STDs | Zikoko!

While more Nigerians are willing to talk about sexual health in recent days, it’s still a topic shrouded in secrecy and judgment. We still live in a world where people are scared of buying condoms, so it’s not obvious they’re “doing it”.

In a bid to throw more light on the importance of sexual health, six Nigerians talk about their experience with sexually transmitted diseases and how they managed it.

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“Condoms didn’t protect me from getting herpes” — Jane*, 27

I don’t think people talk enough about how STDs and STIs can be gotten even without penetrative sex. I religiously use condoms, but I noticed painful sores close to my vagina about a year ago. I did a couple of tests, and it turned out to be herpes. That’s when I learnt you can also get it by kissing an infected person or via oral sex. It’s incurable, but I manage it with medication to prevent an outbreak — which means a reappearance of symptoms like sores.

“I didn’t even know I had one” — Dave*, 31

I use condoms with sexual partners but not in serious relationships. I also did an HIV test once in 2019, and it was negative, so I thought all was fine. It wasn’t until 2021, when I had to do medicals for travel, that I realised I had an STD. I didn’t even know I had one — there were no symptoms. Thankfully, it was treatable, so it’s long gone.

“I thought it was just a vaginal infection” — Lola*, 22

I’ve had at least three yeast infections since I was a teenager. So when I noticed some foul-smelling discharge two years ago, I thought it was just a simple infection. I tried to treat it with over-the-counter medication used to treat yeast, but it got worse and progressed to random bleeding. I didn’t want to visit a hospital near where I lived to prevent gossip, so I waited until I returned to school to do a test. It was an STD. I started treatment and informed my now-ex-boyfriend — we broke up because we kept accusing each other of infecting the other.

“I think it’ll come back” — Mike*, 29

I first tested positive for gonorrhoea in 2017 after I noticed severe pain in my genitals. The nurse said it was treatable, and I was prescribed a ton of medication. Even though the symptoms subsided, I still felt pain, so I took another test two months later out of curiousity. I still had gonorrhoea. I treated it again and finally stopped having symptoms, but a part of me still thinks it’ll come back. I haven’t tested for it again.

“I think I got it through a sex toy” — Rachel*, 20

I got an STD last year, and I think I got it through a sex toy. I have a roommate, and she has a couple of sex toys. One day, I was really horny, and I used one of hers without her knowledge. I cleaned it after, though.

A couple of weeks later, I started having pelvic pain and discharge, and Google told me it might be an STD. I got a home test kit, which confirmed my suspicion. I think it was the toy because I wasn’t sexually active at the time, and sources online confirm that STDs can be transmitted via sex toys, too. I treated it but didn’t tell my roommate. How would I say I used her sex toy?

“I’m not sure how I got it” — Jem*, 26

I found out I had an STD in 2021 when my partner insisted we got tested before becoming exclusive. It’s not treatable, and I’m not sure how I got it because I practice safe sex most of the time. I’m glad I know now because I now pay more attention to my health. I’m still with my partner, and we practice safe sex all the time.

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*Names have been changed for the sake of anonymity.

ALSO READ: 3 Things Sexually Active People Should Never Take For Granted

Tife Oni

September 5, 2023

Inside Life, Ships

Nigerians, relationships, Sex, sex life, Sexual health, STDs
Do you regularly get STD tests? Or have you never gotten one at all? It can be nerve-racking going to get tested, but equally important for your overall well-being. You know, it’s better to be safe and sure than sorry especially if you have multiple sexual partners. For this article, 6 Nigerians Share With Us Their Experience Getting STD tests.

Jane, 25, F

The first time I got an STD test was in 2018. Before then, I’d had a steady partner so never felt the need to get one. When the relationship ended, I started hooking up with people without knowing their sexual histories. One day, my friend was talking about getting a routine check-up done and mentioned that it included STD testing. That’s when it occurred to me how irresponsible I’d been, and how I needed one too. After that initial test, I made STD testing a regular thing.

Paul, 27, M

My girlfriend cheated on me in 2017, and the only reason I found out was that she got an STD and gave it to me. I didn’t even want to get a test at first because she told me she had an STD and that automatically means I have one too, but I got the test done anyway. Got a comprehensive STD test to catch anything she might have missed in her own testing. It was pretty straightforward and efficient. I went to pick up my results the next day. Since then, I made STD testing a regular part of my health routine. You can never be too sure.

Abike, 31, F

I have been getting tested regularly since I was 21 years old. My biggest problem with getting STD tests is that some of the hospital staff can be very judgemental. Sometimes, they make snide comments about how sexually reckless I am to require a test, or that abstinence would prevent the need for a test in the first place.I moved around a lot, so I constantly changed hospitals, which means I was exposed to a lot of rubbish. When I settled down, I found a hospital a bit far from where I live but closer to my best friend’s house. The staff there are very professional and I’ve been getting tests there twice a year for over three years now.

Olu, 27, M

My partner and I both decided it was in our best interest to test for STDs before “getting physical.” The tests went well. I got my result in minutes, and the hospital also emailed them to me for reference. I had insurance, so it was affordable and I do it regularly. I also got the rapid test kit to test myself at home occasionally, but I go to the hospital for the complete package.

Sandra, 26, F

When I started dating my boyfriend, he insisted on us getting tested before becoming exclusive. So, we went together to get the test done. The hospital kept treating us as a couple and that was a small problem for me. It’s been four years, and he still insists we get it done at least once a year, which I think is a really good practice. It’s quick and we get it done with our usual medical checkup so I don’t mind.

Cynthia, 21, F

I got my first STD test because I was sexually assaulted. I wanted to get the 72 hour PEP drug (Post Exposure Prophylaxis), but a test was done first. It was a fast test. It involved them collecting my blood and delivering my results not long after. I was asked to return in 3 months for another test because that’s the incubation time for some STDs, but I never got retested. Partly because of laziness and the fact that my parents didn’t take it seriously. They believed that because I’d already taken the drug, I didn’t need another test.

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Susan Nwaobiala

December 31, 2021

Sex Life

Sexual health, Sponsored Post, STDs
Brace yourself, brothers and sisters.

For what you are about to witness will (or should) forever change your perspective on bumping uglies with strange people. If you don’t know them well enough to be able to ask for STD test results, they’re strange.

Now, we know body no be firewood.

But before you go and meet that sweet boy or sweet girl, better find out their status. Ask to see the results, even. Some people have horrible STDs. Our ancestors call unwanted and unexpected ‘gifts’ like that ‘double wahala.’ Be advised.

First off, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are the literal worst.

STDs are infections/diseases caused by having sexual contact with infected people either through oral, anal or/& vaginal intercourse. Most STDs show no symptoms and may last for years which is additionally scary. By the time it shows symptoms, a great deal of damage could have been done.

Most of them are curable, but there are a few that can only be managed.

Those are the ones we’re focusing on today. The manageable ones. They are unsightly, painful, expensive and potentially deadly. Infected people have to depend on medicine to suppress symptoms for the remainder of their life, or until scientists figure out a cure.

So stay woke.

Gonorrhea is one of the most common STDs in Nigeria. In fact, a study done by WHO showed that Lagos in 1963 had the highest gonorrhea rate in the world! It’s most common among young people between 15 to 24 and it infects parts of the body that are warm and moist eg the eyes, mouth, urethra, vagina, anus etc. Oddly enough, gonorrhea used to have a complete cure, but the infection-causing bacterium Neisseria gonorrhea has become resistant.

Symptoms:

Gonorrhea can cause rectal infections, anal itching, sores, discharge or bleeding. It’s pretty nasty. If treatment doesn’t start right away, it can have dire consequences such as obstruction of the fallopian tubes, infertility and ectopic pregnancy. Men may feel pain in their testicles, and be unable to father a child.

These are sexually transmitted diseases that lead to liver inflammation and, in serious cases, to death. There is no cure for hepatitis A & B, however, there is a vaccine for these two types and your body usually clears both Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B within a few months. Unfortunately, some people end up with chronic Hepatitis B, which means their body didn’t get rid of it within six months. At this stage, you can only take medication to slow down the liver damage.

Symptoms:

When Hepatitis is contracted, first symptoms can include a general feeling of unwell, vomiting, nausea, fever and dark-coloured urine. In serious cases, Hepatitis develops into cirrhosis and can lead to liver cancer.

This is a viral infection that is passed through skin-to-skin contact. Most people get HPV through direct sexual contact, such as oral sex. It can affect your mouth, genitals or throat, giving you warts. Warts associated with most HPV infections go away on their own, but the virus remains in the infected person’s body. As a result, that person may still pass HPV to sexual partners.

Symptoms:

When the virus doesn’t go away on its own, it’s a big problem. Complications include genital warts and warts in the throat. HPV may also cause cervical cancer and cancers of the genitals, head, neck, and throat. However, the types of HPV that cause warts are different from the types that cause cancer.

Herpes is a viral infection characterized by periodic outbreaks of painful sores. It can be contracted through sex, kissing or touching an affected area. Although condoms can prevent herpes transmission during intercourse, oral contact with genitals or open sores anywhere can spread the disease.

Symptoms:

Herpes usually shows up as cold sores or blisters. Symptoms can also include pain when urinating, lower back pain, flu-like symptoms and a burning sensation in the genitals. Small red bumps may also appear around the genitals or on the mouth.

Bottom line

Nobody likes living with STDs of any kind. The good news is, if you have any of these STDs, they can be managed well with modern medicine. Don’t beat yourself up about it. If you don’t have any STDs, take care to keep it that way. It is important to choose your sexual partners very carefully and use protection. Abstinence, however, remains the best way to protect yourself.

Sade

September 17, 2018

Inside Life

AIDS, HIV, Sex, sex education, sexually transmitted diseases, std, STDs
Many of us have heard of the several Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) that exist and ways to prevent them.
Ghanaian condom brand, Fiesta Condoms put out a hilarious but educating animated series about the advantages of using condoms on their Youtube channel.

It is not a surpsrise that Fiesta Condoms are a trademark of DKT International, the non-profit organization that promotes family planning and HIV prevention through social marketing.

They kicked things off on their Youtube channel with this funny skit about a couple that would rather pray away STIs and infections rather than use condoms.

Then, this funny ad tells the story of a hideous STI that terrorizes couples in the land giving them infections. The Superheroes, Fiesta condoms come to the rescue and save the day.

Check out the full video here.

You can also watch other ads on their channel, Fiesta Condoms Gh.

Maryam

April 6, 2016

Gist

condom, condoms, ghana, Ghanaian, Nigerians, Sex, STDs

**“Condoms didn’t protect me from getting herpes” — Jane*, 27**

**“I didn’t even know I had one” — Dave*, 31**

**“I thought it was just a vaginal infection” — Lola*, 22**

**“I think it’ll come back” — Mike*, 29**

**“I think I got it through a sex toy” — Rachel*, 20**

**“I’m not sure how I got it” — Jem*, 26**

Jane, 25, F

Paul, 27, M

Abike, 31, F

Olu, 27, M

Sandra, 26, F

Cynthia, 21, F

Brace yourself, brothers and sisters.

Now, we know body no be firewood.

First off, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are the literal worst.

Most of them are curable, but there are a few that can only be managed.

Symptoms:

Symptoms:

Symptoms:

Symptoms:

Bottom line

Ghanaian condom brand, Fiesta Condoms put out a hilarious but educating animated series about the advantages of using condoms on their Youtube channel.

It is not a surpsrise that Fiesta Condoms are a trademark of DKT International, the non-profit organization that promotes family planning and HIV prevention through social marketing.

They kicked things off on their Youtube channel with this funny skit about a couple that would rather pray away STIs and infections rather than use condoms.

Then, this funny ad tells the story of a hideous STI that terrorizes couples in the land giving them infections. The Superheroes, Fiesta condoms come to the rescue and save the day.

Check out the full video here.