My first STI Screening

NervousNude

I'm 23, female and have decided it's about time for an STI screening (I know I should have done it years ago!!!)

Anyway, needless to say I'm pretty nervous about it and really don't know what to expect. Is it going to be as awful as I think it's going to be? (which is pretty horrendous).

Also, I've recently moved to Dublin and have absolutely NO idea where to go. I've done a google search but it's all quite confusing. Ideally I'd like it to be free, which I think it should be, but I expect this means massive waiting times? Where else can I go? I'm living in the Donnybrook area of Dublin.

Thank you!

Piste

St. James is free, but yeah you'll probably be waiting a long time (I'd imagine anyway, never been!)

The IFPA on Cathal Brugha St. charges €150.00 for an STD test (their site doesn't say but I would imagine this covers all the common ones)

JackieO

The Leopardstown Women's Medical Centre is fantastic. The doctors 2 females) are both lovely. Think they charge €100 for full test including a smear. The results take about 3 weeks.

Its never to late to get it done so don't be worried about having left it so long. The test itself is not that bad at all. Uncomfortable would be the best word to describe it. The waiting for the results is much worse.

Nevyn

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=928624&postcount=1

STI CLINICS

Dublin
St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8
The Department of Genitourinary Medicine and Infectious Diseases (GUIDE) Clinic
Tel: (01) 4162315 / 4162316
Appointments / Emergency Walk-in Service

STI Clinics General
Monday & Friday 9.30am - 12.30pm
Tuesday & Thursday 1.30pm - 3.00pm (By appointment only)

Young Person's Clinic (appointment)
Thursday 10.30am - 11.30pm

Syphilis Screening & Treatment
Tuesday & Thursday 9.30am - 11.30am

HIV Clinics General
Monday 1.30pm - 4.30pm
Wednesday 8.30am - 11.30pm

New patients (Diagnostic Evaluation Unit)
Wednesday 2.30pm - 4.00pm (By appointment only)

Infectious Diseases Clinic
Friday 2.00pm - 4.00pm (By appointment only)

Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Eccles St., Dublin 7
Tel: (01) 830 1122
Monday - Thursday (STI Clinic) - 2.00pm - 4.00pm
Thursday (HIV Testing) - 10.30am - 12.30pm
Tuesday (Follow up medical monitoring for patients with chronic infectious diseases, including HIV) - 9.30am - 1.00pm

Baggot Street Clinic, 19 Haddington Road, Dublin 4
Tel: (01) 6602189/2227.

Gay Men's Health Project
Tuesday 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Wednesday 6.00pm - 7.30pm

Women's Health Project
Wednesday 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Aisling Clinic, Cherry Orchard Hospital, Ballyfermot Road, Dublin 10
Tel: (01) 620 6010
HIV Clinic - Tuesday 2.00pm - 4.00pm
City Clinic, 108 Amiens Street, Dublin 3
Tel: (01) 855 5310
HIV Testing - Monday 2.00pm - 4.00pm

IFPA
5/7 Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin 1.
Tel: 01 - 872 7088 / 874 2110
Fax: 01 - 872 5734
OPENING HOURS
Monday: 9.30am - 8pm
Tuesday: 9.30am - 7pm
Wednesday: 9.30am - 7pm
Thursday: 9.30am - 8pm
Friday: 9.30am - 7pm
Saturday: 9.30am - 4pm
Sunday: Closed

CLARE
Ennis General Hospital.
Tel: Limerick (061) 482 382
Monday 10.00am - 1.00pm
(by appointment only)

CORK
Victoria Hospital, Old Blackrock Road, Cork.
Tel: (021) 4966 844
Monday/Tuesday/Thursday 9.30am - 11.45am
Wednesday 9.30am - 11.45am & 2.15pm - 4.30pm
All clinics are by appointment only.

GALWAY
University College Hospital, Newcastle Road, Galway
Tel: (091) 525 200 (by appointment only)
Monday 2.00pm - 6.30pm
Friday 10.00am - 12.00pm
First Thursday of the month 2.00pm - 5.00pm

KERRY
Tralee General Hospital, Tralee, Co. Kerry
Tel: (021) 4966844
Friday 2.00pm - 4.30pm
By appointment only.

LIMERICK
Regional Hospital, Dooradoyle, Limerick
Tel: (061) 482 382 (by appointment only)
Tuesday & Friday 10.00am - 1.00pm & 2.00pm - 5.00pm

MAYO
Mayo General Hospital, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
Tel (094) 21733
Tuesday 10.00am - 1.00pm

SLIGO
Sligo Regional Hospital, The Mall, Sligo
Tel: (071) 70473
Tuesday 6.00pm - 7.00pm
(walk-in basis)

TIPPERARY
Nenagh General Hospital
Tel: (061) 482 382
Wednesday 2.00pm - 5.00pm
(by appointment only)

WATERFORD
Waterford Regional Hospital, Waterford
Tel: (051) 845149
Monday 2.00pm - 4.00pm
Thursday 9.30am - 11.30am

NORTHERN IRELAND

BELFAST
Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast
Tel: 02890 894777 (048 from ROI)
Monday 8.30am - 11.30am
Wednesday & Friday 1.30pm - 3.00pm
Tuesday & Thursday 8.30am - 11.00am

COLERAINE
Causeway G.U.M. Clinic, Coleraine
Tel: 028703 44177 Ext. 2080 (048 from ROI)
Tuesday 5.30pm - 6.00pm
Friday 2.00pm - 5.00pm

DERRY
Altnagelvin Hospital, Glenshane Rd., Derry
Tel: 02871 611269 (048 from ROI)
GUM Drop-In Clinic
Monday, Wednesday & Friday 9.30am - 11.30am
Monday 5.00pm - 7.30pm
Wednesday 1.30pm - 3.30pm


NEWRY
Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry
Tel: 028308 35000, Ext. 2243
Wednesday 9.00am - 12.30pm

information on STD's:
http://www.gumnewcastle.nhs.uk/page.asp?id=2

cuckoo

NervousNude wrote: »

Anyway, needless to say I'm pretty nervous about it and really don't know what to expect. Is it going to be as awful as I think it's going to be? (which is pretty horrendous).

Relax - it's in no way horrendous at all!

From my memory of it (it's been while), a small swab (like a q tip) took a sample from the vagina, and another from the urethra (think that was to check for chlamydia, as a urine sample can also be used for that). It was actually less uncomfortable than the smear test i was getting done at the same time - i found the whole thing painless. Well, except for the taking of the blood sample (hep, hiv, etc).

As you're in Donnybrook you could go to the Well Woman on Pembroke Road, they do evening appointments, but are not free. They also have a city centre branch on Liffey Street.

http://www.wellwomancentre.ie/

7, Pembroke Road,Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. (near Jury's Hotel)
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday 10.00 am - 7.30 pm
Thursday / Friday 8.00 am - 7.30 pm
Saturdays 10.00 am - 4.00 pm

Tel: (01) 660 9860 / 668 1108
Fax: (01) 660 3062

nfection Testing
€150.00
Student Infection Testing
€135.00
(This is a full screen for STIs and includes bloods, swabs and any necessary referrals, prescriptions or follow-up. Men’s STI screening is available in Well Woman’s Pembroke Road clinic)

There's also Dr Derek Freedman in Ranelagh, he runs a private clinic there, think he also has evening appointments, he's a specialist in STI-ish stuff and also works at St James. I've heard good reports about him. Derek Freedman MD FRCPI 88, Ranelagh Villge, Dublin 6 Phone +353 1 4975826.

I highly recommend getting tested - it was a lovely feeling getting the 'all clear' letter in the post.

Zaph

Dr. Freedman was on The Last Word the other day as there was a discussion about STIs in general, and chlamydia in particular. One point he made is to make sure you ask whatever clinic you go to what they screen for. It seems that some places don't automatically screen for chlamydia.

NervousNude

Thanks for all the advice. I think I'm going to go to the well woman clinic. Though I have to say I think it's an absolute disgrace that there's only one place in the whole of Dublin where you can be tested for free. €150 is very off putting for something as important as STI screening. Something should be done! (by someone more proactive than me )

the dee

If you're a student, your uni medical centre usually does a free or subsidised STI screening. I got mine done in Trinity for 15euro.

Possibly not applicable to the OP but maybe others didn't know.

cuckoo

NervousNude wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice. I think I'm going to go to the well woman clinic. Though I have to say I think it's an absolute disgrace that there's only one place in the whole of Dublin where you can be tested for free. €150 is very off putting for something as important as STI screening. Something should be done! (by someone more proactive than me )

Agreed - it's a false economy if the cost of treating long term problems (especially fertility related) is compared to the cost of a free screening program.

When it comes to this hetero women and men are getting the short end of the stick - gay men and men who have sex with men can get free screening (in the evenings too, so no need to take time off work) at the Gay Mens Health Project.

Maybe STI screening needs a new public image? Like the Breast Check campaign, with the images of the Mammy baking a cake for her child and the granny "...so i'll be there for them i'll get my breasts checked...". Breast cancer screening has ads on bus shelters, and people stick pink ribbons on their cars - STIs only seem to get a passing mention on the back of loo doors in pubs, urging us to use a condom.

I'd like to see a campaign encouraging mass testing - emphasising the silent, sympton-less nature of a lot of the infections and the simplicity of treating most of them, and the scary truth that they can impact on fertility.

Maple

If you go to James Hospital, get there at least 2 hours before the scheduled clinic times. They only have X amount of places (think its 15) and they send away anyone after that, unless special case agreed by nurses. Be prepared to spend a good few hours there as well.

Ginny

Its 25, they have an open clinic on Mondays at 9am, you need to be there at about 7:15am to secure a place.

Cmol

If you ask me, the waiting for the results is a million times worse than the tests!!

It is an absolute disgrace the amount you have to pay here, at home the family planning clinics are free if you are under 25 (i think) and then not that much once you are over 25... then I think it costs about $3NZ (approx €1.50!!!!) for the morning after pill or a months supply of the pill

Piste

cuckoo wrote: »

When it comes to this hetero women and men are getting the short end of the stick - gay men and men who have sex with men can get free screening (in the evenings too, so no need to take time off work) at the Gay Mens Health Project.

The Gay Men's health project screen women too, but only prostitutes


I got blood tests done there though, no idea why, or what they were testing for (wasn't STIs) but that's where I was sent by my doctor.