Testing
When you attend and sexual health clinic, the staff will take samples in one of the following ways:
- A blood sample will be taken from your arm. This is not a test for HIV, but a test for syphilis done to everyone seen by GUM clinics
- if you want an HIV test, you can have one but you should be offered counselling before the test (and after you get your result)
- if offered an HIV test, don’t feel pressured into having one until you’ve had time to think it over
- some clinics might want to test you for hepatitis too.
A swab will also be taken from your mouth to check for infections like gonorrhoea.
A swab might be taken from your urethra. This may be uncomfortable for a second. Some clinics use swabs only if you have a discharge – if you don’t, some clinics will just test a sample of your piss instead.
If you’re being checked for infections in your arse, a swab will be taken from there. For this
- You lie on the bed on your side with your knees up against your chest
- wearing rubber gloves the doctor or nurse will put some lubricating jelly around your arse hole to make taking the swab easier
- then a swab or tube (a proctoscope) will be put into your arse to take a sample.
You will also be asked for a sample of your piss. When you piss you wash signs of infection away so they cannot do this test if you’ve pissed within the last 2-4 hours. You’ll be left to piss into one or two glass containers, having been told how much to piss into each one.
