Dream Spa

Never had an STI test. thinking of going to clinic. what to expect?

op12

Active member
Oct 19, 2004
329
108
43
Just go to the Hassle Free Clinic in Toronto. It truly is hassle free. They are non-judgmental and because they specialize they know their stuff.

Personally I have only ever had a UTI from some bacteria but it hurt and they fixed me right up.

They will take blood to test for syphilis. They will ask you to produce a urine sample (chlamydia and gonorrhea). If you are worried you can also get HIV testing.
 

MPAsquared

www.musemassagespa.com
You have been a hobbyist for a very long time & you have never been tested?!?! Oh boy. This kind of stuff makes me incredibly nervous. Especially if you are engaging in off-menu activities.

Also, you MUST tell said mpa!!

The industry could easily reach epidemic proportions with this kind of activity, lack of personal medical care, and not informing the lady. She is essentially passing this on to whomever she sees!

Yet another reason why Muse stays clear of fs/bj's/etc. Yikes!
 

GPIDEAL

Prolific User
Jun 27, 2010
23,359
11
38
Just go to the Hassle Free Clinic in Toronto. It truly is hassle free. They are non-judgmental and because they specialize they know their stuff.

Personally I have only ever had a UTI from some bacteria but it hurt and they fixed me right up.

They will take blood to test for syphilis. They will ask you to produce a urine sample (chlamydia and gonorrhea). If you are worried you can also get HIV testing.

By default (and as a minimum), every hobbyist should get tested for all of these in any annual, physical examination: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphillis, HIV, and Hep C.
 

Asclepius

Member
Jan 5, 2014
42
0
6
The Hassle Free clinic is great, but any walk-in clinics will handle an STI.

The time from exposure to symptoms is the most helpful bit of information to tell them.

You can safely make the rest of the story up. When you explain to the doc why you are concerned, feel free to use the same level of truthfulness that you used to explain where you were that day. Easiest is to just say "the condom broke" and (describe symptoms) or if no symptoms, just say "I want to be sure that I didn't pick something up".
They'll like you for acting responsibly.

Bottom Line: The medical community would rather hear a bull-shit story that everyone pretends is true, than have someone feel too ashamed to come in to be tested and treated.

In your case, if you had stinging right after, then it was just chafing.
But, having the tip of your penis sting 2 days after is probably an infection, very typical of Gonorrhea, but could also be a non-STI infection, like a strep or E. coli.
Chlamydia usually takes a bit longer to develop and Syphilis takes a few weeks longer.

The problem is that the symptoms often settle down and you think it is gone, but it can still be there, just silent and spreadable.

So get tested even if you are feeling better!

The clinic will just need a urine test. And if some vigilante doc offers to stuff a swab up your urethra, politely decline.
Modern urine testing is just as good and a swab stuffed into an inflamed urethra, hurts like hell.

All testing is done by the Public Health Lab and Public Health provides clinics with free antibiotics to treat Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphilis.
 

explorerzip

Well-known member
Jul 27, 2006
8,134
1,313
113
The Hassle Free clinic is great, but any walk-in clinics will handle an STI.

The time from exposure to symptoms is the most helpful bit of information to tell them.

You can safely make the rest of the story up. When you explain to the doc why you are concerned, feel free to use the same level of truthfulness that you used to explain where you were that day. Easiest is to just say "the condom broke" and (describe symptoms) or if no symptoms, just say "I want to be sure that I didn't pick something up".
They'll like you for acting responsibly.

Bottom Line: The medical community would rather hear a bull-shit story that everyone pretends is true, than have someone feel too ashamed to come in to be tested and treated.

In your case, if you had stinging right after, then it was just chafing.
But, having the tip of your penis sting 2 days after is probably an infection, very typical of Gonorrhea, but could also be a non-STI infection, like a strep or E. coli.
Chlamydia usually takes a bit longer to develop and Syphilis takes a few weeks longer.

The problem is that the symptoms often settle down and you think it is gone, but it can still be there, just silent and spreadable.

So get tested even if you are feeling better!

The clinic will just need a urine test. And if some vigilante doc offers to stuff a swab up your urethra, politely decline.
Modern urine testing is just as good and a swab stuffed into an inflamed urethra, hurts like hell.

All testing is done by the Public Health Lab and Public Health provides clinics with free antibiotics to treat Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphilis.
Your doctor is supposed to keep your personal information private. Just tell him or her that you would like an STI test. That's it! No need to manufacture stories or tell him or her why you want to the test.
 

raspy.shark

New member
Aug 24, 2015
58
0
0
Just got tested in Hassle Free Clinic for the first time. Been worrying about the whole process for a while, but it turned out to be quite alright. Friendly staff, no swab and no embarrassing questions. They did ask me whether I have a permanent partner or it was a casual sex. While sitting in a waiting room I noticed a poster on the wall saying "Sex work is work too", which was funny. Not sure if there's any law against encouraging or justifying prostitution. They do ask for Health Card to bill the province for testing. They also report some STIs, if tests are positive (gonorrhea is reportable in Ontario, from what I've heard). But fingers crossed, everything should be fine.
 

ultistar

Well-known member
Apr 18, 2009
3,963
224
63
Just got tested in Hassle Free Clinic .... I noticed a poster on the wall saying "Sex work is work too", which was funny. Not sure if there's any law against encouraging or justifying prostitution..
Last time I was there for my annual checkup, a lady started loading up on condoms. Like handfuls after handfuls stuffing them into her purse. Obviously an SP but I didn't recognize. Thought it was funny but no hassle from the clinic.
 

Chloë.

International Courtesan
Nov 4, 2014
2,353
4
38
New York/Toronto
Last time I was there for my annual checkup, a lady started loading up on condoms. Like handfuls after handfuls stuffing them into her purse. Obviously an SP but I didn't recognize. Thought it was funny but no hassle from the clinic.
Really? But times for women/trans and men/trans are quite separate. Unless maybe she wasn't there to be seen by a physician and decided to be bold lol.
 

ultistar

Well-known member
Apr 18, 2009
3,963
224
63
Really? But times for women/trans and men/trans are quite separate. Unless maybe she wasn't there to be seen by a physician and decided to be bold lol.
Yup she wasn't there for a checkup. Just walked in and loaded up. She had boobs and butt looked a bit Milfy. I suppose S/he could have been a trans.

BTW they are stocking Lifestyles condoms now, way better than the generic cheap vulcanized rubber stuff they used to carry. I took a couple of large ones.
;)
 

SkyRider

Banned
Mar 31, 2009
17,572
2
0
Really? But times for women/trans and men/trans are quite separate. Unless maybe she wasn't there to be seen by a physician and decided to be bold lol.
Some males are accompanied by their girlfriends/wives. I was also surprised to see females in the waiting room on a male day.
 

raspy.shark

New member
Aug 24, 2015
58
0
0
Last time I was there for my annual checkup, a lady started loading up on condoms. Like handfuls after handfuls stuffing them into her purse. Obviously an SP but I didn't recognize. Thought it was funny but no hassle from the clinic.
LOL, so shameless :)

Are clinics allowed to report clients who admit paying for sex under bill c-36 ?
Like I said, no questions were asked, and the first thing they say when you walk up is "by the way, everything is confidential", so I wouldn't worry about it, unless they find something and would have to report it. Then, will see :)
 

Chloë.

International Courtesan
Nov 4, 2014
2,353
4
38
New York/Toronto
I think doctors are allowed to break patient confidentiality to report a crime or under other circumstances for example a doctor reporting a sick driver to ministry of transportation to suspend his licence
There are certain circumstances where they are obligated by law to report, but I'm not quite sure if something to do with Bill-36 falls under the same provisions.
 

FearlessFreep

High Dive Specialist
Feb 10, 2013
158
2
18
Southern Ontario
Just got tested in Hassle Free Clinic for the first time. Been worrying about the whole process for a while, but it turned out to be quite alright. Friendly staff, no swab and no embarrassing questions. They did ask me whether I have a permanent partner or it was a casual sex. While sitting in a waiting room I noticed a poster on the wall saying "Sex work is work too", which was funny. Not sure if there's any law against encouraging or justifying prostitution. They do ask for Health Card to bill the province for testing. They also report some STIs, if tests are positive (gonorrhea is reportable in Ontario, from what I've heard). But fingers crossed, everything should be fine.
So much for anonymity.
 

raspy.shark

New member
Aug 24, 2015
58
0
0
Besides, when you enter the clinic and register with the desk, you give your name and personal information so that they can add a record of your latest visit to their ongoing file that they have under your name.
+1 Who said something about anonymity? They promise confidentiality, which is I think slightly different. They won't release any information without your consent, unless they're obliged by law (for particular STIs only). And even then, I'm not sure what type of information they release (maybe just that client X contracted Y - for statistics only).

They never ask me. The extent of them asking me sexual questions is when I last had sexual contact, if it was with a male or female, if it was casual or in a relationship, and if I should be concerned about any of my recent partners. It's none of their business to know how you found yourself in the sexual scenarios.
Exactly. They didn't make me say anything incriminating.
 

GPIDEAL

Prolific User
Jun 27, 2010
23,359
11
38
Ouch a LOT! I've had this done, just to find the tests were negative. It was NOT PLEASANT, to understate thing massively. Still better than not knowing though, so I'd advise OP to buck up and get thee to a clinic.
You can test for it in your urine in a routine test, but if you think you have discharge but not sure (or if you have other symptoms like burning sensation when urinating or tickling feeling), the doctor may prefer a swab because it's the best way to obtain cells for further analysis.

So to avoid uncertainty, doctor might prefer to take a swab to rule out the STI.
 

glamphotographer

Well-known member
Nov 5, 2011
16,754
16,628
113
Canada
I regularly visit Hastle free clinic, they never ask you questions like who you have sex with, they never discriminate and never judge, they are a great a much needed service.
 
Ashley Madison
Toronto Escorts