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Originally Posted by 1q2w3e
Sorry, I have read some of the postings regarding herpes and syphillis but I just wish to know how much time I still have? My gf likely to be infected also but I don't know how to tell her....sob...how?
Can cure anot? I read b4 will affect babies next time. Like that how to marry?
Pls, any advice is welcomed. I don't know how to tell my parents also.
Very stressed....
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Symptoms
Syphilis can cause a range of symptoms or none at all. In the early stage of disease, symptoms may be easily missed. Syphilis can progress more quickly and severely in people with HIV, and may present slightly different symptoms.
Shortly after becoming infected with syphilis (primary syphilis) a small sore, spot or ulcer (called a chancre) may appear at the site of infection, usually on the penis, in or around the anus or vagina or in the mouth. The chancre does not hurt and usually heals quite quickly. It can be accompanied by swollen glands.
Secondary syphilis can cause a rash, swollen glands, fever, muscle pain, headache, ringing in the ears, and in rare cases, meningitis. Dark brown sores, about the size of a penny piece may also appear on the hands and feet. The rash and sores are highly infectious. Secondary syphilis normally develops within six months of exposure.
Tertiary syphilis usually develops within ten years of infection and can cause damage to almost all the internal organs and the brain (neurosyphilis). If left untreated syphilis can cause death.
Diagnosis
A general sexual health check-up will include a blood test for syphilis, and any lesions will be swabbed. It can take up to three months for the body to develop antibodies to the bacteria that cause syphilis, so a test taken shortly after exposure may not detect infection. There is some evidence to suggest that tests for syphilis are not as reliable in HIV-positive people. If brain involvement is suspected, a lumbar puncture may be carried out to assess the extent of disease.
Treatment
Syphilis is usually treated with a course of penicillin injections. People who are allergic to penicillin are given a course of antibiotic tablets, or may be offered penicillin desensitisation where doses are built up gradually over a short period. People with HIV usually receive higher doses of medication for longer. To ensure that the syphilis is completely cured it is vital to have all your prescribed injections or take all your medication. To avoid infecting other people with syphilis, or being re-infected with the bacteria, it is important to avoid sex altogether until treatment has been completed and you have been given the all clear.
Follow-up blood tests will be carried out at intervals of 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months to ensure the infection has gone.