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Author Topic: My Story  (Read 3084 times)

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Offline Jackson256

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My Story
« on: March 07, 2008, 10:52:16 am »
Hello, Reading some of the posters on this forum this looks like a really excellent place get some information and understanding. This is my story:

Roughly one month ago I had one instance of unprotected sex (vaginal penetration, oral) with a Thai girl in the Northern city of Chiang Mai. No money changed hands and I have no reason to believe she would be a sex worker, but I can only assume she is at the very least a bit promiscius. She told me she was aged 30, and appeared so, was relatively heavy for a thai girl, and exibited no symptoms of anything I could identify. (I guess that doesn't really mean anything) Obviously, it was a stupid mistake and if I could turn back the clock I would. I got tested promptly for the quickly detectable STD's, such as Gonnorrea, Clamydia, etc, all clear, but I am terrified that I may have contracted HIV. I guess I have symptoms, but I have done such a tremedous amount of research and I have been so terrified that I do not believe that they can be a very good indicator of trouble.

I guess I will beat the old drum and ask the same old question... with all that I have learned about HIV subtype E being very contagious in Thailand and the probability of my partner potentially having HIV, what are my chances of contraction? Sounds silly to ask.. logically there are too many factors to account for I suppose.

Secondly, I would really like to at least get tested now for a little piece of mind... any chance of the antibodies showing up after 1 month? I have a little home test kit, the FDA approved one, I heard it was quite reliable.

More so, I have been reading many posts of a similar nature on this forum, If anyone is going through what I am and would like to chat please let me know. I think a lot of people here are very courageus in the face of what I must consider one of the more horrible fates that could happen to someone. Good bless anyone who reads this and is having the same problem. If I am blessed with a negative result I will endeavor change my life.

Offline Ann

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  • It just is, OK?
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Re: My Story
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2008, 11:09:14 am »
Jack,

You have had a risk and you do need to test, however, if you're going to test before the end of the three month window period, wait until six weeks. The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by then. A negative result at six weeks must be confirmed at the three month point.

Symptoms, or even the lack of symptoms means absolutely nothing when it comes to hiv infection. Don't bother bringing any symptoms here; we won't discuss them. If you're having problems you'll need to see your doctor - nobody can diagnose you over the internet.

Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus and more so from a woman to a man and in light of this, I would not expect you to end up positive following only one unprotected encounter. However, you do need to test.

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.

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

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"...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 Jackson256

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Re: My Story
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2008, 10:05:14 pm »
Thank you for the advice, and I wholeheartedly agree. I indeed have used condoms in *nearly* every encounter I have had in the USA. What strange drunken impulse possessed me to go without in Thailand, I constantly ponder. I would not have thought testing to be wise before in my life but at this point I can certainly see the logic to it.

I got tested at exactly 22 days (The anxiety level is so great at this time that simply any assurance will help, I just could not wait, I can barely sleep and eat.) The test was negative, inconclusive I know but adding this data seems to mathmatically increase my probability of a negative result, if only marginally.

regardless of whether I have the disease or not, at this point I intend to learn more about it and the people who have been afflicted by it.

Offline Andy Velez

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Re: My Story
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2008, 09:35:52 am »
Jackson, like Ann I think the odds are overwhelmingly in your favor that you will continue to test negative. All but the smallest number of those who are going to seroconvert will do so within 4-6 weeks after an exposure to the HIV virus. A negative at 13 weeks is conclusive.

You mentioned something in your latest posting which is a big red flag. You mention that you generally use condoms for intercourse. That's not good enough. Until such time as you maybe in a securely monogamous relatonship in which both partners test negative together, until then you need to be wearing a condom everytime with every partner. Low risk is not the same as no risk. So don't be deceived that you can scoot by safely because someone looks so great and is so nice and anything else that mistakenly tells you that you don't need to wear condom. Use one everytime you have sex. Period.

Good luck to you on your test result which I expect will be negative this time.
Andy Velez

 


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