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| Sexual Health
Contraception Condoms are widely available in pharmacies, supermarkets etc. However Japanese brands may be too small for Western men, but try the Benetton ones from Lawson, they are better than most. Latex condoms say “rateksu” (ラテクス) on the packet. You can purchase imported condoms at from the Foreign Buyers Club (see Links section). Water-based lubricants for use with condoms are Ryubu Jelly (リューブゼリー) or Pearl Lulu (パールルル). Female condoms are also widely available, imported from the UK. They are marketed under the name “Myfemy”. For information on the birth control pill & emergency contraception click here Sexually Transmitted Diseases STD tests are available at regular clinics or hospitals, as well as STD specialty clinics (seibyo-ka 性病科). Women can also be tested at gynecologists (see Women’s Health section for listings), and men at urologists (see below for a recommendation). If you’re diagnosed with an STD, it’s important to continue treatments until the doctor says that you are cured. This may mean going back for another examination to make sure that all traces of the disease are gone when you have finished your medication. It’s also important to contact any sexual partners who may have been infected, so that they can seek treatment. If you are concerned about contacting sexual partners, you can ask one of the PAs to contact them anonymously. Recommended urologist: Kaneto Jinhinyokika Clinic かねとう腎泌尿器科クリニック 022-216-7111 10th floor of the AER building Morning hours - Mon-Sat: 9am-1pm Afternoon hours - Tues-Fri: 2:30-6:30pm; Sat: 2-4pm Appointments are required, except in an emergency. New patients should make sure to arrive 30 minutes before consultation hours end. Says former ALT: “The doctor is really good. He would have done all my STD tests (ALL of them) for about 2000 yen with the exception of an HIV test which costs an extra 3000. He also agreed to mail me my results because I live far away. There was no hassle and his English is very good.” AIDS/HIV For information on AIDS, call the AIDS Helpline (24hrs, toll-free: 0120-46-1995), or check out the following websites: http://www.thebody.com/index.shtml http://www.aidsfund.org/naf/ AIDS tests are available for free at your local Public Health Clinic (hokenjo). A blood test is called “ketsueki kensa” while an AIDS test is “aizu no testo”. There are Public Health Centers located in each ward office (kuyakusho) in Sendai. Tests are confidential - you will be identified by a number. AIDS Testing in Sendai Regular AIDS testing is done at the following times and locations. Only Aoba-kuyakusho claims to have English (and Tagalog) support available, the first Friday of each month (during the day): Aoba-kuyakusho: Fridays: 9-11am (in English 1st Friday of every month); (2nd floor) 5:30-7pm 1st Thursday of every month Izumi-kuyakusho: 1st & 3rd Monday of the month: 9-10am (East building, 2nd floor) Miyagino-kuyakusho: 1st & 3rd Thursday of the month: 9-10:30am (3rd floor) Taihaku-kuyakusho: 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month: 1:30-3pm (3rd floor, room 8) Wakabayashi-kuyakusho: 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month 9-10am (3rd floor) ** Please feel free to call on the advisors in shidoka or the CIRs if you need some moral support when you get the test! ** Evening AIDS Testing Once a month at the Aoba Ward Office, there is free AIDS testing (AIDS kensa) in the evening. Regular evening testing is on the first Thursday evening of the month at Aoba Ward Office, results available for pickup the following Thursday. (However, English testing is only done during the day - see above). You go in, take a number, fill out a survey (if memory serves, they have it in English), speak for a minute with a doctor ("counseling"), then have the blood test. The next week you go back at the same time for the results. The testing is anonymous. Time: 5:30-7pm Place: Aoba-kuyakusho, 2nd floor. It's across from Shidoka, enter from the side/after-hours entrance, turn left when you get off the elevators. Results pick-up: one week later. |
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