False Positives
Bess sits in a v-position, atop a white kitchen counter. Bess’s legs are extended and toes pointed slightly.
Y’all know that I try my best to stay on top of STI testing. I do this not only for my own safety and peace of mind, but for my duo partners and lovers too.
By the way, I think STIs are stupid and shouldn’t exist. Why can’t we just have sex without the threat of lifelong infections?? Like whoever created them is dumb and I want to speak with their manager!
Anyway, I recently had a false positive result on my standard STI panel and here’s what I learned:
I’m more comfortable with a positive test result than I anticipated. As someone who claims to be sex positive, how do you know you are until the limits get tested? I didn’t cry, I didn’t freak out, but I did start composing the email I was going to have to send to some folks in my head! I slept just fine that night and called my doctor in the morning.
My partner is cool as hell. When I told him I had a positive test result, he gave me a big hug and asked how I was feeling. We had a discussion about disclosing to other partners and how to pursue treatment. Such a difference from my previous experience! I remember testing positive for HPV in college and my boyfriend treated me like the scum of the earth. He was really mad for weeks and we didn’t have sex for months after (Mind you, we had been dating for 2 years at the time and in a monogamous relationship). It really hurt my feelings.
There are multiple tests for syphilis. If you test positive on the first test, they run a longer panel for the specific bacterium. This takes a couple of days for results. I found out two days after my initial result I was non-reactive to the bacteria that causes syphilis.
Repeated false positive results with the rapid syphilis test can indicate other infections or auto-immune disease. I’ve never tested positive before so I don’t think this is the case, but it’s good to know!
The incubation period from the initial exposure to syphilis can vary widely — From 2 weeks to 90 days! This is why negative test results can sometimes be misleading. The bacteria may still be present, but not at a level that will show up on a test yet. Getting tested immediately after unprotected sex isn’t always the best way to check for STIs. Different STIs have different incubation periods. There are handy charts online like this one.
The most common symptom of syphilis is no symptoms, like most STIs! That’s why lack of symptoms is not a substitute for actual testing and knowing your status.
If you’re sexually active, you should be getting tested at least once per year, even if you use protection every time or are monogamous.
Consider getting tested quarterly if you sleep with multiple people or have regular new lovers. My current favorite option is stdcheck.com to find labs near you that offer full-panel testing.
