Syphillis is a particularly insidous disease as it mimicks many other medical conditions, and is known to trick Doctors into thinking their Patient has something alse wrong with them. It can also reach Stage 2 very quickly, with the third stage it can do serious damage to the Heart Valves and Brain. If you play with strangers you must get tested 3 monthly and if youve previously been treated for Syphillis, its imperative to tell the Clinic, so that they can do an RPR Test too. This will confirm whether or not youve been re infected. My personal choice is not to do any casual sex, which I know is hard for some people. I am more than happy to spend my spare time with my Pets than meet new or strange guys, unless Im convinced they are looking for something meaningful.

paulm63, I have to take care of my pet Squirrel Martyn, so I have no spare time for cruising thankfully🙂

I imagine an HIV positive diagnosis often comes with some other STI. Mine included Chlamydia.

The last episode of "Fellow Travelers" takes place during the AIDS crisis, before breakthroughs occurred with protease inhibitors and "cocktail" regimens. Watching those episodes brings back the anger, frustration & helplessness of that period. It ends showing successive dates where the "Quilt" gradually filled the entire space between the Lincoln and Washington monuments. Staggering.

Seems like every time I get bloodwork (6 months) my doctor screens for STDs. I regularly see RPR listed, although I have never had a diagnosis of Syphilis. Sometimes this is based on reported patient behavior, other times it is based on community prevalence.

I was at the dentist yesterday. They asked me to look over my medical records to see if I had any additions/ deletions. Much of my record seemed redundant, like HIV, STD, blood borne diseases, infections... then hepatitis, hep B or C, liver disease, blood borne diseases, infections... and that was just the first 2 conditions! No wonder the woman came to clean my teeth wearing a hazmat suit.