Chlamydia Testing: 'You can't assume everyone has the same sexual attitude'

Ed gets chlamydia test.

Having grown up in the 1980s as a gay man, all my sexual activity and health has been informed by the HIV/AIDS campaigns so I have always considered my self to be a responsible and modern gay man who takes full responsibility for his sexual health and that of his partners. I have tended to be monogamous when in relationships but when I am single I can play the field but always practice safe sex.

chlmaydia clinic A year or so ago I started a new relationship and after a few weeks and it felt like it was going to last, I took myself off to the local clinic to get my regular MOT. However, what I failed to do was to discuss this with my new partner. I'm not sure why really perhaps I was embarrassed or maybe a bit coy about my sexual past. So when my results came back and I tested positive for NSU and Chlamydia I was a bit surprised as I was expecting a negative result now had to tell my new partner.

He was angry that I had got tested without discussing it with him and as he had been celibate for sometime before we got together. We need to get rid of this stigma about talking about sex as I think it is that that prevents men from seeking help for sexually transmitted diseases.

He tested positive for both too

Anyway, he went and got himself tested and sure enough he tested positive for both.

Chlamydia and NSU are both easily treated so there was nothing to worry about on that score but what was slightly freaky was that I had no idea I had contracted either of these and was showing no symptoms of either infection. It was also unclear how long I had been infected. The relationship I am happy to say weathered this storm but there are a couple of lessons in there which were worth learning.

Firstly, find a way to talk to your partner honestly and upfront about sexual activity and sexual health. You can't just assume that everyone has the same attitude to testing and the same knowledge about what constitutes safe sex.

Secondly, some infections are invisible and asymptomatic. We really do have to open this subject up and talk about it.