There might be a thread out there, but I would like one that is up-to-date, with your experiences* in the various Swiss testing centers, instead of posting links to all the centers that exists. The following is from the Swiss Aids Federation which has information and can get you going in the right direction: http://www.aids.ch/e/
Experience: After looking at the possibilities, I chose to go to the Unispital in Zurich. The testing center is easy to find, you are greeted and asked to pay 50chf, given a number and an information sheet (available in most major languages). The sheet explains you might be asked some questions to better help the understanding of HIV-AIDS in CH and that coming in is a responsible act. At this point you are called in, asked if you have any questions, if you have come in with your partner, this will be written on your form and you will be able to have their results too, although you are not given their code word. The only question I was asked was if I understood the "3 month window". Then you are handed a sheet with your code and a vial and another person takes your blood- I advised the technician that it was the "other arm" that had better veins and he respected that. The whole thing took less than 5 minutes, there were no lectures and everyone was nice (I believe the "information person" sensed I had no desire to talk and really kept it at the minimum).
You call in the next day and are asked the code word and they give you the results. Those people spoke German, but the code word is easy to pronounce and "negative" and "positive" are easy to understand.
Following is the Zurich Unispital information:
Universitätsspital Zürich-Abteilung Infektionskrankheiten
Rämistrasse 100
8091 Zürich
No appointment: Monday and Wednesday 5.15pm-6.15pm (announce at the main entrance)
With appointment: 044 255 20 27 (Monday to Thursday 7.30am-12am, 1:15pm-5pm)
Hotline: 044 255 37 76 or 044 255 11 11
*The tram stops right outside and there is parking available within a 2 minute walk.
Get tested... as my friend said "It's the best 50chf ever spent.".
*If you feel uncomfortable posting, pm me with your text and I will repost it keeping it anonymous.
If possible lets try to avoid the "back home-isms" as this is meant to be helpful for Switzerland.
The following 12 users would like to thank J.L-P for this useful post:
Hi,
this is my experience:
I needed to do the HIV test (and others) for a fertility treatment in UK so I went to my Gynechologist in Zurich. My blood was taken directly at his clinic, sent to MEDICA (laboratories) and in some days I had the results at home. In german, of course, but easy to read. It was a bit more expensive but I am happy it was such a straight forward process.
Even if you consider yourself to be in a low risk group, you owe it to your new partner to get tested when you embark on a sexual relationship.
Many (most?) family doctors also offer HIV testing, and as J.L-P observes, the word negative is wonderfully universal.
You might be surprised how grateful you'll be for having that tiny prick.
Or not as the case may be
Sorry J-L.P, didn't mean to make light of your thread. Good on you for posting the info. There is still such a stigma surrounding having STD tests when in fact DB is completely correct and all of us, regardless of how much risk we think we have, should get ourselves tested especially when we're not planning on relying on our little rubber friends anymore
This user would like to thank mimi1981 for this useful post:
I went along last August to the Unispital and had the test. My experience was pretty much in line with what you wrote although the woman I paid the money to came across as quite surly compared to the average,friendly Swiss person. She gave me a number and a sheet explaining the whole thing (all in German but my German was good enough to understand).
My number was called and I was told to sit outside one office. Following that there was a bit of confusion as I incorrectly saw the person who took my sample first before seeing the doctor about why I was there.
However, after that initial confusion all was fine and it was done in 2 parts; the first part is the chat about why you are there (my German was limited and they spoke English). There was no pressure to say anything and the doctor was very friendly.
After this, you wait outside again and then someone else calls you into a different office. This time, it was an American lady who took my blood and she was very good at putting me at ease.
The next day I called up with my code and, as you wrote, it was easy enough to understand with my limited German that I was in the clear.
Thanks for posting. I considered going to other places and initially I tried to make an appointment with another organisation (unfortuately I cannot remember its name although it was it was located very close to the Kunsthaus as well and when I called it was closed for 2 weeks in August). I chose this place initially as the testing was free and I could make an appointment.
When I called back, the guy was not too keen on making an appointment with me so I chose the Unispital.
The whole procedure at the Unispital took about 1 hour.
Sorry J-L.P, didn't mean to make light of your thread. Good on you for posting the info. There is still such a stigma surrounding having STD tests when in fact DB is completely correct and all of us, regardless of how much risk we think we have, should get ourselves tested especially when we're not planning on relying on our little rubber friends anymore
Not to worry! It's just, if you are sexually active a 0% risk does not exist... only low risk. Sadly, in intimacy we are not all 100% honest and in addition, we all have pasts. How many of us wait the "3 month window" before throwing the "rubber friends" aside and going in for a test?
Not to worry! It's just, if you are sexually active a 0% risk does not exist... only low risk. Sadly, in intimacy we are not all 100% honest and in addition, we all have pasts. How many of us wait the "3 month window" before throwing the "rubber friends" aside and going in for a test?
Nail. Head. Hit.
Good posting J.L-P, nice to see some useful threads on EF again.
Anyway, when I was in England the procedure was.....
Were you given the opportunity to discuss how to prepare and react to a positive result?
When we 1st came here, we were discussing HIV testing at work (we would occasionally receive an HIV+ve sample) and my colleague said that no such counselling existed, not from our local GP anyway. You had the test and he phoned back with the result when it available. Having said that, we are talking about a rural Fribourg GP practice and not a specialised STD centre in a large city.
I asked for a test at a yearly checkup with my gynaecologist. He agreed it was reassuring to have one if it's never been done before, or as a new relationship thing. The blood was taken by a nurse and I phoned up shortly after to get results, nice and straight forward and my health insurance even refunded the 50 CHF.
I have to admit, I never thought to be embarrassed in terms of it being an STD, afterall there are other ways to contract it.
If you want to get tested free and meet the necessary criteria (and don't come from a mad cow country) you can always donate blood!
Your family doctor can make a series of tests via external labs covering a variety of conditions. It costs several hundred CHFs, but counselling isn't offered at source. There's more out there than HIV and most of us are likely to be harbouring a nasty or two and not even be aware. Make the investment
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Your family doctor can make a series of tests via external labs covering a variety of conditions. It costs several hundred CHFs, but counselling isn't offered at source. There's more out there than HIV and most of us are likely to be harbouring a nasty or two and not even be aware. Make the investment
My wife, aged 76, had to undergo tests related to Poly-Neuropathy and the
Lab. has sent a report at a cost of Chf. 1521.00 including HIV (negative).
I wondered if this was necessary or is this a "racket" between GP and Labs.?
The Insurers promptly settled the amount. Just inquisitive.
This user would like to thank Ardneham for this useful post:
My wife, aged 76, had to undergo tests related to Poly-Neuropathy and the
Lab. has sent a report at a cost of Chf. 1521.00 including HIV (negative).
I wondered if this was necessary or is this a "racket" between GP and Labs.?
The Insurers promptly settled the amount. Just inquisitive.
Why a racket (although this question and my answer might deride the purpose of this thread)? Your wife is alive and I would like to hope sexually active, the Dr who ordered the tests was being responsible. Although, I have noticed this test is often included in standard blood tests and as I was going through treatments I must have been tested easily 100 times for HIV-AIDS.
I would like to add, the statistics for HIV-AIDS in "Senior Citizens" is alarming.
Ask the Doc for a brief run down on the costs. Any private health care attention is vulnerable to add ons. I pre-opted for a session with a specialist before my last annual check as I have no clue about what to look for, symptoms exhibited in unusual ways, latency etc. and wanted dedicated face time. This came to around CHF400 with my plan, but I guess each person's mileage will vary. If only dentists were as reasonable
Although, I have noticed this test is often included in standard blood tests and as I was going through treatments I must have been tested easily 100 times for HIV-AIDS.
Are you sure..? I had an operation a few years back at Triemli Spital Zurich and while they were drawing blood to do some tests I assumed they would also test it for HIV-AIDS for their information but I was surprised when they said no. I told them since they had me tapped they might as well draw a bit more for the test.
Are you sure..? I had an operation a few years back at Triemli Spital Zurich and while they were drawing blood to do some tests I assumed they would also test it for HIV-AIDS for their information but I was surprised when they said no. I told them since they had me tapped they might as well draw a bit more for the test.
Great thread! Husband and I got tested as we were trying to have a baby. The test was a routine and since it belonged to a battery of tests for pre pregnancy they did not charge us. We had it done at the Frauenspital.
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