Sex Ed

Q: I was just diagnosed with genital herpes . I’m freaking out because all I know about this infection is that I can’t ever get rid of it, and I feel super unclean. When my doctor told me I’d tested positive, I felt like vomiting and bursting into tears at the same time. What’s going to happen to me — is my health going to be impacted? And what about dating? Will anyone ever love me if I have herpes again?

Q: I was diagnosed with genital herpes last year. Now I’m a college student and am trying to navigate hook up culture etiquette combined with herpes etiquette. I’ve had a few hookups that ended up back in someone’s room, but because of my STD, didn’t lead to sex. Is there a way to tell someone “No, sorry, I can’t sleep with you” without explaining why? And of I do want to tell someone, how do I go about doing that?

Q: I’m embarrassed to say this, but I get yeast infections a lot. Like …. a lot a lot. I guess I’m just out of balance. I often don’t even tell my boyfriend when I’m dealing with one because I’m taking care of it and I don’t really think it’s any of his business (and I’d be telling him like every month). But lately I’ve been thinking, can I give a yeast infection to him? How can I be ensuring that we’re both healthy? How do I know we aren’t giving it back and forth to each other?

Q: I was super depressed, so my doctor prescribed me an antidepressant. I’m now feeling less unhappy, but I’ve noticed that I’m not as sexual as I remember feeling before. Is this something that could be happening because of my new meds, or is something else wrong with me?

Q: I’m trying to decide what birth control to get, and one of my friends told me about the NuvaRing. I’m super intrigued, because it seems less intense than a shot (I hate needles) and I don’t have to think about it every day like the pill. But what’s the deal with it — how does it work, is it safe, and does it work as well as other options? Also, does it disrupt things when you’re having sex? Because it’s, like, up there?

Q: My boyfriend has been talking to me about trying anal sex. I’m open to the idea, but I want to know more about it first. Like, do we need to use a condom if we’re monogamous, or can I get infections if I don’t? How can I make sure it doesn’t hurt? What can I expect it to feel like, and how can I make it as much fun for myself as possible?

Q: I was having sex the other day, and after we were done I realized my NuvaRing had fallen out. My boyfriend drove me right to the pharmacy and I took the morning after pill (and felt like death for the next two days), but it got me thinking — did I need it? How long does it take after my ring falls out for me to start being fertile again? And what about other methods of contraception? Is it all immediate that you’re at risk, or do the hormones/other birth control stuff stay in your body protecting you for longer?

Q: Someone told me recently that the clit is way bigger than that little piece I can see and touch, that it actually goes way into you internally. Is that true? What does that mean for how I have sex … can I stimulate the other parts of it? And what does the whole thing look like?

Q: I got a Mirena IUD placed three months ago, because everyone said it would make my periods less intense. But I’m experiencing a combined ten days of bleeding and spotting each month, which seems like the opposite of that! How long is this going to go on? Will it settle into the light periods and less cramps I’ve read so much about, or is there something wrong with my IUD or body? Help!

Q: I’ve been on the pill for 10 years. My doctor put me on it in high school before I was even sexually active, to help me manage super painful cramps. And it totally worked for that! Recently though, I’ve been thinking that I actually don’t know much about how hormonal birth control is impacting my natural cycle — or even if I really have one anymore. I’ve heard that it makes people’s periods lighter, and I’ve noticed that I have fewer PMS symptoms than many of my lady friends overall. So my question is: How is my cycle different because I’m on the pill? Am I still getting a “real” period?