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Author Topic: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"  (Read 9430 times)

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Offline Concerned1973

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Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« on: November 27, 2007, 09:11:27 am »
Good Day to all,

I am a little confused.  I have researched on the internet and called numerous Aids hotlines and can't seem to get a diffinitive answer.  I was involved in french kissing a man.  I didn't know that it is advised not to brush and floss if you are going to french kiss.l  However, I brushed and flossed 4 hours prior and thought this was safe.  We did not have any form of sex (vaginal, anal, oral) and I do not do drugs (any type). 

I tested 3 weeks after the deep french kissing incident and it was negative (yes I know I was in the window period)

I called hotlines and they say there was a risk and testing is required.  Some places say no risk.  Some say negligible at best.

I am confused because the information provided is not consistant.  I would greatly appreciate it if someone can asess my risk.

It is dangerous with all the misleading information out there.  People are not sure and therefore, can engage in "unintentional" risky behaviour.

Please I would greatly appreciate an accurate reply.

Thank-you

As well, please let me know what causes HIV?

Some people say they get it from oral sex?


Offline Ann

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2007, 09:41:39 am »
Con,

You aren't in a window period as you did not have a risk for hiv infection. Saliva is not infectious, therefore kissing, "french" or otherwise, is not a risk for hiv infection.

If you want to know further details about hiv transmission, read the Welcome Thread and follow the Transmission Lesson link. Please also read the posting guidelines while you're in the Welcome thread.

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 with a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

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

Although you do NOT need to test over a kiss, 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
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Andy Velez

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2007, 09:44:09 am »
Have you read our lessons on transmission and testing? You get the basics there. There's a link to them in the welcome thread which opens this section.

It's not our job to persuade you about what we say here. We've been around the epidemic for a long time and we know that we're giving out accurate information. But if you surf the net you will definitely find some who will disagree with what we say. It's up to you to decide whom you are going to believe.

Kissing is not a risk for HIV transmission. Even if you kiss someone who's HIV+ and blood is involved orally, your saliva has inhibitory elements which will neutralize the viability of HIV.

The essential risk sexually is via unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse. Everything else is more in the domain of theoretical. In the real world of HIV science transmission doesn't happen via kissing, touching, mutual masturbation, frottage and other activities. As for giving oral to a man, there is much more evidence through longterm studies that it is not a risk.

It is generally suggested that if there is a fresh wound in the mouth for instance, giving unprotected oral, especially with ejaculation orally, is not advised. But giving oral is in the domain of what level of risk you are prepared to live with.

Having said all of that I will repeat that I am not here to convince you of anything. You have to decide what's the best information and act accordingly.
Andy Velez

Offline Concerned1973

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2007, 09:50:53 am »
Thank you so much Ann and Andy,

I am concerned cause I went for a routine blood test and my WBC is highly elevated (11.8)

My neutrophil (type of WBC) is very high and I thought it was due to HIV

Offline Ann

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2007, 09:55:47 am »
Con,

Your WBC has nothing to do with determining your hiv status. Unless you've been having unprotected intercourse that you didn't mention, you have no need to test for hiv.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Concerned1973

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2007, 09:59:30 am »
Hello Ann

No unprotected intercourse in fact I haven't had intercourse Period...... and I don't do needles or drugs.

All I did was french kiss and I lightly play bit his chin but no blood that was it

Offline Andy Velez

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #6 on: November 27, 2007, 05:27:17 pm »
OK. You are absolutely worrying without any basis in HIV science.

You were not at risk in any way in this incident. Really.
Andy Velez

Offline Concerned1973

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2007, 01:34:50 pm »
So based on my french kissing alone for 15 minutes (didn't notice any blood or taste any blood) I tested at 3 weeks and it was negative....... if I were to test at the 12 week do you think it will remain negative???????

Offline Matty the Damned

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2007, 02:33:25 pm »
As you have been told, HIV is not transmitted via kissing. Therefore you will test negative at 12 weeks.

MtD

Offline Concerned1973

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #9 on: December 03, 2007, 12:49:02 pm »
Ok I am freaking out......I am in Toronto and the man at the Aids and Sexual health said I need a test based on french kissing cause it is theoretically possible.  He said even thought I didn't see or taste blood "who knows" he said I NEED a 12 week test.

I don't get it

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #10 on: December 03, 2007, 12:53:10 pm »
You didn't have a risk and you don't need to test. If you want to test then test, but don't come here with your non-risk issue.

Offline Concerned1973

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #11 on: December 03, 2007, 01:50:59 pm »
Thank-you Rapid

Please clarify for me

I thought the ONLY way someone can get HIV is from :

unprotected sex (vaginal, anal)
unprotected oral sex (although the risk is lower)
sharing of needles
mother to child through birth or breastfeeding


please add if I missed anything

Offline Concerned1973

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #12 on: December 07, 2007, 12:54:13 pm »
Thanks to all for the continual knowledge you provide to us.

I am wondering what is the percentage of accuracy on an HIV test done at 3 weeks after french kissing?

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #13 on: December 07, 2007, 12:55:51 pm »
You don't need to test for french kissing. It's not a risk.

Offline Concerned1973

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #14 on: December 10, 2007, 03:38:09 pm »
Hello,

Thanks for your continuous help.

I just got off the phone with Planned Parenthood of Toronto and the woman there said that HIV is transmitted through saliva.  She said it is transmitted through every body fluid.  Is this true?

Offline Matty the Damned

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #15 on: December 10, 2007, 03:41:51 pm »
That woman is woefully uninformed.

HIV is not transmitted through every body fluid. Saliva contains substances which inhibit the virus and so whilst it's possible to isolate HIV from saliva, those substances render it unable to mount an infection.

Just because traces amounts of the virus can be isolated from a particular body fluid, it doesn't follow that the virus found therein can be transmitted.

MtD

Offline Concerned1973

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #16 on: December 10, 2007, 03:57:37 pm »
The Aids hotline said that French kissing is possible (in theory)

he said when it comes to HIV french kissing is in the "gray zone"

what does that mean?

Offline Matty the Damned

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #17 on: December 10, 2007, 04:00:02 pm »
It means that the AIDS hotline is wrong.

Kissing is not a grey zone for HIV infection, it's a nil risk.

I've answered your question twice now. I will not do it again. Continue with this and you'll find yourself reported to the Moderators.

MtD

Offline Ann

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    • Num is sum qui mentiar tibi?
Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #18 on: December 10, 2007, 04:07:54 pm »
Con,

Kissing is not a risk for hiv infection, no matter what sort of spin you can think of to put on it, and no matter what some ill-informed telephone worker says. It isn't a risk.

Not only is saliva not infectious, it also contains over a dozen differnet proteins and enzymes that damage the virus and render it unable to infect.

You're supposed to read the Welcome thread. Have you? Read the Transmission Lesson linked to there and learn this stuff. While you're in the Welcome thread, make sure you read the posting guidelines, including this one:

Quote
Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

Please consider yourself warned.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Concerned1973

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #19 on: December 10, 2007, 04:12:38 pm »
Why don't they put educated people on those phone lines

it's pretty scary when you get an "HIV councellor" on the phone that says saliva transmits HIV

no wonder people are confused on HIV transmission


Offline Concerned1973

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  • Posts: 14
Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #20 on: December 10, 2007, 04:14:41 pm »
Ok here is a different question

being as I only deep kissed..... is deep kissing still considered abstinance in terms of abstaining from sex

Offline Ann

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #21 on: December 10, 2007, 04:25:47 pm »
Con,

I share your concern about the poor information one gets by ringing an aids hotline. Why don't you contact the people who run the one you rang and complain to them? We can't do anything about it, but YOU can.

As far as I'm concerned, abstinence means not having anal or vaginal intercourse. Some would include oral sex, others would add in masturbation and others still would also include kissing.

What's important here is that you use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse because THAT is how hiv is transmitted. Kissing does NOT transmit the virus.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Concerned1973

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  • Posts: 14
Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #22 on: December 10, 2007, 04:33:12 pm »
Thank you so much

ok then what types of STD's does french kissing transmit

based on french kissing what types of STD's should I test for

cause I haven't had any anal or oral or vaginal sex

and I don't share or do needles drugs

Offline Ann

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  • It just is, OK?
    • Num is sum qui mentiar tibi?
Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #23 on: December 10, 2007, 04:49:06 pm »
Con,

You don't need testing of any sort after kissing. The clinics who test for STIs would be swamped if everyone was always testing for this and that just because they enjoyed a deep kiss.

Kissing is ok, really. Just don't kiss anyone with a headcold, or else you'll catch it too.

You haven't had a risk for hiv. This website deals with hiv and if you have further questions about your emerging sexuality, there are other websites for that sort of thing - or better yet, talk to a trusted member of your family. We cannot do that for you here.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Concerned1973

  • Member
  • Posts: 14
Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #24 on: December 14, 2007, 03:51:19 pm »
Hello Everyone

I just got my HIV test result today after French Kissing alone and the result was NEGATIVE !!!! :)

YAY

thank you everyone :)

Offline Ann

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #25 on: December 14, 2007, 04:02:26 pm »
Con,

"French Kissing alone"? I always thought it took at least two people to kiss. ???

It's no surprise you tested negative - kissing, no matter what the nationality, is NOT a risk for hiv infection.

Make sure you use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will remain hiv negative. It really is that simple.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Concerned1973

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #26 on: December 17, 2007, 10:16:02 am »
Hello I have one last question

I tested negative after the french kissing incident.

My question is I have been taking antidepressants as well as antibiotics.  Woud taking these two drugs affect the accuracy of my negative hiv test result?

would taking these medications extend my window period

or can I rely on the hiv negative test result regardless of the antidepressants and antibiotics?

Thanks

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #27 on: December 17, 2007, 10:19:22 am »
No and no and if you haven't been reading the replies, YOU DID NOT HAVE A RISK..

Offline Ann

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Re: Requesting Calrification on "Exposure"
« Reply #28 on: December 17, 2007, 10:21:55 am »
Con,

For the LAST time, kissing, french or otherwise, is NOT a risk for hiv infection! You were never in a window period. You ARE hiv negative.

Even if you DID have a risk, neither antibiotics nor antidepressants would have any effect on the outcome of your test. You tested hiv negative because you ARE hiv negative.

If you've read Welcome Thread like you're supposed to, you would have read the following:

Quote
Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

Please consider yourself warned.

Ann

Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

 


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