You can find out where your local clinic is by phoning your GP's surgery or local hospital or checking in the Yellow Pages. They are either called Sexual Health or GUM clinics - GUM stands for Genito-Uninary Medicine. You will usually need to make an appointment. Examinations and treatments are free but if you are prescribed any medication you will get prescriptions and have to pay as you would normally would at the chemist.

You do not need any doctor's referral to go or parent's permission and it doesn't matter what age you are.

It is best not to be having your period when you go and make sure your bladder is full as you will have to give a urine sample.

At the clinic you will be asked to fill in some personal information. If you do not want to be contacted at home, then indicate so on the form. You may also say whether or not you want your GP knowing about your results. Some people prefer to keep this information off their medical results as insurance companies often ask if you have had STI testing when applying for life and health policies and mortgages. Do bear in mind that you have an obligation to reveal on insurance appications any health problems and lying about it could affect future pay-outs.

When you see the doctor you will first be asked some questions regarding your medical history and current state of health. Be sure to mention any symptoms you have and any risk you are aware of. For example if you think you have been exposed to genital warts, then say so. They do not always show up and if the doctor suspects them then they can paint a solution onto your genitals to make them more visible. Likewise if you have pain, bleeding during sex, discharge that smells, etc, then say so. It will help the doctors to help you.

After giving your details you will be physically examined. If the doctor is male, then you will have a female chaperone there as well. Please do not be embarrassed by being examined by a man, these examinations are routine for them and they are not worried about what your genitals look like, they are just looking out for your health......By the way, the best ever gynaecologist I have ever seen was a man :)

You will be asked to removed your lower clothing and underwear. You do this behind a screen, then get up on the examining table. You lie on your back with your feet on the bed, positioned close up to your bottom and you drop your knees outwards. This makes your vaginal opening relaxed and everything is clearly visible to the doctor.

The doctor will shine a light onto your genitals to physically examine them for disease. They will be wearing gloves and may touch you at this point to make sure they can see everything clearly. They will also be looking around your anus as well. They do not care what style you have your pubic hair in...whether you keep your hair long, trimmed or all shaved off. They have seen all sorts so please do not be shy about this.....or think you have to go to the salon for a bikini wax before you go to the clinic.

They may give you an internal pelvic examination. This is done by inserting a couple of lubricated fingers into your vagina and then pressing down on your lower abdomen with their other hand. It does not hurt but they will press down quite firmly to feel for anything unusual.

They will also have a look at your cervix and take an internal vaginal swab. This is done by inserting a speculum to hold the vagina open so they can see inside. The speculum is a sterilised metal instrument. They usually put some KY jelly on it to make it easy to insert. Some very kind doctors will even warm it up first. :) It's important that you relax when it is inserted, so take a deep breath and let your muscles relax. If you tense up, your vaginal muscles will contract making it difficult to insert and painful.

Once the speculum is inside the doctor will open it up to see your cervix. This can feel a little uncomfortable but only takes a couple of seconds. After examining your cervix, then will then take a swab. Again this takes a couple of seconds and then the speculum is slid out. The whole process is over very quickly.

Then they need to take a swab from your urethal opening. This is the small hole just above your vagina where you urinate from. This can feel uncomfortable but is over very, very quickly. I would describe it as scratchy sort of feeling.

And that's it, examination over.

They may give you some tissue to wipe the KY Jelly off yourself and then you get dressed.

You will be given a container to give a urine sample and you will do this in privacy in the toilets.

At my local clinic blood tests for HIV are routine....blood is taken from the arm as it would be done with any other blood test.

At my local clinic most of the results are back within 15 minutes or so, so you are asked to wait in the meantime.

The HIV test takes about a week so you are given a telephone number to call in for the results. They also give you a patient number to quote so the results given to you are confidential. HIV tests also require a 3 month retest if you have been recently exposed.

If the worse happens and you are told you have an infection, please do bear in mind you are not the only person to be going through this. STIs are really quite common these days....which is a good reason to never have sex with someone unless you know they are in good health. Condoms do offer some protection, but not complete protection against all infections.

It's in the doctors interests to get you well again so please follow any advice they give on medication, treatments and refraining from sex until you get the all clear. I have always found the staff at these clinics to be very matter of fact about seeing patients...they really are used to it so please don't be embarrassed. :)

This site has some good information on STIs. Be warned that it does contain close up pictures of genitals to illustrate the symptoms.
http://www.ssha.info/public/index.asp

If anyone has any concerns about going to the clinic which I have not addressed, then please say so. :)

Jay

Laura
xxx

Thanks for your post and I am glad the information helped. Good luck at the clinic. :)
Jay

that is omg, sooo embarassing....seriously!!! I will never b able to have that done..nor a smear test! :S omg! how do u girls do it! i seriously wouldnt...i no its my health at risk.....but im such an embarassed girl, i cant even talk about periods! :(