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Best Steps After Unprotected Oral
Firstly, thank you for being such an approachable resource.
My situation is this... Approx 1 week ago I foolishly received unprotected oral from an x-girlfriend whom I have lost familiarity with. It only lasted 20 seconds or so but it constitutes exposure none the less. My question is what is the best time-line to follow as far as screening for STI are concerned (what tests, when) and moving on with my life (feeling safe personally and for a future partner).
I am a 30 year old, white, heterosexual male. With this exception I have only engaged in vaginal intercourse using condoms with a single partner in the last year. I have no immune suppression concerns. Beyond hypersensitivity to every itch and twitch I have no symptoms I can attribute to my recent exposure.
1. HIV outright terrorifies me even after being told by many sources that receiving oral as a man carries little or no risk of contraction. My hope is that proper testing will eliminate my hopefully irrational fears. I understand that the best antibody test is accurate 90+% @ 6 weeks, nearly 100% @ 8 weeks and definitive @ 3 months. What is the best test and is this synopsis correct?
2. Herpes was the greatest risk from my exposure and is my genuine concern. Like most persons my age I am HSV-1 positive orally and I take Valtrex daily for suppression. Does my HSV-1 oral status and Valtrex regiment affect my chances of contracting either HSV-1/2 genitally? What test is best for both? When can it first be considered reliable? When is it considered definitive?
3. Gonorrhea and Chlamydia do not concern me so much. Syphilis, however, concerns me so would it be wise to simply request treatment right away to avoid the waiting window?
4. Showing no symptoms when can I responsibly engage in protected (using condoms, dental dams, etc) sexual activity again? Should I wait until all symptoms save HIV would have presented?
Thanks in advance for your effort and attention.
My situation is this... Approx 1 week ago I foolishly received unprotected oral from an x-girlfriend whom I have lost familiarity with. It only lasted 20 seconds or so but it constitutes exposure none the less. My question is what is the best time-line to follow as far as screening for STI are concerned (what tests, when) and moving on with my life (feeling safe personally and for a future partner).
I am a 30 year old, white, heterosexual male. With this exception I have only engaged in vaginal intercourse using condoms with a single partner in the last year. I have no immune suppression concerns. Beyond hypersensitivity to every itch and twitch I have no symptoms I can attribute to my recent exposure.
1. HIV outright terrorifies me even after being told by many sources that receiving oral as a man carries little or no risk of contraction. My hope is that proper testing will eliminate my hopefully irrational fears. I understand that the best antibody test is accurate 90+% @ 6 weeks, nearly 100% @ 8 weeks and definitive @ 3 months. What is the best test and is this synopsis correct?
2. Herpes was the greatest risk from my exposure and is my genuine concern. Like most persons my age I am HSV-1 positive orally and I take Valtrex daily for suppression. Does my HSV-1 oral status and Valtrex regiment affect my chances of contracting either HSV-1/2 genitally? What test is best for both? When can it first be considered reliable? When is it considered definitive?
3. Gonorrhea and Chlamydia do not concern me so much. Syphilis, however, concerns me so would it be wise to simply request treatment right away to avoid the waiting window?
4. Showing no symptoms when can I responsibly engage in protected (using condoms, dental dams, etc) sexual activity again? Should I wait until all symptoms save HIV would have presented?
Thanks in advance for your effort and attention.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
That's not an STD symptom. It's likely also anxiety-related. You need to stop jumping to the conclusion that every twitch and twinge you feel is an STD or otherwise related to the uneventful sexual exposure you described.
Nobody who is uncertain about a health problem or symptom can go wrong by seeing a health care provider. It is doubtful that anything abnormal would be found, but no distant online source can be sure of that. It's entirely up to you.
I will have no further comments.
Nobody who is uncertain about a health problem or symptom can go wrong by seeing a health care provider. It is doubtful that anything abnormal would be found, but no distant online source can be sure of that. It's entirely up to you.
I will have no further comments.
Thank you for your prompt response. Your reasoning and advice has greatly reduced my anxiety.
I will follow your recommendations: Take a deep breath, wait a few weeks for any symptoms and schedule my yearly STI screening a bit earlier for peace of mind at 6 weeks or so.
In follow-up, however, I do have one question.
1) After I void my bladder I have a feeling that the tip of my penis is still wet. That some urine is for the lack of a better word stuck. I have no discomfort or pain, no discharge of any kind but I'm convinced that this is not due to anxiety because it has been constant for the last few days. Could this be a symptom of NGU resulting from my exposure? If so should I seek treatment?
I will follow your recommendations: Take a deep breath, wait a few weeks for any symptoms and schedule my yearly STI screening a bit earlier for peace of mind at 6 weeks or so.
In follow-up, however, I do have one question.
1) After I void my bladder I have a feeling that the tip of my penis is still wet. That some urine is for the lack of a better word stuck. I have no discomfort or pain, no discharge of any kind but I'm convinced that this is not due to anxiety because it has been constant for the last few days. Could this be a symptom of NGU resulting from my exposure? If so should I seek treatment?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Before even reading your question, from the title you chose for this thread: The "best steps" after unprotected insertive oral sex (i.e., recieving a BJ) are to wait and see if there are symptoms of STD (discharge from the penis, penile sores); and if nothing like that developes in the next 2-3 weeks, just forget the whole thing. It is rarely necessary to have routine testing for any STD.
Now I have read it.
1) You are correct that HIV isn't a realistic risk at all. And unless your ex GF is an injection drug user or sleeps with bi men, the chance she has HIV is less than 1 in 1,000. Anyway, why not ask her?? But if despite all this you decide to get tested, do it 6-8 weeks after the event. You can use the search link for more detailed discussions of the time it takes for HIV tests to become positive.
2) How do you figure herpes was "the greatest risk"? It can be acquired by oral sex, but the risk is low for any particular exposure, except when the oral partner has an overt cold sore. In any case, since you have HSV-1, you are immune (or at least highly resistant) to catching it again, anywhere on your body. So your herpes risk was zero.
3) There are only 9,000 new cases of syphilis per year in the entire US. The large majority of those occur in gay men, the rest in mostly minority heterosexuals in a few cities in the southeast or in the western border areas with Mexico. And rare cases occur from oral sex. Syphilis simply is not a realistic concern here.
4) You need no testing and can engage in whatever sex you want, whenever you want, without putting your partner at risk. To be even more certain, wait 2-3 weeks (without symptoms) before you do so.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Now I have read it.
1) You are correct that HIV isn't a realistic risk at all. And unless your ex GF is an injection drug user or sleeps with bi men, the chance she has HIV is less than 1 in 1,000. Anyway, why not ask her?? But if despite all this you decide to get tested, do it 6-8 weeks after the event. You can use the search link for more detailed discussions of the time it takes for HIV tests to become positive.
2) How do you figure herpes was "the greatest risk"? It can be acquired by oral sex, but the risk is low for any particular exposure, except when the oral partner has an overt cold sore. In any case, since you have HSV-1, you are immune (or at least highly resistant) to catching it again, anywhere on your body. So your herpes risk was zero.
3) There are only 9,000 new cases of syphilis per year in the entire US. The large majority of those occur in gay men, the rest in mostly minority heterosexuals in a few cities in the southeast or in the western border areas with Mexico. And rare cases occur from oral sex. Syphilis simply is not a realistic concern here.
4) You need no testing and can engage in whatever sex you want, whenever you want, without putting your partner at risk. To be even more certain, wait 2-3 weeks (without symptoms) before you do so.
Best wishes-- 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.
