STI testing

[essos.livejournal.com]

Hello ladies.

I'm going to make an appointment to get tested for STIs. I don't have any symptoms, so what is it possible for me to get tested for? When I call to make the appointment or when I go in for it, will I need to give the doctor a whole list of things to test for as opposed just saying 'Everything!'?

Also, I'm getting tested now and planning to again in 6 months. I had unprotected PIV sex with a new partner in the past two months and I read that it can take 6 months for some STIs to show up as positive. Is that true? (EDIT: Just to clarify because I tend to not make sense. Is it true that I may have contracted something from the very recent unprotected PIV sex but a test wouldn't show it until June?)

Thanks!

Comments

[zeroproof.livejournal.com]

unless you specifically asked for an hpv and an hsv test (to which most doctors respond with a "PSHHH YOURE PARANOID! IF YOU AINT GOT NO SYMPTOMS I AINT TESTING U BITCH!!!") you cannot be sure you are disease free. "everything" tests only test for 4 stds

[vsb.livejournal.com]

Yes somethings, including HIV, take a while for the antibodies (which is what I think they are looking for, for some STIs) to develop in your system.

I just went in today. When making an appointment I said I wanted an STD screening. When the doc came in, we went over what I wanted. I just told her to ahead and do everything. The pap can only return results for STIs, they do blood work for others.

[jenmarie.livejournal.com]

Ask what 'everything' covers if you really want everything. I discovered not long ago that my 'full screenings' I was getting through every midwife and GYN I've used for the last 10-15 years didn't include things I thought it should.

HSV (herpes) and Hepatitis are NOT usually part of a full panel at most Drs offices. HIV, Syphilis, Chlamydia, and Gonorrhea are.

[essos.livejournal.com]

If you have no symptoms, a herpes test is a blood test, correct?

[jenmarie.livejournal.com]

Yep. I totally didn't know I wasn't getting tested for herpes or hep when I was going in for screenings at my Drs' and midwives' checkups. It was only after I let my insurance lapse and went a different route (I chose www.tstd.org) that I discovered that those aren't standard. Fortunately, I was negative for Hep B/C. But I did test pos for HSV1 and HSV2, which I probably never would have known otherwise, as I'm totally asymptomatic for both....

So, because I assumed my practioners really were testing for EVERYTHING when they weren't, I have no idea when/where I may have contracted both strains of HSV. The HSV1 wasn't a huge surprise, as my husband, father, and many friends have symptomatic oral HSV. But the HSV2 was a bit of a shocker. Not a big deal, really, but surprising. heh.

[essos.livejournal.com]

That's basically why I want to go in armed with as much information as possible. It makes me nervous trusting someone with my health when there's always the potential for miscommunication. Doctors, and gynecologists in particular, often seem to assume that they know more than you do and therefore can make decisions for you. I mean, I know doctors generally have more knowledge than me about medicine and illness, etc., however, I don't like being condescended to by not being told everything because they assume I won't get it.

Well that got rant-y. Anyway, thanks for the insight/warning.

[vsb.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for posting this!

I can check my Drs orders on a secure website and sure enough I don't see orders for those. I'm going to go call them and see what I can do.

[jennifer0246.livejournal.com]

STI testing can be pretty confusing. In office, you can be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia - these are usually done as genital swabs, though they can be run via urine as well. Both gonorrhea and chlamydia are usually symptomless and can be tested for as early as a couple of weeks after exposure.

You can also ask for a pap smear, which tests for any cervical abnormalities. Cervical abnormalities generally take the form of dysplasia, which is caused by HPV. There are exclusive HPV tests, but they are not widely performed and not advisable for certain subsets of women (consult your health care provider for specifics relating to your situation). Cervical HPV has no symptoms.

For blood work, your provider can order a syphilis screen, HIV screening, and hepatitis B and C screening. This is done via blood draw, and these can take up to 6 months after exposure to be detected, so retesting at that interval is recommended.

HSV (herpes) can be tested for if you have any sores via culturing them. There are also blood tests available, but do be aware that they will show positive if you have a history of cold sores. Not all providers can/do order the blood test.

There is no way to test for genital HPV (warts on the external genitalia) without the presence of symptoms.

Hope that's helpful :)

[essos.livejournal.com]

Thank you! This is exactly what I need to know.

(How do you know all this?!)

[jennifer0246.livejournal.com]

i'm a wicked geek, and i work professionally in the field of women's health. good luck with your testing :)

[jenmarie.livejournal.com]

Great comment!

I'll add that the most common blood tests for HSV are type-specific, so you can know which you may have. Though, they won't tell you WHERE you have it, and one can have HSV2 orally and HSV1 genitally. My husband got tested after I got my positive results and found that he has HSV1 (which we figured as he has cold sores), but not HSV2.

[jennifer0246.livejournal.com]

thanks :)

and totally true - most blood tests can type the HSV, but that doesn't really tell you much either. There's also the problematic bit that oral HSV can easily be transmitted to genitals via oral sex even without an outbreak. Big bummers all around, you know?

[sandi1743.livejournal.com]

if you ask/are getting the HSV blood test just make sure that the HSV is the type specif. IgG NOT the IgM - Quest has started to discon't the IgM due to the high number of false positives. HSV is also done via a western blot on your blood. I know that my GYN has always tested for Trich as well when she does the other swabs.

[jenmarie.livejournal.com]

In the case of my husband, it worked OK, but only because we already knew he had one of 'em orally. In my case, I'm going to at least nominally assume that I have them in the typical locations (HSV1 orally, HSV2 genitally) just because we know his status.

I will say that if I ever do have an outbreak in either location I'll have it cultured so I know for sure.

Like I said, it's not really a big deal either way (considering it's a minor skin condition and not health-threatening), and I kind of consider myself lucky because it isn't something I'll have to worry about for the future... as far as contracting it goes. Once you have one there, the likelihood of getting the other in the same location is really really small. The stigma associated with herpes does make interactions with future partners potentially touchy, though. :|

[threetoedcharli.livejournal.com]

Thank you for saying exactly what I was planning on typing after I got to the bottom of this thread ;)

[gbetty.livejournal.com]

Just seconding and thirding the 'make sure you know exactly what you're getting tested for' response. I was tested clean a month ago. Two weeks later, I had a Herpes outbreak. Imagine my surprise!! Then I read the fine print...