I'm positive and I don't know what to do

[Victoria]

I can't believe it, I have chlamydia. I've only been with two people in my whole life, one who was a really good friend for a long time and my current boyfriend, who is good to me and would never cheat. How did this happen??

I don't understand, neither one of us has felt anything ok well I felt a little funny down there but nothing major. My head is spinning!

I need to talk to someone, the people at the clinic where I was treated were ok but just really busy and not really into comforting a crying patient! I can't tell my family and don't want to tell my friends. Where can I go for help? Who can I talk to???

Help me please. Thank you!

Vicky

[getSTDtested Administrator]

Vicky,
Don't panic, you are definitely not alone. Millions of people people get infected with Chlamydia and it certainly does not mean that you've been promiscuous or done anything wrong. Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that can go undetected for years because there are often no symptoms at all, especially in men.

The good news is that Chlamydia is totally curable with simple antibiotics. It's important that you and your boyfriend both get treatment and complete the full cycle of antibiotics prescribed. I would also encourage you and boyfriend to then get re-tested after a few months to ensure that you're both negative and are not risking re-infection.

I know that this type of situation can be really overwhelming and stressful, and it's not always easy to find someone to talk to, but know that you aren't alone, there are millions of people who are either in the same situation as you or have been there before and many places you can go to find the support and peace of mind you need. The forum is a great place for you to ask questions, address concerns, and discuss your situation with people who understand what you're going through.

The American Social Health Association is another great resource that could be helpful to you. ASHA provides an STI Hotline that is open from 9am-8pm Eastern Time (ASHA's STI Resource Center Hotline:1-919-361-8488). You can also find help on the ASHA website (www.ashastd.org). Seeing how many people are feeling just like you and getting all the information you need should help put your mind at ease.

Know that you're supported here, too, and this is a place where you can talk about how you're feeling and what you're going through and you can ask any question and we'll do our best to help you find the answers you need or just be "a shoulder to cry on."

[Victoria]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to stop by and give an update. First, thanks for the resources. I checked them out and got some help, really just needed a shoulder to lean on. What did people do before the Internet?

My partner got treated. He didn't have any symptoms since I was positive, well, they went ahead and took care of him. Things have been a little weird between us, I guess, but I don't think he cheated. I was with the other guy maybe 6 weeks before I "settled down" with my current BF. Who knows how long I could have had this? If I hadn't been tested I'd have never known, so thank God I did. Makes me want to get tested for other STDs, too!

Thanks. Knowing is always better and I'm getting checked out every year from now on.

Vicky

[getSTDtested Administrator]

Hi Vicky,

Glad to hear that things are better for you now. It's good that you and your boyfriend were able to deal with this together and I agree it's smart to get screened for all STD's and it's also recommended that sexually active women under 25 be tested for Chlamydia each year, especially because of the lack of symptoms that is often associated with the infection. Thanks for coming to us for help and please let me know if there's ever anything else you need in the future.