Just wondering about std's

[nicky]

I got embarrased constantly turning up at the GUM clinic for tests/checks and seeing my file grow. Now I have been buying Doxycycline from the web and taking when of if I suspect something is wrong.

What do other active guys do to deal with this situation?

Am I wrong to do this?

[pulszer]

I got embarrased constantly turning up at the GUM clinic for tests/checks and seeing my file grow.

Am I wrong to do this?

lol me too.

You shouldn't take antibiotics willy-nilly though. Not only might the be ineffective at treating what ever it it is you may (or may not) caught, you could actually end up turning your bopdy into a petri dish for anti biotic resistant strains. All of our crrent superbugs, including antibiotic resistant gonorhea (yikes) are the result of of prescribing inti biotics too frequently, and at doses which are too low.

If you're imbarraced just swich to another clinic anonymously. Much better then trying to treat your self. Your stats say u live in London, so there should be plenty about.

[hungry_hole]

There's no reason to feel embarrassed at a Sex Clinic because they are trained and warned about how slutty some guys are. Most people at the clinics are women so they may not understand the stuff some guys get into but they are certainly trained.

[NiceHard1]

Agree. Find either a gay-friendly/pig-friendly doctor to visit, or gay-friendly health clinics. STDs do go with the turf. If you are having a lot of anonymous sex, you're probably going to have some STIs a couple of times per year, and it is important for yourself and your other partners to get regular checks.

[pigpozdad]

Doxy is only good for NGU or chlamydia. what do you think you have gotten??

[Deaner]

I've had people at clinics tell me that I should wear a condom for mutual masturbation scenes, in case one of us has a scratch or a pimple, and the other guy's load accidentally lands on my already poz skin.

After asking where they learned such nonsense (the CDC... I'm in Atlanta) and stifling a hearty giggle, I've learned to pretty much discount the majority of health advice dispensed by people and agencies who have an obvious social agenda (or whose paycheck depends on a funding organization that is more interested in misinformation than useful and up-to-date health knowledge).

Your best bet is to consult a physician whom you trust, as well as intelligently inform yourself about issues that pertain to you. Don't worry about what the ninnies at the free clinic think about you, they are potentially just as ill-informed as the 12-year-old pregnant girl with the petri-dish cervix who they treated before you. Even if they know the proper medical advice to give you, if they are funded by a government agency there is a good chance that they are limited by politicians in what information they are allowed to dispense... even when that contradicts standard medical procedure.

Also, if you find yourself visiting the clinic on a regular basis -and their procedure allows it- consider using an assumed/anonymous name or identification number. This will help prevent you from being unfairly 'tagged' and potentially prosecuted. There was one clinic which I once visited for mere regular check-ups where the staff grew familiar with me merely because I was one of the few caucasians on their patient list (even though I registered anonymously and only visited twice per year). One of the social workers there had advised me not to use my real name, as doing so would have subjected my roommate and family to STD investigations, even though they were obviously NOT sex partners, and I had no STDs other than HIV on my record... quite scary!!

[rubio2001]

I have only gone to one public clinic in my lifetime and it was a horrible experience. It was worse than the DMV. The case workers, or whoever they were, were horrible. It was clear that at this clinic that part of their training meant making sure anyone who went in to get tested for an STD went out feeling like shit and feeling guilty about being sexual at all. Compassion - forget it. These folks were horrible.

I found a gay friendly doctor who went out of his way to make sure that I was comfortable telling him anything about my health and he would not judge me, or make me feel in any way unwelcome. The only rule he had was that if I was at all worried about my health that I come in and he'd take care of me - no questions asked, no preaching, nothing. He knew that I knew what in the heck I was doing. If you have health insurance then go to a doctor where you can tell them anything. I feel so lucky to have found my doc. I can't imagine going to a free clinic ever again - and I won't.