Testing Anxiety

[newmilguy]

Hello everyone, and before I start I'd like to say that I'm very grateful, as I'm sure many are, that you take the time to give advice to worried people like me.

I am in the military, and it's almost time for my annual HIV screening.  I am typically very cautious and treat all encounters as if my partner is HIV positive, and typically restrain myself to unprotected oral sex or protected insertive anal as a matter of preference. And although logically I realize that by doing so I reduce the risk to negligible, I still become worried when testing time comes around. 

The reason I'm posting is because although I'm typically careful, I had a long term relationship breakup last year and since then I have had many anonymous/casual encounters with different guys who's serostatus I don't know. Again, I use all the proper precautions, and have never had a broken condom. But like an idiot I caved to a google search and got assailed by misinformation as well as statistics that the prevalence goes up along with number of partners and am concerned.

Ultimately the only honestly worrying (although likely unfounded) encounters from an hiv-risk perspective this year were one incidence of mutual masturbation where my partner cummed on a cut on my hand (winter dryness, ouch),one of fingering with a small cut (my hand), and another of precum on hand used as lube (him on me).

I've lurked here for a while (knowledge is power), and realize that some of this is a bit farfetched as transmission routes, but there aren't many threads involving multiple possible exposures. At any rate I'm gonna get tested soon anyway whether I like it or not, and though I still think it will be negative, I think asking your opinion will curb the anxiety until test day.

Thank you for your time guys/gals.

[Jeff G]

You have not had a risk for HIV . It does not matter how many partners you have as long as you are correctly and consistently using condoms for anal and vaginal sex . A intact condom means no HIV ... its really that simple . If you use condoms as directed you can face testing time with confidence . The cum on a hand was not a risk ... hiv is far to fragile to be transmitted that way and if HIV was that easy to transmit the whole world would be living with HIV by now . Keep up the good work having safe sex and get those checkups .

Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:

You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together.

To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex without a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

Although you did not have a risk and do not need to test for this specific incident , anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results.

Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv. Some of the other STIs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!

[newmilguy]

Thanks so much! I knew the answer would be no risk, but all those meddlesome irrational "what if?'s". I feel better now

[Jeff G]

Thanks so much! I knew the answer would be no risk, but all those meddlesome irrational "what if?'s". I feel better now

You should feel better . I promise you that if you had a risk we would be insistent that you go test and seek treatment if need be . You can look forward to a negative HIV test when the time comes . Best of luck and thank you for your service .

[newmilguy]

Hello Again. luck hasn't been good for me, and in the first time my clinic has ever seen it, a sailor dropped the blood samples. I was called in 3 weeks later to do another blood draw and am waiting on the results.

That's not too big of an issue (kind of scary when they vaguely explained there was a problem with my hiv test and had to come in. They really need to work on their presentation of news...) but I got a text from a guy I was last with (frottage/protected insertive anal but I didnt check condom after) 5 weeks prior to my oraquick test (I did one separately cause I'm apparently neurotic).

He was hiv positive. I told him I was sorry he got such bad news, but I am wondering. I have a 5 week negative test for pretty much a no-risk situation. But if the stars somehow aligned to where The condom had broken, how accurate is the test? Thank you for your time and as im out of posts, I appreciate your reply in advance.

[Jeff G]

You didn't have a risk so you should expect a negative result . You post was anxiety based and as much as I would love to make all better for you there is little to add other than you did not have a risk and if you do not trust in your test then you can test again . I will give you the testing window periods for the antibody test for future reference in case you actually do have a risk some day .

The average time to seroconversion is 22 days. Most who are infected will test positive by 6 weeks. For various reasons a small number will take longer and that is why we follow the CDC recommendation to test at 3 months for a conclusive negative result.