SAAFE forum
General Category => Questions and Answers => Topic started by: lucylaw on 23 July 2013, 05:28:24 pm
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Hi I am new to this site but have read with interest the HIV post and feel so sad for the young lady in question. I have recently had the misfortune to have quite a scare with hepatitis obviously nothing in comparison to Suzie. i have had all the signs and abnormal liver result but thankfully it has come back negative but the nurse was pretty worried too. I have never on my visit to the Gum clinic been offered the Hep B vaccine but then through my ignorance did not read up about it did not ask and as I was having so few partners ( Iwork full time and do this only a little) I thought it wouldnt apply to me ! Since I have read the horrors of the disease and how it is so eaisly transmitted and can cause life long liver problems. I didnt go to the gum clinic for a while after I started escorting.. I know silly as it only takes one client. But I just wanted to say I urge you all to have it I dont want anyone to go through the worry I have had.
Lucy x
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Ive never been offered it either, I will have to ask about that x
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It says on the NHS website who qualify s for the jab , it says among other things people who change there sexual partners regular and
prostitutes . Ive been told its very expensive so they dont give it out easily. Pink princess if I have helped just one person get it thats great :)
Its a horrid disease and can cause such damage to your body not only now but in later life and if it can be avoided. I just bought it to everyones attention as I myself, like you was not offered it at all, , I dont know why but all I know is I have asked for it and I m getting it done now. Obviously it dosent protect against the other strains but we need every protection we can get i this job.:)
Lucy x
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Thanks Lucy, I will bring it up at my next appointment :-* x
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I am also due to go for a check at the gum clinic and will mention it too. Thanks.
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Everytime I go to my Gum they ask if my hep B is up to date. When I first started this job and went in for my first check as soon as I told them I was an escort they gave me a Hep B jab. It wasn't even really offered more told I had to have one.
I guess all Gums are different but from reading that some have not been offered this option I am glad I have such a good one.
I know some who have not been offered it but that was because they did not say they did this job so the clinic didn't think they needed it.
I also know not all clinics offer a throat swab either yet mine do it everytime without me even asking but again it might be because I actually told them what I do and I know many girls who don't so they miss out on tests or jabs they need. Being an escort also means I don't have to wait in the queue as I get seen straight away so it does pay to tell them you do this job and you don't have to give your real name if you are worried you can just use your working name (real names are only needed if you have one of the Heps or HIV so your doctor can be informed of needed treatment
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Does anyone know how you can catch Hep B? x
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Hep B is spread via body fluids just like many other STIs, so it's very important for anyone who works in close proximity with other people and may be exposed to these to get the vaccine - nurses and paramedics, police officers and so on have them too. It's not a nice thing to catch at all and can have serious complications.
PP, it doesn't sound like you're getting a very good service from your GUM - they really should have discussed this with you if you haven't searched for information about STI risks yourself. I don't know whether you have much in the way of choice where you are, but I'd definitely try and find a better place to get your healthchecks :).
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I have been working for 2 years and not once have they mentioned it to me :-\
I don't do OWO or watersports or anything but I DO, DO KISSING :-X
Shit I am worried. I will ask them to test me for any Hep then vaccinate me against it.
xx
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I've had mine, first GUM visit after I started working. I was "advised" to have it, as should every escort. I'm fully aware of the horrible problems Hep can cause so I wasn't saying no!
On the other hand, I have to agree with amy, at the end of the day it should be offered and discussed, not just given to you. This runs the same for every drug/treatment.
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I wasn't offered it despite being clear what my profession was, but upon asking for it I was given the jab. I think you do need to arm yourself with info as I have a suspicion they are watching costs.
Also agree with Dani, be upfront as mine offer me appointments, plus if I want to be seen last minute they will see me very fast. On my first visit, they were very good and run through some steps that help stop the spread of STD's. They were common knowledge to me, but may not be to everyone.
Without sounding patronizing (hopefully), it is always worth asking them to show you exactly how to put a condom on. When clients have done it themselves, it is laughable, they have no idea. So I'm sure the same goes for a percentage of us girls.
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Its funny when they get the condom, pull it as wide as they can to even pull over a small penis with all the air in the world caught in it so I just always do it, I worry I will hurt them with my nails sometimes but tis gotta be done x
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I'm very pro-active at the GUM, make sure I have the full range of tests, mouth swabs, Hep B immunity checked.
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Without sounding patronizing (hopefully), it is always worth asking them to show you exactly how to put a condom on. When clients have done it themselves, it is laughable, they have no idea. So I'm sure the same goes for a percentage of us girls.
Never let clients put condoms on themselves. There are all sorts of things that can go wrong if you do. I keep their hands well away from that area during and after putting the condom on. I watched a friend put them on a few times before I tried it, and it becomes second nature with a little practice. I can get one on in a few seconds now. I also leave putting it on until immediately before penetration. That way they are less likely to lose their erection as many do when the condom goes on.
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If you don?t want to ?fess up at the GUM clinic what it is you do, you can always mention a fictitious partner from one of the ?at risk? regions.
I couldn?t remember where my friend said they were, so I went through a little vocal geographical tour before I saw a glimmer of ?risk? register on the Health Practitioner?s face. I actually only needed a booster shot as I?d had the jabs before due to my previous job.
I think a mention of Thailand, Nigeria and parts of Russia will get you on the ?at risk? category.
As an aside for girls that do do OWO, you really do need to go for regular checks and tell the GUM clinic what you do so they actually throat swab you, otherwise it is likely that they won?t.
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I am due to go to the gum clinic and I may say I escort part time and ask for the hep b jab as up till now been pretty much quiet and had the basic tests so may go the full hog now after the recent scares brought to our attention.
Firstly does the jab have any side affects.
Secondly is it really very confidential at the clinic or do you use a false name or real, I used my real last times.
I pick up things very easy and had TB as well when I lived abroad was very poorly so maybe I should get it.
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I was offered it soon as I told them I was working as was my partner
The first vaccine made me so sick- throwing up all the time, tired unable to get up (lasted 48h)
Told them this 3 months later for the second vaccine- bit of a dead arm but fine
Last Vaccine 3 months later- Nothing just the usual blood tests ache..
Hope it helped <3
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Also make sure they check your immunity after your course of the three jabs. Some people need more than three, took me 7! I suffered the dead arm after each one, but luckily avoided any other side effects.
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Oh wow poor you ! Luckily I was fine after three..
I've convinced some of my friends who don't work to get it too- the symptoms are awful !! And if there's a vaccine for an sti, then why not ;)
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Anyone can have the hep B jabs, you just need to call your local sti clinic and tell them. I want my kids to have it as soon as they turn 18, its up to them of course but I feel its important.
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Had first hep jab, feel okay just bit of a sore arm. Told the doctor what I do and got impression not many confess or maybe just me in Cornwall lol, she was definitely a bit shocked but then hid it and was very nice. She did throat swab etc. only thing was I filled in my correct name and they called it out in the waiting room, almost died, my full name...wasn't expecting that and it is a very distinctive name. Also the health care worker was really interested and asked how much I charge which again threw me a bit..just thought maybe there were surprised because of my advanced age...
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I went for a regular screening once and it came back I had no immunity and was offered the vaccine straight away I would advise everyone to get it you never know who your clients are or what other girls he has seen that have not had the vaccine
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I had mine today and I told them I escort so she offered it straight away. They were brill and very helpful.
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I had Hep B jab (and I think Hep A too although I'm not sure ???) , a few years ago. I did have to tell the clinic I was in "sex work" though to get it.
I wonder if you need a booster after a certain amount of time?
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In regards to the booster jab I think the booster lasts 5 years if you had the normal standard vaccine where you space the 3 doses over 4 months, I had the emergency vaccine where I had the 3 doses within 3 weeks and had to go back after a year for the 5 year booster jab xx
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to be honest if you tell the GUM clinic you will find they will pull all the stops to ensure you get all the things you need ..its not as if they shout out in the clinic what you do they have to keep your business private don't be shy about being honest with them..
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Ive only recently started working and haven't been to a GUM clinic yet. Definitely going to now though. What are the throat swabs for? Making me nervous thinking of the risks :-\ but worried about someone I know seeing me come out the clinic!!
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here in bristol i havent even mentioned im a sex worker just that i had had 3 or more sexual partners with owo but protected sex in a 3 month period and was offered the hep b straight away
brill clinic down here ! x
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What are the throat swabs for?
Seeing if you have chlamydia or gonorrhoea etc there. Such infections often don't have any symptoms, so it's the only way to know - blood tests won't pick them up.
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I had no side effects apart from the slight dead arm for a day or two. The GUM monitor my immunity, and give me a booster whenever they feel it's getting low or towards threshold.
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I went to the GUM clinic for the first time after working for 2 months and was offered it straight away.
Glad I was as I would have asked anyway after the advice on here.
Thank you.
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Just got my 3rd jab, next one in six months. I think gay friendly clinics are easier to use.
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Get it done. You can catch Hep B it if there is any bleeding. Gay men are at risk because bleeding.
You don't know who the client has been with.
Protect yourself. I got the jab myself. One less thing to worry about
Good luck
Elaine
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So long ago that I had hep b jabs that I can't remember now. I think I must be vaccinated for everything possible! I think - but don't know that I had 3 jabs for eternal immunity. I don't remember a booster. Has everyone been told about b posters? To be honest I could have been given it at the same time as hep a or tetanus or something else but I just don't remember.
So, booster or no booster?
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I have to get a booster in six months, but when I would look at the Hep B jab vaccination time line, some don't have a booster and have different times in between getting jabs. If they said you completed the cause you should be fine. Can't say for sure though.
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I had the Hep B vaccination just over 10 years ago, and had a blood test last year to check the level of immunity I have for Hep B, and was told it was still high and no booster was needed. It may be worth doing that rather than getting a booster.
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I recently found a very very swanky GUM in London that feels like a 4 or 5* hotel, with an evening particularly for sex workers. They were lovely, non judgemental, informative, gave me a ton of free condoms, the works. They gave me Hep B booster (I'd had the first jab already) and the Hep C jab, which I didn't even realise existed. On top of this, the usual bloods, swabs and they also did a pee-in-a-cup pregnancy test and told me the results in 5 minutes, which relieved my paranoia. Got the all clear text a couple of days later. Fantastic service, cannot recommend them enough. Recommended to me by another SW friend (BlueDomme) so that's two of us gushing about the place :) Not sure what rules are on naming, but PM me, or if a mod permits I may actually start a whole thread about them. They have an express service (same day results) up the road, but I don't think they do the full works to the same extent. Still, I felt positively pampered at this place! Much better than a stuffy old GPs or Hospital! Chic!
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I didn't think - and various websites don't think - there is a vaccine for Hep C.
Was it Hep A? That's usually offered to gay men who do rimming - it's transmitted via shit.
Name / new thread away. At least one private one exists, but if this is free, so much the better.
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I didn't think - and various websites don't think - there is a vaccine for Hep C.
Was it Hep A? That's usually offered to gay men who do rimming - it's transmitted via shit.
Name / new thread away. At least one private one exists, but if this is free, so much the better.
Woops. Might have been Hep A, then, not Hep C. They gave me another Hep vaccine and I'd only been previously aware of the Hep B one. Yes, this one is free. I will start a thread, then :)
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I didn't think - and various websites don't think - there is a vaccine for Hep C.
Was it Hep A? That's usually offered to gay men who do rimming - it's transmitted via shit.
Name / new thread away. At least one private one exists, but if this is free, so much the better.
It was a Hep A jab after all.
Field report here - http://www.saafe.info/main/index.php?topic=22693.msg162342#msg162342
Please move if this is the wrong area. It didn't feel like a question or answer, or blather or babble or anything, so I wasn't really sure...
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Tell them you're a swinger. They offered me the hep jab, loads of condoms, and asked me what the best clubs were to go to when just starting out.
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I have had my hepatitis b jab, as soon as I started escorting like 7 years ago. And I think after that I have had a top up 2 or 3 times since then.
My doctors at the gum clinic advised me it is safer and protects you as I work with many different clients. I would advice it as it can only protect you and I have not had any bad reactions or side affect.
The fact that I have had a top up also most 2 every 2-3years has made myself feel abit safer.
But I will advice do you research abit and there is nothing wrong in going to gum clinic and asking them to give you more information on the matter.
Once you have done your research and spoken to the him clinic doctors you will feel abit more secure and it's free, even better.
Hope it helps you ;)