POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: RogerM on August 25, 2012, 10:55:21 am
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Hi everyone this is my first post and I would like to explain my situation. I recently had my very first bi curios experience two months and based on some certain circumstances I have good reason to believe I'm poz. The person I was with told me they were sick a few months ago tested negative but they didn't wait long enough. I have some questions so I would appreciate if someone would help.
I plan on taking my test in a month and I'm not sure where the best place to get the test taken, I want to take the rapid test. I'm worried about discrimination and want to take the test anonymously can I do that? Is there a charge for the test?
Is it necessary to take meds right away? I thought I read on here that one person hasn't needed meds for 18 years, is that possible?
How much are the meds going to cost me? My employer recently switched from atnea to Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Do the meds have bad side affects?
I very concerned about my health, if I am infected it was most likely 2 months ago is getting treatment the sooner the better?
Please help, thanks.
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Did you have a possible expsoure?
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Roger,
Unless you had unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse with this person - or anyone else for that matter - then you haven't been at risk for hiv infection.
Stop putting the cart before the horse. If you've had unprotected intercourse, then go test. You can find a testing center near you by putting your zip code into poz.com's Health Services Directory (http://directory.poz.com/).
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.
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!
Ann
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Hi, I'm new here and although I haven't yet been diagnosed I'm 95% sure of my status due to symptoms my partner was having recently and symptoms that I have had in the past 2 months. I'm waiting one more month to get tested to clear the 90 day mark but I want to start getting prepared for my new poz life and I have lots of questions.
As far as test go, I want to get a rapid test and I want to be anonymous but I want to go straight from the test to seeing a specialist if that's possible.
First I'm my major concern is about keep my status quiet. My main concern is that I will lose my job because once I go on meds my employer will no my status. What's the alternative? I want to me under the radar so to speak, should I buy generic meds online? Does anyone no if those are any good?
On the topic of meds, how much will they run me with insurance and what if I get fired how will I afford those? Also, I've noticed some people have said they've been poz for years and haven't had to take any meds. So do some people just monitor themselves until they need the meds? If that the case why do so many people say to get on the meds rights away? What can of side effects should I expect from these meds?
As you can see I'm overwhelmed
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Roger,
As you have NOT yet been diagnosed with hiv, you are NOT permitted to post in the forums meant for hiv positive people only.
Hiv absolutely CANNOT be diagnosed going by symptoms - or even the lack of symptoms - alone. ONLY testing at the appropriate time will reliably inform you of your accurate hiv status.
If you read through other threads in the Am I Infected forum, you'll see how many people were also convinced they were positive when there were nothing of the sort.
You can test now for a reasonably accurate result. The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks, with the average time to seroconversion being only 22 days.
A six week (or more) negative must be confirmed at the three month point, but is highly unlikely to change when you confirm at three months.
We're not going to waste time going into the finer points of hiv diagnosis with you until we know there's actually a reason for doing so. Until then, all you'll get from us is risk assessment and testing advice.
You never did say what, exactly you believe put you at risk. As I told you in an earlier response, unless you had unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse, then you've been worrying and assuming for no good reason.
Ann
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Ann, I believe I'm at risk because my partner briefly performed oral on me with out a condom although briefly (3 seconds) and I said to stop. Then we were engaging in frot and he accidentally bumped me down there and could have made contact in just the right spot. Then he told me afterwards that he had the flu the month prior. He went and got tested as negative but of course it was during the time he had the flu and most likely didn't wait long enough.
Later that day I noticed that when I put my left hand in my pocket I noticed a numb tingling sensation in my left index finger. When ever I bumped that finger into something it tingled and it slowly went decreased over the next couple of weeks.
So the evidence is adding up and I'm trying to get prepared.
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Roger,
You have NOT had a risk for hiv infection. Any hiv testing you do will be for your peace of mind, or because you're doing it as part of a routine check-up.
Getting a blowjob is NOT a risk for hiv infection. Not only is saliva not infectious, but it also contains over a dozen different proteins and enzymes that damage hiv and render it unable to infect. Not one person has ever been infected through getting a blowjob and you aren't going to be the first.
Frottage (rubbing genitals together or on some part of the body without without penetration) is also not a risk for hiv infection. If you had been anally penetrated, you would have felt more than "a bump".
The symptoms you report have nothing to do with hiv and are nothing like the symptoms some people experience during seroconversion.
If you feel odd or unwell, see a doctor. It's nothing to do with hiv.
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 SPECIFICALLY OVER FROTTAGE OR GETTING A BLOWJOB, 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!
Ann
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Yes but if I was bumped in the right place with a bit of pre cum that's all it would take.
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Roger,
Unless you're calling anal penetration, "bumping", then you haven't been at risk even if there is precum present.
Hiv can only infect a very few, very specific types of cells and these cells are not found on the surface of the skin - and that includes skin in the anal area.
You told us earlier that what you are concerned about is your first-ever bi-curious experience. If you'd been anally penetrated during your first time, you would have known about it and I doubt you'd be referring to it as a "bump".
I fully expect you to test hiv negative.
Ann
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I hope you're right, we'll see.
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Roger,
As I said yesterday, because this happened two months ago, you can test now for peace of mind. A negative result at or after six weeks is highly unlikely to change when you test again at three months.
In your case you wouldn't really need to test again as you didn't have a risk. You'd only need to test again if you needed a three month result for peace of mind.
I gave you a link to a health care directory in reply #2 - you can use it to find a testing center near you.
Unless you've been engaging in unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse with anyone you neglected to tell us about, I fully expect you to test negative.
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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Ok, I have are std tests dated. Meaning when you get results does the paper work show the date on them?
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Roger,
They should be dated. If in doubt, call your lab or clinic.
Ann