oral sex??
Let me first tell you my history, then i will ask my questions. I was tested for HIV and syphilis in mid Feb 2005, both came out negative. Since then I have had protected anal and vaginal sex, I ALWAYS used a condom. I did receive unprotected oral sex. i have NEVER performed oral sex on anyone. I haven't had any type of sex since April 2005. Listed bleow are my concerns, thanks for answering.
1. Am I at risk for having HIV??? I hate to go in and get tested, cause I get so nervous. If I don't need to go in, I rather not.
2. I was never tested for chlymedia or gonorrhea. Should I be? I have had about 10 sexual partners in the past, but I have no symptoms at all. No pain or bumps on my penis or no type of discharge. I am taking 100mg of minocycline a day for acne. I have been on this for 3 weeks already and will be on it for some time. If i did have gonorrhea or chylemdia, would this dosage clear it up?
3. I sometimes get a pimple on my inner and outer thigh and buttocs and inside my anus. I have never had any type of receptive anal sex. They come one at a time. I have an acne problem on my back and face, this is why i am not too concerned about it. My doctor told me it is molluscocum. SHould I be worried about herpes or anything? Like I said they come one at a time and usually go away in a few weeks or so. Also, one time(September 2005) i had a bunch of little red pimples on my chest, I put some cortisone cream on it and it cleared up in a few days. Is this a symptom of anything??
4. The area where my penis was circumsiced, you can lift up the skin a bit. In there there is like a whitish/yellowish material. It's been there as long as I can remember. Smells alittle funny. I've had this before I even started having sex, if I can remember correctly. Do you know what this is? This was here long before my hiv or syphilis tests.
5. What do you think my overall risk of having an std is? Should I be worried? When I called the cdc hotline they say you can get any std from receiving unrpotcted oral sex (including hiv, gonorrhea, etc.) and that scares me. I guess I am looking for that peace of mind, but I wanted to get your honest professional advice. Generally speaking, are my practices considered safe and is there a need for me to get tested every 6 months like the CDC says if I am using a condom during vaginal/anal and only engagign in receivng unprotected oral sex??
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Jan 19, 2006 12:00AM
, Jan 19, 2006 12:00AM
If everybody pursued safe sex as dilligently as you do, there would be almost no STD problem and no HIV/AIDS problem anywhere in the world. Your molluscum contagiosum was sexually acquired somewhere along the line, but that infection occurs primarily from skin contact with areas not covered by condoms. To answer your questions:
1) Virtually zero risk for HIV if all your partners are women, somewhat higher if you also have sex with men. But still it's silly not to be tested from if you're concerned about it.
2) Your sexual practices are almost zero risk for gonorrhea and chlamydia, and the minocycline would prevent infection anyway.
3) Molluscum contagiosum is a minor STD. Follow your doctor's advice about treatment. Also, everybody gets pimples from time to time on the buttocks, thighs, etc. If new lesions appear and you are unsure what they are, recheck with your health care provider. None of this sounds like herpes, but ask your own provider to be sure.
4) You are describing normal secretions under the foreskin, called smegma. It is an accumulation of skin oils, dead skin cells, etc. All uncircumcised men should retract the foreskin and wash with soap and water at least once a day; that will prevent it. Smegma is not a sign of STD or any other abnormal condition.
5) Your risk is low. The current CDC hotline is something of a disaster. CDC terminated its 2-decade relationship with the American Social Health Association (www.ashastd.org), an excellet outfit that ran the national STD/HIV hotline and did a superb job, with trained health educators on the phone. The new outfit is a much more by-the-book operation with phones staffed by nonprofessionals who just read responses from a script, and some of the things they are taught to say are lawyer driven; basically, they tend to exaggerate some of the risks.
If you are having sex with other men, even with consistent condom use, I recommend STD and HIV testing every 6-12 months. Your risks are lower if your partners are only women, so once a year would be fine.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
1) Virtually zero risk for HIV if all your partners are women, somewhat higher if you also have sex with men. But still it's silly not to be tested from if you're concerned about it.
2) Your sexual practices are almost zero risk for gonorrhea and chlamydia, and the minocycline would prevent infection anyway.
3) Molluscum contagiosum is a minor STD. Follow your doctor's advice about treatment. Also, everybody gets pimples from time to time on the buttocks, thighs, etc. If new lesions appear and you are unsure what they are, recheck with your health care provider. None of this sounds like herpes, but ask your own provider to be sure.
4) You are describing normal secretions under the foreskin, called smegma. It is an accumulation of skin oils, dead skin cells, etc. All uncircumcised men should retract the foreskin and wash with soap and water at least once a day; that will prevent it. Smegma is not a sign of STD or any other abnormal condition.
5) Your risk is low. The current CDC hotline is something of a disaster. CDC terminated its 2-decade relationship with the American Social Health Association (www.ashastd.org), an excellet outfit that ran the national STD/HIV hotline and did a superb job, with trained health educators on the phone. The new outfit is a much more by-the-book operation with phones staffed by nonprofessionals who just read responses from a script, and some of the things they are taught to say are lawyer driven; basically, they tend to exaggerate some of the risks.
If you are having sex with other men, even with consistent condom use, I recommend STD and HIV testing every 6-12 months. Your risks are lower if your partners are only women, so once a year would be fine.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
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Performed cunnilingus on a sex worker and had protected vaginal sex.
As i'm in a realationship im now freaking out i will pass soemthing to my partner and children. I've read al previous posts by you and found confort in the low risk of STD and HIV injection through cunnilingus. I have gone for a an STD and HIV test but i believ its been too soon. I will go back in 4 weeks to be sure.
This is the only time i have done anything silly outside my relationship for six years. I know what you are going to say but would like to hear it again for reasurance.
Please help Doc, i'm losing my mind......
HHH, MD
I just wanted t clarify something from my first question that I posted. I have had sex with 3 guys(a total of 4 times having sex). I don't have sex with guys anymore. It was more of a curious thing. With the first two guys I had sex well before I was tested, the last guy was a month after I was tested. He performed unprotected oral sex on me and I had anal sex with him(I was the top) and I used a condom(which DID NOT BREAK OR SLIP OFF). Is there any need for me to be tested for std's and hiv? Liek I said I haven't had any sex with any guys since then and I dont plan on doing so. I have had no sypmtopms, excpet for a pimple every now and then on my inner thigh or buttocks. PLEASE ADVISE <E. Your last posting left mealitle concernced, b/c you saidI should still get tested every 6-12 months. I want to make it clear that I don't have sex with guys anymore. Please respond.
Thanks soo much for your help. Your are performing a priceless service to all of us.