For those who’re the type of one who will get nervous or squeamish on the physician’s workplace, you may discover that gathering your personal samples does not freak you out as a lot as somebody in a white coat doing it.
Relying on the place you reside and your transportation state of affairs, at-home STD exams is likely to be extra accessible than visiting a clinic or making a physician’s appointment. And you’ll pay for them out of pocket, which is likely to be a greater possibility primarily based in your medical health insurance.
Lastly, and sadly, sexually transmitted infections have a stigma hooked up to them. You should not really feel ashamed of checking up in your sexual well being—removed from it, in truth—however at-home exams is likely to be a greater possibility in the event you’re involved about what others might imagine.
The Cons of At-Residence STI Exams
At-home STI exams are costly. Relying in your particular well being care state of affairs, they is likely to be extra inexpensive, and plenty of of them are FSA- and HSA-eligible or could also be lined by insurance coverage. However in the event you reside in an space the place there’s free testing by means of your metropolis or state well being departments, or a third-party clinic like Deliberate Parenthood, these choices are doubtless going to be less expensive than testing at house.
There’s additionally the danger of you gathering your samples incorrectly, which may result in false negatives. Relying on the check you select, in the event you do get optimistic outcomes for a sexually transmitted an infection, you may nonetheless find yourself having to go go to a physician in individual to get it handled. Whereas many exams are respected, it is nonetheless vital to make sure that the lab analyzing your outcomes is well-regulated (and that the check itself comes from a good firm). “It’s vital to observe the package directions precisely and accumulate the pattern correctly whereas avoiding contamination. You also needs to observe the warnings and keep away from components that may intrude with outcomes, together with incorrect package storage or use of sure merchandise within the final 48 hours,” says Dr. Gary Schoolnik, Chief Medical Officer at Visby Medical.
Your particular person well being and timing can impression the accuracy of at-home exams, too. For instance, in the event you’re in your interval or have lately used antibiotics, these variables may have an effect on the standard of the samples you possibly can accumulate. A well being care supplier can take this stuff into consideration and alter your testing protocol accordingly.
If the state of affairs is pressing—for instance, in the event you’re experiencing bodily signs that raised considerations, otherwise you’re immunocompromised, otherwise you’re pregnant, or you already know you had been uncovered to an STI—it is vital to really go to a well being care supplier slightly than attempting to deal with your situation at house. “I nonetheless suggest individuals who’re having signs or know they’ve been with somebody that has an STI to hunt skilled sexual well being care to be fully positive, as a false consequence from a do-it-at-home-kit could make you assume you’re okay and due to this fact dismiss or overlook signs,” says Roos.
If privateness is a priority, it’d truly be extra helpful so that you can go to a routine physician’s appointment slightly than having the packaging for an STD check within the trash. And in the event you assume you may check optimistic for one thing, it is likely to be helpful so that you can hear that information from a well being care supplier slightly than discovering out whereas opening the mail in your kitchen. It is one thing that is vital to assume by means of earlier than you resolve to go along with testing at house.
