timing of std tests after sex

[cindy]

Hi there!
I was just wondering...I have had sex once, on June 7th. I got herpes (diagnosed by viral swab from my ulcer on 26th June), and then had the rest of the tests (chlamydia, gon, hpv, hiv, trich) on 3rd July...that was 2 days short of 4wks after I had sex.

Not had sex since then. Would the almost 4 wks be long enough to show if I had contracted anything else, or should I be re-tested?

And how often do you rec pap smears for women with herpes? I was told every 3yrs is routine, but also that women with herpes should have them yearly. I'm not sexually active anymore (was barely before!) - does that make a difference? I don't want to be slack and miss something, but I really didn't enjoy my pap smear, I am SO TIGHT down below and it took two visits before they managed to get the swab high enough. *sigh* I'm such a wimp.

[half_full]

Hi there!
I was just wondering...I have had sex once, on June 7th. I got herpes (diagnosed by viral swab from my ulcer on 26th June), and then had the rest of the tests (chlamydia, gon, hpv, hiv, trich) on 3rd July...that was 2 days short of 4wks after I had sex.

What did your doctor say about this?

And how often do you rec pap smears for women with herpes? I was told every 3yrs is routine, but also that women with herpes should have them yearly. I'm not sexually active anymore (was barely before!) - does that make a difference?

Once you've become sexually active (even if you're not currently) you should have yearly Paps.

[Neen]

Elizabeth is right, you should have yearly paps if you are sexually active, most docs recommend yearly when you start getting your period.

Our protocol at my clinic is HIV should be tested every 6 months for at least 1 year. And for the most part, things like GC and Chlamydia usually show up right away since they are bacterial infections but you can get those weird cases in which they do not. I will say we have seen a spike in Syphilis cases here in NC lately so I've seen the docs start testing for that again.

If your doc was thorough and did the whole battery of testing at your initial visit I'd say repeat the blood work in 6 months and paps yearly. If anything else is going to show you, will you catch it.

[cindy]

thanks!