5 Follow-Up Questions After a Trichomoniasis Diagnosis

A positive trichomoniasis test comes with questions about more than your prescription.

Five answers to get from the clinic

1. What is my treatment schedule? Confirm the medicine, dose and duration on your prescription. Treatment uses oral medicine; vaginal metronidazole gel is not recommended for trichomoniasis. Tell the clinician if side effects or missed doses interrupt treatment.¹²

2. How will my current partners receive care? Partner treatment is part of preventing reinfection. A partner feeling well doesn’t rule out infection. Ask the clinic how partners can arrange assessment and treatment.¹

3. When can we have sex again? Wait until you and your partners have completed treatment and symptoms have resolved. Ask for clarification if treatment courses finish on different days.²

4. When should I be tested again? Repeat testing is recommended about three months after treatment for sexually active women, even when partners were treated. Put the appointment or reminder in your calendar.¹

5. Do I need other STI tests? The guideline recommends testing for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia after a trichomoniasis diagnosis. Ask which tests are already included and which remain to be arranged.²

If symptoms persist or return

Contact the clinic. Repeat infection can involve reinfection, an interrupted course or treatment failure. If the clinician uses a molecular test for persistent or recurrent infection, the guideline says not to do it before three weeks after treatment ends because leftover genetic material can affect the result.²

That testing detail isn’t a reason to delay asking for help with symptoms. Let the clinician choose the test and timing.

Down There, Decoded includes a Down-There Log and an appointment script in its listed toolkit. They can help you record symptoms and questions for follow-up. See the book.