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What's the possibility of Syphilis (antibioitc use)
Dear. Doc
Since May of this year a lady friend and I have been engaging in mutual masturbation which includes me getting unprotected oral sex. We have had 3-4 encounters. The last one being July 17th. My friend stated that she tested STD free in March. During the time of our encounters I have taken antibiotics. The first time was the week of 6-21, when I had a wisdom tooth removed and the Dentist perscribed a Z-pack which entailed that I take 2 pills the first day and 1 pill the remaining four and the other time was on July21st, after our last encounter I developed pain and a stinging sensation on the right side of my penis. The doctor examined me found no signs of infection, no sores, lesions or discharge and perscribed as a precaution what I think was 2000 milligrams of Zithromax (4 big pills taken at once). Pain and stinging subsided 2 days later. Around the time of our last encounter, my friend stated that she was taking a low dose of Minocycline for acne. Fast forward to Monday August 23rd, I discover two bumps on the left side of the head of my penis. One large, one small. I freak out and put Neosporin on both. This morning, Tues 24th, the smaller of the two is almost gone and the larger one is a little smaller. I go to City STD clinic. Doc tries to swab bump but cant because there is no fluid. She swabs my penis and takes urine. Urine comes back negative. She takes blood and orders a Syphilis test. She says Syphilis cases has been rising here in Columbus Oh. Now I'm awaiting swab and blood results. What are the chances of this being Syphilis? The doc stated that the bump looked like a papule (sp?) and not a sore. Sorry for the long winded question. Thanks in advance.
Since May of this year a lady friend and I have been engaging in mutual masturbation which includes me getting unprotected oral sex. We have had 3-4 encounters. The last one being July 17th. My friend stated that she tested STD free in March. During the time of our encounters I have taken antibiotics. The first time was the week of 6-21, when I had a wisdom tooth removed and the Dentist perscribed a Z-pack which entailed that I take 2 pills the first day and 1 pill the remaining four and the other time was on July21st, after our last encounter I developed pain and a stinging sensation on the right side of my penis. The doctor examined me found no signs of infection, no sores, lesions or discharge and perscribed as a precaution what I think was 2000 milligrams of Zithromax (4 big pills taken at once). Pain and stinging subsided 2 days later. Around the time of our last encounter, my friend stated that she was taking a low dose of Minocycline for acne. Fast forward to Monday August 23rd, I discover two bumps on the left side of the head of my penis. One large, one small. I freak out and put Neosporin on both. This morning, Tues 24th, the smaller of the two is almost gone and the larger one is a little smaller. I go to City STD clinic. Doc tries to swab bump but cant because there is no fluid. She swabs my penis and takes urine. Urine comes back negative. She takes blood and orders a Syphilis test. She says Syphilis cases has been rising here in Columbus Oh. Now I'm awaiting swab and blood results. What are the chances of this being Syphilis? The doc stated that the bump looked like a papule (sp?) and not a sore. Sorry for the long winded question. Thanks in advance.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
That's plenty of azithromycin to abort syphilis.
Please re-read my entire reply, detail by detail. You should understand that there a number of reasons that syphilis and other bacterial STDs are impossible. A tweak in any one of them cannot make any difference. Please stop asking and accept that it is impossible you have syphilis.
Please re-read my entire reply, detail by detail. You should understand that there a number of reasons that syphilis and other bacterial STDs are impossible. A tweak in any one of them cannot make any difference. Please stop asking and accept that it is impossible you have syphilis.
Doc...looking back over my records the Doc that I saw on July 21st, after my encounter on July 17th perscribed only 1000 milligrams of Zirthomax. Would that change your assesment?
Thanks
Thanks
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Warts are rarely if ever transmitted by oral sex. Molluscum probably is.
Thanks for the reply. It's really reassuring. The Doctor also mentioned Molluscum and you mentioned genital warts. I was under the impression that those aren't transmitted via Oral Sex.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome back to the STD forum.
Syphilis is a rare STD in the US, with only around 20,000 new cases per year in the entire country, with two thirds of those in gay/bi men. It is extremely rare as a heterosexually transmitted STD. When it is present, oral sex is a rare transmission mechanism; it can occur, but the vast majority of cases are acquired from unprotected vaginal or anal sex. Your partner's negative test results in March are additional evidence that she had syphilis at the time of your exposure.
So on that basis alone, the chance you acquired syphilis is near zero. On top of all that, azithromycin (Zithromax) is almost always active against syphilis, and the doses you had would have eradicated syphilis if you had it.
Accordingly, it is not possible your penile bumps are syphilis -- and that's not a common initial syphilis symptom anyway. That the doctor thought to swab them suggests she is thinking of herpes -- although this also doesn't sound likely, based on your symptoms. There are many causes of penile papules -- genital warts is the most common STD that would cause it, but some non-STD explanations also are common, such as a condition called lichen planus.
Regardless of "rising rates" in Columbus, there is no realistic chance syphilis explains your problem. You can expect a negative blood test result. Continue to work with your doctor on other explanations for the problem.
Regards-- HHH, MD
Syphilis is a rare STD in the US, with only around 20,000 new cases per year in the entire country, with two thirds of those in gay/bi men. It is extremely rare as a heterosexually transmitted STD. When it is present, oral sex is a rare transmission mechanism; it can occur, but the vast majority of cases are acquired from unprotected vaginal or anal sex. Your partner's negative test results in March are additional evidence that she had syphilis at the time of your exposure.
So on that basis alone, the chance you acquired syphilis is near zero. On top of all that, azithromycin (Zithromax) is almost always active against syphilis, and the doses you had would have eradicated syphilis if you had it.
Accordingly, it is not possible your penile bumps are syphilis -- and that's not a common initial syphilis symptom anyway. That the doctor thought to swab them suggests she is thinking of herpes -- although this also doesn't sound likely, based on your symptoms. There are many causes of penile papules -- genital warts is the most common STD that would cause it, but some non-STD explanations also are common, such as a condition called lichen planus.
Regardless of "rising rates" in Columbus, there is no realistic chance syphilis explains your problem. You can expect a negative blood test result. Continue to work with your doctor on other explanations for the problem.
Regards-- HHH, MD
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.
