Feel like a Plague Rat!

April 1, 2008 2:47 PM

I think a guy I've been going out with is a Strep Throat carrier. Are they actually contagious? Or is it me?

I'm currently suffering from my second round of Strep Throat - the first was a month ago. Both times I've had it, I have hooked up with the same guy two days previous. I've only slept with him twice - and I've come down with Strep both times!

Has anyone here had a similar experience, or is this just a horrible coincidence? Should I have a talk with him? I guess it might be an easier topic than an std, I guess I should be grateful for that.

posted by The Light Fantastic to Health & Fitness (4 answers total)

I had a similar problem with a long-distance boyfriend — I came down with strep throat within 48 hours of seeing him, twice in three weeks. (Yes, carriers are contagious.)

I took a course of antibiotics, he took a course of antibiotics, and I never got strep throat again.

(He got weirdly defensive about it and realllly didn't want to take the antibiotics, for reasons totally unknown to me. So... Fair warning, I guess.)
posted by adiabat at 2:56 PM on April 1, 2008

I had this, with a roomate strep carrier for a couple of years. He would only come down with it when he got stessed. Once we had it at the same time and had two different antibiotics; he had penicillin and mine was erythromyacin,. They tell you not to ever, ever take drugs with the lights off, and I did it anyway. Damn near commited involuntary suicide. What saved me was the different shape of the pill.
Do as I say, not as I do.
Family folklore said he got it originally from the cat, who was also a confirmed carrier.
posted by unrepentanthippie at 7:47 PM on April 1, 2008

I had this (3 times in 4 months). Also UTI bacteria carrier. Turned out he never finished courses of antibiotics because he "felt better already". Ick.
posted by unknowncommand at 8:00 PM on April 1, 2008

Did these two one-night-stands happen as the result of alcohol? Because after I have a huge bender I invariably end up with cold symptoms the following week. I think if something's knocking on the door and I lower my immune system I'll come down with whatever it is.
posted by loiseau at 9:52 PM on April 1, 2008