After many years as a hobbyist, I unfortunately recently contracted occular syphillis. Symptomatically, I showed no signs of the usual signals: rash on my body, chancre sores, etc. nor did I ever detect these on any of the providers that I've seen over the years. Not entirely certain that any of the providers would have displayed symptoms nor shared their periodic testing, if in fact they have tested.... I guess this is something we all have to consider in this hobby of ours! I received a course of treatment, never had any reactions to the treatments and certainly would like to resume activities. Condom use is standard for me and am curious if any of the readers/contributors may have any advice.
Thank you for the honestly of your post and I am glad you are feeling better. I think you brought up a very good point to discuss which is not all that unusual: you did not have any symptoms and you did not notice any symptoms on any of the providers you have been with. The general guideline is that if you have unprotected sex (as a provider OR a client) you should be tested every 2 weeks, if you are only engaging in safer sex (provider OR client) and do not have any symptoms you should still get tested every 12 weeks. (This is from my doctor, your doctor may have another recommendation for you) If you experience any systems you should get tested immediately.
I would very much hope your sharing allows for a cautionary tale on this board that you can be a carrier of an STI and show no symptoms. If your doctor has cleared you to "resume activities" I would assume you would be fine going forward with condom using fun time.
Take care and stay safe everyone!!
I’m not going to lie I had to google it. I learned something today. I assume condoms would not help because you contracted it due to direct contact with secretions or from contaminated. I hate to assume, but know I get tested way more, than most & I don’t see a lot of people. I hope she’s not knowingly giving out STD’s. I think the best thing anyone can do is get tested. If you knowingly have an STD please don’t spread it. Get it taken care of before entertaining anyone. If you can’t don’t provide.
* I have OCD, so I can say I get tested & always feel good about staying on top of my health because I am a caregiver. I don’t provide services if I am sick it’s a professional courtesy. If someone does not care about their own health how can they care about yours?
I think it’s a risky business. Do you know exactly who you contracted it from & if so have you contacted them?
Thanks for your reply. No, I do not know who may have given me this but I have notified a current, and likely now past, ATF who I had developed a nice relationship. She was understanding, had tests prior to my reaching out to her yet she has not indicated that she ahead and had any additional testing. My doctor indicated that the STI could have transmitted earlier and that this "latent" episode may have been from years(!) past. As I noted earlier, the only "symptom" I had was an eye inflammation. The opthamologist who is treating me for the inflammation reiterated that syphilis is an ever growing STI in the US and that we all, those of us who are in this activity need to be very mindful.
Sorry to nerd out on you, but… As you likely already know by now, syphilis can have multiple stages (primary, secondary, early latent, tertiary/neuro). Ocular syphilis could be primary if you, for example, fingered a lady with active primary syphilis and then rubbed your eye. Could also be a later stage. Early vs. late may help you determine the offending provider. The overwhelming majority with primary will be cured with a shot of penicillin (though many recommend IV for ocular cases.). Your eye doctor should be able to tell you if it looked acute or later stage (chronic changes on eye exam). If later stage then it will be impossible to trace the partner who gave it to you. That’s really the health department’s job anyway. To answer your question, your blood work (RPR/VDRL) will tell you if you responded as the levels will decline over time. For early stage, you should not be infectious 2 weeks post treatment assuming you responded to treatment. I would wait a month or two and repeat bloodwork with drop in RPR titre before re-entering the dating pool. As an aside, syphilis can respond to azithromycin and doxycycline (as do chlamydia and gonorrhea). Some docs will prescribe you one or more of these as a prophylaxis to take after sexual contact (sort of like taking PrEP/PEP to prevent hiv).
Thanks for the nerdiness...!! Your post confirms what the medical team had indicated. I started on a drip in the hospital overnight, had no side effects and was discharged with a ten day home infusion pack. I'll repeat the testing as you described and will determine if, and when, I resume my interest in the hobby. Thanks again!
No matter what we do, these kinds of things happen, even with top tier providers. The important thing is to keep yourself on the bench until you get the all-clear from the lab to re-inter the game. I'm seen posts on other sex forums where guys talk about continuing to see providers while they are still taking the meds. Yuck!!! Good luck.
Please reach out to the providers you saw in the last couple of months and hopefully the one that is passing this around would get treated.
Of us. Do the best you can in choosing companions, that the best we can do ; even then one just never know, especially if there is no signs. You can still partake in hobby, may just need to eliminate some activities.
I'm sitting out for awhile until my titer readings reduce to normal levels. Thinking about using a dental dam on an southern trips and trust that this is acceptable to those who I may be with, whenever.....
NEVER DATY OR KISS A PROVIDER, NO MATTER HOW CLEAN YOU THINK THEY ARE, BECAUSE THEY ARE BAREBACKING SOMEONE. NOT TO MENTION BBBJ EVERYONE!!!!!!