[Question #10072] Sti and testing

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26 months ago
This has been going on for almost a year now. Back in June 2022 I had protected sex ( which I think it didnt break or fail, was rough and long) and unprotected oral sex with a sex worker. Probably 24/36 hrs I noticed the tip of my penis felt off or kinda itchy. I got really anxious and got prescribed 800mg cerfixme and 1 g AZITHROMYCIN and didn’t seem much for changes. I never once had any discharge,sores,pain urinating. Then of course I googled stuff and was over fixated on my penis ( and redness drove me scared) I talked to some teledocs and they said fungal , I tried various creams ( to many to mention) and I tested for sti at 53 days post exposures, chlymedia, gonherra , hep a,b,c, syphilis, hiv fourth Gen and did a urinalysis and they all came back negative. Few weeks after that my penis got super red on the front of the glans and was itchy , I got prescribed a steroid cream and it started to peel and really seemed like since I got the cream was the only relief I got from the itch. At 19 weeks I got tested for hsv igG antibody’s as well and both hsv 1-2 were negative. All this googling I have got so confused om guidelines and worried about false negatives , I really don’t want to test anymore , I wanna move on, I did just order a hiv Insti test so I can stop worrying about hiv. My biggest worries are herpes and hiv but of course I wanna be infection free. 
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
26 months ago
Google is getting the best of you.  You did not acquire an STI from the encounter you describe above.  Your tests reliably and conclusively prove this.  The internet is a unreliable place to go for information regarding genital symptoms or concerns. It is uncurated and as a result, much of what is to be found there is wrong, either because it is taken out of context, out of date or just plain wrong (there are a lot of urban myths about STIs).  You took treatment which you probably did not need but would have cured or prevented the most common STIs. Further, your tests, which are highly reliable are all negative- please believe them.

On addition, it sounds like you may have genitally focused anxiety in which you are over examining yourself and, as a result, noticing sensations which you would otherwise overlook and/or ignore- we see this a lot.  If there are genital rashes or irritations, they are not due to an STI- your tests prove this.  Please be aware that MOST genital dermatological abnormalities are NOT STIs.  If you have a recurrent rash, see a dermatologist, don't treat yourself- that will not help as you have shown.

I am confident that your INSTI test will be negative and hope that after that you can put your internet-generated concerns behind you.   Please don't worry.  EWH
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26 months ago
Ok what a relief, only have a couple questions with herpes and it almost being a year can I say I am free and clear should I have seen something by now regardless of the test ? Also have you ever seen or heard of in the world of a fourth Gen hiv post 50 days being wrong if I haven’t took any hiv prevention drugs ?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
26 months ago
You were negative tests this far out prove that you did not acquire herpes. It is time to put those fears behind you. 

As far as fourth generation combination HIV, antibody/antigen tests, they are month amongst the most reliable tests in all of medicine. I am confident that your INSTI test will confirm the results that you already have, proving that you did not acquire HIV either. 

It is time for you to put your fears behind you and move forward. Additional testing would be a waste of time and resources. EWH. 
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26 months ago
Right on ! I really appreciate your answers , gonna be smart from now on
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26 months ago
I just did the Insti test it was negative, thank you for everything 
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
26 months ago
Thanks for sharing your result.  I trust you will now be able to move forward with confide4nce.  Take care.  EWH---