Advice on getting tested

Hi, so as the thread title suggests I’m looking for advice on where to get tested? I have never actually ever been tested as until this year I’ve only been with four partners and have always took precautions and neither myself or partners have ever shown sti symptoms, it’s never been something I’ve ever thought about. Though still not showing any symptoms whatsoever, and will never have unprotected sex with an escort I have however given and received unprotected oral to now six escorts. I now think it should be best that if I keep on with my new hobby that I should however get into a habit of testing myself four times a year. I have just order a testing kit from Lloyds pharmacy for £60 I think it was. Having it delivered to work for extra discretion. But this seems rather pricey to me, unless if medication is prescribed, it is part of the price?
Firstly how accurate are these test? If they as accurate as the COVID ones then not at all!
Will I still have to pay if I go to a clinic anyway?
I have google places to get tested near me but don’t seem to be many and only seem to test for some sti’s, not all. What’s the point in getting for only half of possible sti’s? I want to test for all of them. I might get a negative result for chlamydia and carry on shagging when I could potentially have syphilis…
Also these testing places advertise for under 25 testing? Does this mean me being older, they won’t test me?

My advice is contact your local GUM clinic, they will give you the best qualified advice.

Be aware the £60 kits most likely will not contain oral swabs, oral swabs are required to test or oral gonorrhoea and chlamydia.

Regards the price for me to buy the full range of tests provided by the NHS clinic I would have to spend upwards of £120, I sometimes mix and match privately bought kits with services provided by sex-worker outreach (kits), and or the GUM clinic but currently my local GUM is providing full range of testing - the only problem is and always has been their very limited opening hours.

Regards do you have to go to the clinic, privately bought tests are separate from the NHS tests. As already posted I have used private tests, and some sent in the post from outreach, I have sometimes duplicated these by going to the clinic but the full range were on offer. In one case the reason for the duplicate was the length of wait for the check up, and also an appointment cancelled put back by two weeks due to staff shortages. I was not happy continuing to be untested so I bought home kits and used those. When I went to the clinic I had the full range, could say that is duplication but I am having sex with different partners even if all intercourse is protected. Nothing is 100%.

Also bear in mind there's a window period in which some STIs cannot be detected, so a duplicate meant I covered another period of time.

Ultimately advice from qualified staff is the best.

Lloyds Suggest

chlamydia & gonorrhoea: test at least 2 weeks after exposure
HIV: test at least 45 days after exposure
syphilis: test at least 12 weeks after exposure

Hi, thanks for the replies, very helpful. As an update, I received the test pack earlier this week and managed to send it back today. Will hopefully receive results this coming week. Was just a urine sample and blood sample so I’m unsure if I was to ever pick up an oral infection, would these tests ever detect it?

Mr Peebles Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi, thanks for the replies, very helpful. As an
> update, I received the test pack earlier this week
> and managed to send it back today. Will hopefully
> receive results this coming week. Was just a urine
> sample and blood sample so I’m unsure if I was to
> ever pick up an oral infection, would these tests
> ever detect it?


No you must have oral swabs to detect oral STIs such as gonorrhea and chlamydia in mouth and throat.

Blood tests and urine tests do not detect infections in the oral or throat cavity.

This is why it can cost a lot more than £60 for a comprehensive screening.

Did your purchase include Hep B testing, have you received Hep B vaccine?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 17/04/2022 08:07 by Ruth Strawberry.

Hepatitis B;

[www.nhs.uk]