Aa
Help please
I had unprotected sex with a guy about 10 days ago whilst in St. Lucia. 5 days later he called me to say he was sick, had been to the doctor that morning, and had contracted an STD, Gonorrhea, from me! Apart from the shock I felt, as if I do have Gonorrhea I had no idea as have had no symptons, and what with the guilt as well, I immediately (5 days ago) went to get myself checked out. I also live in a Caribbean country. The doctor gave me a full pelvic exam and said everything looks normal but took a swab for which he said it would take 5 days to get the results. He was surprised that the guy who said I had infected him apparently already knew what he had so quickly as he said in this part of the world it takes 5-7 days for absolute diagnosis.
Anyway he then put me on Cilox 400 Ofloxacin - 2 tablets a day for 7 days which I am taking religiously. The guy is question, despite my asking what tablets he was on, said "Gonorrhea tablets" which kind of concerned me as it may not even be and I hope isn't. His course of tablets is due to take 2 weeks and he said he is no better
despite taking the tablets (whatever they are) for the last 6 days now.
I have 2 questions really...firstly if I am infected, would this treatment cure me, and secondly how long would it normally be before he sees any change. He said that he is "dripping" and it's painful to urinate. I have absolutely no symptons at all.
I have always been careful up until the last few months when my sexual behaviour has not been outrageous but not to clever either and this has been a definite wake up call. From now on condoms will definitely be the order of the day.
Thanks you for your help!
Anyway he then put me on Cilox 400 Ofloxacin - 2 tablets a day for 7 days which I am taking religiously. The guy is question, despite my asking what tablets he was on, said "Gonorrhea tablets" which kind of concerned me as it may not even be and I hope isn't. His course of tablets is due to take 2 weeks and he said he is no better
despite taking the tablets (whatever they are) for the last 6 days now.
I have 2 questions really...firstly if I am infected, would this treatment cure me, and secondly how long would it normally be before he sees any change. He said that he is "dripping" and it's painful to urinate. I have absolutely no symptons at all.
I have always been careful up until the last few months when my sexual behaviour has not been outrageous but not to clever either and this has been a definite wake up call. From now on condoms will definitely be the order of the day.
Thanks you for your help!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum.
Gonorrhea diagnosis usually is quite straightforward in men, and usually can be confirmed during the initial office visit by examining urethral discharge under a microscope. So most likely he has it. However, it is true that the confirmatory tests can take a few days, and microscopy is not foolproof. So perhaps he has chlamydia or something else. If it's gonorrhe and you are his only partner in the 7-10 days before onset of his symptoms, undoubtedly you are indeed the source. If he had sex with anyone else recently, maybe it wasn't you. Even in that case, it was right for you to be tested and treated. Most women with gonorrhea have no symptoms, or such mild vaginal discharge or other symptoms that nothing seems wrong; and the physical/pelvic exam is often entirely normal.
1) Standard gonorrhea treatment usually is with a single large dose of antibotic, either by injection or pills. Ofloxacin for 7 days has the advantage of also covering chlamydia, which is present in 30-40% of women with gonorrhea. (I hope you were tested for both.) However, oflox and related drugs are not always reliable against gonorrhea; many strains are resistant. The frequency of resistance varies widely from one place to another; I'm not sure about the situation in the Caribbean area. Assuming your gonorrhea test returns positive, it would be a good idea for you to have a follow-up test in a couple of weeks, i.e. a week or so after finishing the antibiotic.
2) Your partner's symptoms should start to improve within 2 days of starting the antibiotic. If things aren't definitely better by then, he should return to the doctor or clinic for reevaluation.
Final thought: Women can carry gonorrhea for several months. You should inform any men with whom you have had sex since about last May. However, it's probably best to await your own test results so you know for sure about gonorrhea and, hopefully, chlamydia.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Gonorrhea diagnosis usually is quite straightforward in men, and usually can be confirmed during the initial office visit by examining urethral discharge under a microscope. So most likely he has it. However, it is true that the confirmatory tests can take a few days, and microscopy is not foolproof. So perhaps he has chlamydia or something else. If it's gonorrhe and you are his only partner in the 7-10 days before onset of his symptoms, undoubtedly you are indeed the source. If he had sex with anyone else recently, maybe it wasn't you. Even in that case, it was right for you to be tested and treated. Most women with gonorrhea have no symptoms, or such mild vaginal discharge or other symptoms that nothing seems wrong; and the physical/pelvic exam is often entirely normal.
1) Standard gonorrhea treatment usually is with a single large dose of antibotic, either by injection or pills. Ofloxacin for 7 days has the advantage of also covering chlamydia, which is present in 30-40% of women with gonorrhea. (I hope you were tested for both.) However, oflox and related drugs are not always reliable against gonorrhea; many strains are resistant. The frequency of resistance varies widely from one place to another; I'm not sure about the situation in the Caribbean area. Assuming your gonorrhea test returns positive, it would be a good idea for you to have a follow-up test in a couple of weeks, i.e. a week or so after finishing the antibiotic.
2) Your partner's symptoms should start to improve within 2 days of starting the antibiotic. If things aren't definitely better by then, he should return to the doctor or clinic for reevaluation.
Final thought: Women can carry gonorrhea for several months. You should inform any men with whom you have had sex since about last May. However, it's probably best to await your own test results so you know for sure about gonorrhea and, hopefully, chlamydia.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I share your concern about failure of your partner's symptoms to improve. It suggests that either the diagnosis or the treatment are wrong. He should return to his doctor/clinic if he hasn't done so.
Thanks for your response - much appreciated and I will take your advice.
Concerned that after 6-7 days he has not responded to treatment however I will keep doing what I am doing and be more careful in furture.
Concerned that after 6-7 days he has not responded to treatment however I will keep doing what I am doing and be more careful in furture.
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