Aa
risk of std?
Dear Dr.,
3 months ago, I had protected intercourse with a prostitute.
About 3 weeks ago, I saw that my urethra was more reddish then normal. So I went to my GP to check it out, he said everything looked normal, but he did a blood & urine test to be sure.
all my levels were normal, except for the PH level of my urine ( witch was caused because my body was breaking down my muscles, because i wasn't eating well? sorry for my poor description, English isn't my native language)
But for the past few week, I've been feeling really unwell in a general way:
- pain in my joints / neck
- mild headache
- diarrhea
- weight loss ( 6kg in 3 weeks, atm i only weigh 55kg -25 yr old male 1m75 )
- I also had a fungus infection on both of my feet around the bottom of my toes, I am taking a medicine for that for the past 5 days now, but there is no improvement, and now I also have a red/brown rash on the bottom of my feet.
So what I really want to ask is:
1) If I have an STD, would this cause my blood sed rate to increase? blood sed rate was at 2. (GP said this was perfectly normal and that I should be in a perfect state of health)
2) I know I don't have HSV, or gonorrhea, since i don't have any blisters or discharge. But could I have (2nd stage) syphilis? Cause of the red rash on the sole of my feet, or can this be caused by ( the healing of ) my fungus infection? I did not see symptoms of first stage, but I've read this can happen.
3) Can any STD cause the other symptoms?
4) Is there any chance I caught an STD from having protected sex for 3 minutes? condom did not break or anything.
thx in advance.
3 months ago, I had protected intercourse with a prostitute.
About 3 weeks ago, I saw that my urethra was more reddish then normal. So I went to my GP to check it out, he said everything looked normal, but he did a blood & urine test to be sure.
all my levels were normal, except for the PH level of my urine ( witch was caused because my body was breaking down my muscles, because i wasn't eating well? sorry for my poor description, English isn't my native language)
But for the past few week, I've been feeling really unwell in a general way:
- pain in my joints / neck
- mild headache
- diarrhea
- weight loss ( 6kg in 3 weeks, atm i only weigh 55kg -25 yr old male 1m75 )
- I also had a fungus infection on both of my feet around the bottom of my toes, I am taking a medicine for that for the past 5 days now, but there is no improvement, and now I also have a red/brown rash on the bottom of my feet.
So what I really want to ask is:
1) If I have an STD, would this cause my blood sed rate to increase? blood sed rate was at 2. (GP said this was perfectly normal and that I should be in a perfect state of health)
2) I know I don't have HSV, or gonorrhea, since i don't have any blisters or discharge. But could I have (2nd stage) syphilis? Cause of the red rash on the sole of my feet, or can this be caused by ( the healing of ) my fungus infection? I did not see symptoms of first stage, but I've read this can happen.
3) Can any STD cause the other symptoms?
4) Is there any chance I caught an STD from having protected sex for 3 minutes? condom did not break or anything.
thx in advance.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the Forum. I think you are worried more than you need to be. Protected sex is safe sex, even if your partner had an STD of some sort and most commercial sex workers do not have STDs. You have also been examined by a health professional who feels there is nothing to worry about. It's not clear to me if you told him about your exposure or not but you should have.
Sometimes after an exposure that, in retrospect, one wishes they had not had, persons tend to examine themselves and be far more attuned to genital sensations than in periods when they are not concerned. This in turn leads to noticing what turn out to be normal sensations that might have been not noticed or ignored at other times. In other instances we wonder if coincidental aches and pains might be manifestations of STD when they are not. Perhaps this was a contributor to your situation.
as for your questions:
1. Most STDs do not change the sed rate.
2. Your risk of having secondary syphilis, which is rather rare, is very low. The only way to be completely sure however is with a blood test for syphilis.
3. Most STDs can be present without symptoms or can cause a variety of different symptoms.
4. As I said above, your risk for any STD is very, very low.
A final recommendation. This exposure was 3 months ago yet you continue to worry far more than you should. Rather than worrying, my advice is to get tested and believe the test results, which I anticipate will be negative, when you get them. This is far better than worrying that every ache, pain or bump you happen to notice is an STD. I hope these comments are helpful to you. EWH
Sometimes after an exposure that, in retrospect, one wishes they had not had, persons tend to examine themselves and be far more attuned to genital sensations than in periods when they are not concerned. This in turn leads to noticing what turn out to be normal sensations that might have been not noticed or ignored at other times. In other instances we wonder if coincidental aches and pains might be manifestations of STD when they are not. Perhaps this was a contributor to your situation.
as for your questions:
1. Most STDs do not change the sed rate.
2. Your risk of having secondary syphilis, which is rather rare, is very low. The only way to be completely sure however is with a blood test for syphilis.
3. Most STDs can be present without symptoms or can cause a variety of different symptoms.
4. As I said above, your risk for any STD is very, very low.
A final recommendation. This exposure was 3 months ago yet you continue to worry far more than you should. Rather than worrying, my advice is to get tested and believe the test results, which I anticipate will be negative, when you get them. This is far better than worrying that every ache, pain or bump you happen to notice is an STD. I hope these comments are helpful to you. EWH
forgot to mention:
blood & urine tests, were normal tests, no STD test.
blood & urine tests, were normal tests, no STD test.
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.
