Post: #1

A friend of mines is taking antibiotics on the off chance he's caught an STD whilst fucking some less than salubrious girls. He isn't prescribed these just walked into a pharmacy (we're in Thailand they will sell anything) and asked for some and they've sold them to him.

Is this a wise idea even though you don't know you've actually got STDs?

It's not like he has any symptoms he just has it in his head it's a good idea to take something. He's urging me to do the same but I'm wary about taking random antibiotics on the off chance I have an STD due to side effects they might have. Opinions?

Post: #2

Not a good idea. There is no all-purpose antibiotic, so without knowledge of exactly what he's got (if anything), there's no way to tell which antibiotic he should be taking (assuming it's a bacterial infection in the first place).

Post: #3

That's definitely a bad idea.

Post: #4

Your friend is a moron. Not only is he promoting anti-biotic resistance, you need to take a specific antibiotic based on which bacteria is infecting you.

And it's also pointless if you have herpes, warts, molluscum, or HIV.

Post: #5

This is the reason why antibiotic resistance is so prevalent. There is no need unless you actually have a bacterial infection. Otherwise you're just killing all of your beneficial bacteria too.

Post: #6

Terrible idea. Why doesn't he just get an STD test? You can walk into any clinic and have the results within an hour. Google the most reputable ones or splurge and go to Bumrungrad.

Post: #7

He literally walked into a pharmacy and said "I had sex, the condom burst, I'm worried about STDs" and she gave him 2 different antibiotics, Zithromax and Floxcipro.

Post: #8

It's an extremely foolish idea. Taking antibiotics has benefits and risks, which vary according to clinical circumstances and which only a doctor is in a position to evaluate properly. Not only does overuse of antibiotics exacerbate the problem of resistance (which is particularly concerning in Southeast Asia precisely because people are able to do this sort of thing), but there are potential side effects and allergies to the medications, and you risk getting a really nasty opportunistic infection after killing off the good bacteria that normally keep those things away. Not to mention that if you don't take the medications exactly as prescribed you can make the infection come back in a more virulent and drug-resistant form.

Seriously, tell your friend to go to a goddamn doctor. What he's doing is incredibly irresponsible and dangerous.

Post: #9

(03-27-2012 11:21 AM)AlphaTravel Wrote:  He literally walked into a pharmacy and said "I had sex, the condom burst, I'm worried about STDs" and she gave him 2 different antibiotics, Zithromax and Floxcipro.

These are the correct medications to give for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, respectively. There is a rising problem in ciprofloxacin/floxcipro resistance in gonorrhoea worldwide, though.

It should also cover against lymphogranuloma venereum.

It won't cover trichomonas (although Trichomonas doesn't often bother men, you have to be really unlucky to be a man with a Trichomonas infection).

It may be adequate to cover syphilis, maybe not.

It won't protect against viral infections. Some post-exposure guidelines now advocate give the patient aciclovir to prevent herpes.

It won't protect against fungal STD, may even worsen a fungal STD.

It won't protect against HIV infection, which is relatively commoner in Thailand and is worth thinking about.

It won't protect against Hepatitis B and C infections. For that you'll need vaccinations and immunoglobulin to cover you until the vaccine kicks in. (Strangely, Hepatitis B is one of the most common STD's out there, and yet no one seems to be immunising against it. If you're a player, you may as well get immunised against Hepatitis B, get your 5 year booster shots, and have one less disease to worry about. Hepatitis B is ten times more infectious than HIV. You're more likely to catch Hep B than HIV).

Post-exposure antibiotic prophylaxis, HIV prophylaxis, and hepatitis prophylaxis are all reasonable in cases of unprotected sex with a partner not available for examination, since dealing with the risks of complications of STD's such as urethral strictures, infertility and genital cancer probably outweighs the risks of antibiotic side effects. Rape victims are routinely given antibiotics for such reasons. That said, your 'friend' has only got partial STD cover with his pharmacist regimen. My experience of most pharmacists is that they give themselves far too much credit in terms of medical knowledge and lack a knowledge of their own blind spots. They may know medications, but they don't understand diseases.

One last thought : A proper post-exposure prophylaxis course will have enough side-effects to make you seriously wonder whether the cure isn't worse than the disease. I've been on the HIV post-exposure prophylaxis and I barely made it through the month course. I swore if I got HIV that I'd rather die of AIDS than have to push such toxins into my body again, that's how bad it was.

Post: #10

Thomas the Rhymer, great post!

This makes me wonder as well that a lot of people seem to worry more about curable gonorrhea/syphilis than Hep B which has no cure. Indeed the vaccine is a must; one could even get combined Hep A+B and be protected against Hep A as well - which is, let's say, pretty valuable in SE Asia, India and even Russia outside Moscow.

What about Hep C? I thought one cannot get Hep C through typical STD transmissions, only via blood transfusion or shared needles. Is that true?

Quote:One last thought : A proper post-exposure prophylaxis course will have enough side-effects to make you seriously wonder whether the cure isn't worse than the disease.

And it really makes you change your opinion about the unprotected sex.

Post: #11

Do most places not check for Hep A, B, and C when you get a general std test? I'm wondering if I should go to the doctor and get all kinds of shots if I've only been tested for the main ones.

Post: #12

Can I punch your friend square in the face? That's how I feel after reading this.

Post: #13

Hep B actually isnt more infectious than HIV from unprotected sex - it's actually harder to catch. I had a panic attack after unprotected with a tattooed chinese girl (chinese = high rate, tattoo done in china = even higher risk) and rang the Hep-B hotline.

They told me the stats that its "100 times more infectious than HIV" applied to NEEDLE STICKS, i.e. it's the statistics for nurses dealing with needles and infected blood, and the nurses have scared everyone with their needlstick stats. And that misinformation is everywhere on the internet. Just goes to show you you cant believe everything you read out there.

The sexual transmission stats from insertive vaginal sex are about 1/3 that of HIV - i.e. a 1 in 6000 chance. This is from a study that tracked transmissions of HIV and Hep-B in couples having unprotected sex for a year.

Also remember that most people (95%) shake it off after a few weeks if they get it. If you DO get it, you need to prioritise healthy food and sleep and get your immune system up as high as possible - no cigs or alcohol, clean diet and filling up on antivirals like garlic, coconut oil, green tea, etc.

That said it's a horrible disease (even for a few weeks) so YES just use a fking condom, and get the shots, especially if in Asia. But know the accurate stats too.

Post: #14

(03-27-2012 09:50 PM)RichieP Wrote:  Hep B actually isnt more infectious than HIV from unprotected sex - it's actually harder to catch. I had a panic attack after unprotected with a tattooed chinese girl (chinese = high rate, tattoo done in china = even higher risk) and rang the Hep-B hotline.

They told me the stats that its "100 times more infectious than HIV" applied to NEEDLE STICKS, i.e. it's the statistics for nurses dealing with needles and infected blood, and the nurses have scared everyone with their needlstick stats. And that misinformation is everywhere on the internet.

Do you have any references to support that information? For example, WHO says exactly the opposite. Notably it says that "the hepatitis B virus is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV". And in "Transmission" it explains that "Hepatitis B virus is transmitted between people by contact with the blood or other body fluids (i.e. semen and vaginal fluid) of an infected person. Modes of transmission are the same for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but HBV is 50 to 100 times more infectious". Nowhere here it says it is only for needles/blood transfusion, and I'd give WHO much more credit than "nurses scaring everyone".

It may also worth noting that there are significantly more Hep B carriers (WHO estimates there are two BILLION(!!!) Hep B carriers) than HIV carriers. Statistically if you stay out of Africa and junkies you may never in your life fuck a single HIV-positive person. The chance with Hep B is much higher.

Post: #15

I got that information from the Hepatitis B foundation. He quoted me the results of the study which I'm sure you can find if you look for it. I have no reason to doubt him.

Since WHO doesnt bother to differentiate risk between blood or different sexual fluids I'm going with the advice from the guy who's job it is to provide specialist information on the disease, and who told me the risk specifically for unprotected vaginal female-male transmission

You're right, there's tons of carriers. I wouldnt be sleeping with girls here( in asia) if I hadnt had my Hep-B shots.

Post: #16

I've heard the same thing as oldnemesis. I've never heard of Hep B being less infectious than HIV in any mode of transmission. RichieP, if you can remember anything from the study you're talking about (title, authors, journal, date of publication, a quote from the abstract) I might be able to track it down and see what's up.

Post: #17

(03-27-2012 05:29 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  Can I punch your friend square in the face? That's how I feel after reading this.

+1 OMFG!!! I got laid!!!!!!!! What the fuck am I going to do now???!!?? I'm fucked!!!!

Post: #18

He's been fucking bar girls every night without protection to be fair. I can see why he's worried. I would be too.

Post: #19

(03-28-2012 06:29 AM)RichieP Wrote:  I got that information from the Hepatitis B foundation. He quoted me the results of the study which I'm sure you can find if you look for it. I have no reason to doubt him.

Sorry bro, but you have been lied to.

The Hepatitis B Foundation says right on their web site that "Hepatitis B is 100 times more contagious than HIV" right here: http://www.hepb.org/powerpoints/farley.pdf

Quote:Since WHO doesnt bother to differentiate risk between blood or different sexual fluids I'm going with the advice from the guy who's job it is to provide specialist information on the disease, and who told me the risk specifically for unprotected vaginal female-male transmission

See, we came from the authoritative opinion to "some dude with unknown background, knowledge and credentials told me". Which is obviously different.

Post: #20

I know an older dude that does the exact same thing. The guy fucks hookers all over the world (including anal) with no condoms. He just takes cipro every day and tops it off with a zithromax dose at the end of his trip, before he returns to his wife.

He hasn't caught anything yet, but has had a few scares where he thought that he gave his wife something. I keep warning him against doing shit like that, but it is his life.

Post: #21

So is it a good idea to get tested for hep a, b and c and to get the shot? What else should I get checked for that general tests won't see?

Post: #22

(03-28-2012 07:58 PM)joehoya Wrote:  I know an older dude that does the exact same thing. The guy fucks hookers all over the world (including anal) with no condoms. He just takes cipro every day and tops it off with a zithromax dose at the end of his trip, before he returns to his wife.

He hasn't caught anything yet, but has had a few scares where he thought that he gave his wife something. I keep warning him against doing shit like that, but it is his life.

Perfect example as to why antibiotic resistance is becoming such a fucking problem.

Please take action and follow this gem of a quote from speakeasy:

(03-27-2012 05:29 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  punch your friend square in the face

Post: #23

yep, get hep A shot definitely. Required for pretty much any exotic travel anyway.

Hep B, yeah if you're going to Asia and on the hunt for chicks. It's abit more hassle because its 3 shots over 6 months with only 90-95% effectiveness. worth it for any high-rate country though.

Hep C... no idea. I dont think its a significant sexual risk.

Post: #24

(03-29-2012 05:14 AM)RichieP Wrote:  yep, get hep A shot definitely. Required for pretty much any exotic travel anyway.

Hep B, yeah if you're going to Asia and on the hunt for chicks. It's abit more hassle because its 3 shots over 6 months with only 90-95% effectiveness. worth it for any high-rate country though.

Hep C... no idea. I dont think its a significant sexual risk.

There's no vaccine for Hep C anyway. Immunoglobulin therapy may prevent onset if exposed. Whether or not it's sexually transmitted is controversial.
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/hepatitis...ndex4.html

That said, I've seen people co-infected with both Hep B and Hep C, and that is a very nasty combination. So get immunised for Hep B at least.

There's a school of thought that says men should get the papilloma virus vaccine to prevent genital warts. I'm not sure if this is still at the speculative stage or if someone is doing research on it, but if it helps prevent papilloma induced cervical cancer and genital warts in women, logic would say that men would have a reduced chance of warts and penile cancer if given vaccine. Although the world of medicine is not always logical.

"However, the only vaccines currently available are
for prevention of HAV, HBV, and HPV infection."
- pg 69 of the CDC STD manual
http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2006/rr5511.pdf

So you can get immunised for Hep A, Hep B and Human Pappiloma virus to reduce your STD risk.

Post: #25

Thanks for the replies. Is that pretty much it besides the general std tests?