THREAD ON MY FIRST TIME AT PLANNED PARENTHOOD !!!

so for background: this was my first time getting tested bc i’ve been very very scared about it due to all the social stigma around sex and STDs, but my friend finally convinced me to just get it over with to keep me and the people around me safe

they first had me fill out some basic paperwork and offered a confidential insurance plan so my parents don’t see and so i don’t have to pay out of pocket. this might only be an option in california but i’m not sure.

then they had me do a urine test (which is just peeing in a cup) to check for gonorrhea and chlamydia. i also asked them to check for a UTI while they were at it.

next they gave me a short painless finger prick to check for HIV, and then a blood draw for syphilis. i personally dont get scared by blood draws but this is just something to be aware of

finally i had a talk with a clinician about my history and got my results for the HIV test in about 20 minutes. the rest of my results will be back in 4-6 days.

overall the people working at planned parenthood were really nice and nonjudgmental (even when it took me over 20 minutes to pee in a cup) and made sure i had all the information i needed before giving each test.