Hands up, who regularly gets an std test?

[ffswhatnext]

Every time a thread pops up about being promiscuous, someone invariably pops up and says along the lines of urrggg, I wouldn't touch with a barge pole as they must be full of diseases etc.

So regardless of how many you have, or haven't' fucked, how often do you get tested if at all?

Me. Every couple of months I get the full works of genitals, blood and mouth.

Don’t really understand why you felt the need to post this. I’m sure you must have known most people are not getting frequent std checks

Never, am married so no need

I never understand how anyone can say they have never been tested "because they are not at risk"

I don't understand it either.
It's like saying you cannot get pregnant the first time you have sex... Oh wait.

“I'm not sure where your getting your decades from”

Me, 25 years is 2 and a 1/2 decades, it qualifies as a plural.

I posted because I actually thought more people did get tested.

But I shouldn't be surprised really, because the figures show the undiagnosed walk amongst us. Possibly walking around going nope, not me.

I thought it would be a good discussion about sexual health. Raise awareness, etc. Silly me. A fun way to talk about safe sex considering it's HIV awareness week.

As @titsmcghee27 has posted, this is now something she is considering 3 years in because of the previous infection.

To add, I never had previous infection that I know of. But not all infections are tested for routinely or indeed advertised as much as others. We hear about chlamydia and gonorrhoea all the time but Trichomoniasis is within the same category (bacterial STI) and not routinely tested for or even talked about. I'd never heard of it until I googled some of my symptoms. I can only assume it doesn't get as much press because the health implications aren't as severe as the rest.

“I'm not sure where your getting your decades from”

Me, 25 years is 2 and a 1/2 decades, it qualifies as a plural

As in I never mentioned how long to be in a relationship to test for. Which is why I reposted the question I was asked and the answer. Because I couldn't see any mention of decades, so confused.

@titsmcghee27 Sorry didn't mean to misquote you like that. I've usually got two screens open to avoid this. Not that it excuses my error.

Tbh I have no idea why it doesn't get as much attention. But then some of the others don't either.

And it's refreshing to see others take their sexual health so seriously.

I test between every relationship. Been with DH for 14 years so haven't had one since then.

I have not had many sexual partners and I have been tested with each one (we have gone together) before not using condoms. This is because of volunteering in a hospice and supporting someone dying of HIV related complications they got from unprotected sex, when I was 18/19. I also went for the works after my husband said he was leaving me just to be sure.

It's free. Condoms don't prevent all STDs sadly. I also paid privately for the HPV vaccine because I now know people can lie to me and I can't always tell.

I have had tests in the past. Can’t see the point when I haven’t slept with anyone for years.

£300 a time would put a lot of people off. It doesn't cost at an NHS GUM clinic though.

Around every 3-6 months when single and sexually active.
Since I have been with DH - we both had tests at the start of the relationship and once since - dh has previously had a sti and was worried he was having a flare up of some sort and could pass it on to me so as recommended by the nurse in the clinic we both had one done. All clear.
There's nothing wrong with checking your sexual health, it's the same as any other health issue.
I'm more shocked at the people stating they use condoms so are safe! Herpes, Genital warts and syphilis don't care if you used a condom, you're at risk of catching them if your sexual partner actively has them through skin to skin contact.
Also those who don't/have never been tested because they're married - You do realise Sti's can be asymptomatic for many years? HIV and chlamydia as an example. So unless you know for fact that your OH has only had sex with you (and you with him) and has never had unprotected sex with anyone ever then you most certainly could be at risk.

£300 a time is a lot. But when you think how much we pay for private healthcare for other things it seems like a drop in the ocean to me. And it's only because some of the things aren't given under nhs unless you present with symptoms.

But a lot of them are either a lot cheaper or free.

@titsmcghee27 also have a look for private clinics in your area. They might do a single test.

I've had the hiv and the other one that's standard in pregnancy. Nothing apart from that though.

Ps only had sex with dh and him only with me so no risk.

@elliejjtiny Remember it’s only no risk if neither of you have ever had sexual contact of any kind with someone else.

You do not need to have sex with someone to contract an STD from them.

Just as an aside, sexual health services are paid for by your local council, not the NHS. It comes under the Public Health umbrella, and so is commissioned by councils. They may commission the NHS to provide the service, but not everywhere, and home testing is usually provided by private companies. It's interesting because we all criticise privatisation of what we think are NHS services, but home testing is one of a few private services that actually works well, is cheap, and most importantly clients like it.

As to whether excessive testing costs the NHS, it depends. Councils pay providers either by giving them a chunk of money to provide a particular service however many people are seen, or by paying an amount per person seen. So very frequent use either means the NHS having to provide more services for no more money money, or the council paying the service provider more because they are seeing more people.

Not especially relevant to the OP, but interesting all the same!

Not had one for years. Long term relationship and now married. Probably should have been checked more during the dating years as some fool gave me herpes, cheers for that 🤦‍♀️ However, my ex-husband gave me chlamydia and tried to deny he’d been with anyone else, 🤔

Yes I do because I've had two children in the past two years so have routine std checks with the midwives and also been tested recently again during a contraception consultation.

For people who think "what's the point" are silly imo.

I've been tested twice in the last almost 5 years. Same partner for almost 5 years but checking for other infections like BV etc at the GPS I had the whole swabs just incase. Not been with anyone else since I met my DP and neither has he.

I think if you are actively sleeping with people you need to be checked regularly. It's not worth risking your health over. Better to find these things sooner rather than later when the damage is done.

Normally when leaving and entering a new relationship. I practice safe sex outside of relationships but if there's ever a drunken one off with someone I'm casually dating then I'll try to be seen ASAP afterwards.

Never. I haven't needed to. One sexual partner, both virgins when we met, both 100 per cent faithful. Been single for a long time now but would only have sex in a very serious (think marriage) relationship anyway. Not uncommon amongst people of my culture and faith. If at any point I was concerned there was any risk at all, of course I wouldn't hesitate to get tested.

In 2015 there were 18,000 Esimated in england alone living unknowingly with hiv, let alone the people who have syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea etc

I think people should be more pro-active about there sexual health, especially in long term relationships. By the law of averages there is bound to be quite a few on mumsnet who dont realise their partners have given them an std and who think they dont need think about it.

You also get hiv checks when you give blood

@titsmcghee27 GUM clinics will test for Trichomoniasis. I had never heard of it before I went to my local one, but unlike the home tests that don’t include it, the in house ones will. If they don’t you could always ask, especially if you have symptoms.

@BrassTactical, I’m so sorry you were raped, but, like another poster who used the word “clean” in reference to having no STIs, you yourself did exactly the same - and then went on to say:

It’s stigma only like its dirty, when a cold, or other person to person virus isn’t? Doesn’t make sense.

Never, married at 19, 20 years this year. Never had reason to.