POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: MissRegret on November 18, 2011, 10:29:41 pm
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HI EVERYONE! I HOPE EVERYONE IS HAVING A GREAT START OF THE WEEKEND...I FEEL A BIT ODD POSTING HERE, BUT I HAVE A BIT OF OCD AND TO OTHERS A HYPOCHONDRIAC...I JUST WANT TO ASK THIS QUESTION AS TO PUT SOME EASE TO MY MIND, AND NOT WASTE MONEY ON A TEST OR OTHER RESOURCES..
OK SO ABOUT 4 OR 5 MONTHS AGO I MET A GIRL, I AM A WOMAN ALSO, AND HAD ORAL SEX WITH HER...ALSO A BIT OF FINGERING. I WAS THE ONE WHO WENT DOWN ON HER, SHE NEVER WENT DOWN ON ME. I WAS WONDERING SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT CONTRACTING HIV THIS WAY? I HAVE LITERALLY STAYED UP HOURS UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING GOOGLING AND LOOKING AT OTHER SITES THAT SAY IT IS A RISK...SO I AM EXTREMELY DISTRAUGHT AND SCARED TO DEATH!!!!!
ANOTHER QUESTION IS, I WORK IN A HEALTHCARE SETTING, AND WHILE HELPING A POSTIVE PATIENT GET HIS FEET ON THE BED, I CAME IN CONTACT WITH A FLUID SEEPAGE THROUGH A BANDAGE ON HIS LEG...I HAD A CUT CUTICLE THAT I HAD GOTTEN A FEW DAYS BEFORE, BUT I DONT RECALL THE FLUID GETTING ANYWHERE BUT ON MY HAND ( WHICH HAD NO CUTS OR ANYTHING) WHAT ARE THESE CHANCES????
THESE TWO ARE MY BIGGEST WORRIES AND HAVE BEEN DRIVING ME INSANE...I AM HAVING A HARD TIME EATING OR SLEEPING...ALSO I HAVE RESEARCHED SOME 'TYPICAL' HIV SYMPTOMS THAT I HAVE STARTED THINKING I HAVE EVERY LAST ONE...ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE MUSCLE AND JOINT PAIN NOW AND HEADACHES..I KNOW IT MAY SOUND SILLY TO SOME, BUT PLEASE DO NOT THINK OF ME AS STUPID OR ANYTHING...
I HAVE HEARD AND READ NOTHING BUT AMAZING REVIEWS ARE GREAT INFORMATION FROM THIS SITE AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY AND ALL REPLIES! :) THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS EVERYONE!!
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1. Take your cap lock off
2. You never had an exposure from oral sex.
3. Your in the wrong field of work.
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Miss R,
Not only is posting in ALL CAPS difficult to read, but it's also considered shouting. Please do not shout at us.
You have not had a risk for hiv infection in either situation.
Oral sex is not a risk for hiv infection. There have been three long-term studies of couples where one is positive and one is negative. In the couples who used condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, but no barrier for oral activities, not one of the negative partners became infected with hiv. Not one.
Hiv transmission doesn't stand a chance of happening via female genitals to mouth - there are just too many obstacles on the oral route.
The first obstacle is the mouth itself. The mouth is a veritable fortress, standing against all sorts of pathogens we come into contact with every minute of our lives. It's a very hostile environment and saliva has been shown to contain over a dozen different proteins and enzymes that damage hiv.
Hiv is a very fragile virus - literally. Its outer surface doesn't take kindly to changes in its preferred environment; slight changes in temperature, moisture content and pH levels all damage the outer surface. Importantly, it needs this outer surface to be intact before it can latch onto a few, very specific cell types and infect.
Which leads to the second obstacle. Hiv can only latch onto certain types of cells, cells which are not found in abundance in the mouth.
The third obstacle to transmission this way is having hiv present in the first place. The female secretion where hiv has been shown to be present is the cervicovaginal fluid. This fluid is actually a thick mucus that covers and protects the cervix.
The fluid a woman produces when sexually excited comes from the Bartholin's glands, located on either side of the vaginal opening. I have yet to discover one shred of evidence (and believe me, I've looked) that shows this lubricating fluid to have any more hiv present than other bodily secretions such as saliva, sweat or tears. Saliva, sweat and tears are NOT infectious fluids.
So there you have it. Once the results of the serodiscordant studies started rolling in, what we know about hiv transmission on the cellular level was validated. The only people who were getting infected were those who had unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse. Period. One of the three studies went on for ten years and involved hundreds of couples. That's a lot of nookie.
Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus that is primarily transmitted INSIDE the human body, as in unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse where the virus never leaves the confines of the two bodies.
Once outside the body, small changes in temperature, and pH and moisture levels all quickly damage the virus and render it unable to infect. For this reason, coming into contact with the fluids on the outside of a bandage is not a risk for hiv infection.
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 DO NOT NEED TO TEST OVER EITHER OF THE SITUATIONS YOU BRING TO US, 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.
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!
Ann
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I am very sorry about the caps lock..I definitely was NOT trying to shout at anyone...It is just a bad habit I have I guess... I also would like to say thank you SO VERY MUCH (that was shouted with excitement) RapidRod and Ann because you guys have definitely put my mind at ease and I appreciate it 100% of you taking the time to reply to my worries...
But I do want to say that I definitely am protected as far as in vaginal/anal intercourse goes and only have one partner and we are in a monogamous relationship (He is Army so he definitely gets tested every 3 months)
I think I just need to stay off the internet late at nights and going to many websites about HIV who contradict what has been said here..I just don't understand why they would give us misleading information and make us panic over oral sex or even kissing so much... Now they are saying Women can pass it to other women via oral sex, so it had me worried so much!
I am happy to say that after reading your conclusions my so called 'hiv symptoms' have disappeared..I think alot of it was all mental!! Thank you again, I appreciate all you do! :)
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Hello moderators and thank you for all you do, in advance!
I had oral sex with a woman about 5 or 6 months ago. I had brushed my teeth about 2 hours prior to 'going down' on her. I remember sticking my tongue far enough in and I believe she came in my mouth, but don't really remember but I remember not swallowing anything but spitting out saliva and secretions afterwards. I am unknown about her HIV status although she kept assuring me she was clean.
I am a woman...who recently found out I am 6 weeks pregnant about a week ago and I know when I go in for a doctor visit they will test me for everything under the sun. I am completely TERRIFIED! Especially after reading so many mixed reviews online about 'giving of oral sex'. I am curious to know what you guys think as far as in my chances being negative on a test are?
I really would love to stop worrying and get on with my life (as andy and ann would say haha) and enjoy this pregnancy to the fullest.
I also have some cavities and periodontal disease but nothing was bleeding or anything that I know of. Please advise and tell me what you think of this..
Thank you so much and kindest regards! Oh, and Happy Holidays! xx
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Please do not start a new thread every time you have another question or thought - regardless if you think your questions are related to each other or not. It helps us to help you when you keep all your thoughts or questions in one thread and it helps other readers to follow the discussion. Additional threads will be merged.
If you cannot find your thread, click on the "Show own posts" link in the left-hand column of any forum page, under your name.
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Miss,
I've merged your new thread into your original thread - where you should post all your additional thoughts or questions. It helps us to help you when you keep everything in one thread. It doesn't matter how long it has been since you last posted in your thread or if the subject matter is different.
If you need help finding your thread when you come here, click on the "Show own posts" link under your name in the left-hand column of any forum page.
Please also read through the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) so you can familiarize yourself with our Forum Posting Guidelines. Thank you for your cooperation.
I already gave you chapter and verse on giving a woman oral sex the last time you were here - and nothing has changed in that time. It is still not a risk, regardless of the details you gave us. Please re-read your entire thread.
The only risk I can surmise you've had is the unprotected vaginal intercourse that resulted in your pregnancy. I hope you both (you and the father) had complete sexual health check ups before you stopped using condoms.
Good luck with your pregnancy, and stop fretting about your woman-on-woman activities. They have NOT put you at risk for hiv infection.
Ann
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Help! Stupid encounter on my part
So I spent a few hours with a guy. No intercourse ever took place. He masturbated and came on my butt, I was wearing a thing. I think some dribbled down when I went to wipe it off my butt area with his T-shirt. I noticed my underwear had a wet spots too. We did not engage in intercourse at all but I'm still worried some may have dripped to my rectum or vagina. Helppp??!?! I am going crazy.
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Hi
Nothing you mentioned is a HIV concern. None at all, you simply can't acquire HIV like this so relax and move on with your life.
Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, every time, no exceptions.
Keep in mind that some sexual practices which may be described as ‘safe’ in terms of HIV transmission might still pose a risk for transmission of other STI's, so please do get fully tested regularly and at least yearly for all STI's including but not limited to HIV and test more frequently if unprotected intercourse occurs
Also note that it is possible to have an STI and show no signs or symptoms and the only way of knowing is by testing.
More information on HIV Basics, PEP, TaSP and Transmission can be found through the links in my signature to our POZ pages, this includes information on HIV Testing (https://poz.com/basics/hiv-basics/hiv-testing)
Kind regards
Jim
Please Note.
As a member of the AM I Infected Forum you are required to only post in this one thread no matter how long between visits or the subject matter. You can find this thread by going to your profile and selecting show own post and it will take you here . It helps us to help you when you keep all your thoughts or questions in one thread and it helps other readers to follow the discussion. Any additional threads will be deleted.