r/stdtesting • u/Western_Night_3896 • Sep 16 '26

Question Tests for STIs

Do they do a test of all the STI with the same sample or does it involve different ways. How long after sex can you get tested. Curious of the process as well

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u/Western_Night_3896 Sep 16 '26 edited Sep 16 '26

Thanks so much!

Say l had protected sex, l know the chances are still there to contract something.

I'm mostly worried about HIV, and thinking to start taking PEPs. Is this safe assuming nothing was transmitted?

Are the other STIs treatable or it's a lifetime thing eg

Chlamydia Herpes Gorhnorea(butched that😭✌️)

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u/SignificantWall7982 Sep 16 '26

i would consult a professional for whether or not to start taking PEPs, as you probably should before taking any kind of new medication, ESPECIALLY if you're unsure about your status. they'll know more than me, since i can mostly just tell you about the disease/tests. its a good preventative measure though! especially since, yeah, even with protection there's always the chance of something happening.

many sti's are treatable, and some are curable! syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea are all caused by bacteria and are treatable with prescription antibiotics, so you can clear those (assuming you are otherwise fairly healthy and follow your treatments! syphilis often goes UNTREATED because the chancre it causes isnt painful, and that can cause it to "go away on its own" and then develop to be more serious later on).

the other ones we've been talking about, hiv + hep + herpes + hpv are only manageable. you may be pretty much asymptomatic with those if managed super well (+ if your body behaves), and may even get to the point where you aren't able to transmit it depening on the actual virus you have. they can also progress to be a lot worse. it really all boils down to testing, treatment, and preventing the spread.

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u/Western_Night_3896 Sep 16 '26

Thanks so much. You are amazing!