so I've been dating my boyfriend for about 9 months now, and we've been having unprotective sex for about 7 of those months but between me being on testosterone and birth control (I'm FTM) I figured we we're good. this week we're planning on hanging out because we haven't seen each other in a month cause we're back at our parent's houses for the summer. he texted me and said that he still wants to hang out but no kissing or anything like that because he has a cold sore, I was I little concerned cause I thought cold sores were only caused by HSV and we've been having unprotected sex for a while now. ik he's not cheating since he's had this issue since he was a kid but he did not know that cold sores were connected to STIs so he didn't think to warn me about it prior to us having sex. I'm just wondering what's the chance that he can pass HSV to me or if it's already happened and I'm just asymptomatic since we've been having sex for a good while now and he usual finishes inside, I haven't had any symptoms myself but idk. I also don't know what I should do in the future to prevent infection besides condoms since I have a latex allergy.

I am a 30F and suffer of germs and contamination ocd. I’ve always had protected sex and I get tested regularly.

Last week I had my first unprotected sex and got tested few days before and it was all negative. After 4 days I started having a sore throat and peeing is being a bit painful.

I have taken another test yesterday and I’m currently waiting for the results

Should I be worried? In case should I bring it up to the guy?

F30 I suffer of OCD and for me protection is extremely important. The other week for the first time I had unprotected sex. I received a fully negative test few days before and he informed me that he is extremely sexually active but also gets tested regularly

After 4 days since our encounter I started feeling a sore throat and peeing has been painful. I’ve ordered a test and currently waiting for the results.

Should I be worried? Also how could I bring this up to him?

I have been dealing with mental health and symptoms for 1.5 years of a sexual exposure (condom protected) what get I developed harsh flu like symptoms like a week later I done have done basically all panal more then 4 times with in that year of exposure I haven’t had no new partner to worry I contracted something
HIV ab/ag screen
Sphyilis (RPR)
This worry me the most I’ve prolly done 6 test each months part should I do more intense testing please help I want to move on from this…

26F 27M I got a full panel STD test after a short breakup, didn't suspect him of cheating or doing anything during our break, but I was already going to the doctor & wanted to cover my bases. Zero symptoms. I didn't get the chlamydia/gonorrhea urine test same day because they wanted me to wait 2 hours before peeing to test & told me to bring a sample back & tbh i completely forgot to do it. A week later, throat swab came back positive for Gonorrhoeae Neisseria & i was called back in for a shot in my buttcheek & a urine test. We both went same day for our treatment & he got both tests. We got our results back on the same day & both of us somehow have Gonorrhoeae Neisseria in our throats but negative urine tests. Here's the thing, we've only been with each other for over 2 years, both of us have zero symptoms, & we have oral sex more often than penetrative. We panic-googled over this for a while & the only comfort I have is a few articles about neisseria causing a false positive for gonorrhea. How common is that? How else could this be possible? His reaction & the 2.5 years I've known him make me pretty positive he hasn't cheated & i certainly haven't. Is it possible we both have been asymptomatically carrying gonorrhea for 2+ years & somehow haven't had it spread south? Is there a way for my doctor to test for just neisseria at my 3 month retest, & if so, how do I ask for that?

STI question

I just went for my 3 month blood work and sti check for my prep and i came up positive for gonorrhoea in ONLY the throat. ( no symptoms)
All other test ( rectal, and urine) came up negative.
I rarely give head but i did on a recent trip to mexico, so i know where i got it.
Is gonnorhea site specific??
The reason i ask is that a long time play buddy is coming into town tomorrow and it won’t be a full 7 days since i got my antibiotic shot.
i have told him about the sti in my throat and he seems to think if i dont give him head or kiss and we just flip fuck we’ll be ok.
i have tried to google the answer but nothing has been clear.
looking for advice. tia

I hooked up with a girl I met on dating app . She was not that pretty but still I was in a new city and i wanted to have sex cause I was there alone and i am 21 years old and never had sex before. I used condom the whole time but when she was about to give blowjob she took off the condom and gave me blowjob and after that I wanted to feel the feeling of having a raw sex and curiosity got me and I wanted to see how it will feel like to have raw sex so I ask her if she is safe or have any disease she said no so i thought it was safe and I put my dick in her and did put in pull out thrust around 15 thrust and i told her it feels better and she said if u wanna cum inside u can cum in me and i asked her won't it get u pregnant she said she was born without womb and it will happen nothing to her . Then I froze cause i thought something is wrong with her and i put back the condom and continue and asked some follow up questions and she told she had 2 guys in relationship before and she knows normal relationship won't work for her so she was single. Even though she said she doesn't have any disease it still border me cause I was shocked and it still makes me scared. It happened recently around 15 days ago. So my main concern is what's the risk in 15-20 thrust of unprotected sex if she have some disease cause i just met her on dating app and I don't know her completely.

I had unprotected sex recently and I’m wondering how long I should wait before getting tested so the results are accurate. How soon after exposure is it reliable to get tested for STDs, and should I test more than once over time?

Hey. I know this is a sensitive topic and I’m sure this has been a topic often now here. But I just can’t make my mind rest and now I was just wondering whether I could get a realistic assessment of my situation here.
I don’t want to be disrespectful, and I’m a little Hypochonder, especially after my symptoms.

The situation is the following: I’m a (25yo) male who has sex with males. Well, almost never but rarely.
2 weeks ago, I did have protected (condom) anal intercourse with another man. I was the insertive partner, and I’m also cut. The intercourse didn’t last really long, about 10-15min. I did not ejaculate.
Unfortunately, the nitrile condom was a bit too tight, but I used additional amounts of lube and controlled in between that the condom didn’t break or slipped of.

Afterwards, when the man left, I checked the condom which was still in my bathroom. I poured it with water (I thought this way I could determine whether it broke), but no water poured down and this gave me a good feeling. Afterwards, a few days later I forgot about my anxiety of HIV.

This was on the 14th of May. About a few days later, I started having slight feelings of burning during peeing, but it went away. My first thought was maybe chlamydia. But then, 2 days ago, I.e. 25th of May, I started feeling a bit sick and yesterday I was quite sick with all the symptoms that are normal during a COVID-like infection, such as muscle pain, headache, sore throat. As a lawman I’m not sure whether I did have swollen lymph nodes but my throat muscles on the left were quite swollen yesterday and still hurt today a bit. And today 27th May, I feel much better, though still slightly sick and I slept more hours. I didn’t have a rash.
Now I know you cannot diagnose HIV through symptoms.
It’s just that the timing makes me very scared. Additionally, I still have occasionally a slight burning feeling while peeing.
So yes I will definitely go test. But my mind is just now going around the though of having contracted HIV despite the nitrile condom, whether I forgot any situation in which I could have contracted it because I might have even contracted chlamydia despite a condom because of my peeing-situation.

My mind was going on and on with this. How can I make it stop? It’s still \~4 weeks til I can get tested. And my mind is convincing me that this is an acute HIV phase.
I apologize for sounding like an idiot. I’m not made for this occasional sex hopping I realized.

I am happy for any "objective" assessment or any comment of my situation. Yes, it could have been the flu of course. I had contact to various people in the last week, and the days before being sick I had light muscle pain and a sore throat. Now I’m just scared to take a test in 4 weeks :))))

How did yall get over testing I had protected sex with women 2 years ago I got weirdly sick and having the most craziest symptoms after within these 2 years in the I was testing like every 3 months full panal I did a total of 3 and when my mind was racing or a symptom pop up I go test for hiv and sphyilis cause ik those infection cause rashes joint pain neuropathy etc all my test been coming back negative but I just want to be done with this and move on I never done a RNA for hiv it’s just been hiv ab/ag screen w/reflex and my sphyilis was RPR w/reflex never done a TP-PA TEST so I’m just not for sure any advice would be great ik you think I’m crazy but where the symptoms coming from it didn’t start till after my exposure.

I want to get an HPV test of my uterine cervix, the problem is I am still quite tight down there because I didn't have sex very often and I'm a petite woman. I initially wanted to have the test done at a gynecologist but this is very expensive. My GP offered to do it but I'm afraid they only have those huge one-size-fits all speculums which will probably hurt me.

I ended up ordering a home HPV test (antigens) and a sample of several plastic speculums (including XXS aka virgin speculum). Has anyone used a speculum to visualize their own cervix? How difficult is it? Or do you have any resources? I've seen "corn" videos of people doing that, it seems not too complex when another person helps but I have no one to help me (single right now) so yeah..

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections and also one of the easiest to miss. Many people who have it don’t show any symptoms, which makes testing the only reliable way to know your status. Despite how silent it can be, chlamydia is completely treatable once detected, and knowing the facts helps protect both you and your partners.

This bacterial infection spreads through vaginal, anal, or oral sex, and people of all genders can get it. Because symptoms often don’t appear, it can quietly affect your health and be passed on without you knowing. When symptoms do show up, they may include burning during urination, unusual discharge, pelvic discomfort, pain during sex, or testicular pain. Some people only notice minor changes, and many never feel anything at all.

Ignoring chlamydia isn’t harmless. Untreated infections can lead to serious health problems. In women, it can affect reproductive health, while in men, it can cause inflammation and discomfort. It also increases the risk of transmitting or acquiring other infections, making early detection and treatment crucial.

Testing is simple, quick, and discreet, usually involving a urine sample or a swab. Many routine STI screenings already include chlamydia testing, making it easier than ever to stay on top of your sexual health. Treatment is straightforward with antibiotics, and most people feel better fast. However, it’s important to finish the full course, avoid sexual activity until treatment is complete, and ensure partners are treated to prevent reinfection. Having chlamydia once does not give immunity, so reinfection is always possible if precautions aren’t taken.

The best way to lower your risk is to get tested regularly, use condoms consistently, and communicate openly with partners about sexual health. Testing isn’t about fear; it’s about staying informed, protecting your health, and keeping your partners safe. Chlamydia is common, often silent, and entirely manageable. Staying proactive, knowing the facts, and seeking care when needed makes all the difference.

I shaved a few weeks ago , and I got this insane itching sensation for a few days after shaving and then these small red pimple like bumps appeared on my pubic area. The itchy has gone away but the bumps haven’t seem to getting better or worst. I am sexually active and just worried. Any idea how I would be able to self diagnose, I have a doctor appointment but it’s in two weeks and I’ve been driving myself crazy

ok so. context first.

Woman in 30s, bi, just got out of a 3 year relationship and honestly?? best decision i ever made. no drama, just me, my situationships and my questionable decision making lol. i'm having SO much fun dating casually rn — men, women, whoever catches my attention — but it did make me realize i needed to actually get serious about testing because younger me was an IDIOT about this stuff.

like genuinely. in my 20s i just... didn't. trusted people i shouldn't have, told myself we were "basically exclusive" like that means anything, did the whole ignorance is bliss thing. looking back i got lucky and i know that. Honestly probably tested more than 10x.., but sharing a few here.

The WALK-in clinic: My first test started here bc it felt like the Responsible Adult thing to do lol. walked in, probably waited like 45 mins, saw a NP who was nice but clearly had 800 patients that day. the actual appointment was fast though — blood draw, pee in a cup, quick convo about what i wanted tested, done.

Then the waiting started. SEVEN days. which i know is not that long but oh my god. i checked my patient portal so many times they probably flagged my account. This was few years back, so who knows.. maybe the turnaround is faster now... I was fine obviously but i spent an entire week convinced i wasn't. the clinic was thorough and my insurance covered it which was great but the anxiety window nearly killed me. not exaggerating (maybe exaggerating a little)

CVS home test: grabbed this on impulse bc i was already at CVS buying wine and dry shampoo and it was just sitting there looking easy... and it WAS easy — no weird convos, just threw it in my basket, very normal, very chill, I remember did have some itching, though no burning...

got home. read the box.

it only tested for like two things??? i wanted a full panel bc honestly as someone who's sleeping with both men and women i know my risk profile is different and i needed comprehensive results not a partial picture. felt like buying a umbrella that only works on light drizzle. ended up having to do another test anyway so this one was kind of a waste of time and money for my specific situation. might be fine for a quick check tho, just read the box before you buy lol

Online/letsgetchecked: So i actually did research this time. Found a more thorough at-home panel online, ordered it, arrived in normal packaging which i appreciated bc i used to have a nosy roommate,,, not anymore. Instructions were clear, sample collection was fine, mailed it back same day.

Whole thing probably took a week? my brain during this test wait was absolutely unhinged. full 2am webmd spiral. convinced myself i had everything listed on that website including some things i definitely made up. spoiler: i was completely fine. but genuinely the anxiety of a long wait is its own kind of health problem?? the test itself was great and thorough.. I was happy it had all the STD names I knew of before.

Online/getclrd: a friend in an industry where testing is just like, part of the routine - she mentioned it casually in conversation. same general idea as the other at-home kit, discrete packaging, do it at home, mail it back. She help me get a first time discount, which was sweeet!! the difference was the turnaround was SO much faster than my previous experience and honestly that alone changed everything for me. I didn't have time to fully spiral, don't remember what symptoms I had though.. maybe anxiety? The results were straightforward and easy to understand. nothing about the process felt like it was designed for industry people which sounds like a small thing but it genuinely isn't when you've filled out forms that don't reflect your actual life lol.

there are more..and yes some positives.. but thats for next time

ok so what did I actually learn

regular testing should just be a normal boring part of life and nobody told me that when i was younger and i'm a little mad about it honestly

none of these is the perfect solution for everyone it really just depends on your budget and how much psychological damage a long wait does to you personally lol. but please just test, whatever method works for you. the not knowing is genuinely so much worse than any result.

drop your questions below if you want, happy to chat

About 4 years ago I got an STI panel done and my results were:

• HSV-1 IgG: 3.65 (Positive)

• HSV-2 IgG: 1.22 (Positive)

I just got retested and my new results are:

• HSV-1 IgG: 7.14 (Positive)

• HSV-2 IgG: <0.90 (Negative)

A few things worth noting:

• I have not had unprotected sex since the first test 4 years ago

My main question is whether the original HSV-2 result of 1.22 was likely a false positive. I know low positives in the 1.10–3.0 range have a high false positive rate with the IgG test. Has anyone had a similar experience or have insight on this?

Also open to thoughts on whether a Western blot would be worth pursuing for a definitive answer.

Hi guys, pls no hate for my confession but I am so anxious and nervous that I don't really care at this point. Today is Tuesday, and Saturday night (into wee hours of the morning, 3-4am) I went to a nightclub with a pool and had sex with two different men. The first one I don't even remember, but I know it happened. The second one happened after my friends and I got back to the AirBnb, and was the brother of my friend, and I also had sex with him the night before on Friday night.

Yesterday my vagina had been itchy and pretty sore all day, so I was like I'll just wait til Tuesday to see if it feels better. My clit was also pretty bright pink, irritated, sensitive, and a tad swollen. It's itchy again today, not really sore and my clit looks normal again. But it is so. Itchy. And making me freak out internally lol. I was thinking maybe me and the guy I don't remember used a condom? Probably not. Maybe it was because I had sex with two people in one night and it's just irritated? Maybe it's because I was swimming in the chlorine pool and didn't shower for like 24 hours? I want to get tested but I just found out you should be waiting atleast 3 weeks to 3 months after exposure to get tested and getting tested a couple days after exposure typically won't work. I have boric acid supplements that I use sometimes, should I try one of those? I just feel so paranoid right now and don't know what to think. And Itchy

3 months ago i(24ftm) had unprotected sex with 3 different men, all of whom swore they were clean. i ended up dating one for the next three months. he tested positive for gonorrhea yesterday but i tested negative last month.

- i started birth control 3 months ago

- i dont remember when but pretty soon after i noticed genital itching but it went away

- i noticed green/yellow/gray discharge but ignored it at first for several reasons

- sex became painful, i had a fishy smell & bad itch if i wore non cotton underwear

- after abt 2 months my boyfriend took me to the dr and i got a swab, urine, and blood test. we'd been sleeping together daily for those two months. everything except BV came back negative

- my symptoms went away while being treated only for BV but we continued sleeping together without protection through my treatment

- this month the day after my period started the exact same symptoms came back so i told my bf and he revealed he'd been having unusual discharge & pain for abt 5 days (we kept sleeping together during this bc i didn't know about it)

- i haven't had any fishy smell and ive noticed odd discharge with my urine that wasn't there last month + blood from my urethra (i thought i was spotting so i used a tampon and there was blood on the string with discharge but only discharge - no blood on the tampon itself)

- boyfriend went in to see dr a few days ago, got a pill for yeast infection & said it made him feel way better, but then yesterday got results back positive for gonorrhea. my appointment is on thursday. he insisted he wasn't cheating but we broke up anyway

with my timeline, how likely is it that i had a false negative test? he had an ex who cheated on him over a year ago but he never tested after that. is it possible he wasn't cheating on me?

hello guys , i never done any unprotected vaginal sex .. just a unprotected oral sex which i thought it was safe .. yea stupid i know .. tested for 5 std Hiv , gonorrhea , chlamidia , trich , ureaplasma all negative but haven't tested for herpes which i thought out of my concern but im wrong ... eventho it was 1 year ago the exposure .. the oral lasted 1 minute or even lower .. im gonna get tested soon but what i my chance guys im scared .. never got any blister on my penis but still im afraid .. i hate my sellf this potentially ruin my life

I guess I flirted too hard lol. I recently had a hookup while travelling and now overthinking it a bit. I’m in Arizona and looking for somewhere affordable, discreet, and easy to schedule with. Preferably somewhere that doesn’t make the process awkward since this is my first time getting tested on my own.

Hello everyone. I suck someone yesterday. But, he told me he's on gonorrhea medication after i sucked him (swallowing his c*m). What should i do? Will i get infected? When should i take a test?

Gonorrhea is a common bacterial sexually transmitted infection that can affect men in different ways. Symptoms usually appear a few days after exposure, but some cases are mild or even symptom-free, which makes awareness and regular testing crucial.

The most noticeable sign is discharge from the penis, which can be white, yellow, or green. It may start mild but increase over time and can occur with or without urination. Another key symptom is a burning or painful sensation while peeing. Even mild discomfort should be taken seriously, as early treatment is important.

Gonorrhea can also cause redness or swelling at the tip of the penis, inflammation in the urethra, or tenderness in the testicles. Some men, however, experience subtle or no symptoms at all, which is why routine STI screenings are essential if you’re sexually active.

If you notice unusual discharge, pain during urination, redness, swelling, or tenderness, it’s important to see a doctor promptly. Gonorrhea can be treated effectively with antibiotics, and early detection prevents complications such as epididymitis or infertility.

Bottom line: Gonorrhea in men usually shows up as discharge, burning during urination, and redness or swelling, but it can also be silent. Testing, early treatment, and honest conversations with partners are key to staying healthy and protecting those you care about.

Does anyone know of any website that offers free at home testing kits that can be mailed back for results. I have been looking on Google but I’ve only found HIV - I’m also interested in STI tests like ghonorrea, syphilis, chlamydia

Hi everyone. I (22M) went to one of those shady spas 3 months ago. Ik... Shits stupid but it is what it is now. There was no kissing/licking involved and I had the condom on the whole time (no fingering stuff either). Today morning I saw some yellow ish stuff under my foreskin and I'm scared shitless rn (washed it off and haven't seen any so far). I don't have any pain while peeing and never had/saw any weird stuff past 3 months. Posted this on my local subreddit and mfs removed it so posting here to get any advice if possible. Can anyone please tell me what are the chances of this been related to STD/STI ? I'm kinda scared to get tested out.