Anxious and scared about getting an infection

[Brianna22]

Recently I had anal to vaginal penetration with a toy and realized later I was so stupid for letting this happen. I am aware it can cause an infection. I am nervous regarding the severity of this issue and what level of pain to expect because I have never had a vaginal infection before. The more info I read on the web the more anxious I have become. I read it anal to vaginal sex can cause severe issues like pelvic inflammatory disease which can lead to infertility! I am literally so scared infertility is one of my biggest worries and reading these things has made me more anxious.

[Carly]

Hey Brianna22 - up top I wanted to say there's no reason to feel stupid, in the heat of the moment this is an easy thing to forget about. You're correct, anal to vaginal intercourse without barrier protection can transmit fecal matter and bacteria from the rectum into the vaginal canal and that can cause infection. But! Let's take a pause and a deep breath.

The first thing I recommend you do is stop Googling and WebMD-ing - I can see that this is just causing you anxiety. I totally understand that you're concerned about pelvic inflammatory disease and it leading to possible infertility, but these problems are not likely to happen after just one instance of this. The second thing I recommend is calling your healthcare provider or a local clinic for an appointment, just in case. I think this would both easy some anxiety for you and - if there were actually an infection - nip it in the bud, as they say. It sounds like you aren't having any symptoms right now, but keep an eye out for strange discharge (unusual colors, green, smelly, cottage cheese-like, etc.) or pain.

Does that sound like a doable plan? How are you feeling about everything now that you've slept on it?

[Brianna22]

Hi Carly,
I feel so much better after sleeping on it. You are right, the internet has an overload of information that can often confuse and overwhelm rather than stir us in the right direction. As a person with anxiety, surfing the web in detail definitely does not help. I took your advice and have scheduled an appointment with the local clinic just to ensure things are normal. So far no symptoms and I'm keeping a lookout on the ones you mentioned above now. I am so glad an outlet like Scarleteen exists where people can ask questions and get the proper advice needed regarding sexual health. Thank you so much for your reply.

[Sofi]

Just want to jump in and say I'm so glad you find Scarleteen helpful, and you're welcome to come back and update us or ask any other questions you may have. <3