Are YOU Being Tested For STDs?

Oh, F%$&, writing this post does NOT put a smile on my face.
It just tells me at how much WE are NOT being told about out sexuality and what BAD things that can happen if we are sexually active.
I think, MOST of us are in denial and/or ignorant.

A woman wrote the article, (I will leave-out her name and where I got the info to keep MY anonymity). She, seems to be knowledgeable about sexuality, probably, MORE than I am. She does NOT seem to show any religious or conservative views.

I have, also, entered another one of her articles about what kinds of barriers that can be used to HELP prevent SOME STDs.
Ahh...guess what, most STDs have NO real barrier from getting, unless, you use extreme precautions, such as, NO contact with body fluids, NO touching of genitial areas...any more???

Note 1: Am, I, going to be MORE careful??...YOU bet I am!!!

Note 2: Am I going to be tested?...YOU bet I am!

Here it is:

Guess what? You're only tested for two (2) STDs when you ask for an STD panel. Unless your panel also includes blood, in which case you are also tested for 1-3 additional STDs. Which STDs are these? And which ones aren't you tested for? Damn good questions!

You are tested for:
Chlamydia (swab usually, rarely urine)
Gonorrhea (swab only)

Both of those are totally treatable and 'curable'... until the next time you get infected.

You might be tested for:
Syphilis (blood only - did you know there's a Syphilis epidemic in St. Louis right now? Look at people's hands and feet. If they have sores on them they might have syphilis.)
HIV (blood only - you can do a cheek swab but doctors won't)
Hepatitis B and C (though rarely C because it isn't usually sexually transmitted)

Those are treatable but not curable. Once you have them you have them for life. Dormant or not. I said that because Syphilis can lay dormant.

You are not tested for:
HPV (blood or visual ID)- See additional info, below.
Herpes aka HSV I and II (blood only but can be determined by a culture of open sores)
Staph (culture)
Mono (blood)
Yeast Infection/Jock Itch (visual or culture)
Molluscum (visual ID only)
Trichomoniasis (culture)

Some of the above are treatable: Staph, Mono, Yeast Infection, Trich - the rest are not treatable, once you have them you have them for life: HPV, Herpes, Molluscum.

I didn't mention scabies because usually people know when they have lice around their genitals and they seek out their doctor it usually isn't a big surprise. But it is totally treatable and 'curable'.

What does this mean?

Let's consider that around 80% of people with an STD don't know they have one. And let's also consider that when you go to the Doctor and ask for STD tests that they only test you for the 'curable' things.

Now let's do the math...

50-80% of the population has HSV1 - that's the herpes virus that causes cold sores (which, by the way, can live anywhere in your body which means they can show up on your fingers, legs, arms, penis, labia, face, ears, neck, etc.)

20-25% of the population has HSV2 - that's the herpes virus that can only live successfully at the base of the spine so it's called 'genital herpes' because of its location. It's actually less powerful than HSV1 but people are more scared of it. Go figure.

33.4 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2009 - that doesn't count those where HIV has turned into AIDS or those who died (over 2 million). There were 2.7 million new known HIV infections in 2008.

6% of people who have had mono in the past, will relapse. That means they are carriers for life. Did you know that? Have you had mono?

15.3 million new cases of an STD are reported each year in America.

2.8 million new cases of Chlamydia each year. Half of which are not reported.

.5 million new cases of Gonorrhea each year. Around .5 million not reported.

10,000+ cases of Syphilis each year. Sounds low right? Except this was supposed to have been wiped out decades ago.

- - - - - - - - - -

Okay so now you know all the stats. What's the first thing you're going to do?

Call your insurance - ask what a full STD panel covers and what other tests they'll cover, ie. HSV2, HPV, etc.

Then call your doctor and get your ass in there and get tested!

You might think, "But I don't have any symptoms." And that's exactly what the last person thought before they passed on their disease to someone else.

Read more on the other topics to see why asking for these extra tests is so crucial!

Note: HPV-
The stats on HPV are so off that even the CDC won't declare actual numbers. It is very common, with estimates as high as 80% of sexually active people positive for at least one strain at any given time.

And what a lot of people don't realise is that like HIV, they can have multiple strains at one time.

There are now HPV tests for women that will test the cervical cells and can tell if a woman has HPV without her having abnormal cells. Though it is more common for doctors to do the HPV test when a woman's PAP comes back with unclear results.

There are not, however, any tests to test men, who are the carriers.

Unfortunately it's the most common STD, nicknamed the Common Cold, and the most difficult to actually detect without obvious symptoms like warts or cancer.

There are over 150 strains of HPV, 30 of which have been definitively linked with cancer, and two of those cause 70% of the cancers HPV is attributed to.

It is not only a vaginal, anal, and penile virus but can also be spread orally.

Approximately 20 million Americans are infected. Another 6 million become infected each year. About 1% of sexually active adults have genital warts at any one time. Each year about 12,000 women get cervical cancer.

HPV causes other forms of cancer as well, including:
•
• 3,700 women who get vulvar cancer
• 1,000 women who get vaginal cancer
• 1,000 men who get penile cancer
• 2,700 women and 1,700 men who get anal cancer
• 2,300 women and 9,000 men who get head and neck cancers.


If you are a man or woman between 9-26 you can get a vaccine against HPV. It's not 100% protection but it helps.


STD Prevention:

What constitutes a safe sex barrier? Hint: Spermicide isn't one of them.

For Penetrative Sex: Condoms - Female or Male (Did you know that condoms are only guaranteed for 10 minutes of use at which point you're supposed to get a new one?)

For Oral Sex: Dental Dams - these are thin sheets of rubber, sometimes flavored, that you can put over the genitals (female or the anal area of either sex) in order to provide a safe barrier between your mouth and the genital part being... pleasured.

There are NO other safe sex barrier methods. That's it. You're either wrapped or you aren't safe.

And just so you know - there is absolutely NO barrier available that will protect you from all STDs. Think about it, most STDs affect the skin all around the genitals as well, if any of that skin comes in contact with your skin (as it will when you wear a normal male condom) you can be infected.

Remember:

• you can get genital and oral herpes on your face and lips and in your mouth from a woman's vulva if she's infected (and she doesn't have to actually have any sores to transmit to you) and you can pass it on to her if you have HSVI or II on your face (and you don't have to have an active cold sore / fever blister, which are herpes, to pass it on)
• you can also get HPV in your mouth and throat that can lead to throat, neck, and brain cancer if she's infected with one of the cancer causing HPV strains
• You can get HIV through her fluids and blood and she can get it from you through oral if you have any nicks in your mouth, bleeding gums, cracked lips, etc.. And you never know when she has a little shaving nick, or just finished her period, or any number of other things.
• and the list goes on and on...

The risk is there but people think, "It won't happen to me..." yup. Everyone who is infected with something said that too.

Interesting post TM

I remember reading an article regarding sex during victorian times. At the time prostitution was legal in England and there was a huge out break of diseases like Chlamydia and Syphilis especially amongst men as paying for sex was very common back then. God know what else they caught during their casual sex sessions.

I, also, came to realize, that I was ignorant of the various STDs.
I was in denial that I couldn't get a STD if I had some assurance that the woman is OK with little REAL info about her past sexual history.

When I was in the U.S. Navy, I was having sex with a woman. I think, I got the crabs (pubic lice) from her. She had them, also. It wasn't REAL bad, just some itching. The Doc gave me something and they went away.

The stats on this article, may, be correct. It just baffles me that MORE attention is NOT mentioned in other articles to us men. Maybe, we just don't want to hear about it.

I was talking to my GF in Canada about this subject, recently. She, seems to be aware of the risks, but, she didn't PUSH me to use protection. I thought, we were both SAFE....but, who knows?!

Then, I read things from Tiger, FM and others about their sexual exploits. (You might as well put me on this list). No mention is made about protection and safe sex.
I'm NOT pointing my finger or criticizing anyone. The woman are just as responsible for their behavior. I DON'T get-it!!!...WTF!!
One member of our Forum mentioned at his school, Dental Dams were given away to the students. He said, hardly NO one was interested in using them!

TM

You should take STD (or STI's...the newer term) / Sex safety very seriously, but at the same time kind of casually.

What I mean by that is don't let it freak you out, rather learn all about safe sex so that you're well-informed. Figure out what your personal rules about safe sex are. Then let the rest of the worries go.

While you can still get all STDs while using a condom, some of the them are extremely unlikely (unless there's a rip). Some you're still at risk of because contact at the base of the penis and area around vagina can cause transmittance.

I really recommend having a talk with your doctor about STI's in general. There will most likely be a difference between what he tells you and the literature tells you, b/c the articles have to be all inclusive. Yes you can get any STI with condom use. But he might tell you stuff based on his vast experience (ex: "I've seen VERY few patients get chlamydia with proper condom use, but every now and then I see Herpes".... or whatever)

You should be going to get checked every 2-3 months in my opinion (those without insurance often qualify for free clinics). Just ask about which tests you can get and ask to get them all, rather than just a standard blood test.

Thanks for responding, Zanther.
So few people talk about STDs.
It seems to be such a "Hush-Hush" subject that people don't want to talk about.
HIV is transmitted by exposure to their blood and it getting into your blood.
HPV can be spread, orally.
If 80% of people have an STD and don't know it, that bothers me.
I don't have a very high confidence level with our medical society because our society hides it, also.
It all goes back to our sexuality- little info is available.
I will talk to my doctor and see what he says.

TM

I guess I was lucky that our school really pushed being open about STI testing. Also, a lot of my more sexually active sorority friends seemed a lot more comfortable talking about it in college, so it made me comfortable discussing it, too.

Nationwide shows like "Loveline" with Dr. Drew also helped make it a more common topic.

I really recommend taking a course at a local community college on sexuality, either from the health department or the psych department. I've taken a psych one and learned lots. My friend who took a health one knows ever way more. It definitely educates you well.

"Planned Parenthood" is an organization that provides a lot of info, too. We were all encouraged to visit there during sex-ed in high school.

As far as STI's. Most are readily treatable with antibiotics. It's Herpes / HPV that scare me. They cause physical manifestations (whereas other common ones show no signs in guys) and have no cure. The real scary part is that it can make women infertile (even if they don't show signs/symptoms).

Stuff like HIV and Hepatitis is scary, but much less common in otherwise healthy heterosexual couples.

Wait, what does our medical society hide?
I love going to the doctor. I trust him for the most part...BUT I also ask a million questions and go do research myself (before and after) visits.

Zanther;

Something just bothers me when I hear people say, "Well, I fucked her and I fucked him, lada, lada, lada".
NO mention is made concerning safe sex!!!!!!
The last time I heard about safe sex was 10-20 years ago!
I'm NOT all that sexually active, even though I KNOW a lot about female sexuality.
I rely, heavily on, KNOWLEDGE and BELIEFS. (They get me over the bumps in the road).
The last two times I was tested for STDs, little info was conveyed to me! (Either they thought I knew or they didn't have time to tell me).

OK, I'm going to do more research and go to Planned Parenthood, etc.

I still say, "Our society hides info from us about sex (I bet you didn't know that women can have >6 types of orgasms, until, you read it in one of my posts) and what BAD things we can get".

TM

Note:
I have yet to read ANYTHING in a Newsletter from a PUA or Sex Guru about safe sex!

Yeah...I wouldn't say they HIDE it, per se....more so that some info isn't as common just because the educators don't know. It's also hard to find a good setting for teaching it. It's not ONLY because it's taboo (though mainly), since there's a lot of life things many schools don't teach (some do) like networking skills, manners, dinner etiquette, simple dating. You're kind of left to learn that from friends & family...which really meant I had to go find out from books and internet.

I do remember being briefly taught that in sex ed that girls can have multiple orgasms (no details, though). I try to usually go for more than one with a girl. One girl I lose track after a dozen. It's also possible to make her cum for an hour straight.


I think people don't mention protection in field reports usually (I've seen at least one on this site that does) unless it's an issue (like they couldn't fine one)...or some just don't use it. But it'll catch up to them.

Thanks, Zanther, for adding more of your thoughts about this subject.
I guess you could say that sex ed. and STDs are TABOO subjects.
It ALL goes back to our society and religious beliefs that prevent a MORE open discussion. (I wonder about this in foreign countries?)

I think that many of us have received info from various PUAs and I bet, NOTHING was mentioned about STDs.:thumbdown:

I think, if you or anyone starts to communicate to a woman or GF about STDs, a bridge of communication will be established and better open talking will start.
I find that women are more OPEN about their sexuality than men, are. It's soo interesting to hear a woman talk about her sexual experiences.

I mentioned to one member about protection and pregnancy. They were ALL too drunk to think of it!

I'm glad that we are openly talking about this subject. I WILL have more info and field experiences to report about.

TM

Note: It's HARD to NOT include sex concerning this subject and it's hard for me to NOT talk about, SEX!..soo, hears my statement-
Zanther, I said, ">6 types of orgasms", not quantity of orgasms.
(That's GREAT, you can make a woman have many orgasms.):thumbup:
Do you know what you did to cause this?

Hahaha, sorry misread.
Ummmm...general vaginal, clitoral, g-spot, other spot behind g spot (makes some girls squirt), other sensual areas like tits or inside of upper arm, and verbal (telling her a hot story)....??? Do share.

Zanther;

Knowing the different types of orgasms a woman can have are varied from person to person who defines them.
As you know, little info is available and it's, usually, at a price.
About, four of the types, I have found by experience:
Butt Orgasm
Foot Orgasm
Nipple Orgasm
Full-Body Orgasm

Hmm, telling her a sex fantasy story, MAY, cause her to have an orgasm. It will make her pussy wet, for-sure! I'm NOT sure about the type, though.
(I NEED to do MORE research about this one.)

Touching/massaging the inside of the upper arm will cause a Full-Body Orgasm. (A womans' body is one BIG sex organ.)

Here's a list of the types that I have had success,with, on a repeatable basis:

A woman can have ~11 types of orgasms.

1. Clitoral- licking/sucking/humming/fingering techniques. Woman on-top will stimulate clit.

2. Nipple- nibble (with your teeth, gently!) on nipples and suck/lick. There's a direct link from the nipples to the vagina. (I have had success within 15 seconds.)

3. Butt- squeeze-it REAL good and use rotating finger pressure to different areas. There's a direct link from the butt to the vagina. Lots of nerve endings on butt.

4. Foot Orgasm- women LOVE to have their feet massaged. There's a direct link from the bottom of the foot to the vagina. I have found that applying medium pressure to the arch of the foot and using back and forth motions with my thumb will cause an orgasm. Not ALL women are responsive.)

Vaginal- (see OrgasmArts.com). Much more intense orgasms. (#5, 6, 7 & 8 are vaginal orgasms.)

5. G-Spot- ~2.5 inches inside of vaginal opening. Use "come-hither" motion with finger/s. Hitting the spot with penis will, also, have same affect, but, NOT as effective.

6. Deep-Spot- ~3 inches inside of vaginal opening. Use "come-hither" motion with finger/s. Hitting the spot with penis will, also, have same effect, but, NOT as effective.

7. Cervix- ~3.5 inches inside of vaginal opening. Use "come-hither" motion with finger/s. Hitting the spot with penis will, also, have same effect, but, NOT as effective.

8. Squirting (Ejaculatory)- stimulate the G-Spot, just prior to the orgasm, she MUST tighten her PC muscles, then, push-out as if to urinate. (DON'T be surprised if there's a lot of fluid!. Have several towels under her vagina.)

9. Anal- you want to know how to do this. Most men mess-it-up. See my post, Anal Orgasm.

10. Whole-Body- this requires hypnotism. Multi-orgasms are typical.

11. Full-Body- requires a good touch and massage of a womans' body. Biting certain areas will, also, have the same effect. (I have had success within 1 minute.)

(There are more; I’m still exploring.)

TM

Note: If you have any questions, let me know. I recommend that you copy this and save it for future use.

Hmmm, never tried butt massage or anal orgasm (don't like anal sex enough for it).

As far as the sexual story, I've used it with a number of girls. Basically like phone sex but they're not touching themselves. I guess it can fall under hypnosis...but the verbals isn't about creating the feeling of an orgasm so much, rather just talking her through a really fucking hot sex scenario.

I feel like we're talking more about ways to induce orgasm rather than types of orgasm. So, I'll also add:
-Stimulation of vaginal opening with penis. Not hitting any real "spots"...it's more like teasing...if she's orgasmed a bunch of times in the session, this might work.

*****

The hour long orgasm was with a long-term girl (so emotional involvement and trust). After sex, we used to not move b/c she was sensitive. One time it I tried super super slight movements, with no pressure...just sliding around in her moving only millimeters. Drove her over the edge...then she figured out how to move herself slightly to give her the orgasms...it went on for so long I eventually fell asleep.

I woke up an hour later to her still on top of me still getting herself off. Haha. And my penis sore as fuck from the extended erection (she was griding into the base of it a lot).

Haven't really tried to reproduce this with other girls since the other girls I see are just hookups...without that connection to explore

Zanther said: "Hmmm, never tried butt massage or anal orgasm (don't like anal sex enough for it)".
I have given MANY women Butt Orgasms...they Love-it!!!
Some women like Anal Orgasms. DON'T eliminate this from your preferences. I know it can be messy...use a condom. Ask her if she likes it.


Zanther said: "The hour long orgasm was with a long-term girl (so emotional involvement and trust). After sex, we used to not move b/c she was sensitive. One time it I tried super super slight movements, with no pressure...just sliding around in her moving only millimeters. Drove her over the edge...then she figured out how to move herself slightly to give her the orgasms...it went on for so long I eventually fell asleep.
I woke up an hour later to her still on top of me still getting herself off. Haha. And my penis sore as fuck from the extended erection (she was griding into the base of it a lot)".

She didn't move because her clit was sooo sensitive. It's like us having an orgasm and our dick being sensitive to touch.
Super slight movements in her vagina with your dick was touching/stimulating her Deep-Spot and or Cervix.
Sleep = NO hard-on. She was having clit or G-Spot Orgasms.


Zanther said: "Haven't really tried to reproduce this with other girls since the other girls I see are just hookups...without that connection to explore".

You can learn to reproduce the various types of orgasms by learning how to do it. They will want MORE!!

TM

Actually she didn't move because she was orgasming wave after wave for that entire hour I was asleep. The erection was maintained while I slept because of the angle and pressure at the base from her...which was why it was actually starting to ache. Circulation was kind of cut off (in OR out)

It wasn't necessarily a clitoral or g spot or deep spot or any other specific spot orgasm....Just movement at the entrance of her vaginal wall itself can get a girl off (to different degrees). It was the sensitiveness of the vagina making her ultra sensitive...and having movements that were too slight to send of pain signals, but enough to send out the pleasure signals. And definitely reproducible

I'm down for the butt orgasms. I feel like the girl might like the anal orgasm....but psychologically I won't. LOL I just don't really care for anal sex...I've done it, but the only attraction was the dominance and taboo aspect of it. Eh. I'll probably experiment more with it at some point.

Also, some STD concerns (more tissue damage and open wounds make it more likely to transmit something if condom breaks) and concerns about cleanliness if switching from anal to vaginal...even with a condom, just more chance of cross contaminating and giving girls UTIs. BUT(t) like I said, I'm sure I'll go back to it at some point

Another good bedroom fun time includes bringing in toys

Say, Zanther...I'm glad that we can talk so openly about different subjects.
I'm on this male/female Forum about Sex & Relationships. I'm surprised that I am learning some things.
This one female who REALLY likes anal sex said an Anal Orgasm is the same as a G-Spot Orgasm. The dick is hitting the Skenes gland which is the G-Spot in the vagina. I think the reason why she likes anal is the taboo thing. She is also into toys, cock rings and is a Dominatrix.
(I am NOT all that interested in anal. Enemas are NOT recommended on a regular basis. Now, if the WOMAN wants me to do anal to her, I WILL do it!!!...ALWAYS do what the woman wants you to do, sexually!!!)

I'm glad that we have talked about STDs. Like you said, getting tested every 2-3 months is important. For better sex, I would like for the woman to have been tested, recently. I'm talking to women about STDs and if they are being tested. Some women are quit open about this subject. I think, if I show concern about STDs, they might have greater confidence in me. I WILL have GREATER confidence in THEM!!

My belief is, "A Mans' Best Tool is NOT His Tool".
What I mean is, it's my VOICE (confident/deep/commanding) and my TOUCH (massage/sensuality/tenderness) are my BEST TOOLS.

I don't rely, a lot, on my dick. It's my fingers that do most of the work in giving women orgasms. For me to have an orgasm is NOT all that important. When I have an orgasm, I want GREAT orgasms!

The use of TOYS seems silly to me. They seem to supplement a mans' inabilities. But, that is MY opinion. If you have other thoughts, let me know.

TM

For those of you who are interested, here's some info about anal sex.

The anus is rich in nerve endings and shares the same nerve as the vulva and clitoris.
The anus is an orifice that leads to the anal canal, which is one to two inches (2.5 to 5 cm) in length. The anal canal is highly vascular, i.e. rich in blood vessels, and is comprised of two muscular rings, the outer is under a woman's voluntary control, the inner is not. The anus and outer anal canal are sensitive to the full range of stimulation, but the inner anal canal and rectum tends to be sensitive to only pressure and pain; meaning we are less sensitive to potential injury inside our rectums. The anal canal leads to the rectum, which is about five inches in length. The first segment of the rectum generally angles towards a woman's naval, and then angles back towards the back slightly. It is this initial forward angle that causes the penis or dildo to stimulate the front wall of the vagina and G-Spot (Note: Skenes' gland) more directly than they do during vaginal intercourse. It is important to follow the natural path of the anal canal and rectum, especially when inserting inflexible objects like a penis, dildo, or butt plug. Otherwise you may cause pain and injury. Only proceed if the pathway is open, and don't try to force a path where none exists. This is further reason to progress slowly and carefully.
At, http://www.the-clitor..., you can find more info.
References:
1. Anal Pleasure & Health: A Guide for Men and Women Second Edition by Jack Morin, Ph.D. 1986 Page 9 & 11. Citing Playboy magazine Sept. 1983 and Redbook magazine Sept. 1977.

I TOTALLY understand. I used to think the same thing. Then, just had more exposure to both guys and girls talking about them and I really now believe that it doesn't make up for anything the guy's missing. Girls who use dildos and vibrators on a daily basis (a LOT LOT LOT do) usually VERY strongly prefer just having sex...with a real guy, not a toy penis.

Has nothing to do with needing anything bigger or different. It's just something they use when a guy's not around, but occasionally is hot having the guy bang her with something. Getting banged is preferred, but the fact that he's using and shoving it into her and getting her off with it is kind of hot to them (and for me to watch her get off)...even if the orgasms of it isn't as great as a real dick, they get off on the fact they're being watched kind of.

The other thing to consider is that they're using them ANYWAY, so better to be familiar with them and good at them, so you can be more in control of when they're used...versus something she tries out without you....

Just a thought! But it's not everyone's thing...(like anal, haha)

Zanther;

My belief is, a woman will NOT need those toys, cock rings and other paraphernalia when she is shown at how effect "I" am at making her have lots of orgasms and "types" of orgasms.
(It sounds like I am bragging like sooo many men do. But, I have a lot of sexual confidence/knowledge/beliefs that can get me over almost any huddle.)

Sooo many men and women have little knowledge and fucked-up beliefs that cause them to NOT have GREAT sex.

There may be some toys that women like to use. I am thinking about anal beads. I WILL, of course, go along with her preferences.

Advertisers/manufacturers are making a lot of money on electronic dildos. Some of them can be used as a flashlight. It just saddens me to think that people are being influenced by advertisers to "BUY, BUY, BUY". They tell us WE will be happier if WE buy their products.
Yeah, women BUY a lot of toys for their masturbating pleasure. But, most of these toys are used by women for clit stimulation. Many women are "Clit Dependent".

There are some products that are sold for male masturbation. :lol:
(There are some people who have difficulties in meeting and having sex with REAL people. I am thinking of people in wheel chairs, etc. The quantity of people in our society who are capable, but, NOT taking the steps, are concerning me. )

TM

Added more info about STDs.
See last statement.

TM