[Question #11954] Could I have a sti
11 months ago
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Hi Dr.
This may be anxiety drive or guilt related- but I was wondering if there is a possibility I could have an STD such as gonorrhea or chlamydia.
I am currently 3 days late on my period with an increase in CLEAR watery discharge- negative pregnancy test. What I am worried about is 5 months ago I gave an aquaintence a blow job, he did not ejaculate in my mouth and I took 500 mg of azithromycin after ( which I know is not the drug or dose of choice, but thought it would help prevent an infection from establishing) I have a long term partner that I have remained intimate with. Could I have transferred an oral infection to my partner and he in turn infected me vaginally. Again the indiscretion was 5 months ago and neither man has any symptoms of an infection.
I do have an appointment with my gyn- for my annual next week- but I wanted to reach out and see if I should be prepared for bad news
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
11 months ago
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Welcome to the forum. Thank you for your confidence in our services.
Performing oral sex risks oral STDs only; no infection acquire that way can travel through the body to cause genital symptoms. (Syphilis spreads body wide, but is extremely rare in this situation and doesn't cause vaginal discharge or other genital symptoms.) Orally acquired gonorrhea, chlamydia or other STDs only affect the oral cavity; they do not spread through the body. Could you have acquired an infection orally, infected your regular partner, and now have genital infection acquired from him? In theory this could happen, but it's an exceedingly unlikely scenario. And the azithromycin you took would have aborted a chlamydial infection (and oral chlamydia is rarely if ever transmitted to partners anyway). And gonorrhea would have caused obvious symptoms in your partner if he caught it from you: it's hard to miss painful urination or pus dripping from the penis, and asymptomatic urethral infection is extremely rare.
Further, your symptoms are not particularly suggestive of an STD. There are many causes of vaginal discharge. I can't say you have no genital STD -- but if you do, it would on account of your regular partner infecting you, i.e. with something he caught from someone else. If you are confident your partner hasn't been with anyone else in the last few months, that makes it extremely unlikely an STD explains your current symptoms.
You're doing the right thing by seeing your gyn. Please be entirely open with her about these concerns: given your uncertainties, of course it would make sense for you to be tested for common STDs (vaginal gonorrhea/chlamydia and trichomonas testing, blood tests for HIV and syphilis). But from all you say, I think you can expect negative results.
I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.
HHH, MD
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11 months ago
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Thank you so much for your kind response.
I was slightly concerned that I had acquired oral chlamydia from this lapse in judgement and then passed it to my long term partner through oral sex and he then transmitted it to me via vaginal sex. Again neither male has had any type of symptoms and I have been acquainted with the one for 12 years ( we are co- workers). After 5 months would a male get chlamydia symptoms? You said gonorrhea had obvious symptoms.
Even though the azithromycin wasn’t the dose of choice, you still feel comfortable that it would have aborted an infection? I’m sorry, I just wanted to make sure I was clear in the dose I took, 500mg.
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
11 months ago
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There's been a lot of online buzz about oral sex and chlamydia but most of it is very misleading. The truth is that chlamydia very rarely infects the throat -- the organism usually just doesn't take hold there, even if exposed. When someone tests positive for chlamydia of the throat, it's usually only for chlamydial RNA, i.e. no live bacteria, and even this becomes negative within 2 weeks without treatment. There has never been even one proved case of genital chlamydia known to be acquired from an oral sex exposure. On top of all that, even though larger doses of azithromycin (1 gram) are required for chlamydia treatment, for prevention after exposure 500 mg for sure would be effective. (I correctly understood the dose in my reply above.)
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For those reasons there is zero chance you infected your partner with chlamydia. Please don't worry about this! Don't confuse your possible anxieties over a sexual decision you regret with the health risks that might have resulted. They aren't the same!
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11 months ago
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Thank you so much for your expertise and advice!
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
11 months ago
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Thanks for the thanks. I'm glad to have helped. Take care and stay safe.---