Written by Lauren Bedosky
A positive sexually transmitted disease (STD) result can bring up a flurry of frantic questions. Who gave it to me? Have I given it to someone else? Am I going to be OK?
While those worries are warranted, it’s important to know that—despite how isolating your results might feel—you’re far from alone. Roughly 20 million new sexually transmitted infections are diagnosed and reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year in the United States. [1]
And better news: Your outlook for treatment is pretty good. [2]
All STDs are either curable or manageable once diagnosed, says Jenelle Marie Pierce, executive director of TheSTIProject.com [3,4]. Some can be cured with a single dose of antibiotics. And although some STDs can last a lifetime, most symptoms can be easily managed through medication. [5]
If you suspect you have an STD or have engaged in sex recently, it’s important to get tested. And if you do come back with a positive diagnosis, you can take control. Here’s your four-step plan.
Take Control Tip #1: Keep Up with Regular STD Testing
Even if your STD clears up, it’s possible to get that kind of infection again—or to catch a new type of STD [11,15]. That’s why it’s important to get tested if you:
● Have multiple sex partners
● Are involved with a partner who has an STD
● Are pregnant
● Plan on having sex with a new partner
If you’re sexually active, you need to prioritize regular testing for STDs. Get yours now. And regardless of the results, remember that sexual health is key for overall health and wellness. Get tested as frequently as you can, practice safe sex, and keep communication open with your partners.
Take Control Tip #2: Call Your Doctor
While many STDs aren’t serious, some can cause long-term complications, such as infertility, pelvic pain, and heart disease [6], if they aren’t treated. If you’re pregnant and have an STD, it’s especially important to get treated. Otherwise, you might have pregnancy complications and pass the disease along to your baby.
So if you’ve tested positive for an STD, your very first to-do is a visit with your primary care doctor or OB-GYN. [7]
“Thankfully, we have the technology and resources to help, so if you’re diagnosed with an STD, take some deep breaths. We can help create a management plan,” says Christine Carlan Greves, M.D., a board-certified OB-GYN at the Center of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies Medical Group.
Dr. Greves outlines the two most common treatment options for an STD: [7]
1. Antibiotics can treat bacterial and parasitic infections, like gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis [10]. The number of doses and the length treatment varies depending on the infection. Chlamydia, for example, can be cured with a single dose, according to the CDC (11]. Meanwhile, syphilis is easy to cure with one dose of antibiotics in the early stages of an infection, but in later stages, it often requires three doses administered at weekly intervals [12].
No matter which infection you have, it’s important to finish the course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor [11,13]. Antibiotics often stop the infection, but some types of bacteria—gonorrhea in particular—have developed resistance to medication. So if your gonorrhea symptoms stick around for more than a few days after you receive treatment, it’s important visit your doctor for reevaluation. [13]
2. Antiviral drugs are used to treat STDs caused by viruses, such as herpes and HIV [10]. While viral STDs can’t be cured, medications can help you manage symptoms. If you have genital herpes, for example, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication to take only when you have symptoms of an outbreak [10]. HIV, on the other hand, must be managed with daily medication to prevent the virus from multiplying and causing more damage to your immune system. Antiviral medications can lower your risk of transmitting the infection to others, but the risk never goes away. Therefore, it’s important to practice safe sex at all times.
Test positive for chlamydia or trichomoniasis? LetsGetChecked offers prescriptions for these so you can start feeling better soon.
Your doctor plays a key role in your STD support system, so if they make you feel uncomfortable or ashamed about your diagnosis, consider finding someone else. “Always remember that you deserve empathetic, shame-free, and inclusive professional healthcare,” Pierce says.
In addition to your treatment plan, your doctor might talk with you about some other important topics: [15]
● Who to inform (in addition to partners, most states require you to report certain STDs to your local or state health department)
● How to prevent other infections in the future
● How to manage symptoms (if your infection is lifelong)
● Where to find emotional support
Take Control Tip #3: Talk With Your Sexual Partners
Sharing an STD diagnosis with sexual partners can be a particularly difficult part of testing positive—if not the most difficult. But it’s also one of the most important. Communicating with partners about the diagnosis allows them to take steps to protect their own health—and the health of other sexual partners. Reach out to partners you’ve had over the past three months to one year, and be sure to tell future partners as well if the STD isn’t curable.
Still, it can be awkward—or even scary—to tell past and current sexual partners about your diagnosis. If the idea makes you cringe, consider trying a free service that sends an anonymous text or email notification to your past partners [16]. Many local health departments also offer this service.
If you’ve been diagnosed with a lifelong STD, talk with your doctor about the best ways to prevent transmitting it to others. If you have a curable STD, just abstain from sex until you’re no longer infectious. Your doctor can provide guidance on this, however. Sometimes retesting and treatment may be required.
Once you do start to have sex again, keep these safe sex best practices in mind: [17,18]
● Use condoms each time you have sex (and keep in mind that you can still get or transmit certain STDs, like herpes, from skin contact even when using a condom).
● Make sure you and your partner get tested for an STD before having sex.
Take Control Tip #4: Seek Out Support
An STD diagnosis often comes as a shock. “It can be easy to get stuck in your head about your diagnosis and what it might mean about you and your life going forward,” Pierce says. But that’s normal, she says. And it’s OK if you need help coping with your diagnosis.
Pierce recommends trying virtual or in-person support groups, talk therapy, confiding in close friends or family members, and learning as much about your condition that you can.
“The more you understand about your infection, the stigma associated with STDs, and the more stories you hear, the more likely you are to come out of this experience feeling sexually healthy, empowered, and confident,” she says.
References
-
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Adolescents and Young Adults
https://www.cdc.gov/std/life-stages-populations/adolescents-youngadults.htm -
Oregon Health & Science University
Mercury, Marriage, and Magic Bullets: Four Centuries of STD Prevention and Treatment
https://www.ohsu.edu/historical-collections-archives/mercury-marriage-and-magic-bullets-four-centuries-std-prevention -
The STI Project
https://thestiproject.com/ -
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
Diseases & Related Conditions
https://www.cdc.gov/std/general/default.htm -
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/sexually-transmitted-diseases -
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
STDs during Pregnancy - CDC Fact Sheet
https://www.cdc.gov/std/pregnancy/stdfact-pregnancy.htm -
Orlando Health
Christine Carlan Greves, MD - Obstetrics & Gynecology
https://www.orlandohealth.com/physician-finder/christine-carlan-greves-md#/overview?hcmacid=a0bi000000IJHB8AAP -
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Treatments for Specific Types of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STDs/STIs)
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/stds/conditioninfo/specific -
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
Chlamydia Treatment and Care
https://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/treatment.htm -
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
Syphilis Treatment and Care
https://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/treatment.htm -
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
Gonorrhea Treatment and Care
https://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/treatment.htm -
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
What is HIV treatment?
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/livingwithhiv/treatment.html -
Mayo Clinic
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
Diagnosis & Treatment
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sexually-transmitted-diseases-stds/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351246 -
Tell Your Partner
https://tellyourpartner.org/ -
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Lowdown on How to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases
https://www.cdc.gov/std/prevention/lowdown/index.html -
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
What are the treatments for sexually transmitted diseases and sexually transmitted infections (STDs/STIs)?
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/stds/conditioninfo/treatments -
Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services
About Us
http://comprehendthemind.com/about-us/ -
STI Project
Support Groups
https://thestiproject.com/std-support-groups/ -
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
Which STD Tests Should I Get?
https://www.cdc.gov/std/prevention/screeningreccs.htm
