I’m worried I’ve caught something from a woman I met in a nightclub

DEAR DEIDRE: I HAD sex with a woman I met in a nightclub and now I’m worried I might have caught something from her.

Although we used condoms, she also gave me oral sex without any protection. Can you catch a sexually-transmitted infection from oral sex?
I’m 26 and the woman was around the same age. I’m embarrassed to say, I don’t know her name or age, as she didn’t tell me.

We ended up up together in the toilets, where she went down on me in a cubicle. Then we went outside, and found ourselves in an alleyway, round the back of the club.

We had sex there. Fortunately, I had a condom in my pocket and remembered to put it on.

I wasn’t worried, until I found out this woman has a reputation for sleeping around. Now I’m panicking that she could have transmitted something during oral. 

I can’t contact her as I don’t have her number.

Am I being paranoid?

DEIDRE SAYS: It’s rare to catch an STI from oral sex, but it is possible. Several STIs can be spread this way, including Chlamydia and Gonorrhea.

If this woman had a cold sore, she could have transmitted a type of herpes to you. Many people have the herpes virus, but don’t realise it.

If you’re worried, then it’s a good idea to go to your local Sexual Health Clinic for a full check-up. It should put your mind at rest. 

To find out more about STIs, take a look at the NHS website (www.nhs.uk/conditions/sexually-transmitted-infections-stis/). You’ll also find information there about your local Sexual Health Clinic. 

In the future, it’s a good idea to always use a condom with a new partner, whatever type of sex you’re having.