How often do YOU get tested?

[newalaan2]

On my last visit to Thailand in Jan/Feb this year I met up with some current and former board members. One gentleman, a previous contributor here, now a regular on another gay Thailand forum had an unfortunate run-in with a Sexually Transmitted Infection which has turned into a challenge to overcome. He told me about his problem back in February just during a casual conversation about bar boys and how you can know if their bar insists on regular testing, but seemed happy to offload some things which had become bottled-up. He is comfortable about my posting about it as he would like to think his experience may help another avoid his predicament. His problem is known to one or two expats, just to assure them if they read here that he has asked me to make this post.

He is a regular visitor but stays 4 months at a time, with 4 months back home and in his time in Pattaya has regular liaisons mostly with lads for repeats and doesn't have many new boys. He admits that he doesn't get tested regularly for STi's despite having many different sexual partners. Anyway, he was infected during a trip and developed very, very minor symptoms which could, and were, put down to other things. However some persisted and when back in England he got tested for HIV/STi's with the result he was positive for syphilis. He only stays in Pattaya when in Thailand so he is certain that is where he picked up the infection. If this infection is picked up quickly from the primary symptoms apparently a couple of Penicillin jabs sees it off. Unfortunately because his symptoms were so mild and not specific, he missed the primary opportunity to have it detected and it continued on to a secondary stage where it can either lay dormant in the body or continue to infect you, which it did to him. By all accounts syphilis is a nasty infection which if untreated can affect eyes, nervous system, leading to neurological problems as well other more serious long term problems which he is starting to experience now.

He underwent 2 weeks of intense large volume penicillin-based treatments in England, but it has already affected his eyesight and nervous system, not yet very seriously but some damage already. He cannot pinpoint which of the boys was the source, but he advised the ones he knew to get tested urgently. He doesn't engage in very risky practices, but his consultant advised that when syphilis is at the primary stage of infection it is very highly infectious when body to body contact is made with any 'sores'. His consultant advised that if contact is made with an infectious person at this stage it is very easy to contract, much more so than say....HIV. His main symptom (in hindsight) was a slight 'itch' at the primary stage and easily missed, only way to know for sure if you have been infected is by getting tested regularly for all common STi's/HIV.

Even though I have had a boyfriend in Thailand for several years I still get tested fairly regularly, as I do enjoy oil massages and although never full sex there are happy endings now and again in which there is sexual contact. I get tested back in UK after a trip (not after every trip. but probably should!) it's free and there are plenty of walk-in clinics for testing in most cities. Quick blood test, takes about 15 mins as there is always a partner/sexual history form to fill in. Results in a few days, or you can ask for instant-result HIV test if you are sure of timelines.

So the question is.....how often do you get tested?

It is a subject rarely discussed on the forums but must be an important and relevant subject given the amount of partners many guys have when in Pattaya for a once/twice a year holiday/visits. I would imagine expats who have regular sexual liaisons would also have a regular testing regime. Probably many want to enjoy their Thailand visits and post mostly positive and fun to look forward to contributions, but I thought it worth posting this cautionary tale as it had a possibly serious outcome, all for the sake of not bothering to or not thinking about getting tested regularly.

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