The Doctor Is In: Do I Have an STD?

By CC Staff

Talking sex with your doctor isn’t always easy. Whether you are afraid she will judge you,  you just don’t feel comfortable sharing the intimate details of your life between the sheets, or you can’t think straight with a speculum between your legs, many people get tight lipped in the doctor’s office. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have questions.

We thought we’d help and every Thursday our friend Dr. Lissa Rankin will be answering your questions. The ones you couldn’t ask your doctor in person. Just leave your questions in the comments, or send em over to us. (We’ll keep it all anonymous for you.) Dr. Lissa will answer anything – really, anything – about sex and other lady things. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: I have had lower abdominal pain, sexual intercourse burns or hurts at times, it burns like hell when I urinate after sex and at night I get shooting pains across my lower abdomen and almost feels like I’m passing a kidney stone. (I have a huge history of these).  There is no discharge and no blood in my urine, but it is painful to urinate at times (like a knife is going through me) and I urinate frequently and feel the need to right after I void. Could this be an STD or a kidney/bladder infection?  I’m getting worried and I don’t know what to do.

A: Oh, honey. Ouch! That sounds miserable. Unfortunately, your situation is one that I really can’t help with over the internet. It’s too complex. I’d need to know how long this has been happening (since you first lost your virginity or just this week?). I’d need to know whether you have a fever. Your condition could be one of many things.

In answer to your question, yes, it could be an STD, such as gonorrhea or Chlamydia, which can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID usually causes severe abdominal pain, fever, and often, increases vaginal discharge. But the urinary symptoms don’t fit with that.

The frequent urination, urgency, and painful urination all fit with a bladder infection. But it could also be a kidney stone, which causes severe colicky pain, usually on just one side, along with blood in the urine.

As for the pain with sex, that could be related to whatever else is going on, or it could be something else altogether.

You need to see a doctor right away, girlfriend. Get thee to a gynecologist, and peace be with you.