worry about STD

[mike2000]

Hi I`m 24 male. Five days ago I had unprotected oral sex ( I was given one and I didn`t have any cuts on my penis) by a striper/entertament girl. Oral contact was for an about 2-3 min. Three days later I went to my doctor and he said that he don`t see anything suspicious but I asked him if he can prescribe some medicine just in case since I`m going away for 2 weeks so he did give me metronidazole er 750MG. Today is a 6th day and I don`t see any symptoms at all. All this stress is killing me. I can`t eat I can`t sleep. I did a lot of research on STDs and the more I read the worst I feel. Please help me. I need your opinion on how high were my chances to get any std ? (btw my best friend had the same oral contact with here before me and he doen`t have any symptoms). thank you

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

The likelihood you caught anything from that exposure is extremely low; see numerous other threads on STD risk from oral-genital sex.  Your doctor's choice of metronidazole prophylaxis makes no sense; that drug is inactive against any STD you theoretically might get from oral sex.

Just sit tight.  If no symptoms after 7-10 days, you can reliably assume you are uninfected with anything.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[mike2000]

Thank You doctor. I don`t know if that`s stress or that medicine that he gave me but I have no appetite at all. I read that one of side effect for this medicine is lack of appetite.

btw I read all post in this forum about Herpes - I did a lot of research before posting my msg here. It just feels better when I see your fallow post. Thank You once again.

God bless you.

[marriedlove]

Hey, Mike--You know, I've noticed that many of the questions and anxieties here (not all, by any means, but a good portion) are generated by anxiety over sexual interaction with a "pro" of one sort or another.  I know the doc tends not to comment on the social/moral aspect of sexuality, and that's generally what makes him so good at this.  He can cut through the anxiety and focus on the facts people need to have to make good decisions about their health.  In the world beyond medicine, though, I think it's good to think about things like why people seek out sex workers to begin with, and what the emotional and psychological (as well as physical) implications of that might be for them.  It's a question everyone will answer differently, of course, but probably worth thinking about.  Human sexuality is a complicated thing, indeed.  Sometimes, I think we're better at talking about the mechanics than we are at talking about the ethics and emotions of what we do, and of how we impact each other when we do it.

Sometimes, I think legalized prostitution would actually be better, since it might introduce greater regulation into that (huge) industry.  Plus, it might actually take away of some of the allure of the forbidden.  That's the logical side of me.  The emotional side of me just hates that there is such a thing as a sex industry at all, and wishes healthy, fulfilling, and decidedly amateur (though not amateurish!)sexual and emotional relationships for all.  

Probably, both the logical and emotional sides of me are just hopelessly naive, though. I don't know.  Big questions.  Maybe no decisive answers, but somehow really worth thinking about, anyway.

Best,

marriedlove