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Need help with talking to former partners about an STI

Discussion in 'Physical & Sexual Health' started by Neo, Feb 5, 2013.

  1. Neo

    Neo
    Regular Member

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    Location:
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    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    I went to the doctor a few days ago because of intense itching and rash that I have had for a about 3 weeks and it was determined that I had scabies, which are little mites that burrow into the skin and can cause an allergic reaction which results in a rash and itching. It had previously been diagnosed as contact dermatitis, so I went two weeks trying to treat that with no improvement before I went back and they realized it is scabies.

    I've also since learned that scabies are transmitted by physical contact, not necessarily sexual contact, and possibly through infected clothing, but that is less common because most people only have 10-15 mites, and they don't survive longer than 2-3 days off of a person. Also that the first time someone gets scabies they can go 4-6 weeks without exhibiting symptoms, but can still infect others during this time without being aware they are infected themselves.

    This brings me to where I am now and my dilemma, which is that in the last 4 months I have slept with only 2 people. The first was a single brief encounter with a friend at his house, my first time sleeping with him, about 4 weeks prior to when I started having the rash. The second person was 2 separate encounters within a week where we both stayed a night at each others' place, about 1-2 weeks before I got the rash and itching. Unfortunately, there was no talk about STDs in either situation, and we did't practice safe sex, (I was also tested for all the usual stds at my last doctor visit and they all came back negative).

    The first person is someone who I have been friends with for a while, but we do not hang out that often, and our only communication since our encounter has been to say hello and chat briefly if we run into each other. The second person is someone that I met through an online dating app and had been chatting with for a little more than a month before we met up. I have really been into him, but since our last encounter there has been not as much contact between us, and when I do text him he often ignores it.

    I am just not really sure what my obligations to them are as far as talking to them about this. From what I've read, transmission outside of sexual contact is uncommon among adults, so I think it is most likely that I got it from one of them, and they may not have known about it. If one of them does have it, and has since shown symptoms as I have, they haven't made any effort to talk to me about it. I know for sure that I should talk to the second guy about this, but lately he is as likely as not to respond to my text if I ask to meet up with him (I don't want to tell him over text). It is also not something that is easy, as talking about it involves a lot of vulnerability on my part, especially since I still have strong feelings for him. On a side note, I think it would be a lot easier to talk to other people about this if it didn't have a name like scabies.

    Sorry for the short novel, I just wanted to provide as much context as I could. Any advice would be great, as I am really at how to proceed from here.
     
  2. Neo

    Neo
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    Out to everyone
    Also, just to be clear, I did get treated for it and it is easy to get rid of, but it is not something that will clear up on its own, and it does require prescription medicine to get rid of.
     
  3. KaraBulut

    Full Member

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    Scabies isn't really considered a sexually transmitted disease and it doesn't have the possibility of permanent damage or contagion in the way that syphilis or gonorrhea do.

    If you want to disclose this to your sex partners, it is up to you.