Hi
Condoms will offer good protection against STI when having oral sex. Some STI can still pass with condom use in certain situations. For example if the person had a cold sore (herpes) on their lip and they had contact to an area not covered by the condom while performing oral sex.
Have a look at our “Know your chances” web page, it provides information on your chances of getting or passing an STI depending on how you are having sex.
A decrease in your libido (desire to have sex) is not a symptom of an STI, but it is common for this to happen when someone is stressed.
As this has been worrying you I would recommend going for an STI test.
You can get free STI testing at our Provincial STI clinic in Vancouver or any public health unit. You don’t need to show ID at these places either. All information is private and will not be shared with your doctor, but if you prefer to use a different name just make sure you write it down so you can get your results.
It can take a bit of time for an STI to show up on a test after it has passed to someone, this is called the “window period”. For STI testing accuracy we recommend that people wait 2 weeks after having sex before coming in for a test, if they have no STI symptoms. If someone had STI symptoms for example painful urination (pee), discharge from penis, sores on genitals etc… you should come in straight away.
Provincial STI clinic in Vancouver:
If you’re not in Vancouver have a look at our clinic finder for a public health unit in your area.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
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