Step by step guide for using an at-home STI test

Sexual health testing can feel a bit daunting but it shouldn’t be. Taking a home test allows you to avoid queuing in a clinic, takes away any embarrassment you may have about talking to a clinician face to face and can save you money. 

Our tests are as accurate as tests taken in a clinic. However our HIV tests are slightly more sensitive for false positives so your results may be “reactive” which means you will need to follow up with a blood test to be sure if you carry the virus.

Lloyds Online Doctor provides two tests for men and women:

• Our standard test identifies genital chlamydia and gonorrhoea 
• Our enhanced test identifies genital chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV

The standard home test requires you to take a urine sample and the enhanced home test requires an additional saliva swab.

Full instructions come with the test kit but here's a quick guide of what to expect.

How to use the test kit

1. Order and pay for your home test kit online via our discreet service.
2. A package will arrive in the post in plain packaging - so no one will know what’s inside.
3. Read the instructions carefully and label the sample containers.
4. For men: Pee into the urine collection pot and use the pipette to add your sample to the sample container.
5. For women: Urinate into the collection pot and use the pipette to transfer a sample of your urine to the collection container.
6. If you are taking the enhanced test you will need to place the oral swab in between your gum and cheek to get a saliva sample. You then place this in the sample container provided
7. Place the sample container(s) into the packaging provided and follow the instructions to post your kit. The postage is free and the kit can be posted from a normal post box
8. Within 2-3 working days of your kit arriving at the lab your results will be uploaded to your Patient Record. You’ll receive an email letting you know and an SMS if you opted in
9. If you test positive for chlamydia we will provide your will a free prescription for treatment, if clinically appropriate. If you test positive for gonorrhoea you will need to be seen by your local sexual health clinic as you will need an antibiotic injection and re-testing to ensure the infection has cleared, we will advise you on what to do next. If you test “reactive” for HIV a doctor will contact you to arrange a phone consultation and explain what this means. You will need to have a follow up blood test via your doctor or local sexual health clinic to confirm whether the result is a true positive or not.

Remember if you’re unsure what to do or want to ask the doctor a question about the test you can do so at any time via your Patient Record which is set up when you register.