[ziggue]

When you get things like a Blood Test or a Pap Smear done do they automatically test for Std's and Aids? Even if thats not what you were after?

Did both those tests recently and everything was fine. Normal and healthy. The Blood Test was only for Blood Sugar Levels. Suprised that was still low.

Was just thinking about if they do the other stuff as well out of curiousity does anyone know?

[Leikela]

I don't know about in Austrailia, but in the US when the blood is sent to the lab, it has instructions on what test needs to be done on it, and that's what is done. They don't do other tests out of curiosity. If you think about it, if they did that, they would be wasting valuable time in the lab when they could have moved on and tested someone else's blood. They have orders on what tests to perform on the blood, and that's it. Period.

[Adunaphel]

When you get things like a Blood Test or a Pap Smear done do they automatically test for Std's and Aids?

In Europe they don't.

[Matilda]

No, as Leikela said they only test for what is checked or written on the little lab slip.

[swtbonita]

no because a few stds are not tested through blood tests..

[Ms_Sweetness]

usually when they test for STD's or HIV there is usually a form that you sign acknowledging that you know what you are being tested for.

[ziggue]

Okay thanks guys. What about through Papsmears?

[lydiamarie]

some stds they do blood tests for and some they swab you for. when they swab you feel a little discomfort-similar to what you feel when they do the pap smear, but it's not bad. when they culture you for chlamydia, etc. they are just using something like a giant q-tip (if i remember correctly). they do the pap smear and the swabs for each std seperately.

when they do blood work for stds, they take a seperate vial for each std that they are checking for. thank god they don't have to stick you once for each vial!

[tiki]

Ok here's how it works in the clinic I worked at before my current job...

Every year at your pap smear, you got tested for Gonnorhea and Chlamydia. This was without the patient's knowledge! This was the only test that we ran BESIDES the actual smear UNLESS there were symptoms of anything else, and at that time, we'd do a cervix swab and check it out under the microscope. The pap smear will also notify you of internal HPV (or internal warts). This is also an STD.

Blood work at our clinic was a common thing. We ALWAYS ran and HIV and RPR (Syphillis) test once a year. We did not get anything in writing and we didn't have to.

On another note...my fiance went to the doctor to get a baseline physical. He had an HIV and RPR ran on him too. I'm in the US by the way. Hope that helps!