STD Check up?

LegacyUser

Hi

Does anyone know what exactly is involved in an STD check up for a male at a clinic etc?

Thanks

tbh

moved from LTI - might be more appropriate in PI. Mods, if it's not suited to here, maybe move to Bio&med?

Nevyn

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=152605

That thread has all the info you are looking for and people telling about thier experiences.

McSween

a blood test

then a swab is stuck in your jap's eye, everybody cringes when they here that but it is only for a second.

Geoffey Saucer

nothing more than a swab, 6 blood samples, a load of to-the-point questions and a gander of your tom-tailey under a big magnifying glass

biko

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIcAnmx9HkQ
NSFW a bit graphic

Buzz Buzz

McSween wrote: »

a blood test

then a swab is stuck in your jap's eye, everybody cringes when they here that but it is only for a second.

+1

LegacyUser

Hi

I had an STI test done last year after a bout of recklessness so I'll give you my view. I'll try to remember as much as possible. I'm a bloke, by the way, so it'll no doubt be a little different for girls.

Firstly, you can either go for a free check (St. James's and maybe other places, too) or go to a private clinic. They say that the queues at the free places are horrendous so I decided to 'go private'. I went to Dr. Derek Freedman in Ranelagh. The phone number is 01-4978327. Apparently he's The Man. The cost was €150 or €170, by the way, not really quite sure any more. I don't know what your financial circumstances are, but if you can afford it going private would probably be the better and more discreet option.

Anyway, I called and got an appointment two or three days later. Went there and was seen to. While in the reception you are given a booklet with information on common STIs.

You go in and he will ask you if you would like to have a nurse present for the examination. I said no. Then he will ask you some questions - he's a straight talker so don't be shy:-) He'll ask you you many partners you have had, why you think you need to have a test done, etc. Again, I say he's pretty straight-talking about this. :-) He also asked me if I had been with girls only or also boys. Again, don't be offended - I presume there are also bum swabs involved if you are into the anal thing. He will then give you a buisiness card with a sticker on the back. On the sticker is your first name and initial of your surname and a code number. The whole thing is confidential/anonymous so your identity is safe. So then on to the examination itself:

A visual inspection is done for typical signs of STIs.

A blood sample is taken from you.

Your 'satchel' is inspected for lumps or whatever. He then holds your 'helmet' with the fingertips of one hand and streches your lad. With the other hand he rigorously squeezes a couple of times from the base to the tip - I guess like trying to squeeze the last out of a tube of tomato puree. After this he inserts a kind of skinny-looking cotton bud into your, eh, 'bullethole'. It's not exactly painful, but unpleasant.

At some stage he will also give you a little bottle and sends you out to the toilet to pee into it.

And that's it.

You are told to call about a week later with your code number and initials (on the back of the business card) and you get your results. You are given the results over the phone - he will list out everything that has been checked for: HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HPV, hepatitis and some more - and say 'negative' or 'positive' to each one. Luckily, I was negative to all of them.

Think that's all. Don't sweat it too much, though, you're probably grand. But get it done just to put your mind at rest. And try to be careful. ;-)

Have fun!

Oh yeah, one other thing... while I was waiting to see him he came out to the reception and took a call from a patient and enquired how his wart was doing. I had to laugh at that. You might think this is indiscreet, but there are no names involved and I reckon it shows to everyone that is waiting that it can and does happen.

AARRRGH

^--- That's very similar to St. James's except there isn't a horrendous queue.

One thing to note about James's: it's not anonymous. They claim (or used to at least) to dispose of your results after three month... well I get a check up roughly every two years and they always seem to have my entire (clean!) history on file.

Don't be too worried. Bacterial infections are very common, but it's very difficult to get the serious viruses from sex. The doctor told me very frankly that if I'm not injecting drugs or gay then it's unlikely I'll catch anything serious from unprotected sex. Mad.

If you can afford the €150 or whatever I'd go private. The St. James's experience is awfully depressing.

randylonghorn

dublindude wrote: »

The doctor told me very frankly that if I'm not injecting drugs or gay then it's unlikely I'll catch anything serious from unprotected sex. Mad.

:eek:

Mad is right! Dangerous and inaccurate to boot! Where the hell did he take his medical degree? ... Fred Phelps University?!

AARRRGH

I'm guessing it was based on her experience in the Hospital.

randylonghorn

If so, James' must deal with a particularly narrow demographic.

Tbh, it's a rather worrying comment for a health professional to make.

aidan24326

randylonghorn wrote: »

If so, James' must deal with a particularly narrow demographic.

Tbh, it's a rather worrying comment for a health professional to make.

Not entirely innacurate though. For example it is difficult to catch HIV from straight heterosexual vaginal sex. Very unlikely*. That comes from WHO statistics. The highest risk is receptive unprotected anal which is many times more dangerous, followed by penetrative anal. Hence the greatly increased risks for gay men.

I'd say what the doctor meant in this case is that more benign (and treatable) bacterial infections are far more common than the serious viral stuff.

*I'm not condoning unsafe sex just pointing out that stats show this to be the case. As far as I know it's due to HIV being primarily a blood-borne pathogen.