Just got a call from the Health Dept. What to do now?

[VersatileBreeder]

I saw a missed call from the NY Health Department and a voicemail. When I listened to the voicemail, the guy said it is a very important matter. I already knew what it was.

Now, I am already poz, on meds and undetectable, so that wasn't my concern. I called back and spoke to the guy who called me and he told me I had recently been exposed to someone who tested for chlamydia, gonorrhea AND syphilis (great). I'm not freaking out about it- I know those three mean a week's round of antibiotics and a shot of penicillin in the ass. The guy told me I can come down to the Health Department and they can treat me straight away for those things.

What I am worried about is the protecting the privacy of those who I have been with who now need to be informed. I would rather inform those guys on my own and not give their name and number out to the Health Department, but are they gonna press me for these names and numbers? Also are they gonna freak out at the Health Department when I tell them I'm poz and have been with others? I am undetectable and I do inform all my partners of my status. 

At this point I'm not sure what I should do. Should I even bother going to the Health Department or should I go to my own doctor to take care of this? My goal is to make this as private a matter as possible and inform the partners I've been with about this exposure without turning this into a huge thing. 

Advice anyone?

 

[hairyone]

Not to worry.  I've had it happen here in DC to me, too.  Got the call from the health department and I simply told them that I would call my playmates and I would go to my own doctor. They didn't press me for the info.  If they did, I wouldn't get upset, I would just firmly tell them that *I* would do it.  Frankly, there's nothing they can do about it.  Just be friendly but firm.  They really are there to keep the public healthy.  (Plus, if you call your playmates, then the health department doesn't have to.  They are usually overworked anyway.  And if you can go to your own doctor, it eases their supplies.)

But, please, inform the people who you may have exposed. Like you said, it's nothing to freak out over.  But, we DO need to stop the spread of those STDs.

Sorry it happened to you.  But, it's great to hear you are doing the right thing.

Edited November 6, 2016 by hairyone
Forgot a thought. D'oh!

[Guest]

In full agreement with what hairyone has said, if going to your private doctor, then he already knows about pretty much all of your issues and should be much easier to talk with and get along with. In my area, the health department gets pretty aggressive about most of this kind of stuff and instant about the information that they require and this usually leads to everyone being involved being openly exposed, but then this is a small community where I'm located, so nothing remains a secret for long.

[einathens]

if you do go to the health dept, just tell them your encounters were anonymous hookups and you don't have contact info. at least that way the treatment won't show up on your insurance records.

I don't see why your hiv status should be part of the discussion.

[Davidc]

When I get STDs I always tell them that it was anon sauna sex ,then tell the guy or normally guys if I can identify them