Myths of yester year...

[Ody]

In reading another topic in Living with HIV I saw one that made me chuckle at the memories of some of the Myths. I kinda felt like a low life for chuckling at them and wondered how many others where in the same boat with me and where willing to share them or share personal experiences with them.

Here's mine...

There is a bar I used to practically live at, my safe haven. They always had a large assortment of different poppers and had the best prices around. After being introduced to them I partook regularly. One night, planing a sweat dripping night on the dance floor and maybe an interesting evening afterwards, or at least a trip to the taxi cab lot across the street. I went up to the bar to get my coke, I was to young to drink yet, and bottle of poppers, there was a giant empty space where they once sat. I ask Cliff the bar tender for a bottle, where ever they where. I figured the old thing had moved them to do her cleaning. To my surprise Mrs. Justa Ole' Sleaze sternly looked at me and informed me I would never find them in the bar again and if she caught me with any she would take her pump to me. Asking why? She informed me that research suggested poppers was the cause of Hiv/Aids and all them where poured out and bottles thrown away in an undisclosed location. The bar was not going to be partaking in giving anyone Aids.

I knew immediately this was a crock of shit. I had been infected long before I even knew what poppers where. Not wanting to be exposed to anyone outside of my support family, I said nothing, but knew then and there it was time to question every bit of new research ever revealed.

Ody

[bear60]

Thank you for that Ody.
What a trip.....down memory lane , huh. 
I remember thinking: " I dont do poppers so maybe I wont get it".

[AlanBama]

Another great myth that I firmly believed in for awhile:   TOPS don't get HIV.

I thought "OK, I'm safe, because I have always been the top guy (ok no wise cracks from the peanut gallery here, it's true dammit)".   Well, I am living proof that TOPS do get HIV.

Alan (who is no longer characterized as strictly a "top") 

[mark54]

one night i had to stay up for the eleven o'clock news  because they had announced the cure for aids.  well, they were announcing the release of 3TC.  since i had known a lot of the guys in the original studies 2 years prior and all their problems with it well, that's the night i started questioning everything that was said and done. 

[J.R.E.]

Hello ,

I also remember when poppers were removed from some of the bars, and if you were caught using them, you were barred !

Ray

[mudman8]

yes, I'd heard about poppers and tried giving them up .... well for  a while at least,  I did start using my condoms regularly.  I didn't use drugs anymore..... then I met a hot bi fuck in grad school at a book store. I gave up resisting and indulged once again in hedonistic rushes of a 35 YO crazed to shoot the ultimate load. He was a happy camper I can tell you. Everything his wife wouldn't give him. I was self conscious for years thinkng I was going to get the super bug, but that hasn't happened either. I tend to stay on my meds for 3-4 years or so before they decline.