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STDs Real Stories

STDs: Real Stories


Real stories are personal stories shared by members of the DIYHealth community. These are stories of hope and triumph over a medical condition, inspiring us to stay the course.

Top Real Stories

1. Precaution is better than cure

I am a 24 year old woman working as a telecommunications interpreter. Back in high school, I used to have random sexual encounters with friends of my ex-boyfriend. It was big turn on for me. But I ended up going further than I normally would with this one guy and then pink eye appeared. I suspected it as a sign of an STD.

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I went to a hospital and got myself tested for STDs and HIV. I was ultimately told I was clean but I had been so scared that now I’m more careful than ever. It’s not possible for me to become celibate, but we can all get to know someone better before having sex and practicing safe sex.

2. A scary journey

I’m a 17 year old female and I never thought that I could be diagnosed with an STD. Even though I’ve been sexually active since the age of 15, I’ve only had two partners, and only one at a time. But, unfortunately, I’m already infected with herpes and gonorrhea. Thank God that gonorrhea is treatable with antibiotics.

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It started out with me suffering from cold sores and genital sores frequently for about a year. I didn’t take the cold sores seriously. But the genital sores were quite bothering. So, I tried looking it up on the internet. I went through many articles and found that my symptoms matched with herpes. I was scared and had none but my sister to disclose this matter with. She suggested that I should get a pap smear.

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I didn’t know how to tell my boyfriend about this. He kept nagging me for sex but I could not tell why it wasn’t possible at that time. I got myself diagnosed. My doctor told me that I had gonorrhea and herpes. I was prescribed to take eight pills at one time. It upset my stomach. I was so ashamed, I felt like killing myself. But eventually I did the right thing and suggested my boyfriend to get tested as well. His results were negative.

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It has been hard for the both of us. But we’ve learned to live with it. One positive thing about all this is that it has raised my consciousness about STDs and HIV. Now I get myself checked frequently.

3. Deal positively

I’m a 21 year old woman. I was diagnosed with HPV during my senior high school year. I had gone for my yearly gynecological test. My doctor said that I had symptoms of genital warts. I was freaked out. She (my doctor) suggested to get further tests done. She had found evidence that my cervical cells were altered and they were more pre-cancerous.

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I’m quite healthy now and there’s no more sign of the infection, thanks to the HPV vaccine. This vaccine provides four strain immunity from the virus. I found the entire experience shameful. As it is with STDs, they are very different from other medical problems. But at the same time I felt like I had only myself to blame. I had not always made the best choices. Lucky for me, I found support through my boyfriend, my close friends and the women’s health department.

4. A true friend's advise

I’m a 29 year old bisexual man from L.A. I work as a screenwriter. I was diagnosed with gonorrhea and chlamydia a few years back, in 2007-2008. I think both of them were a result of performing unprotected oral sex with a man. This man was a stranger and we met online. Then we arranged a casual sex date.

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The symptoms began to show from 2 weeks on. I felt like urinating very frequently but did not have any discharge. I remember asking a close friend of mine who had suffered from chlamydia in the past. I asked him to educate me about what symptoms to look for. He told me that since chlamydia is silent in many cases and has no symptoms, I should get tested.

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I got myself diagnosed and started taking the antibiotics. This experience made me more vigilant and now I’m more careful about having casual sex. I was definitely relieved that my ailment wasn’t too fatal and was taken care with antibiotics. I’m thankful to my friend for advising me to get tested.

5. It was hard to manage

I’m a 17 year old female and a high school junior. I have taken part in my school’s HPV study activity since freshman year. The study required me to get a blood test and I tested positive for chlamydia. Even though the results were confirmed as a false positive, but the waiting period was filled with excruciating mental frustration and stress. I knew whatever it was, it wasn’t my fault. I was so embarrassed; I didn’t have the courage to talk to anyone. I was afraid they might respond in a harsh manner. I grew increasingly nervous. There was also an inner conflict inside me about telling my boyfriend. I felt it morally right to tell him, but I didn’t know what and how to say it. I tried to avoid him without telling him what had gone wrong. He was confused and he tried to talk to me many times. The experience made me more aware about STDs.

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