AboutMark Behar Expertise Almost any question or concern about sexually transmitted infections, abnormal Pap smears, anal cytology (anal "Pap smears"), gay men's health issues.
There is no such thing as “d/d free” or “clean” (free of infection), so why do so many of us deceive ourselves into thinking that some people are indeed totally free from a potentially infectious disease, like HIV, herpes, hepatitis, syphilis, chlamydia, warts, gonorrhea, etc., just because they say so? Clinical laboratory tests are not perfect, and having a “negative” or “nonreactive” test does not mean that a person is free from infection. Perhaps at the moment the test was taken, the person was uninfected; or, perhaps, the test wasn’t sensitive enough to detect presence of the infection. There is really no way that anyone can determine that they are truly “disease free,” and there are over a hundred of infectious conditions that can be spread without your knowing anything.
Rather than trying to “prescreen” or “serosort” a potential sex-mate with deceptive questions that are impossible to know by today’s technologies, a wiser option may be to consider everyone infected with something, and either use appropriate protective measures (“safer sex”), or accept the responsibility and conseqences of possibly “catching” something from someone who’s hotter than expected (pun intended!).
There is much research that supports the contention that an HIV positive person reliably taking HIV medications, and having an undetectable viral load, presents a lower risk for transmission of HIV than people who may think or say they are HIV negative, but are not. Food for thought!
Experience Family Practice PA since 1981;
Volunteer Clinician for Brady East STD (BESTD) Clinic, Milwaukee, since 1977; answer STD questions submitted to their web site.
Professionally lectured at national and regional Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioner conferences, and at national gay & lesbian health conferences on topics including HIV/AIDS, herpes, hepatitis, STDs, human papilloma virus (the cause of venereal warts), abnormal Pap smears, gay and lesbian health issues, among others.
Organizations Co-Founder, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Gay Physician Assistant Caucus of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, Inc.;
Wisconsin Academy of Physician Assistants;
American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP); Board of Directors, National Association of Black and White Men Together: A Gay, Multiracial Organization for All People (NABWMT)
Publications Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (JAPA)
Education/Credentials Physician Assistant Certified, since 1982;
Masters in Physician Assistant Studies;
Colposcopy Recognition Award, American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP);
Awards and Honors Colposcopy Recognition Award (CRA), from the American Association of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology;
Distinguished Fellow, American Academy of Physician Assistants;
Fellow, Wisconsin Academy of Physician Assistants
Past/Present Clients Brady East STD Clinic, Milwaukee, WI
Question Hi
About 2 days ago i began having a lot of clear to slightly milky vaginal discharge. I havent had any new sex partners just my boyfriend and we use condoms because im not on birth control. My vulva area,clitoris and sometimes the folds in vagina itch. I dont see any redness or blisters inside or out. The discharge has a strange smell to it, it doesnt smell foul or fishy but there is a smell almost like a sweet smell i guess. Is this a yeast infection or herpes im really worried. About 6 mos ago i had sex with a guy (not my boyfriend)and i ended up gettng trichomoniasis it was protected but we were grinding with out a condom. I heard that some people can have herpes but no symptoms for years could this be the case with me. Do you think i should get tested for herpes.
Thanks in advance
Answer Hello Cara,
The sweetish smell to your clear to slightly milky vaginal discharge could very well be due to yeast. Some people describe the odor as "earthy" or "yeasty"-- like if you were to use baker's yeast for making bread. Vaginal yeast usually is accompanied by a clumpy, cottage cheesy type discharge, but sometimes it is thinner and more watery. It doe NOT SUGGEST herpes, thankfully.
Trichomonas vaginitis and bacterial vaginosis both are associated with foul and fishy smells, made especially worse after having sex with a guy without condoms-- the semen is very alkaline, and that change of pH (the vagina is normally acidy, with a pH of about 4.5; semen is normally alkaline, with a pH of about 8) liberates volatile chemicals from the germs inside the vagina to cause the fishy smell. (Too much information, right?!!)
Yeast is a fungus, and does not break down in an alkyaline environment; neither does it have those specific germs that liberate those smells. However, the germs we have NOT spoken of includes the "nasties"-- Neisseria gonococcus, and Chlamydia trachomatis, the respective causes of gonorrhea (GC) and chlamydia (CT). They may also liberate an irritating vaginal discharge, but usually they are NOT associated with a sweetish smell or itching!
So, the bottom line is: Get treated for vaginal yeast, get yourself a standard STD check (for GC and CT), and stop worrying about herpes.
