Aa
Need some help please
Two weeks ago I had an encounter with a questionable woman whom I had unprotected insertive oral sex with. Within three days, I developed a sore throat accompanied by a fever. I thought for sure this meant I either contracted oral gonorrhea or chlamydia. I saw my doctor at the three-day mark & he put me on Augmentin, assuming I had strep throat & no throat swab/culture was performed. Shortly after (1 day or 2) I developed full pus pockets on both sides of my throat that only mostly cleared up a few days ago. My throat no longer is sore, but I do still have a bit of a fever which concerns me a great deal. I haven't been able to get a definitive answer as to what my actions & the subsequent symptoms could be. Any help would be greatly appreciated based on these symptoms, as my nerves may have a little to do with how I feel overall. I have read that hiv should not be a concern due to the nature of my actions. Am I correct to assume this? Thanks in advance, as you all are providing a great service. Thank you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This information doesn't change my opinion or advice about STDs.
"Where to go from here" seems pretty obvious to me. People with unexplained symptoms that concern them should visit their personal physicians or other health care providers.
"Where to go from here" seems pretty obvious to me. People with unexplained symptoms that concern them should visit their personal physicians or other health care providers.
Hello again. It's been nearly four weeks since I experienced symptoms & everything has cleared up except for the pus pockets/tonsil stones & I have a continuous low-grade fever. This could be attributed possibly (the fever) to a high stress level at work, but I don't know where I should go from here. Any further help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks for clarifying the exposure.
STDs are infrequently transmitted by cunnilingus (oral to female genital contact), in either direction. Therefore, you were unlikely to catch an STD; and if you did, you would be unlikely to infect other sex partners.
I see no need for STD testing in this circumstance, for two reasons: it is unlikely you were infected; and if you were, augmentin treatment would clear up most STDs you might have caught. So it would be a waste of money to be tested; the results are guaranteed negative.
STDs are infrequently transmitted by cunnilingus (oral to female genital contact), in either direction. Therefore, you were unlikely to catch an STD; and if you did, you would be unlikely to infect other sex partners.
I see no need for STD testing in this circumstance, for two reasons: it is unlikely you were infected; and if you were, augmentin treatment would clear up most STDs you might have caught. So it would be a waste of money to be tested; the results are guaranteed negative.
One last follow-up question. Even in the unlikely chance I caught an oral std, what are the chances I could spread it to another partner, be it oral sex or straight (vaginal) sex? Thank you for your time.
Sorry, I used the wrong term. I'm a male who performed oral sex on a female partner. I just wanted to know if it would be too hasty for me to spend all of the money on various tests, given the symptoms. I appreciate your feedback & love this site. Thank you for all you do.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.
I'm not certain exactly what sort of sexual exposure you had. "I had unprotected insertive oral sex" suggests your penis in a partner's mouth, yet you are concerned about a sore throat. You can't acquire an STD genitally and have it show up in the throat.
But even if you mean you had oral exposure to your partner's vaginal area, I doubt it has anything to do with your throat problem. Oral gonorhea sometimes causes sore throat, but over 90% of infections are entirely asymptomatic; chlamydia rarely infects the throat at all, and probably never causes symptoms when it does; oral herpes can cause sore throat, and 3 days would be OK timing for that -- but initial oral herpes would usually painful sores in the mouth or on the lips, so that also seems unlikely.
I also agree that HIV is not the cause: HIV is rarely if ever transmitted by oral sex or kissing, and HIV symptoms cannot start sooner than 10 days after exposure.
By far the more likely cause of your throat problem is a garden variety upper respiratory infection -- probably viral, but perhaps a strep throat. You could have caught it from your partner, especially if there was kissing as well as oral-genital contact. With continuing fever as your sore throat subsides, influenza is a possibility.
If your symptoms continue or you otherwise remain concerned, discuss it with your doctor or return for a follow-up appointment. But in the meantime, you really need not be worried about STDs.
I hope this has been helpful. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
I'm not certain exactly what sort of sexual exposure you had. "I had unprotected insertive oral sex" suggests your penis in a partner's mouth, yet you are concerned about a sore throat. You can't acquire an STD genitally and have it show up in the throat.
But even if you mean you had oral exposure to your partner's vaginal area, I doubt it has anything to do with your throat problem. Oral gonorhea sometimes causes sore throat, but over 90% of infections are entirely asymptomatic; chlamydia rarely infects the throat at all, and probably never causes symptoms when it does; oral herpes can cause sore throat, and 3 days would be OK timing for that -- but initial oral herpes would usually painful sores in the mouth or on the lips, so that also seems unlikely.
I also agree that HIV is not the cause: HIV is rarely if ever transmitted by oral sex or kissing, and HIV symptoms cannot start sooner than 10 days after exposure.
By far the more likely cause of your throat problem is a garden variety upper respiratory infection -- probably viral, but perhaps a strep throat. You could have caught it from your partner, especially if there was kissing as well as oral-genital contact. With continuing fever as your sore throat subsides, influenza is a possibility.
If your symptoms continue or you otherwise remain concerned, discuss it with your doctor or return for a follow-up appointment. But in the meantime, you really need not be worried about STDs.
I hope this has been helpful. 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.
