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Worth std testing?
I would like Dr. Handsfield to answer these questions. I'm female and a few months ago I had unprotected sex (vaginal, oral given and received, he fingered me, hand jobs, vaginal during my period) several times over the span of a few months. He said he had only had sex with two women prior. The one apparently always had partners tested prior to sex, but didn't ask him to be tested. The other woman said she only had sex with condoms except for with him. He's never been tested. I have no way of knowing if any of this information is true. But I took him at his word.
Several months have passed and I recently started dating someone new. We had protected vaginal sex (with a condom) and he fingered me and performed oral sex on me without any barriers. Here are my questions:
Should I be concerned that I got any kind of std (including hiv) from the first man? Should I be concerned that I gave or received an std from my new boyfriend? Should I be tested right away or can I continue what I'm doing with my boyfriend (protected vaginal, unprotected oral and fingering) with my current boyfriend until I get my yearly std tests in a couple months? Thanks!
Several months have passed and I recently started dating someone new. We had protected vaginal sex (with a condom) and he fingered me and performed oral sex on me without any barriers. Here are my questions:
Should I be concerned that I got any kind of std (including hiv) from the first man? Should I be concerned that I gave or received an std from my new boyfriend? Should I be tested right away or can I continue what I'm doing with my boyfriend (protected vaginal, unprotected oral and fingering) with my current boyfriend until I get my yearly std tests in a couple months? Thanks!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the Forum. You do not have the option of choosing who answers your questions. As you know, Dr. Handsfield and I share the forum. Today you happened to get me. FYI, the reason we share the forum is because we have worked together for over 30 years and while our verbiage styles vary, we have never disagreed on management strategies or advice to clients.
It appears that you have had sex with at least two partners over the past few months, participating in a number of different sexual activities. Most exposures with your prior partner, who sounds to be rather low risk from what you say, were unprotected while with your current partner genital exposures are condom protected but oral sex is not. I would not count your receipt of masturbation (fingering) as a risky activity at all for any STD.
STDs can be present in both men and women as asymptomatic infections and for that reason regular screening (testing in the absence of symptoms) is recommended for persons who have new or multiple partners on an annual basis- it sounds as though you do this (good job!). In your own circumstance, it sounds as though your prior partner was not particularly high risk (most people do tell the truth and you seem to believe him) and indeed, most people do not have STDs of any sort- thus your risk for infection from that relationship is probably low. In your current relationship, oral sex is a rather "inefficient" means of transmitting STDs and even if your partner did have infection, oral infection would be uncommon and his performance of oral sex on you would be unlikely to result in transmission from his mouth to you even if her were infected. Condoms make your genital sex safe.
Unless you have a particularly strong reason to distrust either your prior or your current partner, or you develop symptoms, you will probably be fine not seeking testing until your next routine GYN check in a few months. Both you and your partners sounds to be rather low risk as long as you remain monogamous going forward.
I hope this is helpful. There are no absolutes as to when the best time for asymptomatic screening is. While there is no urgency to seeking testing at this time, it is ultimately, of course, up to you. EWH
It appears that you have had sex with at least two partners over the past few months, participating in a number of different sexual activities. Most exposures with your prior partner, who sounds to be rather low risk from what you say, were unprotected while with your current partner genital exposures are condom protected but oral sex is not. I would not count your receipt of masturbation (fingering) as a risky activity at all for any STD.
STDs can be present in both men and women as asymptomatic infections and for that reason regular screening (testing in the absence of symptoms) is recommended for persons who have new or multiple partners on an annual basis- it sounds as though you do this (good job!). In your own circumstance, it sounds as though your prior partner was not particularly high risk (most people do tell the truth and you seem to believe him) and indeed, most people do not have STDs of any sort- thus your risk for infection from that relationship is probably low. In your current relationship, oral sex is a rather "inefficient" means of transmitting STDs and even if your partner did have infection, oral infection would be uncommon and his performance of oral sex on you would be unlikely to result in transmission from his mouth to you even if her were infected. Condoms make your genital sex safe.
Unless you have a particularly strong reason to distrust either your prior or your current partner, or you develop symptoms, you will probably be fine not seeking testing until your next routine GYN check in a few months. Both you and your partners sounds to be rather low risk as long as you remain monogamous going forward.
I hope this is helpful. There are no absolutes as to when the best time for asymptomatic screening is. While there is no urgency to seeking testing at this time, it is ultimately, of course, up to you. EWH
Also my new boyfriend has psoriasis and dry skin on his hands.
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.
