Barry will be in a few hours next week. But after May 14 he will be off until August 23rd.

Lori is here through June 30 and will restart her office hours August 2nd. She can be reached at 726-5027 to schedule an appointment. 

HOW TO TALK TO YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER ABOUT GETTING TESTED

You can’t assume that you – or your health care provider for that matter – would know if you had an STD as most show NO symptoms. That’s right, you can’t tell just by “looking”. Getting tested is the only way to know for sure. Giving blood or having a pap smear does not mean you are tested for STDs. In fact, unless you specifically ask to be tested odds are you haven’t been. There is no “one test” for STDs. Another reason you need to talk with your health care provider to determine what STDs you should be tested for.So - Get Yourself Talking and Tested. GYT is here to help make this easy on you.

MAKING AN APPOINTMENT

Not sure where to go to find a testing center near you? Text your zipcode to GYTNOW (468669) or enter your zipcode in the finder on the right.

When you call to make your appointment, be sure to say that you want to get tested for STDs.  If you want to talk with your health care provider before your exam, say so. That way you can get your questions out of the way up front, before the exam begins. When you call, you can also ask what the cost for the tests will be (if you are paying yourself). If the cost is a concern, ask if they offer free testing or testing on a sliding scale where the cost is adjusted based on what you can afford.

BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT

Questions pop up at random times, and in the back of your head you’re like, ‘I’m going to ask the doctor about that!’ –but then you’ll totally forget to ask. So think through any questions you might have, write them down, and bring the list with you. If you’ve noticed something going on “down there” make a note of it.

There are no dumb questions. After all, this is YOUR visit. Anything you can think of to ask a health care provider about, from changes in your body to mysterious bumps, to how infections might or might not be transmitted—they’ve most definitely heard it before and won’t be shocked. There’s no better person to address your sexual health questions to then your health care provider —even whether you’re ready to even have sex or questions about your relationship.

Read up. It’s always helpful to have your facts straight before you get there. GYTNOW.org has all kinds of info on STDs. You can watch a video online that follows VJ Carlos Santos as he gets tested so you know what to expect at your testing appointment.

DAY OF YOUR APPOINTMENT

Show up.
Bring along your friend, sister, or bf/gf with you if you feel nervous. Maybe they will decide to join you, share in the testing love, and GYT.  Your friend might even be allowed into the exam room—just ask your health care provider if it’s okay beforehand.

Take the Lead.
Health care providers don’t always bring up getting tested for STDs including HIV. So don’t assume that if they don’t bring it up that you’re STD free. The only way to know is to GYT.

Maybe you are seeing your doctor for something altogether different. You might as well use the opportunity to check in on your sexual health, too. Your health care provider—especially if s/he’s known you for a long time—might not realize you’ve become sexually active. Therefore, they may not bring up STD testing. Take the lead and bring it up.

Just Ask.
So, you have to ask. You may feel a little nervous or embarrassed asking to be tested – that’s okay, a lot of people do. STDs are very common, so this is nothing new to your doctor. They do this every day. Ask away – spit it out however you can. Let her/him know you’d like to be tested for STDs. You are doing the right thing. Asking to be tested shows that you are taking care of your sex life.

Be Honest.
As part of your exam you might be asked what seems like a lot of very personal questions about your sex life. They are not doing this to judge you or be nosy – they’re there to help you stay healthy.  You may feel a little embarrassed, but the best way that they can help you is if you answer truthfully about your sex life.

Some of the types of questions they might ask you include:

  * How many sexual partners have you had recently?
  * How many sexual partners have you had in your lifetime?
  * Do you have sex with women, men, or both?
  * Do you have oral sex?
  * Do you have anal sex?
  * Do you use condoms?
  * Do you have symptoms – What is different from what you normally experience?
  * Have you had symptoms in the past?
  * Have you ever had a sexually transmitted disease (STD)?
  * Have you ever used over-the-counter medications to treat your symptoms?
  * Do you know if your partner (s) have any STDs or symptoms of STDs? Has your partner (s) told you that you need to be treated for an STD? What STDs was your partner tested for?
  * Do you have any drug allergies?
  * If you’re a woman, when was your last period?

Be Proactive:
Once you’ve answered the health care provider’s questions, be sure to ask what’s going to happen next. Are they going to test you for any STDs? What STDs are they going to test you for and how do the tests work? Make sure you know what’s going on so you can determine together how to move forward. Remember that there isn’t one test for all STDs, so be sure to ask which STDs they are testing you for.

Since you’re already having a heart-to-heart with your health care provider (or at least getting all the facts and getting tested for STDs!), have a conversation about protecting yourself in the future. That means asking about which birth control method might be best for you in addition to using condoms (cause they’re THE only way to prevent against unintended pregnancy and STDs). Learn more about condoms here.

If you have anything else you have on your mind about your relationships or sexual health – now is a good time to bring it up.

Before you Leave -Follow up.
Before you leave, be sure to ask the health care provider when you’ll get the test results, and if they will call you or if you should call them. If you don’t hear anything in the timeframe they’ve given you, call to follow up. Just say, “I was there for an appointment X weeks ago, and I’m calling to get my test results.” They’ll transfer you to a nurse or the doctor, who can explain the results and any action you need to take including a treatment plan if you test positive.

What if I Have Something???
Breathe. If you do have an STD, remember that many STDs are curable and ALL are treatable. Talk to your health care provider about your treatment plan. Be sure to ask a lot of questions so that you understand next steps. Talk to your doctor about how to best tell your partner/s about this so they can be sure to get tested and treated, too, if necessary.