Hey, I’m not passing moral judgements here. There’s also probably not enough bandwidth or storage capacity on this site for me to get in to all the off branch discussions related to this topic. Std’s, Service providers, whoring around, the Ole’ lady’s baggage, relationship issues in the new millennium, etc. or my experiences concerning all of the above (or lack of). Suffice to say, the stuff is out there. Be informed, be educated, take the necessary precautions. That way you can have fun and live to have fun another day. Sex is a beautiful, wonderful, thing. This shit is ruining it for everyone.
BTW- be informed:
1. That when you get the full check for std’s, they are going to put a long stemmed cotton swab in your urethra to take a sample. It is not pleasant in any sense of the word. You’ll live.
2. If you do test positive for anything, the local health dept. gets involved and will want to know the names and contact info of any and all sexual partners. They will give you the option of being the first to tell them, but they will follow up on you.
They have your SS# on file and can use it to get your address, etc. They will show up at your door and inform your SO. if you cannot assure them that it’s been taken care of.
This is probably the number 1 reason why people don’t get checked even when they do have symptoms.
3. Because of the above 2 items and if you have no symptoms, a good “compassionate” doctor will listen to your story. Probably shake his head at you, especially if you tell him you had “anonymous” sex (accepted medical code for hooker). Then he will send you home with a script for some routine antibiotics and tell you to come back if you do develop any symptoms. He won’t do a lab check on you at this time, and may not even if you do have symptoms. He’ll do this because believe it or not he is trying to give you a break without becoming “moral” on you and also because it sucks for him to have to inform the health dept. If he gets caught not informing he gets in shit. Most Doctors I’ve talked to do not want to get the health dept. involved unless it’s their ass on the line. So it may be wise to keep a stash of antibiotics around for your own peace of mind once in awhile, should you have a momentary lapse of rational thinking while out drinking.
You maybe wondering how I know all this? OK, yes I have been tested, several times over the years. It was always because of my own paranoia about things. NO - I have never tested positive for anything, ever. Volunteer work that I do also brings me in to contact with people who are in very high risk categories for this stuff. I’ve seen most of it and I don’t want it.
Sex is a beautiful, wonderful, thing. Just be smart about it.
mravg - I seriously doubt that you have anything to worry about. Take a deep breath brother. If you’re really flipping out on yourself, take some anti’s and keep an eye on your pecker for a week or so. I never thought that I was the type to be somewhat “psychosomatic”, but all the paranoia can cause you to manifest symptoms that aren’t real also. Take a deep breath and relax.
Peace.
T.