Worried and Scared

[mmoc1975]

Hello,

Wishing everyone a great holiday. I have had many oral sex encounters, I do practice safe anal sex religiously. I have read dozens (more than that really) web pages about oral sex trying to put my mind at rest. I can't. I came across this forum sometime ago, I know what your answer will be in regards to oral sex. So before rolling your eyes and dismissing me, I just want to say... I just want to talk or type Put my thoughts down... I just feel that I am going to be the one.. I'm going to go to the clinic and they are going to give me the bad news. I recently went to the dermatologist because I have a bump growing on my scalp which lead me to google it. From what I can tell it's folliculitis.. and WebMD did say people with HIV get this... and yes the more I type the more idiotic I feel yall must think I am. I'm just so stuck right now, afraid to test but knowing if I am positive I will need to be put on meds..so I do need to test. I do have bleeding gums from time to time which is another reason I'm just so damn sure... I guess that's all I have to say, when I get the strength to test I will be sure to log in and let yall know what the results were. Let me know what you think... Thanks for reading.

[Jeff G]

It does no good to dwell on symptoms that could be from so many other things than HIV , the only way to know is to test .

If oral sex is your only concern than you should fully expect a negative result . Use condoms for vaginal and anal sex correctly every time you have intercourse and you will avoid HIV . Be sure to test for all stds because they are easier than HIV to transmit and you may not be aware that you have one for long periods of time . Best of luck . 

[mmoc1975]

Thanks Jeff Wishing you a wonderful holiday.

[Jeff G]

 You too  . You can put your fears to rest simply by testing and testing is the responsible thing for all sexually active people to do .

[jkinatl2]

We won't ever roll our eyes at fears regarding HIV and oral sex. Hell, the CDC still lists KISSING as a risk. Kissing.

Were you worried that a stripper crouched over your beer and dripped infectious fluids from her vagina into it, which you drank, then we would roll our eyes. You are maybe rolling your eyes now, but we've encountered that scenario. THAT is worthy of an eye roll, though we try to be cool about it and not let on.

The controversy of oral transmission is going to endure so long as people equate having receptive anal sex as a loss (or abdication) of masculinity.

It will endure so long as people deceive themselves and others, or drink/drug themselves into oblivious blackouts in order to get the sort of sex they dare not receive consciously.

 It will endure so long as doctors, friends, and loved ones are perceived (correctly in some/many cases) to judge those who slip up and have unprotected sex.

It will endure so long as misogyny exists. It will endure as long as controversial, sloppy, and badly performed studies are published.

And it will endure as long as those previous studies which relied on patient report remain in circulation or are quoted on the web.

And it will endure as long as government-run web sites promoting healthcare are beholden to anti-gay elements, often within their own ranks.

If we roll our eyes, it's not at you. Please believe me that.

[Ann]

mm,

As a sexually active adult you should be getting a complete sexual health check up regularly - at least once a year, twice or quarterly depending on how active you are and how many partners you have. Most of the other STIs are MUCH more easily transmitted than hiv, so be sure to get checked for everything.

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

[mmoc1975]

Thank you all, truly.