Medicine
cefixime
What are sexually transmitted infections? 161
Medicines for gonorrhea
How much to take
When to take
400 mg
by mouth, all at once
Medicine
azithromycin
or doxycycline
or tetracycline
or erythromycin
Medicines for chlamydia
How much to take
When to take
1 g by mouth, all at once
100 mg
2 times a day for 7 days
500 mg
by mouth, 4 times a day for 7 days
500 mg
by mouth, 4 times a day for 7 days
Unfortunately, tests are not always available, so it is often best to take medicines
for more than one infection. A person can have several infections at the same time,
caused not only by gonorrhea and chlamydia, but also by trichomonas (see page
159), and bacterial vaginosis (see page 113). The medicines listed in the chart on
page 162 will treat all these infections.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is the name for an infection of any of the
reproductive parts in a woman’s lower abdomen. It is often called a ‘pelvic
infection.’ A pelvic infection can develop from an STI that was not cured, especially
gonorrhea or chlamydia.
You may have one or more of
these signs:
• pain in the lower belly
• high fever
• you feel very ill and weak
• green or yellow bad-smelling
discharge from the vagina
• pain or bleeding during vaginal sex
Treatment:
Because this infection is usually caused by a mix of germs, more than one medicine
must be used to cure it. Take the medicines listed in the chart on page 162.
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities 2007