Recent research finds doctors frequently do not discuss sexual health issues with patients.

Talking to our health care provider about sexual health issues at times can be a frustrating experience. Health care professionals are very busy people, frequently they have only 15-30 minutes per appointment to evaluate and treat their patients. Often times they are double booked in appointment slots, have surgical or clinical procedures scheduled, and administrative tasks they must attend to. For the health care professional time is a premium commodity, they never seem to have enough of it.

Sexual health information is far too often relegated to a pamphlet handed to you by a doctor or nurse. We need more than a simple piece of paper with a website highlighted, we need frank, open and informative feedback from our health care providers regarding our sexual health. Below is an excerpt from a recent article from the website health day.com. About findings from recent research from the University of Chicago Medical Center that speaks to this very issue.

{"We found that these women valued sexuality and participated in sexual relationships and activities at a rate similar to women who had not been through cancer treatment, but they were not adequately prepared for the sexual issues that their cancer or its treatment introduced," study author Dr. Stacy Lindau said in a prepared statement. The sexual problems included pain and limited lubrication.

Two out of three women whose reproductive and sexual organs were severely compromised by the treatment also reported that their doctors never brought up sex, according to the study.
Writing in the August issue of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center researchers expressed concern that if doctors are not discussing the impact of medical treatment on sexuality under these circumstances, sexual health was even less likely to be discussed in other situations, particularly with older women. Previous studies have shown that patients are themselves reluctant to bring up sexual issues. (1)}

It is unfortunate that these finding do not surprise me. The patient to health care provider conversation is typically driven by the health care provider. They ask the questions you provide answers. In regards to sexual health, and general health as well, patients can do a few things that might change this conversation dynamic.

1) Prepare for your appointment: If you are visiting your health care provider for a particular issue take a few moments to research the issue your self. There are several resources you might consult including: http://webmd.com/ , http://medlineplus.gov/ , and for sexually transmitted diseases http://cdc.gov/ .
2) Based upon your research develop a list of questions that you can take to your appointment.
3) Make a list of your symptoms to take with you .

We often remember important questions we should have asked or information we should have notified our provider about as we are walking to our car. Doing these three things will help prepare you for your appointment, using the information you have researched will allow you to provide your provider with important information regarding your visit, and will allow you to initiate conversation specific to your concerns. Most providers are willing to answer any questions you might have.

In upcoming blog entries I will address information related to important questions about common sexually transmitted diseases. Please feel free to comment on this and other blog entries. Your feedback will help me make this blog a worthwhile resource. Thank you.
Linden.

(1). http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=606676

theHPVtest.com web site primer

I was recently asked if I would be interested in adding a logo from Digene Corp to this blog site, Digene Corp developed and manufacture a DNA based Human Papilloma (HPV) test. In 2003, Digene® HPV Test was approved for routine use along with a Pap in women age 30 years and older, the group considered most at risk for cervical cancer (1).

I am quite familiar with this test and decided that I would review their website. The site provides clear and concise information regarding HPV and the HPV test. I would encourage women of all ages to review the site. Of particular interest to me are the HPV myth vs. Fact quizzes the site offers. I took the quiz and once I completed the quiz and received my score I was presented with the percentile of respondents who answered the quiz questions correctly. Not surprisingly the first question asked: The cause for Cervical Cancer is unknown - Myth or Fact was incorrectly answered by 31% of the respondents. It looks as if I have more work to do!
OK, OK, I'll give you my score, I answered 11 out of 11 questions correctly.

After reviewing the remaining portions of their site I found myself truly impressed. The people at Digene have developed an outstanding resource for HPV information. It is written without much of the medically mystifying terminology that I so abhor, the interface is easily navigated, and the site informative. I will post more regarding this outstanding resource and the HPV test in upcoming additions. If you have a moment utilize the link I have provided above the prominently displayed Digene logo on the top right of my blog, or just use the link below to take you to their site.

(1) http://www.thehpvtest.com/under-30/HPV-test-the-pap-HPV-faq.html#whatis

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Living with HSV: Factors that can instigate outbreaks

In my earlier article "Understanding the dynamics of a herpes outbreak", I explained that individuals who have Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (HSV2) have different outbreak timelines (if you have not read the above article I would encourage you do to so it might make understanding the following information a bit easier). Some people with HSV2 will have outbreaks about 4-5 times per year, some will have them as if their body were on a schedule say every 6 weeks the outbreak occurs, others will have maybe just a one single episode, while some will have them seemingly monthly, and still others may never have an outbreak.

For most people being diagnosed with Herpes is an alarming, life changing event. The social stigma related to this viral disease process is ever present in the minds of those who have Herpes. Trying understand how this virus affects us while attempting to comprehend the medical terminology related to this virus can be frustrating. My mission is to present information related to sexual health and sexually transmitted diseases in a easy to understand language. Basically, I'm here to rid you of the burden of the confusing and for some intimidating medical information related to your sexual health. Let's move on.

In much of the medical information available regarding Herpes you will find that there are some "Predisposing Factors" that can instigate a Herpes outbreaks. The most common "predisposing factors" are typically identified as 1) Stress 2)Prolonged exposure to sunlight 3) Being Immunocompromised. Some of these factors may be fairly easy to understand, but for many they are perplexing to say the least . Don't let that deter you, some of these factors are not even well understood by the medical community.

Lets look at how these factors might instigate a herpes outbreak.

Stress: Once herpes enters the body it attaches to a nerve and travels up that nerve to nerve branches near the spine called the "Spinal Ganglia". Once it reaches the Spinal Ganglia it becomes dormant or goes into a sleep mode. As you might imagine as we encounter stressful events our nervous system is activated or agitated. The Spinal Ganglia are an essential part of our nervous system, as we come under stress the Herpes virus which has now in essence attached itself to our nervous system can be awakened from it's dormant state by this stress event that affects the Spinal Ganglia. Once awakened the virus travels back down the same nerve path through which it initially traveled to our spinal area. Finally, as the virus travels down the nerve it irritates the nerve and skin causing the lesions that are typically associated with Herpes.

Exposure to sunlight: How intense or prolonged exposure to sunlight can lead to an outbreak of Herpes is not well understood. This catalyst for Herpes outbreaks is more often associated with Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV1). HSV1 is the viral strain of Herpes associated with Oral Herpes or cold sores.

Being Immunocompromised: I know this sounds scary, quite often we here this term associated with disease processes such as Cancer and HIV. To be "immunocompromised" in relationship to Herpes simply means that our immune system is being utilized to fight off some other form of illness, or it is not able to function at it's normal capacity. If you have a cold your immune system is activated to defend you against the particular virus causing the cold. If you have pneumonia the immune system jumps into the fight against the bacteria or virus that is causing your pneumonia. There are times when our immune system can be affected by things other than illness. If you are participating in prolonged activities that require a high level of physical exertion with poor recovery periods your immune system can be adversely affected. We see this type of immunocompromise in men and women attending military basic training, or in service members who live in austere environments for prolonged periods, and in those who are live in hostile environments or are in combat. When your immune system is otherwise engaged with these other processes, or is unable to function properly, Herpes has an opportunity to rear it's ugly head manifest in a Herpes outbreak.

These "predisposing factors" can be interrelated. If you have the flu and are missing work because of your illness you may well be temporarily immunocompromised due to the illness, and you may be under stress because of missed work assignments or projects left unattended due to your illness. The presence of these factors may be enough to instigate a Herpes outbreak.

If you have Herpes it is important to understand how this viral disease process interacts with your body, how it might effect your sexual health, and certainly the effects it may have regarding sexual relationships. It is my hope that through enhancing your understanding of Herpes you might lighten the emotional burden so often prevalent in those effected by this virus.

STD's and Pregnancy

Are STD's in pregnant women common a common occurance? According to the Center for Disease Control there are an estimated 800,000 pregnant women infected with Bacterial Vaginosis, 800,000 infected with Herpes Simplex, and 80,000 infected with Chlamydia each year. An estimated 2 million pregnant women are infected with an STD each year.
If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or trying to become pregnant, keeping the following list for your first maternity appointment might be a good idea. Additionally, if you know that you are pregnant you should ask your doctor about getting tested for the following sexually transmitted diseases: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, Syphilis, and Bacterial Vaginosis. Some doctors do not routinely screen for the STD's listed here therefore you may have to specifically request to be tested for them, most health care providers are more than happy to accommodate your request.
Women who are pregnant can contract STD's during their pregnancy, therefore it is suggested that not only should you be tested for the STD's listed above when you become pregnant, usually during your first prenatal visit, but also later in your pregnancy as your due date approaches. Complications related to acquiring an STD while a woman is pregnant may actually be more severe for both the mother and the baby. These complications can be life threatening both for mother and baby! A pregnant woman with an STD may experience premature labor, early rupture of the membrane that protects the baby inside the womb, and infection of the uterus after she has delivered the baby.
HIV can infect the baby as it moves through the birth canal during delivery, or while the baby is still in the womb. HIV may also be passed from mother to infant during breast feeding as well. Some STD's such as Gonorrhea,Chlamydia,Hepatitis B, or Herpes can be passed from to mother to baby during vaginal child birth. Syphilis may be passed from mother to baby through the placenta while the baby is still in the womb. Women with pre-existing Genital Herpes should inform their doctor that they have been diagnosed with Herpes. Frequently, the doctor who delivers the baby will choose to perform the delivery by cesarean section or C-Section to avoid having the baby potentially exposed to Herpes.
If a pregnant woman is diagnosed with Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Trichomoniasis or Bacterial Vaginosis both the mother and the baby can be treated with antibiotics during the pregnancy. However, a follow up test for STD's is often performed after the antibiotic treatment is complete to ensure the antibiotic was effective.
The best way to protect you and your baby from sexually transmitted diseases during pregnancy is through abstaining from unprotected sexual contact with non-monogamous sexual partners. Latex condoms can reduce your risk of contracting Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Trichomoniasis, and HIV. However, condoms are only effective deterrents to contracting STD's with consistent and correct use. It is believed that condoms may not provide adequate protection against the transmission of Human Papillomavirus or Herpes. If you have questions or concerns regarding sexually transmitted diseases, their transmission, or testing related to STD's during pregnancy it is recommended that you seek the advice of your doctor.

HPV, Pap Tests, and Cervical Cancer

So you've put off your Pap test again, why? It's like driving down the interstate doing 85 mph while not wearing your seatbelt, it's so easy not to reach over, pull that seat belt over you and hear that comforting click. We know we shouldn't do it (not wear a seat belt), but somehow we still do. As you well know that type of avoidant behavior can be dangerous, there are thousands killed in auto accidents each year, many of which were not wearing their seatbelts. When we hear the news person tell us, "It is believed she wasn't wearing her seat belt", we look at each other with that knowing gaze, the question poised on our face. Why?
Why indeed? Don't we continually remind teenagers, loved ones, even ourselves, don't forget your seatbelt'! Putting off your Pap test can be an avoidant behavior similar to not wearing a seatbelt and nearly as dangerous. We know we shouldn't do it but somehow we still do. Approximately 20 million people or 15% of the U.S. population currently are infected with Human Papilloma Virus (1), a virus that is known to be attributable to cervical cancer. Not being medically screened for HPV puts you at risk for cervical cancer.
Read carefully: Approximately half of all cervical cancers occur in women who have never been screened (2). That is an amazing statistic! Do half of the people who have never been tested for HIV actually acquire HIV? No. At one time cervical cancer was responsible for more deaths in women than any other form of cancer! The advent of Pap screening has been the single most important factor in the dramatic decrease of mortality in women due to cervical cancer.
When should you get tested? Recommendations on scheduled screening from the US Preventive Service Task Force, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Cancer Society range from annually, to every 2-3 years. Several factors such as age of initial sexual activity (all recommend that girls get tested within 3 years of the onset of sexual activity), your current age, and results of prior tests all play a part in when it is recommended that a woman be screened for HPV. It is best to consult with your doctor as to when your next test should be and how frequently you should be tested; the important thing is to ask. If you have never been tested you should be tested as soon as possible.
A recent U.S. survey indicated that only 23% of women knew that HPV was a primary cause for cervical cancer, less than half of U.S. women were aware that HPV existed (3). Just as most people would probably prefer the protection of a seatbelt during an accident. Pap tests are a figurative seatbelt, they provide the opportunity of early identification and medical intervention for women facing the menace of HPV, and cervical cancer. If you have not been tested, or if it has been several years since you were last tested for HPV, pick up the phone, call your doctor or health clinic and make an appointment to do so! And remember to wear your seatbelt!

1. Cates W, Jr. Estimates of the incidence and prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in the United States. American Social Health Association Panel. 1999

2. Hildesheim A, Herrero R, Castle P, et al. HPV co-factors related to the development of cervical cancer: results from a population-based study in Costa Rica. Br J Cancer. 2001

3. Association of Reproductive Health Professionals. HPV Survey Executive Summary. Available at www.ahrp.org/HPVsurvey/executivesummary.cfm

Dynamics of a Herpes Outbreak.

How many of the 45 million people in the U.S. infected with Herpes understand how Herpes lesions manifest in outbreaks? Unfortunately, I believe that very few people who have Herpes understand the viral disease process that is Herpes. Many are unaware that there are two primary Herpes viruses, Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV1) and Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV2). These two viral strains of Herpes are typically classified as Oral Herpes (HSV1) and Genital Herpes (HSV2). The list of myth, misinformation and urban legend ascribed to Herpes is so long that I would need to creat a seperate blog to discuss it. In this blog entry I will attempted to represent my understanding of the dynamics of a herpes outbreak in a manner that the average Joe or Joe Ann might comprehend . I do this not to insult your intelligence but to break through much of the confusing medical terminology that healthcare professionals so often utilize. To do this we must first look into how Herpes is contracted.




(I will concentrate on HSV2 for the sake of brevity, as I discuss Herpes throughout the remainder of this entry I simply will use HSV as the discriptor for HSV2.)




We contract (or get) HSV through "intimate" (sexual) skin to skin contact with another person who has HSV. It is important to note that the virus does not have to be located on the penis or vagina to be transmitted. As you well know there is alot of skin to skin contact going on when we have sex and the virus may be located anywhere in the gential region, it could be on the inner thighs, in the groin region, the pubic region (the area directly above and around the penis or vagina), it may even be located on the lower abdomen or buttocks.




When Herpes from one partner is transmitted to another partner the virus migrates through the skin of the person being infected, it attaches to a nerve found in the inner layer of skin. It then travels up that nerve until it reaches the spinal ganglia which are nerves that branch off of the spine. It is here (spinal ganglia) where the virus basically sets up shop.




So your probably thinking, if the virus lives in nerves that branch off of the spine how does it cause outbreaks of lesions in the genital region. I mean really come on it sounds alittle far fetched doesn't it, how does some little virus hanging out in nerves located near the spine cause these annoying outbreaks. Well periodically this little virus rears its ugly head and travels right back down that same nerve system it took on its way up to the area near the spine. As it moves along this nerve it can irritate the nerve, and an irriated nerve sends signals like itching, burning, tingeling sensations in the genital region where the outbreak will soon occur. Medical professionals who use complicated medical terminology that we don't normally understand call this the "Prodromal Syndrome". Now to me that just sounds scarry. What, now not only do you have to worry about this annoying virus but now theres a "syndrome" you have to deal with. Yikes! Well fortunately it's not as scarry as it sounds, I call this Prodromal Syndrome the "Outbreak Signal", ahh there that sound alot less scarry.


Usually about 12-24 hours after the "Outbreak Signal" signals begin the virus will manifest in the genital region as small fluid filled blisters (scarry medical term "Vesicular Lesions"), normally in or near the exact same area where it was initally "contracted". Not everyone with HSV will have this "Outbreak Signal". Some individuals who have HSV may never manifest lesions or may not notice that they have lesions representative of HSV. Others may have outbreaks about 4-5 times per year, some may have outbreaks more frequently, while still others may never manifest any signs or symptoms of HSV. These individuals who never manifest any symptoms yet still have HSV are said to by patients who "asymptomatically sheed" the virus.



Here we find another in the long line of medical terms that can be confusing. "Asymptomatic" sounds like a condition or state where someone has symptoms, or maybe only "A" or 1 symptom related to a disease process. To "asymptomomatically" sheed anything sounds like something I would really prefer not to have any part of. However, this confusing term means simply to be without symptoms (a=without). When one is considered Aphasic or to have Aphasia they are said to be unable to use or understand language or speech. A (without) + Phasia (speech) = Aphasia (without speech). Thus asymptomatic would mean without symptoms. So the person who is asymptomatic would sheed the virus through there skin yet show no symptoms.



Whats that you say, wait stop right here, hold up a minute, run that last part back again. OK, yes there are individuals who have HSV AND have no signs, symptoms, bruises, bumps, sores, lesions..... NOTHING. Ahhh, now your beginning to understand. Its a dangerous world we live in, isn't it. Yeah I see you nodding your head.



For those with HSV who do manifest lesions, the inital HSV outbreak usually takes about 2-4 weeks to occur after they are initially infected. The inital outbreak will typically last for 2-4 weeks after it first begins or after they first show symptoms. Subsequent outbreaks usually last for about 2-5 days. However, we are all differant, each of us have different immune systems so it is possible for each of us to have outbreaks that last for varying lengths of time and each of us can have outbreaks at differant intervals. There is no set timeframe for outbreaks to occur or for what each outbreak duration will be.



As you can see HSV can be a difficult disease process to understand, diagnose and treat effectively. I hope this short overview on the how a outbreak mechanically occurs has stripped away atleast a small bit of the medical mystery we have to overcome to understand how this virus operates in our bodies. There is much more information regarding HSV that I plan to discuss in the near future. The one sure thing about this blogs major topic sexual health is that it is an ever changing, evolving topic.



All my best and remember.... Don't Look Back >>>> Keep Moving Forward!

That *&^#$(*!@ gave me Chlamydia! Is That A Fact?

You have Chlamydia, to be sure these are three words we never want to hear coming out of the mouth of our doctor. For many this revelation is embarrassing, humiliating, just outright mortifying. You sit there in the doctors exam room wearing that ridiculous paper gown that plays peek-a-boo with all your wrong places. After having been poked and prodded like a rump roast in the meat market you have to bear this unwelcome news.

You feel betrayed by your own good sense, you feel betrayed by your partner, your mentally kicking yourself as you put your clothes on. You leave your doctors office with your antibiotic prescription in one hand and your cell phone in the other, contemplating who to call first, your partner or your best friend. You choose your best friend thinking it might be wise to talk to someone before you confront your partner with this upsetting news. You speed dial your all knowing best friend, the one person in the world you feel comfortable telling the most intimate and private details of your life. Voice mail.............aaauugggghhhhhhhhhh.

You drive home jump on the internet and run Chlamydia through your favorite search engine, you need to know the facts, to seperate a the myths, misinformation and utter bull... uhhh stuff you have heard about this disease. Congrats, you have made to the right place. Read on.

Truth - Chlamydia can be transmitted via the following sexual interactions:

Oral sex: Yes, Chlamydia can be transmitted through unprotected oral sex ( the partner performing oral sex has Oral Chlamydia and transmits it to the partner receiving oral sex) and / or contracted ( the partner receiving oral sex has Genital Chlamydia and the partner giving oral sex contracts or "gets" Chlamydia orally).

Vaginal sex: Chlamydia can be contracted and transmitted through unprotected vaginal sex.

Mythbusting in action: Myth - You can't get Chlamydia just because a condom breaks, your partner has to actually ejaculate (cum) inside you to transmit the bacteria from his penis. That is a myth, if a male partner is infected with Chlamydia the bacteria in all likelihood is present inside the males urethra (pee hole) and is easily transmitted through fluid secretions present in the urethra. He does not have to ejaculate to transmit the disease. If Chlamydia is present during any form unprotected sexual contact (oral, vaginal, anal) the possibility of transmission is high.

Anal sex: Chlamydia can be contracted and transmitted through unprotected anal sex.


Truth - Chlamydia is called the "Silent STD". But Why?


According to the Center For Disease Control (CDC) 75% of women and 50% of men infected with Chlamydia have no symptoms. The CDC in my opinion is the definitive authority for infectious disease they have outstanding resources available on every STD known to man, woman, and ... well you get the picture. However, despite their relative wealth of information and expertise in this field it is a government organization, and as we well know at times government organizations can be found wanting in their efforts to communicate on a more... um how can I put it, human level.

I digress, so why is it that we can have Chlamydia and yet have no symptoms? When we have a cold we usually have symptoms, like a runny nose, sore throat, malaise (big medical word for that tired run down feeling we experience with many illnesses) etc. When we have an in-grown nail that becomes infected we have symptoms. Gesh, you would think that with some thing like an STD we would surely have symptoms, wouldn't we?

Lets think about this for a bit, there are some really obvious reasons women may not exhibit symptoms. One good reason would be that the symptoms (when present) of Chlamydia are very similar to other benign findings in women. The Vagina in its normal state produces fluid secretions similar to those which can be caused by STD's, when a women is on her menses (period) the vagina may produce a higher than normal amount of secretions, and certainly blood. Ultimately vaginal discharge associated with Chlamydial infection my lay anywhere in the spectrum of none existent to profuse, clear to discolored, or any combination of the above.

Additionally, a woman's urethra is located above the vaginal orifice (opening). Being located away from where secretions carrying the bacteria that causes Chlamydia are typically introduced during unprotected vaginal penetration lowers the likelihood that those bacteria will come in contact with the female urethra. Thus decreasing the likelihood that a woman might exhibit the symptoms that would be associated with urethritis (urethritis is a big fancy medical word that simply means inflammation of the urethra). The most common symptoms associated with urethritis are dysuria (yet another fancy medical term meaning painful urination) and urinary frequency (urinating more frequently than one normally would). There are other symptoms associated with urethritis and Chlamydia they can be found (here).

The point is that the female anatomy can inhibit the most common symptom associated with Chlamydia that typically propels us to see our doctor which is painful urination. Dysuria is like a warning siren blaring in your nether regions imploring you to seek medical attention. If dysuria is not present with Chlamydial infection our body is unable to utilize this attention grabbing warning signal to warn us that something may be amiss.

Definitive diagnosis of Chlamydia can be confirmed through laboratory testing. Your health care provider can collect a specimen that can be analyzed for the DNA of Chlamydia. Typically this specimen is collected during a pelvic examination for women or a genital examination for men performed by your health care provider. However, recently tests utilizing a urine specimen that you provide are in use by an increasing number of health care providers. This urine test also utilizes DNA analysis to identify the bacteria that cause Chlamydia. As you might imagine DNA assay testing is far more accurate than tests of the not too distant past.

There are times that your health care provider may choose to treat you with an antibiotic for Chlamydia, based upon your current history of potential exposures to STD's or based upon clinical findings they observe during your pelvic examination. Just because your doctor or health care provider suspects you have Chlamydia (or other STD's), and decides to treat you for Chlamydia does not mean you have Chlamydia. Your providers decision to treat you for Chlamydia though most likely based upon sound medical doctrine and practice does not constitute a reportable diagnosis of Chlamydia. That is, most states require reporting of many infectious diseases, such as Syphilis, TB, Malaria etc. By law "Laboratory" confirmed cases of Chlamydia are considered reportable cases in nearly every state. I will address this in an up coming article.

Causes for one patient being symptomatic (having symptoms) for Chlamydia, and others remaining asymptomatic (big medical word meaning without symptoms) are not well understood. The wide spectrum of symptoms or the lack thereof is the root cause for Chlamydia being labeled the "Silent STD". The diagnosis is frequently made as a presumptive diagnosis, that is your health care provider presumes you have contracted Chlamydia based upon your history of potential exposure and or clinical findings they observe upon examination.

So, did that *&^#$(*!@ give you Chlamydia. Possibly, but the truth may be hard to discern. The many factors to consider are, were you tested for Chlamydia prior to participating in unprotected sexual contact with the partner in question, are you sure you were tested for Chlamydia, frequently women presume that when they are tested for their "Pap smear" they are also tested for STD's that is not always true (topic for upcoming blog entry), has the partner in question been your only partner since your last test for Chlamydia, did you consider that oral sex can also be considered unprotected sexual contact that you could have contracted Chlamydia from another partner who used a condom during vaginal and / or anal penetration but also performed unprotected oral sex on you??? Have you considered that if you have not been tested for Chlamydia and have had unprotected sexual contact with other partners that you could have had Chlamydia pre existing prior to your contact with the partner in question.

As you can see the answer truly is complicated! I would encourage you to ask your health care provider for copies of all of your laboratory tests related to STD's and ask that they explain each finding to your satisfaction. I would also encourage those who are sexually active to get tested annually for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Hepatitis, and HIV. Additionally, women would be wise have a PAP Smear accomplished annually as well.

It is an easy thing to blame others for our misfortune, to cast dispersions based upon incomplete information. It is an entirely different thing to look inward at our own behaviors, and to reflect upon and learn from those behaviors. I look forward to any comments you might feel compelled to express regarding this information.

Don't look back....move forward.

This Blogs Concept...Cut through the BS and stigma of Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

If you've landed on my blog I would assume its for a good reason. Let me guess, your worried, confused and uninformed. Worried that you may have contracted a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD), worried because you are also confused and uninformed. Confused because you really thought you were in a monogamous relationship, confused because maybe you feel just fine but your partner is telling you they just found out they have an STD, confused because you just found out that you have an STD but your partner has said nothing to you about having symptoms related to an STD. Your uninformed because.... well lets face it your not a physician, uniformed because information YOU can understand regarding STD's is hard to find on the Internet, in the library, and unfortunately in many cases in your doctors office. This blog was made for you. In this blog you will find information written as you might speak to your best friend about a subject that many of us fear having to face. The language at times will be quite frank about sexual interaction between consenting partners and the STD's that can be transmitted and contracted through these interactions. There will be no moral judgements made regarding sexual orientation, sexual practices or choice of partners. It is my intent to build a body of work whereby people who are worried, confused, and uninformed can educate themselves about STD's, specifically the most common STD's. Let me point out now that I am NOT a physician, a doctor, a physicians assistant, a nurse practitioner, or a licensed health care provider of any sort. If you feel you may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease it is important that you seek evaluation and treatment by a licensed health care practitioner or public health clinic. I am not qualified to elicit medical advice or opinion regarding health care evaluation, treatment, or diagnosis and I will not do so. I can however provide you with information and trusted resources regarding publicly available information relating to STD's. The information found here is provided for informational education only and is NOT to be taken or construed as a medical opinion or advice. In the coming weeks, and months I will post and discuss information from publicly available resources in a common sense approach to enhance individual awareness regarding STD Truths, Lies, and Myths.