GET TESTED for STIs
editors credits at the end of the doc
GERMANY/Berlin:
* with HEALTH INSURANCE: go to an infectologist doctor practice (google ‘Infektiologie’ / ‘infektiologische Praxis’) that does a lot of STI testing and has or works closely with a laboratory. These places usually are less hesitant to have the insurance cover the costs if you don’t come a lot more often than 2-3 times a year and tell them you have multiple partners.
A regular primary physician (Allgemeinarzt) will also take blood to do the test, but might ask you to pay for it. Practices often need no appointment, you can come with waiting time. They will give you results within a week or less and a printout if you request it. Here is a list of infectologist practises in Berlin compiled with web search.
* without insurance in Berlin: as a penis-bearer you can go test for 25€ at Mann-O-Meter (thorough testing with swabs - keep in mind that this is a service for men who have sex with men, www.mann-o-meter.de)
Everyone can otherwise test for free at the Center for Sexual Health and Family Planning or Kreuzberg (Urbanstr. 24, 030902988363) - you have to make an appointment (or make several, and take other insurance-less group members) per phone and it sometimes can take weeks to get one. Both those options are anonymous and you will not get a printout of the results, mostly it’s a simple call to exchange the info if you’re “in the clear” or not
AUSTRIA all infos here https://www.sex-aware.org/get-tested-engl
SPAIN
Typically, to be tested for STIs in Spain you can turn up at your local sexual health centre without an appointment, however you might be waiting for up to 2 hours (note that an appointment is not actually possible). Opening hours are generally around 08:45 - 12:00, and the checkup is free, even as a foreigner (however any prescription you are given may be charged if you do not provide a health card).
Barcelona
Here a website with all the Adresses https://www.cjb.cat/enboles/consultes/llocs-on-fer-te-les-proves-dits
If you need an english-speaking clinic, OpenHouseis available. Note that non-state clinics may not be free of charge.
FRANCE
First things first, you need to choose where you want to go. There are a number of "centre de dépistage" and they are all anonymous. The new name of these institutions is CeGIDD : Centre Gratuit d'Information, de Dépistage et de Diagnostic des virus de l'immunodéficience humaine (VIH), des hépatites et des infections sexuellement transmissibles (IST).
They are also all TOTALLY FREE OF CHARGE and no carte vitale is needed. I would recommend using a Red Cross centre as they have one located right in the middle of Paris (metro: Palais Royale Musee du Louvre) and most of the people working there speak EnglishThe Red Cross centres offer testing for ALL STDs so you will be able to have a full check up if that’s what you want. For your information – chlamydia is only offered automatically to women and men under the age of 25 so if you are over 25 you will have to ask the doctor for the test when you talk to him or her.
Paris
Testing Addresses:
https://www.paris.fr/services-et-infos-pratiques/sante/prevention-et-depistage/centres-de-depistage-76#les-centres-de-prevention-et-de-depistage_10
DENMARK (COPENHAGEN)
Standard testing is only for chlamydia and gonorrhea and, for vulva havers, only vaginally.
With a Danish CPR number, testing is free with your general practitioner, and some GPs will accommodate full testing if you ask for it specifically. Others will not.
The sexual health clinics at hospitals Bispebjerg and Gentofte provide free testing for everything, but again you need to be specific in what you want to be tested for and where on your body.
Bispebjerg Hospital sexual health clinic - link (in Danish):
Gentofte Hospital sexual health clinic - link (in Danish):
SCHWEDEN
Every Swedish citizen has a personal number (=personnummer) who is used with most contacts, from the electricity bill company til doctors appointments. Most often you can book a doctor's appointment online, login with your BankID with you smart phone.
For Swedish people testing chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C is free, other tests might be towards a high-cost-protection card, who say that health care is free for the rest of the year if you payed 1150 SEK in total.
Often they offer only 2-4 tests. As a woman you might have to ask your specifically your throat and anus. Urine test is most common.
Here you find sex education online and free tests and treatments in Stockholm.
https://www.rfsu.se/om-rfsu/om-oss/in-english/
Generally you can get tests here:
UNITED KINGDOM / London You can book tests online here (waiting time is usually just a day): https://www.zesty.co.uk/find/nhs-sexual-health-screen/london--united-kingdom Walk-in clinic in London: http://dean.st/
Please add missing informations of your country.
TO CONSIDER * for urine testing, go test directly after waking up or bring morning urine (better results)
* if you have a concrete suspicion / symptoms of having contracted something in your pussy or asshole, a smear test (Abstrich) is recommended, additionally to blood / urine testing
* be aware of INCUBATION PERIODs of certain STDs - I usually recommend a 6 weeks minimum waiting period. It should be noted things like HIV and Hepatitis can take 2 to 3 months to be detectable. This is also a reason why regular testing does not free from responsible behaviour. The last test a partner shows you might be negative, but an infection in a risky situation 2 weeks before the test would not be recognized. Here’s a helpful infographic for this: https://www.stdcheck.com/blog/how-soon-get-tested-for-stds-unprotected-sex
* having no SYMPTOMS does not mean being in the clear. One can carry STDs like Gonorrhea and Chlamydia without showing any symptoms: http://www.self.com/story/stds-you-can-have-without-knowing-it
* for those unsure which testing methods are best, here’s a 2016 article on differences between urine and swab testing methods: https://www.verywell.com/urine-testing-for-gonorrhea-and-chlamydia-3132777
* Vaccinations: not directly connected to testing but as you’re at the doc, why not ask about those. You can and should get vaccinated against Hepatitis A+B, also possibly against HPV (expensive but now recommended more and more, especially for men)
* PEP: also worth a mention. Should you have had a very risky situation with the suspicion of having contracted HIV (e.g. unprotected anal sex with a HIV-positive person whose viral load is detectable), you should seek a doctor ASAP (ideally within 2hrs) and get PEP to significantly lower the chances of infection
* btw, there is a PEP for Hepatitis B as well ;)
For many kinky folks, protection against STIs mostly with condoms is “safe enough”, since most STIs that might slip by condoms are treatable with antibiotics. It should be noted there’s a documented rise in antibiotic resistant STDs. One reason for the rise of these resistances is too much use of antibiotics. In a way, too much trust in treatment with antibiotics leads to those treatments working less and less down the road - which should be a motivation to play it safe in the first place ☚(OヮO☚)
Hard numbers for all of Germany aren’t available because right now there is no obligation to report Gonorrhea cases in most German states. Saxony is one state that documents numbers, here’s their data from 2015 on antibiotic resistance in Gonorrhea (in German): https://goo.gl/mNJ0TJ
Here’s a few international articles and reports on the matter:
* 2019 BBC report ‘Why your STI could become untreatable’: https://youtu.be/UepFyZZDS6k
* 2018 article about a surge of antibiotic resistant Gonorrhea strain in Australia: http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/human-body/antibioticresistant-gonorrhoea-cases-surge-in-australia/news-story/f3e12733a853b7370db60db90084c63b
* 2016 article with numbers from UK: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/17/gonorrhoea-will-spread-across-uk-doctors-fear
* 2016 general article on antibiotic resistance: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/868198 "gonorrhoea has developed the strongest resistance to antibiotics. Strains of multidrug-resistant gonorrhoea that do not respond to any available antibiotics have already been detected. Antibiotic resistance in chlamydia and syphilis, though less common, also exists, making prevention and prompt treatment critical."
* 2016 article on Chlamydia: http://www.thesticlinic.com/news/2016/11/27/ChlamydiaAndAntibioticResistanceShouldYouBeWorried.aspx
* 2014: general article on antibiotic resistance, UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/antibiotic-resistance-in-gonorrhoea-remains-a-concern
Information for Germany and Guide : Marc Seestaedt
Marc’s Article in German: https://ze.tt/dein-sex-health-guide-kuscheln-ohne-angst-vor-geschlechtskrankheiten/?fbclid=IwAR2GMDgDaOMAAG7ZCGcUyMQQWtUWqMhunPatsz-qjGuA15aCvxq29q461iQ
The basis for this article is an extract of his Playparty guide you can contact him to read the whole: https://www.facebook.com/mmmseestaedt
Information Austria: Sky & Stefan
Posting: Janina Vivianne
Let's talk about some important stuff!!
In a time of serial monogamy, tinder, sex-positivity and different approaches to open relationships, I cannot emphasize enough how essential it is to be informed about sexually transmitted diseases (STD) & infections (STI) and to be aware of your own status! 👁️🧠👁️
So here’s the short version: Get tested and play on the safe side! Taking care of yourself helps you to take care of everyone else!💞
Long Version:🎏
Sex is like climbing! The only way to have 100% safety, is not to do it at all. Ehhh- NO! It's important to find a balance between almost panicking and being careless.
So back to the metaphor, a climber needs to know:
All these considerations enable you and everyone involved to have a safer, exciting and fulfilling experience on the beautiful Mountains of Sexuality! 🎉🎉🎉
🎗️While sex education on the risk of HIV and the importance of HIV tests has reached mainstream media, other STIs are an often ignored/tabooed subject. Several STIs can, however, affect fertility or cause cancer:
💈Chlamydia often remains symptom-free but can trigger an adhesion of the fallopian tubes and consequently infertility. Up to 50% of the cases are symptom-free.
💈The HPV virus, which can also remain symptom-free, is associated with uterine cancer and genital warts.
💈Genital warts can be treated, but you are at life-long risk of a new breakout.
💈Trichomoniasis are small parasites that affect the urethra. Up to 40% of the cases are symptom-free.
💈The numbers of syphilis and gonorrhea infections are growing.
🤗So please get informed and tested!
💈For information about STIs, I can recommend the following websites:
German: https://www.liebesleben.de/…/sexuell-uebertragbare-infekti…/
& English: https://www.cdc.gov/std/general/
Here a good article about STI’s and Oral Sex:
https://www.cdc.gov/…/healthc…/stdfact-stdriskandoralsex.htm