Please help!
Thank you so much.xoxo!
A poster calling themselves "confused girl" was diagnosed with the sexually-transmitted infection Chlamydia and subsequently prescribed the antibiotic Azithromycin. She reported that her symptoms — itching and pain while urinating — had subsided but not entirely disappeared since she started taking the antibiotic, and she wanted to know how long it would take for her infection to clear up. Interestingly, she didn't mention whether she had completed her course of antibiotics, nor whether she had been back to see her doctor for a follow-up appointment.
Chlamydia being among the most common sexually-transmitted diseases, this poster wasn't alone by any stretch of the imagination. It is notable, however, that she reported symptoms, since the infection usually doesn't have any unless it is left untreated.
Discussion highlights
Questions
Other people also diagnosed with Chlamydia piled on with numerous questions:
- The burning when I urinate is still present 3 days later.
- Should I worry?
- Can I drink or do I have to wait?
- MY partner and I had chlamydia and we both got treated for on the same day three days later we had sex does that mean we are not cured?
- I'm scared I know you guys know how it feels but I'm scared all stay scard in my inside of my vagina?
Symptoms
People who were diagnosed with Chlamydia or were worried they had it or were struck by another sexually-transmitted disease commented:
- The burning when I urinate is still present 3 days later.
- and it still stings a bit when i pee.
- I dont have any uncomfortable-ness apart from a lot of vaginal discharge.
- It still stings a little after i finish urinating which is the most annoying and frustrating part of it all because that's the symptom that i mostly want gone.
- the cramps started before me and him had sex again
Answers
People answering questions relating to the treatment of Chlamydia said:
- I know that half-life of Azithromycin is 68 hours.
- i took azithromycin 500mg and i started to see result in two day.
- they told me it would be cured in two weeks by this medicine but no sex unitl after two weeks , i didnt even know i had it , it scares me to know i had it ): but i havent burned or had any pain since i took the medicine .
- I've been seeing peoples symtoms cease or decrease after a day.
- It will take a few days.
STD talk
Symptoms not going away with treatment could, some said, indicate the person also had another STD. Other STD-related comments included:
- Unfortunately, for chlamydia, most patients have no signs of infection AND most gynos will not test for chlamydia/gonorrhea with your annual pap, it is something you usually have to ask for.
- You can still be infected with an STD even if you use protection.
- Has anyone had pain in penis head even after completing antibiotics for chlamydia?
- Then I started to get balanitis.
- That could be another STD like Gonorrhea - its also possible that the Azythromycin 1gram (guessing that is what you took) did not work for you and you need to be treated with another regiment of antibiotics - like Doxicycline 100mg 2 times a day -7 days.
Advice
People receiving Chlamydia treatment received the following advice:
- WARNING though: If you do plan on having sex with a condom, I honestly would not recommend it because there is that 40% chance that the condom will rip and to save you the humiliation its better to be on the "SAFE SIDE." :]
- It should go away in 7 days after treatment;then go to the doctor whenever they recommended you to come in.
- And get tested again 3 months later to be sure you haven't caught it back off your partener.
- it takes up to 7 days i reseaved treatment last year but u do have to go get checked to make shure its gone if it is then you home free if not the doctor will prescibe you more antibiotics its best to keep geting checked over about a period of three months after being cured to keep it from reacuring i figured someone had to answer the first question since no one has i did hope i helped
- having sex during this time does not harm you but use protection otherwise your partner will catch it from you.
The SteadyHealth team reacts
Chlamydia often has no symptoms unless left untreated for a long time, and the same also holds true for many other sexually-transmitted diseases. This is why anyone who is sexually active benefits from regular STD testing — even if you're monogamous, there's a chance your partner may not be. It is, however, especially good to get tested:
- If you have just started a new relationship
- You and your partner would like to ditch the condoms
- You have symptoms that may indicate an STD, such as pelvic pain, abnormal discharge from the penis or vagina, pain during urination, warts, or genital lesions
- You have just found out your partner has had sex with someone else or multiple other people
- You have sex with multiple partners of unknown STD status, even if you use condoms
If, after an STD test, you are positive for Chlamydia, you will be treated with antibiotics.
Antibiotics for Chlamydia
A few different options are available in the treatment of Chlamydia, and your doctor may prescribe:
- One gram of Azithromycin as a single dose
- 100 mg of Doxycycline, taken twice a day for seven days
- While those are the two most commonly used approaches, which are recommended by the CDC, you may also be given Erythromycin, Levofloxacin, or Ofloxacin. These will also be prescribed for one week, but the dosage and number of pills you need to take in one day will vary.
The first two treatment options are nearly equally effective — with success rates of 97 and 98 percent, they are almost guaranteed to free you from your Chlamydia infection. Remember that you should always (always!) finish a course of antibiotics prescribed to you, even if you feel better before the course is finished, and that it is important to take the medications on time and exactly as prescribed.
People who are being treated for Chlamydia should not have sex in the seven days after starting treatment. Unless your partner — who will likely have caught Chlamydia from you if you have had unprotected sex — is treated at the same time, also keep in mind that the risk of reinfection is very high.
Because the treatment of Chlamydia is very successful, it's not generally considered necessary to be tested again to see if the infection was cleared up. However, if you continue to have unprotected sex with people who may have an STD, you may be reinfected or you could catch another sexually-transmitted disease. Continued STD screenings are advised in this case.
If were symptomatic and you still have symptoms after completing treatment, that's a different story. Follow up with your doctor right away in this case. Your symptoms may be caused by a different condition that requires diagnosis and treatment.
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