Aa
Std worries
Hi doctor, im extremely nervous about possible std/hiv infection. I was with the same man for 4 years and we had unprotected sex, during that time period we were both fully std and blood tested numerous times and both negative. We broke up a few months ago and during that time about 5 weeks ago I made a mistake and had unprotected sex with a guy that i've known for years. Since then I have gotten back together with the guy that i was with for 4 years and i told him everything and I wanted to wait awhile to have sex again but I was tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea and was negative for both so he insisted it was fine to start having sex again. However, I am so incredibly worried about possible HIV or STD infection it is consuming me. I got tested for hiv about 2 1/2 weeks after I slept with that other guy and it was negative but i know that isnt much time for an accurate result. It has been 5 weeks and 3 days since I had sex with the other guy and we had normal vaginal se unprotected. i just got fully std and blood tested for hiv, herpes type 2 (not type 1 since ive gotten cold sores since I was a little girl), syphillis and hepatitis today. My doctor said she didnt see anything suspicious but that I had a yeast infection. Ive been getting a burning sensation not when peeing but just inside my vagina and i have a swollen lymph node on my right pelvic area that has been swollen for 2 months, even before i slept with that other guy but my doctor disregarded it because i had been tested before and been fine when the problem started and it was before i had been with anoter person outside of my monogamous relationship. Ive had exams and my doctor said it looks okay im just so scared because I have really bad anxiety and I have to wait a week for all the blood test results.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. The bottom line is that the STD/HIV risk in this situation is very low. You really should not be so worried.
Given the overlapping partnerships you describe, it is conceivable either you or your newly committed partner could have brought an infection into the relationship. But it's very unlikely.
As for HIV, heterosexually transmitted infection remains much more rare (in the US and other industrialized countries) than you seem to fear. Assuming neither your current nor the recent casual partner is bisexual or an injection drug user, it is exceedingly unlikely either one had HIV. Given the situation, it is not unreasonable for you both to be tested 6 weeks has passed since either of you had sex with someone else. But you can definitely expect your test results to remain negative.
Your gonorrhea and chlamydia tests are 100% reliable, so those for sure are not a concern. Syphilis is almost as rare as HIV in situations like this -- but to be safe, you could have a syphilis blood test after 6 weeks have passed. Herpes is conceivable, but unlikely in the absence of symptoms of genital blisters or sores. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is always possible, but we all get genital HPV from time to time anyway; it is no more likely than if you and your partner had not had recent sex with others. All women need regular pap smears, but that's all the protection you need.
For all these reasons, I agree with your partner: the chance either of you has anything is sufficiently low that continued unprotected sex is OK. For final reassurance, have the follow-up syphilis and HIV tests when 6 weeks have passed. And stop worrying about this.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Given the overlapping partnerships you describe, it is conceivable either you or your newly committed partner could have brought an infection into the relationship. But it's very unlikely.
As for HIV, heterosexually transmitted infection remains much more rare (in the US and other industrialized countries) than you seem to fear. Assuming neither your current nor the recent casual partner is bisexual or an injection drug user, it is exceedingly unlikely either one had HIV. Given the situation, it is not unreasonable for you both to be tested 6 weeks has passed since either of you had sex with someone else. But you can definitely expect your test results to remain negative.
Your gonorrhea and chlamydia tests are 100% reliable, so those for sure are not a concern. Syphilis is almost as rare as HIV in situations like this -- but to be safe, you could have a syphilis blood test after 6 weeks have passed. Herpes is conceivable, but unlikely in the absence of symptoms of genital blisters or sores. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is always possible, but we all get genital HPV from time to time anyway; it is no more likely than if you and your partner had not had recent sex with others. All women need regular pap smears, but that's all the protection you need.
For all these reasons, I agree with your partner: the chance either of you has anything is sufficiently low that continued unprotected sex is OK. For final reassurance, have the follow-up syphilis and HIV tests when 6 weeks have passed. And stop worrying about this.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Thanks so much! You provide such helpful and informative responses, i truly appreciate it
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
That makes no difference in my opinion or advice. Please try to stop worrying about this. Don't over-think the situation. You describe a situation that is typically low risk for all STDs and herpes simply is not a serious likelihood.
Even the fact that i took valvacyclovir? Sorry you posted just a minute after that so i just wanted to make sure you saw that post and that you took that into account
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
By "newly committed partner", I meant your boyfriend of the past 4 years. This additional information does not change my opinion or advice -- if anything, it makes the risk of any STD even lower than I thought.
Also i took valvacyclovir twice in the past month, two pills each time in one day period to clear up cold sores on my mouth so thats why herpes concerns me because since i took that i may not have sores or symptoms of a hsv infection
Thanks so much for your kind and detailed response, definitely answered alot of my questions above and beyond. Just one last question, you said above "Given the overlapping partnerships you describe, it is conceivable either you or your newly committed partner could have brought an infection into the relationship. But it's very unlikely." i just wanted to clarify that i was in a relationship for 4 years, broke up and had casual sex with the other guy and then got back together with my boyfriend of 4 years and the guy I ha casual sex with was also in a 3 year relationship right before we had sex and she had cheated on him before and then they got tested and were fine but he was worried that she may have cheated again and not told him and he hasnt been tested since that one time so thats why i was worried. Plus he has had many partners in the past before that 3 year relationship and we had unprotected sex which i realize is not a smart choice when having casual sex outside of a monogamous relationship. I was just a little confused by what you mean by newly committed partner so i wanted to know does that change any of your comments above or make my risk more? Last post i promise.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I saw this and took it into account in my comments above.
m nervous because the guy that I had sex with has had a lot of sexual partners, he was with the same girl for 4 years and she cheated on him once like a year and a half ago and they both got tested and were fine. He hasnt been with anyone but me since but it really scares me because I know hes been with a lot of women in his life and he told me he wouldnt be surprised if his ex girlfriend cheated on him other times after that and didnt tell him. He said he hasnt had any symptoms and i didnt see anything unusual on him but I know that with a lot of std's or hiv you often dont have symptoms. Im so terrified because he hasnt been tested since that time a year and a half ago and if hes worried she may have slept with other people after that its not very reassuring as to his current sexual health status and he didnt make me feel very reassured about it. Im so terrified that I could possibly have HIV or herpes or hpv or something that I cant get rid of and not only that but im scared because if i did the last thing I would want to do is put my boyfriend who i love in a bad situation where he could get an std, even though he doesnt seem to worry it is driving me insane and waiting a week to find out the blood test results is just making me so anxious. I was just wondering if you could give me any insight as to what the likelihood of me having contracted hiv/std from this exposure is? Any sortve information would be so greatly appreciated. Sorry for the crazy long post i just wanted to make everything clear so i dont have to re-post
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
