Have you ever had an STI/HIV test?

flutterflye · 12-06-2012 12:29PM

I've no idea which answer to tick.
They test you for most of them when you're pregnant - so that's 3 times for me.
Oh and I have chronic pid, which can sometimes be caused by chlamydia or gonorrhea, so they tested me for them as a precaution even though I knew I didn't have them.

Father Damo · 12-06-2012 12:33PM

Out of curiousity, obviously there is the rule where people who self declare themselvew to be from a higher risk group of having contracted AIDS are banned from donating.

Is this so that one tainted sample doesnt spoil an entire bag of blood or is it that it is impossible to test every single batch of blood received due to time or financial constraints and so they must rely on personal honesty? AFAIK in parts of the US alot of homeless people donate blood as you get a small payment for it.

UnknownSpecies · 12-06-2012 12:34PM

What other kind of diseases do they test for when donating blood? Turns out I have been getting something from donating blood

MisterEpicurus · 12-06-2012 12:36PM

This type of testing always aids the diagnosis of HIV...

see what I did there?

Morag · 12-06-2012 12:39PM

Father Damo wrote: »

Out of curiousity, obviously there is the rule where people who self declare themselvew to be from a higher risk group of having contracted AIDS are banned from donating.

Yes and it's not just men who have sex with men, if you are a woman in a relationship with a man who has ever had sex with another man you can't donate, even if you both have been test and have been monogamous together for years.

Father Damo wrote: »

Is this so that one tainted sample doesnt spoil an entire bag of blood or is it that it is impossible to test every single batch of blood received due to time or financial constraints and so they must rely on personal honesty? AFAIK in parts of the US alot of homeless people donate blood as you get a small payment for it.

Every donation is tested. When you give blood the donation goes into two pouches, one large one which most people know to see the blood bag and a smaller one which is about 1 inch by 3 inches, both have the same serial number on them and the smaller one is used to test the donation.

dorgasm wrote: »

What other kind of diseases do they test for when donating blood? Turns out I have been getting something from donating blood

Everyone they can.

Check the website for more info

http://giveblood.ie/Become_a_Donor/Keeping_Blood_Safe/

Rabies · 12-06-2012 12:40PM

Father Damo wrote: »

Out of curiousity, obviously there is the rule where people who self declare themselvew to be from a higher risk group of having contracted AIDS are banned from donating.

Is this so that one tainted sample doesnt spoil an entire bag of blood or is it that it is impossible to test every single batch of blood received due to time or financial constraints and so they must rely on personal honesty? AFAIK in parts of the US alot of homeless people donate blood as you get a small payment for it.

From the NZ website
http://www.nzblood.co.nz/Give-blood/Donating/Detailed-eligibility-criteria

Blood borne diseases - what is tested for?
Hepatitis B and C, syphillis, HIV (AIDS) on all donations.

http://www.nzblood.co.nz/Give-blood/Donating/Am-I-eligible
I can't donate

You must not have lived in the United Kingdom, France or the Republic of Ireland between 1980 and 1996 for a cumulative 6 months or more.

Teyla Emmagan · 12-06-2012 12:45PM

I think there should be another few 'no' options here. 'No' because I've never had unprotected sex maybe.

I've always thought it odd as well that blood from 'risky' groups won't be accepted. If it's being tested anyway, it shouldn't matter. Clearly they are not confident enough that the tests work, or that they will be found out in the future not have to have been adequate, so they rely on human honesty as well as testing. None of this strikes me as foolproof really.

Morag · 12-06-2012 12:56PM

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

I think there should be another few 'no' options here. 'No' because I've never had unprotected sex maybe.

Maybe one of the mods will ad one.
Also even if you always used a condom there are sti you can catch.

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

I've always thought it odd as well that blood from 'risky' groups won't be accepted. If it's being tested anyway, it shouldn't matter. Clearly they are not confident enough that the tests work, or that they will be found out in the future not have to have been adequate, so they rely on human honesty as well as testing. None of this strikes me as foolproof really.

I don't think it is not being confident in the tests, but more the cost of carrying them and the cost of having the donations stored while those tests are carried out.

bohsfan · 12-06-2012 12:57PM

geeky wrote: »

I have. And yes, they put a thing down your thing.

The nurse administering it laughed and said "oh, the lads all hate this part". No sh1t love: we're not used to having our genetalia penetrated.

It's not fun, but you should unless you've only ever been in a strictly monogamous relationship with someone in the same boat. It's like taxing your car: easy to put off, no fun to do, but you'll look bloody stupid if you're caught without it.

There is now a urine test for Gonorrhoea which eliminates the need for a swab from the tip of the penis or ‘UMBRELLA’ in most cases.

Most centres offer this service now so men shouldn't be put off by the stories of 'umbrella invasion' from before.

When I had a recent test myself I just gave urine and blood- very easy. Now there is really no excuse not to get tested!

cocoshovel · 12-06-2012 12:59PM

Ive had a simple blood test Urine test and the doctor said that he will also check for STD's regardless of sexual activity. It wasnt a test specifically for an STD. Does that count?
I have had so many tests over the past year I forget what is what.

Teyla Emmagan · 12-06-2012 01:07PM

Sharrow wrote: »

Also even if you always used a condom there are sti you can catch.

I don't think it is not being confident in the tests, but more the cost of carrying them and the cost of having the donations stored while those tests are carried out.

Yeah, true. It will get to the stage though that people feel so discriminated against by not being allowed give blood that the IBTS will end up having to carry the tests anyway. Possibly.

I am having visions now of pubic lice hopping from crotch to crotch. :eek:

Father Damo · 12-06-2012 01:07PM

Rabies wrote: »

From the NZ website
http://www.nzblood.co.nz/Give-blood/Donating/Detailed-eligibility-criteria

http://www.nzblood.co.nz/Give-blood/Donating/Am-I-eligible
I can't donate

Because you are Irish, or because you have rabies? :pac:

Novella · 12-06-2012 01:10PM

Yeah, I've been tested. People who take little interest in their sexual health worry me.

Rabies · 12-06-2012 01:10PM

Father Damo wrote: »

Because you are Irish, or because you have rabies? :pac:

Both

Can't give blood in Ireland either because I had a transfusion a few years ago.

So all you lazy buggers, donate blood and keep future me alive.

Real Life · 12-06-2012 01:11PM

now that this has come out, my hypochondria has kicked in and im freakin out about having hiv even though its highly unlikely that i do :eek:

Scanlas The 2nd · 12-06-2012 01:16PM

I've read that the chances of getting HIV if you have unprotected sex with someone who actually has HIV is about 10000 to 1.

Daith · 12-06-2012 01:17PM

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

I think there should be another few 'no' options here. 'No' because I've never had unprotected sex maybe

You never had oral sex without a condom either?

Morag · 12-06-2012 01:21PM

Scanlas The 2nd wrote: »

I've read that the chances of getting HIV if you have unprotected sex with someone who actually has HIV is about 10000 to 1.

It's not that simple depends on the virus payload in their system, if you are on the 'receiving' end and various other factors like if you have any cuts or abrasions in the area.

Still even if those were the odds, I don't think it's worth the risk, it is after all the length and quality of your life you are gambling with.

geeky · 12-06-2012 01:23PM

Crooked Jack wrote: »

Ive taxed my car a number of times and at no point did anyone try to put anything up (or down? Do you have to be erect or flaccid?) my dick

Clearly, you don't get it done at the motor tax office....

sbsquarepants · 12-06-2012 01:27PM

I've been tested twice, last time was about 6 or 7 years ago, but i've been very well behaved since then - i'm taking it on faith that the missus has too!!
People are far too hang up on what people might think and so on in this country - if you've put yourself at risk, and in all honesty very few peope haven't at some point, then it's better to go get checked. People can have things like chlamydia for years, decades even without showing symptoms. Getting checked is the only way you know for sure that you have nothing.

I'm squeaky clean by the way - well as of 7 years ago in any case;)

Toots · 12-06-2012 01:29PM

I've never had an actual STI test (never needed one) but when I was pregnant, part of the routine blood tests screen for diseases that can be passed to the baby so HIV was one of the things they checked for. I only discovered they tested for it when I rang to get my results and the midwife was going down through the list reading me out my results and she goes 'oh and you're clear for HIV'. I was thinking bloody right I am! Otherwise the hubby would have had some serious explaining to do!

Father Damo · 12-06-2012 01:32PM

Sharrow wrote: »

Every donation is tested. When you give blood the donation goes into two pouches, one large one which most people know to see the blood bag and a smaller one which is about 1 inch by 3 inches, both have the same serial number on them and the smaller one is used to test the donation.

In that case, if every single sample is rigorously tested, isnt encouraging high risk groups to attend a screening a good thing? Even if, as a double precaution, the blood is discarded even if the reading is clean?

strobe · 12-06-2012 01:38PM

Scanlas The 2nd wrote: »

I've read that the chances of getting HIV if you have unprotected sex with someone who actually has HIV is about 10000 to 1.

The 10000 to 1 figure that floats around is for condomed sex with someone in a 'high risk group', intravenous drug users etc, falling to 1000 to 1 for unprotected sex. For someone that is confirmed HIV positive you devide thos. odds by about half for a once off sexual encounter. For multiple encounters those odds start to become more unfavourable obviously, falling to about 3 to 2 if you are talking about hundreds of unprotected sexual encounters, such as you would have in a long term relationship with someone.

Father Damo · 12-06-2012 01:41PM

Crooked Jack wrote: »

I havent. I know this is stupid but my girlfriend has had a few and she's grand so I assume that means Im clean too.
.

During your relationship your bird has had numerous STI tests?

....
eh... :pac: :pac: :pac:

Augmerson · 12-06-2012 01:59PM

Yes, I have been tested, the full test, and I'll ****ing tell you this, the fear of having to have another one of those tests makes me not want to get any STD's, not the fear of the STD's themselves. Horrific and painful are two words I'd use to describe it. 100% clean though.

Ladies, I'm free this weekend btw.

stupidusername · 12-06-2012 04:29PM

Augmerson wrote: »

Yes, I have been tested, the full test, and I'll ****ing tell you this, the fear of having to have another one of those tests makes me not want to get any STD's, not the fear of the STD's themselves. Horrific and painful are two words I'd use to describe it. 100% clean though.

Ladies, I'm free this weekend btw.

That's some good scaremongering there.

Crooked Jack · 12-06-2012 04:32PM

Father Damo wrote: »

During your relationship your bird has had numerous STI tests?

....
eh... :pac: :pac: :pac:

That's what I get for going out with a hooker. She buys me nice things with her cum soaked cash. Mostly metaphorically cum soaked.

mongdesade · 12-06-2012 04:38PM

Employed most of my working life in all aspects of the security industry, I've been stuck with needles, spat at by HIV + junkies & I've been bitten a few times...been tested after each occurence, negative to date.

Princess Peach · 12-06-2012 04:41PM

This poll is hilarious :pac:

I haven't had one as I haven't been with many guys and made sure they were clean first.

loalae · 12-06-2012 04:48PM

I got tested but I wasn't really aware of what I was getting tested for.

I was working in Dubai and I had a stomach bug so I went to the hospital to get a note so I could take the next day off work.

The doctor told me that he was going to send me for blood tests to see what was wrong with me.

So after the tests he said:
"well, you don't have HIV or diabetes" (always reassuring)
"And you're not pregnant" (I was aware of that, I didn't realise I'd be tested for it)
"Oh, you don't have gonorrhea either! You have a tummy bug, take a day off work"

WTF!

Have you ever had an STI/HIV test?

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