Does be asked to come to the clinic for STD test results mean doom?

February 1, 2010 3:33 PM

My automated online and phone results to my STD tests both said negative, but I just got a call asking me to come in to the clinic for my results. Should I be freaking out?

So I got tested on the 15th. HIV rapid response and then the full battery of STD tests. I got card with information on how I could get my test results on the phone or online using a code they gave me.

The HIV rapid response came back negative. Ok good.

I just got a call from the clinic telling me to come in to get my results. I've gotten tested by them in the past, and they told me my results (gonnoreah) over the phone with no problem. This time the woman would not tell me my results. I asked many times in many ways. She said I had to come in and get the results in person.

I went and called the number they had given me for my results and the automated program said all of my results came back negative. I also went to the website for results and those also said everything came back negative.

The clinic is already closed (they waited until 20 minutes before closing time to call me for some reason) so I won't be able to make it in until tomorrow morning.

I need to know: should I be freaking out? I'm sort of freaking out. They wouldn't ask me to come in for nothing, would they? But they also wouldn't send me online and phone results that said I was clean if I wasn't, since that would be even more irresponsible.

HELP!

posted by anonymous to health & fitness (7 answers total)

I think the clinic is legally required to give you the results in person, and only in person. The last time I got tested I had to go in to get the results, which were negative.
posted by ben242 at 3:40 PM on February 1, 2010

Don't stress; every time I've gone in for tests (which I try to do at least once a year, when I'm not in a strictly monogamous relationship) I've had to return to the clinic for my (negative) results. I've specifically requested that I be informed over the phone, but the clinic says that it's against policy to do so. I know that this is stressful, but you should relax; there's nothing about being called into the clinic that should worry you.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 4:13 PM on February 1, 2010

Most places won't give you results over the phone no matter what so that a) if you're positive, you receive the required information and treatment, and b) so that you can't tell if they're positive or negative just by calling, thus protecting your privacy. Sometimes people are more or less strict with this, perhaps you just found someone who's obeying the rules.
posted by proj at 4:14 PM on February 1, 2010

Don't have any unprotected sex between now and going in tomorrow. Other than that, there's nothing you can do between now and then. Freaking out serves you no purpose.
posted by mollymayhem at 4:14 PM on February 1, 2010

Nope, no freak out. I wouldn't freak out. A lot of the times they call separately to confirm you received the results and to do so in person. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't give me all the results over the phone, so I had to go in person and I'm 100% clean, so, yeah.
posted by disillusioned at 4:21 PM on February 1, 2010

IMHO, there are 2 reasons why you have to go in person.

1. So they can cover their own hindquarters if they give you erroneous information.

2. To offer you any any needed counseling should you want it if your results are not "good".


True Story: YEARS AND YEARS and even more years ago, I had my annual and was waiting for my results and got the call the results were in, but they told me I had to come to the office to get them. I went and I thought it was weird they kept calling me Jane when my name is Joan (not my real name). Turns out there are THREE women in my town with the same last name and almost identical first names - all patients of the same clinic.... Jane, Joan and Jan Smith. Anyway, I kept thinking how could I have [diseases edited] when I've never even had sex before so I asked and also asked why she kept calling me Jane .... It turns out they gave me the results of one of the other women - and this was IN THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE - not over the phone...
posted by goml at 4:29 PM on February 1, 2010

I 2nd mollyhayhem. Regardless of the results, freaking out can't do you any good, just relax. Also, don't have unprotected sex till after you get your results.
posted by hal_c_on at 12:10 AM on February 2, 2010