[Question #12115] follow up
 |
10 months ago
|
hello, I had a few follow up questions from my last post about my tests at urgent care for ureaplasma/mycoplasma -everything was negative but they detected ureaplasma parvum. After I talked to you, the provider from urgent care called and basically told me I had an STI and prescribed me 7 days of doxycycline. I told her about the research I had done, and after she looked it up she basically took back everything she said and told me It wasn’t an STI and that I didn’t need the antibiotics and that “it would stay between me and her”. I know she was just uneducated about it but it really freaked me out that she was so quick to say. Do you know why many doctors are so uneducated about this and think it is an STI? If they detected this in my swab, would my partner also have this as well? I guess I am just worried that what if my partner starts having some type of symptoms. Is it possible in men to ever have symptoms with u. parvum? I just want to make sure I’m not being irresponsible by continuing to have unprotected sex with my partner. I am reading how this is a normal part of the genital flora and i know you are professionals I am trying to trust the science behind this so that’s why I have come back to ask more.
|
10 months ago
|
I did not take the antibiotics because of your advice. Does this bacteria come and go? or will it be in my system for life? it also bothers me how online says it is “an infection” , but it is a bacteria that can cause infection if it is out of balance, correct?
|
10 months ago
|
one more thing, I know how it says online that it is normal part of women’s flora. but it doesn’t say it is much of normal for men to have it? that’s why I am so nervous that what if im spreading something bad to the guy im seeing. If this is honestly nothing to be worried about and im not harming my partner in any way by having this in my body, i will drop this subject after this.
 |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
10 months ago
|
Welcome back to the forum. I can understand your confusion. Back in the 1970s a fair amount of research suggested that both Mycoplasma hominis and ureaplasma could be associated with STI. However, those studies did not include people who are not at risk for STI. Subsequent research has clearly established that these organisms are part of the bacteria normally present in both male and female genital tracts. However, the misunderstanding about this has persisted. The situation is not been helped by the fact that laboratories continue the offer the test and the doctors are trained on the topics of sexual health.
The presence of ureaplasma parvum in your general tract is normal, and it can certainly be detected going forward. Sometimes the bacteria will be detectable other times it will not. This bacteria is also part of the bacteria normally found in male genital tracts.
Once again, I urge you to not worry about this and to not worry that you might have something you could transmit to your partner. EWH
--- |
10 months ago
|
hi, thank you for your response.
I appreciate you for educating me more on this. So to be clear, i should ignore the online info that says to treat it and that it is an STI? This wont ever give me or my partner “symptoms”, right? it’s just a naturally occurring bacteria?
|
10 months ago
|
People online say that it could give men symptoms and that’s why i was worried. As long as this is normal and won’t give him symptoms, I will move on from this.
|
10 months ago
|
also one more thing, I have a OBGYN appointment coming up. is this something worth mentioning to her? i think if i mentioned it to her and she thinks it’s an STI it is going to freak me out. do you think most obgyns are educated about this now?
|
10 months ago
|
Sorry about my multiple questions. The urgent care provider that told me it was an STI honestly really freaked me out and it caused me so much anxiety. i wish she had done research before calling me because she completely changed her opinion by the end of the phone call and agreed it wasn’t an STI.
|
Edward W. Hook M.D.
10 months ago
|
Clearly this entire experience has shaken you. I'm sorry for this. Your experience illustrates why seeking health care information obtained from the internet is such a problem. The internet would lead many to believe that every swollen lymph node is cancer and that every cough is pneumonia. In your case, lack of indepth sexual health training can add to the problem, particularly when it comes to (mis-)interpretation of laboratory tests. To the defense of generalists however, there is a huge amount of information to deal with and it can be hard to keep up with everything- particularly in settings such as urgent care clinics. Mycoplasma hominis and ureaplasma (both U. parvum and U. urealyticum) are a normal part of the human (male and female genital tract.
Regarding your Ob-Gyn, my advice would be rather than take a chance that your results may be mis-interpreted, I would suggest that you take an active role and tell her/him about your recent experience and what you've learned, rather than asking a question. EWH
--- |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
10 months ago
|
P.S. It is to her/his credit that the clinician you spoke with looked further into the (lack of) significance of your Ureaplasma test results when you questioned them. Not all clinicians would do so. EWH---
|
10 months ago
|
hi, thank you for taking the time to answer. And yes I agree with you, the NP took the time to do some research and I’m grateful she changed her opinion on it. It just scared me because a health professional said that, which led me to believe that I (and this forum) could be wrong. Now i know she was just misinformed. One last thing, since this is a normal part of the genital flora, it wouldn’t be a cause of symptoms in my partner right? he doesn’t have symptoms but in case he ever did, i would want to make sure that it is not because of u. parvum. This would never cause symptoms? i haven’t even mentioned this to him because i think it would freak him out, and because it is part of normal bacteria, i don’t have to mention it to him, correct? After this I am also going to seek therapy because I clearly have too much health anxiety (haha).
|
10 months ago
|
this whole thing is making me think I have discomfort while urinating but I’m pretty sure it’s just in my head. I just don’t want to be immoral or a bad partner by not telling the guy I’m seeing about this, but it’s normal and not an infection so i don’t have to tell him?
|
10 months ago
|
im also frightened that one day this going to be suddenly declared an STI and I will have to deal with it. This won’t happen right ?
|
Edward W. Hook M.D.
10 months ago
|
Sigh. You've gotten knocked off balance by this. I'm sorry for this. I'll repeat- Ureaplasma parvum is NOT an STI pathogen and your partner is NOT at risk because you had a positive test. It is NOT going to be declared an STI- it's been proven not to be and that prior associations with STI symptoms were off target. I suspect that because of this mess, you are on the "lookout" for symptoms in a way that leads you to notice normal sensations that you would otherwise ignore if you noticed them at all. Your tag name is "professional worrier" and in this situation it is an accurate description. You need to figure out how to move on.
As you know, we provide up to 3 responses to each client's questions. As this is my 3rd response, it will be my final one and the thread will be closed without further responses shortly. There should be no need to return to the Forum. I wish you the best. It's time to move forward. EWH
--- |
10 months ago
|
thank you doctor. I will not inform my partner of this because it is not needed, as you said. Thank you for dealing with me!!!!