WHen choosing not to use a condom and STDs

[eddie500]

OK, trying to do some research into STD's when you decide to not use the condom. I know that the condom is not a 100% blockage for all STD's anyway.

 

Have any of you here when you decided not to use the condom have the girl tested beforehand for STD's? I'm talking getting tested for numerous STD's just not the aids virus that is very difficult for a man to get anyway during hetrosexual sex.

 

Are there places that offer testing for numerous STD's in one shot?

 

Well if anyone here knows anything just reply back.

[kskm]

If you do not have a family doctor I would suggest going to the local Health Department where you can be given a free test. I would also suggest to you that you get this done everytime that you change sexual partners or ever year- whichever comes first. Something don't show up for a while. I am not sure for guys- but for girls there is one test done for a group of common STD'S. But whether it's multiple tests or just one you should get it done- and often.

[perplexed_one]

Condom is not a 100% blockage to STDs but it gives the best available protection when you are at risk.

 

A person can be a carrier of STDs during a window period ie- the initial period during which all tests will be negative still the person may have an STD-in the case of HIV, window period is three months & during these three months ELISA test will show negative results, but the person may still transmit HIV to his/her partner.

[annie24]

Erm... yeah. It's really not a good idea to forgo the condom. Like Perplexed said, there is a window period when a person may have an STD, but the test comes back negative. I honestly think too much is at stake. Yes, you can ask to have all STDs tested for at your doctor's office.

[venus777]

There are lots of things to consider here. What is the persons recent sexual past? And what is yours? Have you been with anyone in the last 5 months? If so, you should wait until it has passed 6 months and then get an HIV test.

 

But HIV is just one concern.

 

There is HPV which is what causes cervical cancer. There are the kinds that cause warts and there are two strains that don't show any signs. These are the kind that cause cancer. HPV can take up to 10 years!!! to show up! Believe me, it took four years for it to show up in me. My boyfriend 4 years ago had sex with me knowing that he had something. Selfish jerk. Anyways, it isn't necessarily the worst thing if it's the low-risk kind which is what I have (external and not internal) but it definitely still really sucks.

 

I volunteer at a clinic and get calls from people constantly about std's and how their partners gave it to them knowing what they were doing. It sucks and for lots of them you suffer the consequences for life.

 

So think about what you do seriously.

[Hope75]

If you have been in a committed relationship for some time, (say, more than a year, but you get the idea), you can go to either your personal physician or a clinic such as Healthquarters or Planned Parenthood and get screened for every STD under the sun: herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, AIDs, HPV, syphilis, crabs, hepatitis, scabies, etc etc. Some of the test results take some time to come back, such as herpes, which incubates for awhile (I think it's about 1 month to get results back).

 

Your gf should be on alternative methods of birth control, i.e. the pill.

 

You should really think long and hard about this before you choose to forgo the condom, however, since there are new STD's coming out, some that we don't even know how to test for and that can ruin your fertility.

 

Make sure you weigh the risks carefully.

[Day_Walker]

The responsible thing to do is to learn about Sexually Transmitted Infections, STIs (formerly STDs), the more knowledge you have about them then the better you are able to make an informed decsion about your and your partners risks. The truth is that you can never be 100% safe. Some STIs wont show symptoms others can take a while to show up. You are taking a step in the right direction by getting tested so atleast you know if you have anything.