[Question #11043] STDs

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17 months ago
Self sample tests over 16 months 3,6,12,16 ALL NEGATIVE done by www.test.me (preventx laboratory)
Tests :HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhoea,  Chlamydia, Heps, Trichomonas, Ureaplasma.
Current Symptoms: 
Pain mostly in joints seem to come and go from day to day diagnosed with fibromyalgia by Dr.
Reocuring Balanitis diagnosed by Dr via photo as it wasnt visible at the time of app.

Are Self sample urine and blood tests just as accurate as going into the clinic?
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17 months ago
More information 

Current Symptoms
Pain mostly in knees,legs, arms,elbows,wristst and fingers that seem to come and go from day to day diagnosed with fibromyalgia by Dr.
Reocuring Balanitis diagnosed by Dr via photo as it wasnt visible at the time of app.
2 to 3 white circles appear on arm over the last year which I havnt been to a Dr to diagnose.
Fatigue, is this bein caused by the stres im putting myself under

Questions.
1. Self sample blood and urine test just as accurate as going into the clinic?
2. Can I 100% trust my results / rule out that an STD is causing these issues?
3. 600ul finger prick blood test enough to test for blood born viruses?
4. If I done my urine sample mid stream would it effect the accuracy?
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
17 months ago
Welcome back to our forum, but I'm sorry you felt the need -- especially since your questions were almost entirely answered in your two previous discussions with Dr. Hook and Ms. Warren, both of which I reviewed. 

To repeat some of the advice at that time, you had a low risk exposure with low chance of any STD; your test results then (and the repeats since then) are reliable; and your symptoms are not typical for any STD. No STD mimics fibromyalgia, for example. I'm not familiar with the Preventx Lab, but a quick online look suggests it's a reliable, high quality lab. Most likely they use exactly the same tests and same equipment for self-collected specimens as those collected by doctors and clinics. And there is no way that 4 sets of tests would miss any of the infections you mention.

1. Self sample blood and urine test just as accurate as going into the clinic? Yes.
2. Can I 100% trust my results / rule out that an STD is causing these issues? Yes.
3. 600ul finger prick blood test enough to test for blood born viruses? If you followed the instructions for collecting the sample, I'm sure it was enough for accurate testing.
4. If I done my urine sample mid stream would it effect the accuracy? No. Despite official instructions for initial urine, 25 years experience has shown it makes no difference in test accuracy.

It is clear that your symptoms have nothing to do with the sexual exposure you described in your two previous questions -- except maybe that some symptoms you describe (fatigue, muscle and joint aching) might be psychological reactions to that event, which you recognize yourself. Whenever someone suspects his or her own symptoms are related to stress, anxiety, etc, usually they are right.

I hope these comments are helpful. But it seems clear that the main problem here is emotional and professional counseling seems reasonable; discuss this possibility with your doctors. I suggest it from compassion, not criticism. In any case, do your best to stop worrying about STDs and stop testing for them. Let me know if anything isn't clear. Best wishes and good luck.

HHH, MD
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17 months ago
Thanks for the respone Dr.
As you probably know I am going round in a vicious circle. 

The reason I am mostly concerned is because of the widespread joint and body pain which I have read syphilis, Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia can cause if left untreated for a long period of time?
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
17 months ago
Regardless of what you think you found online or elsewhere, joint and body pains never would be the only or main symptoms of syphiis, gonorrhea or chlamydia. Even more important, test results overrule symptoms for these and all STDs.

You can't go through your life attributing every otherwise unexplained ache, pain, itch or tingle to a single sexual exposure. Move on with your life -- if you can't stop obsessing about this, get counseling as suggested above. 
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17 months ago
Thanks for the words.
So from what I am reading I can completely rule out STDs causing these particular issues?

The self test i carried out is most likely used at the same lab or similar to what would be used at my local sexual health clinic?

600ul fingerprick blood and midstream urine sample is just as accurate as blood from the vein and initial stream urine samples?

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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
17 months ago
Yes to all three questions, which I clearly stated above and which also were obvious in your two previous threads.

That completes the two follow-up exchanges included with each question and so ends this thread. Please note the forum does not permit repeated questions on the same topic or exposure. This being your third, it will have to be your last one; future new questions about this exposure, testing, and your fears about HIV will receive no reply and the posting fee will not be refunded. This policy is based on compassion, not criticism, and is intended to reduce temptations to keep paying for questions with obvious answers. In addition, experience shows that continued answers tend to prolong users' anxieties rather than reducing them. Finally, such questions have little educational value for other users, one of the forum's main purposes. Thanks for your understanding. I do hope the issue is now settled for you. Best wishes and stay safe. 



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