STD Testing Dallas, TX

Question:  I slept with a girl last night and now I am scared she gave me herpes.  How long does herpes take to appear if I got it?  ~ Shawn Dallas, TX

Answer:  It takes approximately twenty days for herpes to show symptoms. 

It is my opinion that people are greatly misinformed when it comes to herpes.  First, the first outbreak will be the worst so do not let fear, depression and anger slip in your mind when you first find out that you have genital herpes.  Secondly, many people never have another outbreak.  Their immune system kicked in and repressed the virus.  Other people will have the occasional outbreak when their immune system is low enough for the herpes virus to become active.

Living with herpes is not the end of the world.  I have seen some statistics where majority of sexually active adults live with herpes.  And once again, do not let fear, depression or anger take root.  It is very possible that the person that gave you herpes had no clue they had herpes.  Some individuals are carriers and never had an initial outbreak.  This is also true with herpes simplex I.  I have never had a cold sore in my life, but a herpes test showed that I have herpes simplex I.

Question: I have a couple red bumps on my penis and my first thoughts are herpes. Is there any reason other than an STD (i.e. Herpes) for red bumps on my penis? The appeared overnight. If this is herpes then I feel my life is over. ~ Scared in Plano.

Answer: First I would like to say don’t over react. I would also suggest that you do not self-diagnose, but I realize that realistically that probably isn’t possible.

Red bumps can appear on the penis for many reasons. Even if you have not shaved or trimmed your genitals recently it is possible that the bumps are merely ingrown hairs.

Another possible explanation for red bumps are irritated or red moles. I know you said they appeared overnight, but many times I see people that get a negative herpes test and suddenly question whether the red bump(s) have been there all along.

If the red bumps are a result of herpes then you can swing down to your local lab testing facility and get a herpes test for under a $100 bucks (no insurance). Keep in mind there are two types of herpes, and if you have ever had a cold sore you can bet you will test possible for herpes simplex I. It is not life threatening and a very large percentage of the US population carry this virus without ever have symptoms.

Question: Can I get herpes from sharing a swimsuit?

Answer: HIGHLY unlikely. Studies show that the sexually transmitted disease known as herpes requires skin to skin contact in order to be contagious. This question is very similar to whether it is possible to get herpes from sitting on a dirty/wet toilet. The answer to this question is also HIGHLY unlikely. The only reason it isn’t a definite NO is due to reports of individuals who acquired herpes but will not admit to recent sexual contact. However, scientific studies have not been able to reproduce herpes transmission through this method in a laboratory.

What are genital hepes? They are a sexually transmitted disease, cause by the herpes simplex viruses type 1 or type 2.Most cases are caused by HSV-2. Most people dont have any signs or sypmtoms. When they do occur, they are usually blisters on or around the genital or the rectum. They usually break leaving sores that may take weeks to heal. Normally outbreaks come back but are usually less severe than that of the first outbreak.

Herpes is common, about 45 million people over the age of 12 have the disease. To better understand that number, about 1 in every 5 adults have had this infection.This disease is more common in women than in men. This is thought to be because of the male to female transmission rather than female to male.

You tend to contract herpes from having sex with someone who has the infection. The transmission can happen even if the person doesnt have any signs or know that they have the disease.This disease usually leads to infections of the mouth or lips. These are sometimes referred as fever blisters.

Signs are usually sores that tend to last for a couple of weeks, flu-like symptoms, fever and swollen glands. But most people dont have symptoms or they mistake them for insect bites. People that have herpes usually have 4-5 outbreaks a yr.

Diagnosing herpes can be done by visual inspection if an outbreak is typical or by taking a sample from sores and having it tested. Blood tests can be helpful but are not always clear cut.

There is no cure for herpes but it can be treated.By taking medications, it can limit the number of outbreaks and can also reduce the risk of passing it on to partners.

The only ways to prevet passing on this disease are not havng sex or using condoms. Also by having sex with the same person hwo has been tested and shown not to have the symptoms.Remember just because you arent showing signs of the infection, you can still pass it on. Use of condoms is highly recommended.

My name is Johnathan Blies and i’m 18, I haven’t been a virgin since I was 14.

I stopped using condoms when I was 15, I mean whats the use? You can’t feel anything. Yeah, I know you are probably thinking he is stupid he can catch an STD. Well, my motto is if you she looks healthy then she must be healthy. That is until I contracted Chlamydia and syphilis from this girl I was having casual sex with. I mean I have had over 20 female partners. I thought I was untouchable, Here is my story.

Vaginal discharge may be normal

It was summer break me an my friends would all hang out at the beach or go over to James’s house. Now that I think about it we were some sex crazed teenagers. One night we over James’s house, his parents were out of town. I had met this girl her name was Andrea. James decided to have a small party, I asked her to bring some friends for my friends, she agreed. Andrea arrived with only one friend and it was 6 of us, she explained that her other friends were away for the summer. We had beer and we were really getting to know one another, but I really wasn’t that interested in getting to know her personally. We started kissing and one thing led to another, she asked if I had a condom and I told her that I did not use condoms, so we continued to have sex. Later that evening I slept with Andrea’s friend. I use to think having unprotected sex was the best. Andrea and I kept in contact for a couple of weeks, but there was nothing more I wanted from here. I started to notice this cloudy discharge coming from my penis, and it smelled funny too. I didn’t know what it was. I figured it would go away on its own, then it started to burn every time I went to the bathroom. I had to know what was wrong,but I did not want my parents or friends to find out. I started searching the internet for symptoms of STD’s. Summer was coming to a close and I needed to find somewhere I could go get tested. I remember my brother talking about this place he went to call Any Lab Test Now. I located the place on the internet and made the call. The lady at Any Lab Test Now said everything would be confidential and results will usually be ready in 24-48 hours. When I arrived I bought the STD Comprehensive panel it tested for everything(HIV, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Herpes simplex 1 and 2, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B and C) I figured that was enough for me I paid $229 for the tests. She simply just drew some blood and collected some urine and sent me on my way.

The next couple of days I was nervous I had been thinking about all the girls that I had slept with over the summer and if any of them had the same problems that I had been experiencing. I was enrolling into a community college when I received a phone call from Any Lab Test Now, she told me my results were ready to pick up. When I arrived I read the results and I was positive for Chlamydia and Syphilis. I was shocked because I thought I was untouchable. I now realized that I am not untouchable, I can contract STD’s just like anyone else. Now I use condoms with every female no questions asked.

Here is another testimonial. 

My name is Dallas,   and  this  is my story of how I contracted and STD. One night about 8 yrs ago, I had been out having a few drinks. Well I had met this enticing young woman, we hit it off and things were going rather well. We went back to my place and one thing led to another, we wound up sleeping together that night and several nights after. It was after the fourth or fifth time that I began to notice that it burned when I urinated and underneath the tip of my penis had become enlarged. When I tried to contact the woman, she was no where to be found. Myself being a little stubborn and stupid, thought that it would go away on its own. Now by this time it a couple of weeks had passes and the pain had only gotten worse. 

One Night Stands...

It was so bad that I deliberately stopped eating and drinking just so I wouldn’t have to go to the restroom, trust me when I tell you this didn’t help. So after a couple of weeks of pain and burning I broke down and went the  to the doctor.  Now  the next part was the most embarrassing, I had to pull my penis out and show it to the ER doctor, so she could see what was wrong. Then they took a cue tip and swabbed the inside of the penis head to get a specimen. After waiting for a while she came back and said that it was Chlamydia. She asked if I had been having unprotected sex and I told her yes.  I asked should there have been a warning sign during intercourse where I should have known something was wrong? She said that every case is different, well then I began to think back and did remember that during one night it was painful during intercourse. She said that that could have been the night that I contracted the STD. I was horrified, here I was at the age of 23 with my first and hopefully last STD. She said that with medication the symptoms would go away and that I would be fine. From that point on I use a condom every  time that I have intercourse, this was a slap in the face tome because I thought that I was invincible. But, at that age I guess that we all think that. This was the wake up call that I never wanted to get. Yes, it was scary but I have made it a priority in my life now to use a condom every time that I have sex with someone.

Now I know that some of you may be tempted to blame the female in this spot, and at first I did as well. Should she have told me yes, but it was my responsibility to use and carry a condom with me. I look back and at times I do regret it but then I think that it could have been much worse than what it turned out to be and for that I am very thankful for this to have happened when it did.  Let this be a lesson that hopefully you wont have to go through, men always carry a condom. Women don’t take a mans word that he doesn’t have anything, always request that he uses a condom or nothing happens. If you happen to be someone who has an STD, take precautions but please be upfront with anyone that you think you could get sexually involved with. Yes some people are going to walk away from you but there will be those ones who will be okay with it and use the proper protection for themselves and for you as well. Thanks for listening to my story. Hopefully, it will entice you to protect yourself from this sad and embarrassing situation.

Thank you Devin for providing the following testimonial.

herpes testimonial

“Being a young, 19 year old girl in a steady relationship, would have never thought that getting an STD could possibly ever happen. I was with my boyfriend for 4 years, and he was the only person I had ever been sexually active with. We had been having sexual relations without using protection for years now. Him and I have an 11 month old son together, who I absolutely adore. After our son was born, I immediately started using birth control, of course. A few months ago, after having sex with my boyfriend, unprotected, everything seemed normal. I never thought twice about getting an STD, or using protection for that matter. A couple of weeks after we slept together, I felt very uncomfortable.. I take alot of baths so at first I figured I had a yeast infection? I called the doctor to make an appointment after the uncomfortable pain became almost unbearable. I had a few days before my appointment, and during that time I had the worst breakout in my vaginal area that I thought was even possible. It was horrible. Immediately I called my boyfriend.. I knew it had to be an STD, I knew he cheated, I knew that I was paying the price for HIS unfaithful actions. After seeing the doctor and having it confirmed that I did in fact have herpes, I felt mortified. I was disgusted with myself, with him, with everything. It hurt the most because I knew this was something that I would have forever. I would have to go through this disgusting pain once a month for the rest of my life. It hurt because I had only been with one person.. I had always thought of STD’s being linked to those people who are constantly changing partners and having more than one at a time.. I was completely depressed about it all. Not everyone has breakouts, and not everyone knows they have this disease..I unfortunately did. After the initial shock went away, a few weeks after my doctor’s visit, I decided that everything happens for a reason. I hope I can help prevent this from happening to anybody else.”

There are many reasons people give for why they do not want to get an STD screen. Any Lab Test Now® in Plano has addressed these issues with their current promotion of Rapid STD Testing. This service allows customers to take an anonymous lab test at an affordable price and get their results much sooner while only providing a blood and/or urine sample.

Any Lab Test Now® in Plano provides rapid STD testing to set your mind at ease. STD screens start at $49 and are payable via cash, Visa, MasterCard or Discover. The comprehensive STD panel includes HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Herpes (I & II), Syphilis and Hepatitis (A, B & C). The cost for this panel is only $229. Results are usually ready in 24-48hrs.

“We provide direct medical lab testing that does not require a customer to provide identification.” Owner Greg Johnson further adds, “Not only does this allow truly anonymous HIV testing, our business model can also get the customer in-and-out within 15 minutes from the moment they walk in the door.” Many HIV awareness groups suggest that sexually active individuals get tested every six months. Most HIV infections can be detected after three months of exposure. An HIV screen at six months post-exposure is considered to have a confident level of accuracy.

Instant STD Testing Dallas

The Dallas County statistics report that last year there was an increase in the STD infection rate, especially with chlamydia. Many times no symptoms become visible with a chlamydia or a gonorrhea infection. Therefore, people continue spreading the infection without knowing. Additionally, the re-infection rate among couples is high if both individuals are not treated concurrently.

Many people do not get an STD screen because they dread getting “swabbed” for a specimen. Getting an STD test this way can be an embarrassing and uncomfortable experience. However, Any Lab Test Now® tests for STDs through the collection of urine and/or blood. This collection method allows for herpes simplex I & II testing even if no active sores are present. Most tests for herpes requires for an active sore to be present at the time of testing. This may delay a person from getting tested and contribute to the spread of the virus.

What exactly is Rapid STD Testing? The collection process takes less than 15 minutes from the moment you walk in the door and results are back in about 24-48hrs. “We perform so many tests every day that it is cost-effective for us to start processing them the same day the customer comes in,” says Johnson.

North Dallas residents wanting to get testing can call (972) 596-6181 or get driving directions to the Any Lab Test Now in Plano on their website. No appointment is needed and walk-ins are welcome. Apart from testing for sexually transmitted diseases, they have hundreds of medical lab tests to choose from including DNA paternity tests, thyroid panel and even a complete wellness checkup.

Herpes on Mouth

Don’t freak out.  There are reasons other than herpes to have a bump on your penis.  If you have never had sex (vaginal, anal or oral) before you can pretty much rule out all STDs.  If you are male and under 18yrs old then there is a chance that bumps on your penis may simply be hair follicles.  Another possibility may be an irritated pore. 

Below is a picture of a fever blister on someone’s lip.  Herpes on the genitals will look very similar.  Herpes’ blisters may only look like a sore.  It usually takes 2 to 4 weeks after contraction to get symptoms.  Some people get flu-like symptoms prior to their first outbreak, and the first outbreak is usually the worst. 

Herpes simplex I (HSV I) occurs only on the mouth.  Some individuals may contract the virus and never have a fever blister.  This may also be true for herpes simplex II (HSV II).  If you are one of the people that does get symptoms you may find relief knowing that many people only get one outbreak and never have symptoms again.  Those that do have repeated outbreaks show a decreased frequency and intensity over time. 

What is a herpes test?  Well, there are several to choose from.  By far the most common is a blood test.  If you live in the Plano, McKinney or Dallas area you can visit Any Lab Test Now®, pay $49 for a herpes I & II blood test and get the results usually the next day.  They also offer a comprehensive STD blood test for $229 that includes gonorrhea, chlamydia,  HIV, herpes I & II, hepatitis AB+C, and syphilis. 

As mentioned earlier, infection of herpes can cause repeated outbreaks.  There are once a day medications that can prevent possible outbreaks.  It was believed that herpes is only contagious when an outbreak is present.  Therefore, prevent an outbreak and you can prevent spread of the virus.  However, scientific studies have shown otherwise. 

Herpes infection is very common.  The data released by the CDC indicates that the rate of herpes infection in Dallas, TX is 3 out of every 4 sexually active people.  You are part of the sexually active group if you have had sex within the past year.  It was also noticed that herpes infection of older people is on the rise.  This can be attributed to sexual performance medication being covered by Medicare.    

Follow link to find herpes pictures.