Go Get Tested!
March 2, 2009 Posted in Advice, Body, Reality, Relationships, Sex
You hear it all the time – in sex ed class, during your yearly trip to the doctor, and during every commercial break on MTV: always use a condom.
But I think we all know that sometimes you can get really caught up in the heat of the moment and you might, well, forget to put one on. Or think to yourself, “I’m clean (and on the Pill), he’s clean – we’re fine!”
I’m not proud, but I know I’ve had a few moments like that. And never did I ever think anything would happen to me.
Until recently. I went in for my yearly PAP at my campus health center, where testing for Chlamydia and Ghonorrhea is standard procedure. I didn’t think much of it, until I got a call a couple days later to come back in to discuss the results. I got a little nervous, but I definitely didn’t think they would tell me I have an STD.
The doctor came in and told me that I had tested positive for Chlamydia.
I was shocked. She reassured me it was totally treatable and curable with some antibiotics; as soon as those were done I’d be free and clear.
Free and clear of the disease, maybe, but not of the trauma. Or embarassment. I had to think back to anyone I may have gotten the STD from, or given it to. Then I had to call the guy I hooked up with to tell him. He was the only man I’d been with and he was less than thrilled with the news. I felt guilty, but quickly caught myself; this wasn’t all my fault. I mean, we were both there.
After talking with a close friend, I calmed down and realized I’m lucky that it was only that, and not something I’d have to live with for the rest of my life. But I feel like it is. I may not have symptoms, but the reminder will always be there.
I know sometimes it seems like nothing will ever happen to you, but it can. It’s so important to practice safe sex, and more than that, it is absolutely essential that you get checked and tested every year. PAPs are probably one of the most uncomfortable things we will deal with, but they can save your life and prevent the spread of STDs through your campus.
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Nikki says:
Mon, 2nd Mar 20097:41 am
Good article.
However I find the part where she calls up the guy to tell him she tested positive and he was "less than impressed"… If he's the only guy you've been with; simple deduction tells us that it was him who passed you the disease. What is there to feel guilty about?? You took charge of your health and got yourself tested… more than can be said for the d*ck you hooked up with.
Sarah says:
Mon, 2nd Mar 20097:56 am
Anything life long is terrifying. So many people have herpes and don't even know it….. ish.
belle says:
Mon, 2nd Mar 20098:20 am
@ Nicole – I feel like anyone would be less than impressed to find out they might have an STD. Of course she shouldn't feel guilty; they made the choice together. But, chlamydia symptoms are usually mild or absent, so who knows how long she had it for. (Unless by only guy, she meant she lost her v-card to the dude…that would be super douche-y of him.) Also, everyone who hasn't should get the Gardasil vaccine – no body wants warts or even worse, cervical and anal cancer.
X says:
Mon, 2nd Mar 20098:49 am
Thank you for writing about this! A lot of my college peers feel that they are invincible and I fear that for some of them, their overconfidence is going to catch up with them eventually. Many campuses offer testing for HIV and STIs (since they are officially called "infections" now). If you can't afford to pay or you don't want to spend money, it is worth searching online for places in your community that will test you for free and even get your results back to you the same day WITHOUT drawing blood. Even if you are 99.99% sure that you're clean, you won't lose anything by getting tested and neither will your future partners.
maddie says:
Mon, 2nd Mar 200912:10 pm
@belle- you can get chlamydia through oral sex, so the v-card is not even a necessary factor here. regardless of how she contracted it, that's still a scary thing to happen. this just happened to my friend and she was really upset about it… i think a lot of people are hesitant to say to their partners, hey, let's get an std test (especially since, as you said belle, chlamydia can be symptomless for some time), but if it's too awkward to bring up with your partner then you shouldn't be doing anything because it's too big of a risk. my friend just kept thinking, what if it was HIV or something else more permanent? i think everyone could benefit by being a little extra careful, even though it may seem paranoid or like you're a buzzkill to others.
Lucy says:
Mon, 2nd Mar 20094:36 pm
I have wanted to get tested for over a year and finally I did. I live in a conservative state with hardly any funding for things like that, but if you look around you can find places that do it for free. You have no idea what a HUGE relief it is to find out you don't have anything…or even if you do, at least you know. It seems as though girls are more willing to get tested than guys, though.
sara says:
Sat, 7th Mar 20094:05 pm
I was sooooo nervous to get tested even though I used a condom every time. I was fine and it was such a relief knowing! But I don't think I could ever ask a guy to go get tested, no matter how comfortable our relationship was. I just can't see those words coming out of my mouth! Also, I couldn't imagine calling up a partner and admitting you have an STD… that takes balls girl! Good job!
Anon says:
Thu, 12th Mar 20095:10 pm
I got it once too, I was too trusting of an older guy. It was awful for sure, and he treated it like it was my fault, though this would be impossible since I hadn't had sex in a long time and had been tested since then. It's uber embarassing and makes you feel totally gross, but life goes on. Always wear condoms. Always. You can never trust a guy until there's a ring on your finger.