Everyone who's sexually active should get regular STI checks

[2024GarlicCloves]

I've been meaning to start this discussion for ages, and the current thread about affairs has reminded me.

The risks to women's health from many venereal diseases are more pervasive than for men and, to make things even more dangerous, symptoms often don't show up until the damage is done.

Yet all STIs are treatable, even HIV. Early detection and treatment can save you a lifetime of pain, fertility problems, and severe illness requiring more intensive treatments.

I used to get checked out at a GUM clinic every six months. Now you can even test kits to do at home!

IANBU - don't be a dipstick, protect your health ✅
IABU - definitely no need because your Nigel would never risk it 🙄

Just realised I can't sit & nurture my thread just now - sorry! Any HCPs, please roll up & tell people how it is 🤗

Someone sexually active with multiple partners should have full sti checks periodically or if they have been exposed / had unprotected sex, someone who is sexually active in a monogamous relationship and just having sex with that one person may not necessarily need to get checked if they trust their partner but, what sometimes happens is a person in what they believed to be a monogamous relationship contracts an STI because the other has been playing around 🤷 but generally couples don't normally get openly checked unless their relationship includes sleeping with others?

Yeah, I just told mine I was going for a "women's health" check. It was true enough! You can test yourself now, too.

It's because people can surprise you that I think everyone should test. If we're having sex, we can never be 100% sure our partner hasn't been with anybody else. It's a gamble, but we can remove that risk by testing.

I have been trying to get an appt at local gum Clinic for ages and can't get in as they will only book a few days ahead and difficult to keep ringing while at work.

I have done the home test I need to see someone for ? Genital warts although not sure if they are as I have had two of them for years and no more have appeared. Bought some liquid privately and the pain was to servere when applied so I stopped.

I'm pretty sure most people know thus already. Batshit if they don't.

If I was non monogamous then of course. But DH and I have been together for over 30 years so regular testing would be a complete waste of NHS resources.

I've been in a monogamous relationship for 35 years, so no, I don't think I need to do that.

I'm sorry you can't get an appointment, @Sunshineandrainbow. Local authority public health budgets have been repeatedly slashed, so clinic services are being reduced all the time.

Good to hear you did the home tests. Could your GP practice nurse check out your might-be-warts?

It's not something I've given much thought to as it's no longer relevant to me, but I suppose my view is that you should always use condoms and if you then get into a very long term relationship and want to rely on the pill only you should get tested first, just in case.

do people have the SHL free ones or more detailed ones (any recs)