any rock climber here?

[ohwell]

Well, I am a rock climber, it's a nice sport but it has risks. Climbers suffer small cuts and lacerations in their hands and body constantly.

THE INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAINEERING AND CLIMBING FEDERATION has these standards regarding hiv and bloodborne diseases
http://www.theuiaa.org/upload_area/files/1/UIAA_MedCom_Rec_No_18_Blood_borne_infections_in_climbing_2010_V2-2.pdf

When I got diagnosed, the first days climbing wasnt an option, now i feel more at easy and i do stuff to protect myself like wearing long sleaves  and stuff like that. And now my viral load is UD  so i feel safer.
I wonder if there are some other rock climbers here who can talk to me about how they handle it. Or if people that practice contact sports.

[Ann]

You do not need to worry about transmitting your virus to others while rock climbing - and you didn't even before your VL was UD. It's just not going to happen, unless you're having unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse half-way up a cliff-face.

There has never been a documented (ie proven) case of hiv transmission during any contact sport, or sport in general. As the article states, there was (only ever) one alleged case (in football... er, soccer to you Yanks), but that person had been having a lot of casual, unprotected sex around the same time. I remember when that all came out in the news a few years ago.

You would be wise, however, to make sure you've been screened for hep B. If you don't already have antibodies against hep B (through having it and clearing it yourself sometime in the past), you should make sure you get vaccinated. This is a good idea even if you don't participate in sport.

The only misinformation I could find in the article was the fact the they kept saying there were no treatments that reverse liver damage for people with hep B or C.

There are treatments that can cure a growing percentage of people with hep C (growing because of new treatments coming out). Once hep C is cured, the liver can heal. Maybe not completely, but substantially. The liver is a very forgiving organ.

There are also treatments for chronic hep B (one of them is actually also an hiv med - tenofovir) and people who have their hep B under control and treat their livers well can also see an improvement in liver health.

They were correct though when they kept saying that hep C is much more easily transmitted than hiv, and hep B is WAY more easily transmitted than hiv. It's all to do with viral load. It's not unusual for someone with untreated hep C to have a VL in the tens or hundreds of millions, and even higher in untreated hep B.

Hope that helps!

Ann

[Basquo]

Ann gave great info, as usual. Do you often get cuts/abrasions? Have you noticed a difference wearing more protective clothing?

I'm not a rock climber, but I was attempting to scale down a 15-foot rock face recently in one of our State Parks when I encountered a nest of yellow jackets and was forced to drop the rest of the way. I suffered cuts, bruises, scrapes and a strained ligament along with 7 stings. I imagine the yellow jackets are now being treated for AIDS.

[Jeff G]

I imagine the yellow jackets are now being treated for AIDS.

That's all I need , angry bees in AM I INFECTED .

[ohwell]

Hahaha angry bees in am i infected... it does sound like a genuine question, when i got diagnosed my boyfriend asked if mosquitoes that bite me could infect him... anyway, regarding cuts and abrasions, i used to get cuts in my fingers and legs but now i use clothes that can protect me, of course sometimes i wish to be able to climb shirtless and in short shorts as i used to. Climbing is very hard for the hands so i prefer not to climb the way i used to (as hard as i used to) and have my hands abrasion free. I'd feel very unconfortable hugging my boyfriend at night with cuts in my hands.

[Jeff G]

Hahaha angry bees in am i infected... it does sound like a genuine question, when i got diagnosed my boyfriend asked if mosquitoes that bite me could infect him... anyway, regarding cuts and abrasions, i used to get cuts in my fingers and legs but now i use clothes that can protect me, of course sometimes i wish to be able to climb shirtless and in short shorts as i used to. Climbing is very hard for the hands so i prefer not to climb the way i used to (as hard as i used to) and have my hands abrasion free. I'd feel very unconfortable hugging my boyfriend at night with cuts in my hands.

You can hug your BF without fear . The only way to infect your BF would be unprotected penetrative sex , period . OH ... and avoid sharing IV drug injection equipment .