POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: cilanthrean on April 03, 2013, 10:01:10 am
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On last Monday (1 April 22:30) i ended up in bed with a friend of 1 hour. we ended up with "unprotected" oral sex, and protected receptive anal sex. All of which i believe were practised with both of our safety in mind. The only risk i was exposed to is when he was done with the intercourse, he removed the condom and ejaculated on my chest, and while continuing to play with the ejaculate he did finger my bottom vigoursly. i do feel there were traces of his ejaculate on his fingers although it wasnt like taking whole loads of it it.
My reason for coming on this forum is that i have read the relative risk is considerably low, as HIV becomes weaker when exposed to air and cannot infect an individual unless there are large quantities available. I did reach out to the Clinic and wass adviced to go in for PEP and have already begun by medication circa 20hours since the incident. My HIV status (done annual as of 22nd Feb 2013), My stranger friend conducted an HIV test and is confirmed negetive as of today ( verbal confirmation, he seemed keen to do the checks anyway. his last check was done in Jan 2013 and this was an adhoc check)
My question is, should i still be concerned and continue my PEP. I dont want to take chemicals into my body without a real risk and a real need. I do hope to get a speedy answer before my next dose due int he next 6 hours. i am happy to hear an answer that may not be sugar coated. Just keen to know before my side effects kick in.
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Cil,
You absolutely do NOT need PEP over this NO RISK situation. It's not low risk, it's NO risk.
Fingering is NOT a risk for hiv infection and it doesn't matter what was on his fingers.
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.
Small changes in temperature, and pH and moisture levels all quickly damage the virus and render it unable to infect. For this reason, mutual masturbation or fingering with cum are not risks.
Protected intercourse is just that - protected. 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.
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 FINGERING OR PROTECTED INTERCOURSE, 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!
Again, you do NOT need PEP for this NO RISK situation.
Ann
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Thanks Ann. this only makes my belief stronger that its worth going the protected way, each time every time. I have been tested for STIs in Feb and all were negetive. so i have no reason to believe that status has changed.
The reason i thought, i ran a risk was due to the fact that i had just been fucked (possible injury in the rectal/anal area ) coupled with the fingering with ejaculate. The fact that it was "NO Risk" was a new learning for me.... and i am glad now i know, there were so many things i never did while having sex for my parnoia of being infected... that wouldnt change much but atleast now i can be a bit more free with people i know and can trust:)
Thanks again for coming back so quick... i am going to stop my PEP now, 2 doses down. Appreciate all the help and support.
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Just keep it simple. Use condoms properly everytime for anal intercourse (and vaginal) and you will be very effectively protected against the sexual transmission of HIV. Those are the only confirmed risks. Yes, it really is that simple.