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.

I would like to comment - you don't have to be promiscuous to get an STD.
I am over 50 , have had 2 partners in my life and have genital herpes outbreaks a few times a year. Caught many years ago from my still dh who also did not know he had it .

Sorry HIV I meant to use “clear” as in the tests come back clear, not clean. My reference to dirty meant I hate that people think that way and that STIs should not have the stigma that they do.

It’s just all so illogical, HSV on the lips? Fine. HSV on the genitals? Omg you have to tell everyone, must be a massive tart etc etc.

@SuperMeerkat May I ask how / when / if you told your new partner/subsequent people about the HSV?

I last had a test about 2 years ago when the nurse wanted to make sure my UTI wasn't something else.

My long term partner and I got tested years ago when we ditched the condoms but haven't tested since. I think it's always worthwhile testing every now and then in a long term relationship as you can't guarantee what your partner is doing at all times!

“Brass, it’s ok, I thought it was probably a typo. My normal response to “clean” is to say hey, I’ve just had a shower, I’m as clean as the next person 😀

@Adoree, you are so right. I’m not promiscuous either, was just a bit ignorant and also very unlucky. It is correct that many people can have an STI but do not know it, and can then pass it onto their partners.

It’s also worth mentioning that different STIs have different window periods - ie the time it takes to show up in a test after the person has caught the STI. So there is absolutely no point in getting tested the day following having unprotected sex. HIV can take between 4-12 weeks

The more recent posts are why I don't understand why people are so blase about it.

I'm a hospital patient regular (not because of my sex life lol) and one of the times, I was on a gynae ward, woman in the next bed was there because of chlamydia and the complications when it goes untreated.

So yea can completely understand why so many don't bother. It's nothing really, just a bit of chlamydia. Doesn't matter that it gets tested for during pregnancy for legit reasons. Or that it increases the risk of other infections.

I used to work in sexual health.

If I met a new partner we'd both go and get tested together. No big deal, just go and do it.

Apart from one partner who came back and said it was really easy, then found out later on talking to a friend that he'd only done the HIV blood test part and had to go back for the swab .

I'd also get tested after every encounter not involving a partner. Even though it was always protected.

A friend of mine found out she was sterile because of dormant chlamydia, when she was in her late twenties. Its just a health check, there's no need for any stigma.