[Question #12503] Std risks next steps

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7 months ago
So I was drinking last night and made some mistakes...
I received unprotected oral sex and had unprotected vaginal set with someone I met yesterday.

We didn't finish, I guess my brain started working, but it was long enough inserted to be relevant I believe. Something like 30 to 45s. 

This was just last night, and this morning we spoke briefly. She told me she doesn't think I need to worry, she says she doesn't do this often, and that she was tested about 2 years ago and had nothing. She also said she's only had a few partners, typically longer term, since then.

I know she probably had little reason to lie, but who knows.

So I'm just wondering (while I sit here not believing how dumb I am) , what should I do? Pep? Anything I can do for non hiv stds?

Looking for next steps here mostly. 

Thanks.

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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
7 months ago
Welcome back to the forum. Thank you for your continued confidence in our services.

As maybe discussed in one of your earlier questions, STDs are quite uncommon after any single sexual exposure, even unprotected. Even among very sexually active persons, most have no important or transmissible STD at any point in time. And it sounds like your recent partner is especially unlikely to have an active STD. While of course I would advise condoms for any new, one-off partnership, I would describe testing for anything as optional in this situation. Certainly the large majority of dating singles would not test after every new sexual experience of this sort. The chance such a person has HIV in particular is exceedingly low; and even if she did, the transmission risk for any single exposure would be well under one chance in a thousand.

So you absolutely do not need PEP to prevent HIV. If you'd like the reassurance of negative test result, you're free to do that. If so, I would advise only a urine test for gonorrhea and chlamydia, which will be valid any time 4-5 days or more after exposures; and blood tests for syphilis and HIV after 6 weeks. For even further reassurance, why not contact your partner and suggest you both be tested? From your description of the situation, it sounds like your questions might have worried her; you might find she would also like the reassurance of knowing you are free of infection as well.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD
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7 months ago
Thanks for the answers.
Couple quick questions if thats ok...

Based on your answers - should I wait some time before any other partners just to be sure? Or would I be ok (I guess statistically speaking) to essentially move on from this? (This is my assumption based around your opinion that testing from this scenario would be optional)

I'm just worried about passing something to someone, because the truth is even if the chance is exceedingly low, its still technically there. And for some reason my brain stresses about a 0.1% chance as much as a 50% chance.

Lastly, I know this is a sexual health forum, but if you have any advice/suggestions for dealing with some mental issues around stress, and preventing mistakes like this, I'm all ears.

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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
7 months ago
The possibility you acquired any STI is nowhere near 50%; hard to imagine where that comes from. I would put the chance much closer to 0.1%, probably less than that -- i.e. under one chance in a thousand. As I said above, you can cover the remote possibilities by a urine gonorrhea/chlamydia test any time, and blood tests for HIV and syphilis in a few weeks. 

Correct, we're not mental health counselors. All we can do is provide the STD related facts and our clinical judgment from nearly 5 decades in the STD business. Using that information to help calm your anxieties is up to you. But at a minimum, you can understand these facts and presumably get some comfort from them. 
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7 months ago
Thanks.

Sorry about the confusion of the 0.1% and 50%. I know it's not 50%, I was saying I worry as if it was, even if it's no where near that. 

Thx for the responses. Feel free to close. 
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
7 months ago
Thanks for clarifying -- sorry I misread your comment, but glad to know you have a realistic understanding of the risks.

That ends this thread. Best wishes and stay safe.
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