‘STI’ but no S!

[Fouror]

Not sure where to post this, sorry.

Slightly embarrassing but my bits have been red and blotchy and occasionally itchy for a couple of weeks. No idea what’s going on. Made GP appointment, and seen yesterday by Practice Nurse. She referred me to the Sexual Health clinic for an STI test.

But I haven’t had sex in two years, and only once in four! I know both of my two previous partners and haven’t had another in over 15 years. I don’t think either of them have STIs or did have when we were intimate. I told the nurse this but she still said I should do the test.

Could it be an STI? Really? If so then I must be the unluckiest woman alive surely!

Have you changed your washing powder/ soap/ shower gel/ toilet paper/ sanitary protection recently?
Check the ingredients of everything in case product has been altered.
Try taking an antihistamine.
Stop using soap etc down there. Use something like epaderm to wash. Rinse your underwear thoroughly.
It is much more likely to be an allergy than anything else.

The nurse should have asked you all the above, but give it some thought.

Yeah the nurse should have asked you all of the above about washing stuff, cleaning habits etc. however it's still good practice to have an STI test as there are some that can lie dormant for a long time. Chlamydia being the most obvious with a lengthy incubation period, and easy to spread as it can also be completely asymptomatic.

I'm not sure how you could know that the people you had sex with don't have any STIs, they don't typically come with a flashing neon sign unfortunately! Nurse is right, do the test to rule them all out if nothing else.

Yes the nurse did ask about that stuff, and there haven’t been any notable changes.

What I meant about the previous partners is that I know them well and am in contact with them both regularly. I’d have thought they’d have told me. But the main issue is that it was years ago and I was just shocked that it was even a possibility.

Some STIs can lay dormant for a very long time. Your previous partners may not have had a flare up yet and may not know they have it or have been passing it on.

It's entirely possible they didn't know either if they had something at the time. Like I said, Chlamydia can be completely asymptomatic, especially in men. Or they did know and didn't care, some people are bastards 🤷‍♀️

This is why condoms are such a good invention! It's not the end of the world if it is an STI though, most of them are completely curable and the ones that aren't are very treatable. Try not to worry too much, and hopefully it's just a reaction to some soap or something 🤞

During the lead up to menopause - many women experience problems with their vulvas and vaginal areas requiring repeated visits to GP/sexual health clinic and antibiotics etc.

I work in sexual health. I think it sounds like a good idea to get an STI test and also have someone with GUM expertise have a look. STIs can be asymptomatic for years. But the symptoms you describe don’t actually scream STI to me. They sound more like a skin issue. But the STI test will at least eliminate that possibility and you’ll probably get better advice about next steps in sexual health than from a GP nurse.