Sexual health clinics not what they use to be?

[Romancingthestone]

Hi,

Sexual health clinics/GUM clinic - are they not what they use to be?

I thought you can get a bill of sexual health from these places - I always use to think it was recommended for new couples to get each other checked, if you wanted to stop using condoms and or to look after those in the risky sex working industries.

I ordered a home test kit online as the done thing nowadays but I’m only really confident I done the vaginal swab right, tried to order another kit but not allowed for 6 months.

I tried to do the rectal one myself but found it hard and unfortunately with my now reopened piles it bled over the swab for that and then instructions say if sample is to brown or red it is useless for testing.

Ringing the clinic up today they couldn’t see the problem and that I should only show at a clinic with a pre booked appointment if symptomatic it seems? I just wanted to obtain proof I’m clear of sti’s/hiv as you can’t prove to someone else how many sexual partners you’ve had.

My apologies logging back in it states it is 6 weeks you cannot get another kit not 6 months!

There are other suppliers, aren't there?

The free NHS postal service is very different area to area and how often you can test. They will cancel them if you try and order more.

can you book an appointment, they really don’t have the resources for walk ins. It so under funded

Are there, I don’t mind paying private for a fertility scan as over 43, suppose this will have to be done private as well.

No they could not book a future appointment today, being told I need to call again Friday and will have to go to an alternative site miles away, which is what had me questioning why years ago you could just walk into these places and it was quite publicised though documentaries.

To have to go near a GP for them to write a referral seems madness knowing the strain of the gp system.

Rant over.

Oh - you can order STI tests online, but they're private. Most major pharmacy chains do it. I think NHS postal ones do vary by area. Haven't checked with ours for years.

Ah thanks I will look into it, just worry it looks like I’ve really paid for clean results.

I’m in Suffolk and the test kit swaps (with the exception of the HIV test one spot test thing which can’t be done remote) I noticed was going off to like an Exeter lab.

it just got me thinking probably overly but how can you prove how many sexual partners you’ve ever had.

It’s a service in ruins tbh

Yes so sad from what I remember it. Another thing the govt and cuts have ruined.

The person who answered the phone was so off, I now understand why my dept in the nhs they say’s I sound lovely and they all say a me is what they would like at end of phone 😊

Self tests have got a lot better over the years and many/most people prefer to do this in the comfort of their own homes rather than going to a clinic. Reduced funding and raised awareness of testing with more people getting tested has meant triaging where people are only usually seen if they are experiencing symptoms.

A couple of things to be aware of…..the number of previous partners is pretty irrelevant in proving anything from an STI perspective. Some people can contract an STI the first time they have sex (google Nathaniel J Hall and his theatre production First Time, sharing his experience of contracting HIV the first time he had sex). I hadn’t had sex for over 10 years before contracting it.
The other thing is that an STI test establishes whether any are showing at point of testing, and doesn’t take into account the window period which is the time between potential exposure to an STI eg having sex and when a test can accurately detect it. Window periods depending on the test can be as long as 12 weeks.

It’s a service that’s been stripped to the bone. Home testing is pretty convenient and reliable and means the face to face service is easier to access for those that truly need it, eg where there is concern for herpes, warts etc.

Home testing doesn't cover everything though. And thongs like herpes won't show if they're in a dormant phase.

Why do you need to prove to somebody how many sexual partners you’ve had?

Erm what’s number of partners got to do with it?

It depends entirely where you live unfortunately. Some places still have good services and some are absolutely dire.

It sounds very bizarre but if there happens to be a swingers club in your area it can be worth googling ‘swingersclub sexual health drop in’ as the bigger clubs often have random days where nurses come in and do free testing on a drop in basis (when the club is closed, not when it’s open).

A fertility scan? Thats nothing to do with STIs.

And the number of partners also has nothing to do with STIs.

And it’s not a ‘clean’ result as that implies there is an ‘unclean’ result which is not the case. It’s ‘negative’ or ‘positive’.

What are you wanting to test for?

It’s ok, I actually got the tests results back last Sunday for all my moaning and negativity.

All was negative. Dried blood spot test for HIV and syphilis, the other tests were for likes of chlamydia and gonorrhoea. The 4 out out of 5 samples were suitable for testing.

It is really good you can take the samples at home on Tuesday and then receive the best of news on a Sunday.