“I just think that it's stupid how society has no problem with females deviating from their gender roles, but if a guy crosses gender barriers he is less of a man.”
—Daniel, 19, Tucson, AZ
I think I might have a sexually transmitted disease (STD). How do I find out for sure, and what do I tell my partner?
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Basically, if you had vaginal, oral or anal sex and didn’t use a fresh latex or polyurethane condom or dental dam with each act, you could have been exposed to an STD. There’s one surefire way of knowing whether you have an STD: You need to get tested. Check out our Get Tested page to find a clinic.
Where can I go to get tested?
Most local health departments offer STD testing, as do many doctors’ offices, hospitals and family planning clinics. You can find one in your area by looking in your local blue pages under "Department of Health," or in your yellow pages under "family planning" or "clinics." You can also call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) to be connected automatically to the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you. Just know that not all family planning clinics offer services to male clients, so if you’re a guy, be sure to ask them up front. The CDC’s National STD hotline at 1-800-227-8922 can also provide information on testing for guys and girls, or find a local clinic here.How much does it cost?
It really depends on the test and where you go to get tested. Many clinics offer low-cost or even free testing, particularly to teens. Just ask about that when you call to make your appointment.What is the STD test like?
Well, first of all, there is no ONE test for all STDs. Some STDs can be detected in your blood. Some can be detected in your urine. Others are detected by taking cultures, which usually means having a clinician take a fluid sample from a particular body part with a long cotton swab. No one test can test for all of these.When you see your doctor or health care provider, you need to find out exactly what you are being tested for, so you know whether there are any tests missing. For example, a person is never automatically tested for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. You need to specifically request this test and give permission to have it done.
When can I get tested?
It really depends on the STD. Some (like gonorrhea and chlamydia) can be detected soon after you have been infected even if you have no symptoms. With some, you need to wait until you have symptoms (like genital warts).But remember, the most common symptom of an STD is NO SYMPTOM. When you go to get tested, you will need to be prepared to share personal information with the health care provider. The provider will ask you about the types of sexual behaviors you did, the number of partners you had, and when the last time was that you were sexual with someone. Health providers are not there to judge you, so it’s important for you to be honest. In nearly all health care settings this information is completely confidential, meaning the information won’t be shared with anyone. When you make your appointment, make sure you ask about that health care center’s confidentiality policy.
However, if you think you might be infected with HIV, you will need to wait up to three months after unprotected intercourse before getting tested. The standard blood test for HIV measures for something called "antibodies." Antibodies are created when you get a particular infection. It can take three months to develop HIV antibodies, so you’d need to wait that long after your last sexual encounter to get an accurate test. Just remember, if you have unprotected oral, anal or vaginal sex again, you need to set the clock back to zero and start counting from there to get up to three months.
Finally, here are some important things to keep in mind
- The most common symptom of an STD is NO symptom, especially in girls. This means you can’t tell whether someone has an STD just by looking at her or him.
- People aren’t always honest about whether they’ve been tested for STDs. If you’re with someone you don’t know very well, and that person wants to be sexual with you, that’s often going to be her or his top priority. People who don’t know a lot about STDs may assume they don’t have one, and tell you as much. Then you end up with an STD and wonder how you got it.
- One thing you can watch for is if someone says to you, “I got the STD test.” Again, remember that there’s no such thing as one test for all STDs! There are different tests for different STDs. So if someone says they had “the test,” they’re not telling you the truth or they don’t know much about STDs.
- Time matters. Get to a health care provider as soon as you can to be tested, and, if you test positive, treated. While most STDs can be treated easily, if you ignore them, they can become much more serious and lead to sterility (an inability to become pregnant or cause a pregnancy) and even death.
- Also remember that some STDs stay in your body for life. While many STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea, can be treated easily with antibiotics, other STDs need to be managed for the rest of your life. The symptoms can be treated, but the virus will stay with you.
If you need a hotline, check out our list here.
Your Comments
Need Advice BAD!
Posted by: TimeAfterTime on Oct 6th, 2008 12:46pm
My boyfriend and I are both 16. We've both had partners
before, and both gone all the way. His life so far hasnt
been easy, hes been in and out of foster care, in different
houses. I know alot of kids in foster care are abused and
have STDs. Recently we had oral sex. Im afraid to drag up
his past memories or ask is there a chance he could have an
STD. Ive totally put our sex life to a halt while i work out
what to do. What do i do now? Am i too late? Help!!?!?!
RE: i have naver had sex
Posted by: DanR on Sep 23rd, 2008 11:42am
OUCH! I'm sorry to hear that this is happening to you.
STDs can be transmitted through unprotected oral sex. If
you have had oral sex with out using a condom or a sheer
glyde dam, then it is possible you could have contracted an
STD. I would suggest going to a local clinic and getting
tested ASAP. If you need help finding a clinic near you
check out this link: http://www.sexetc.org/page/get_tested/.
Hang in there!
i have naver had sex
Posted by: shawn112091 on Sep 23rd, 2008 3:55am
but my prtr has and we had orl sex and naw i get brening
and i have sume bumps
RE: Im So Scared
Posted by: DanR on Sep 11th, 2008 10:27am
I'm sorry to hear that you are going through this. It is
possible that it could be a yeast infection, but
unfortunately, I am not able to diagnose you online. You do
need to see a health care provider as soon as possible and
get tested for all STDs. If you need to find a clinic near
you, check out this link:
http://www.sexetc.org/page/get_tested/. Also, if you think
there is any possibility that any of his sperm got into your
vagina, you will want to keep a close watch on your period
this month.
Im So Scared
Posted by: ScaredOfTheeWorldHelp on Sep 11th, 2008 2:16am
When we layed down and he tried to put his penis in without
a condom i asked why he didnt have any on.He said he didn't
need one and dont be scared because he didn't have an std.I
let him and when he was about to nut he took it out and
wiped it off mutiple times and put it back in.I've been
itching and having this milky white stuff coming out could
it be a yeast infection?Discharge usually comes out often
but now its sometimes a light yellow i think and it comes
out non-stop.Im so Scared.
RE: its me again :)
Posted by: DanR on Jul 9th, 2008 11:00am
Unfortunately, I am not a doctor, so I can't say why this
keeps happening to you, but if you have a yeast infection
that is not going away, I strongly suggest that you go back
to your health care provider and get their opinion. If left
untreated, infections can become serious and lead to even
greater health issues. If you need to find a local clinic,
check out this site: http://www.sexetc.org/page/get_tested/.
its me again :)
Posted by: christa cassie on Jul 8th, 2008 9:26pm
over the past 2 months ive been going to the doctors and
everytime its a uti. then i had a yeast infection. its not
going away. whats up with that?
RE: not sure
Posted by: DanR on Jul 8th, 2008 10:20am
There are many things that this could be besides an STD. A
urinary tract infection can also be quite painful. The bump
could just be an ingrown hair. Unfortunately, there is no
way for me to diagnose you online. It sounds like you need
to see a health care provider as soon as possible. Leaving
these types of symptoms untreated can cause greater risks
for health problems in the future. Please find a trusted
adult who can help get you the medical care you need as soon
as possible.
not sure
Posted by: christa cassie on Jul 3rd, 2008 6:43pm
i think i have an std. or something
i have no idea.
im 14
years old.
ive had sex, buttsex. everything
but me and my
boyfriend have only had sex with eachother. so theres like
no chance of having stds, is there?
i can't tell my mom.
she'll flip.
idk what to do. :(
ive had a yeast infection
plenty of times.
im always in pain. and i have a bump.
ugghh
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RE: Need Advice BAD!
Posted by: DanR on Oct 6th, 2008 2:57pm
It is never too late to talk about STDs. Even if you think
you might have one now, talking to your partner about his
sexual past and health can help prevent future infections.
Maybe you can talk to him about what is going on for you and
ask if he has ever been tested and what it is like. Maybe
even suggest that you both get tested together before you do
anything sexual again. Check out this link to find a testing
site near you: http://www.sexetc.org/page/get_tested/. I
hope this helps!