POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: worriedlikecrazy on June 08, 2006, 11:20:06 am
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Hey everyone it's me again. I just had a question that has been bothering me about protected sex. I am usually pretty careful about putting condoms on but I noticed that in Ann's condoms link it says roll the condom down to the base of the penis. The condoms I use usually only roll around 3/4's of the way down my penis. This doesn't mean that I am not fully protected does it? My understanding was as long as the head of your penis was covered and you don't have any sores on or around your penis you are protected. Am I correct to assume this? One time I had slippage with a condom and it never felt secure but the head was always covered, how do you know if you have properly used a latex condom? May seem like a stupid question but I really am not sure.
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Worried
Against HIV you are protected assuming you are using the condom the way you have stated.
Best regards
Darkfiber
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So I am correct in assuming that as long as the head is covered you are protected?
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Worried,
As long as the head of your penis is covered by the condom you are protected from hiv infection.
Ann
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Alright thanks both of you, I have a doctor appointment on the 20th to get a thorough checkup on my health as a whole not just HIV. I appreciate all of you putting up with me. I have been trying to keep myself busy and not just browsing this forum all the time.
-Worried
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When talking about condom usage I hear the term condom slippage alot. Does this refer to the condom slipping entirely off of the penis or does it refer to slipping down on your penis but not coming off? If the condom were to slip down a little on the penis does this increase risk?
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worried,
Skin is an excellent barrier against hiv infection. The skin on your penis is no different in this regard so it does not matter if a condom slips down a little way. It is the head of your penis that must stay covered. The head is important because this is where the urethra (where you cum and pee through) is found. The inside of the urethra is the area that is vulnerable to hiv infection. If you are uncut, the foreskin is also vulnerable to infection. As the foreskin is found on the head of the penis, again, it does not matter if the condom slips a little way down as long as your head is covered.
Please read through the condom and lube links in my signature line.
Ann
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Thanks for your responses.
I have one other question that has seriously been bothering me and I haven't really gotten a definitive answer. As far as household razor sharing is concerned. I used to have a drawer in my bathroom full of disposable razors that me, my brother, and his girlfriend would just grab and use and often times just through back in the drawer when we were finished. While this sounds disgusting, they would often become rusty and gross and I didn't really worry about it at the time because I didn't have much facial hair as I was just out of high school. If there was a small amount of blood on the razor (which I usually rinse before I begin shaving but sometimes I don't if I am just cleaning up a missed spot) and I cut myself a few times with it, is that still not risky? Does it need to be a significant cut with a significant amount of fresh blood to be considered risky? I cut myself quite frequently while shaving. The reason it concerns me is the history my brother's girlfriend had, there were several prostitutes in her family and she was very promiscuous and lived in a very bad part of town. I know that people aren't high risk but I know she had been involved in high risk activities. I never have really read about transmission occurring this way but it still seems to me like it is a very real risk.
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The only POSSIBLE infection through shared razors MIGHT have occured ONCE in the 1990s when a pair of brothers passed a razor back and forth without rinsing.
The fact that apparently sharing razors (gross) and toothbrushes (double gross) is a common occurance in households makes me seriously suspect even that one, anecdotal instance.
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Ok thanks again,
Another question =/ If someone were to be infected by HIV. After ARS, when would the next set of symptoms start? For example, would your glands stay swollen the whole time all over your body, would you be tired, would you show any visible symptoms while you waited or would everything go away completely for years? If so, what are some early symptoms one might experience? This is just to satisfy my own curiosity and not to diagnose myself.
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After ARS? I dunno, varies from person to person. In most cases, years later.
But you had no risk, remember?
:) Just saying.
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Yes I did, you know I've had unprotected sex. You think I'm a crazy boy.
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I thought this was about condom slippage. Do you have another thread as well?
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Yup, same name old forums
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Can you possibly link me to it? Or restate the time and date and incident? I am not tech savvy enough on this new forum to search the old one, since they turned off the "toggle" switch at the top of the page.
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I'm not really sure how to either, to sum it up....I've been here for a few years and have put myself at risk again. You withdrew from my thread a while ago. I don't blame you, my friends think I'm being stupid too and I should just get the test and put it behind me. I just keep coming up with possible risk scenarios in my head. I've just been having persistent swollen glands, sore throat, and white tongue and it worries me is all. All is well though I see the doctor on the 20th and can hopefully get everything worked out.
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So why not test at 13 weeks past what I assume to be unprotected vaginal or anal sex?
Can't be scarier than living like this.
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I definitley agree with you, I am seeing the doc on the 20th and getting the test on the 30th as that would mark 90 days.
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Worried,
This is your thread from the old forums:
http://www.aidsmeds.com/Fusetalk/messageview.cfm?catid=4&threadid=29985&FTVAR_MSGDBTABLE= (http://www.aidsmeds.com/Fusetalk/messageview.cfm?catid=4&threadid=29985&FTVAR_MSGDBTABLE=)
MtD
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Yeah, the old thread is embarrassing....even in an online forum
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I am rather fond of my first answer here:
<< think at 221 postings and two years on the forum, you know precisely how HIV is and is not transmitted. You should also know that Nonoxynol-9 is a terrible thing to use, and can cause irritation which can facilitate dangerous infections.
If you are truly concerned about your risk, which was apparently unprotected vaginal sex with a woman of unknown HIV status, then by all means wait thirteen weeks from the incident and get a full STD panel, including an HIV test. And in the meantime, return to (or locate) a competant therapist. No one should live with the constant fear and guilt that you seem to carry.
As far as "odds," I would fry and eat one of my pets if you were to test positive.>>
Can't think of anything to add to that.
Best of luck in your future :)
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I know this is stupid but could someone explain to me how sharing a razor is considered very very low risk? What would have to happen in order for there to be a risk? The other day my roommate told me that he has been using my razor because he didn't have any blades. He used it like three times and I was just like oh crap.......I know it is low risk but what would have to happen in order for it to occur?
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Theoretically, and I HATE that word, if you and your roomie passed the razor back and forth without rinsing, aqnd you were both cut and bleeding, then circumstances MIGHT .... MIGHT be favorable to an HIV infection. More likely to get hep B from that, though, which is the real reason you don't share razors.
A razor that is rinsed, and left alone for a few minutes is not going to be infectious insofar as HIV is concerned. HIV is an EXTREMELY fragile virus. Ann might shed more light on hepatitis, which is far more robust.
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So would it have to be a pretty significant cut? I usually nick myself and it bleeds but they are just nicks....I have girl skin =/ I never cut myself very deeply though...
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The cut is immaterial. Its the fact that the razor is rinsed, and sits in the environment in between uses.
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Ok well I went to the doctor today and she has just ordered me an 11.5 week test. She mentioned nothing of a window period and didn't seem overly concerned. When I mentioned sharing a razor she like freaked out and said to never do that. She seemed more concerned about the razor than me having unprotected sex. She said that I have pretty bad allergies and gave me prescriptions for that. Why would she freak so much about the razor? Mainly for other diseases? Also after this 11.5 weeks test should I stress out anymore and get the 13 week test or would you consider this conclusive? Not really freaking out about the test right now, just kind of taking it all in......
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I do not know why your doc freaked out.
However, between your thread in the old forum and this one, it's clear that you need the services of a professional to get over your irrational fears.
I do not believe that this forum can be of any more help - as a matter of fact, its an addictive and toxic place for people with your mindset. I urge you to seek the real help that you need, and I respectfully withdraw from further communication.
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I don't need mental help, I am just concerned because i just had the test taken and I know that in a few days I will know whether or not I have this or not. My doctor seemed concerned about that razor issue and being that she is a professional that concerned me. She didn't state what she was concerned about. I hate people knowing things that I don't know when it concerns me and I know that these nurses that I called knew my status and were looking at it but I have to wait until the doctor reviews it......annoying and driving me crazy right now.
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Worried,
You say you don't need mental help, but surely you must need some support or you wouldn't have clocked up 275 and counting posts to this forum and the old.
The problem we have here worried, is that your need for support is outstripping what we are able to provide on this forum. You would greatly benefit from finding some face-to-face help and support for yourself.
You are getting closer and closer to being given a time out.
Frankly, I'm not surprised your doc reacted negatively to the news that you've been sharing razors with other people. Personal grooming and hygiene items are just that - personal. Things like toothbrushes and razors - and even hairbrushes, combs and facecloths - should not be shared and it's nothing to do with hiv. It's to do with all those other bacteria, fungi and viruses that human beings are prone to. It's unhealthy and unwise to share personal grooming and hygiene items. I mean, eww.
Let us know when you get your negative result so we can put this to bed.
Ann
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Well I got my negative 81 day test.....am I done? I know it is supposed to be 13 weeks but what are the chances :-\
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Hop on you bike and peddle on down the road, you are negative and didn't need to test to begin with.
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worried,
As you didn't need to test over the condom slippage incident in the first place, you can take that result as good as gold. You are hiv negative.
If you continue to have anxiety over hiv, please, for your own sake, get some help. You don't have to live your life with constant anxiety if you don't want to.
And I'd like to remind you that this forum is not a substitute for face-to-face support. I cannot allow you to use it as such either.
You are hiv negative and it's up to you to stay that way. Use condoms, use them correctly and consistently and you will avoid hiv infection. It really, really is that simple.
Ann
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Well it was unprotected sex done at 81 days. I just have a question so I know what kind of test I had. I had my test done at the Shands hospital in florida which is supposed to be really good. My paper that I took to the lab said HIV 1/2 test. My question is what kind of tests do hospitals and doctors generally run? Are there regulations on certain kinds of tests they are aloud to run and are they all accurate?
I don't want a timeout I just want to know....I'm really not that worried :-[
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Worried,
According to your own words earlier in this thread, you had protected intercourse. You said the condom slipped down a bit, but it stayed on and covered the head of your penis. As it is the head of the penis that must be protected against hiv and not the shaft, you were protected. And you never needed to test.
The only tests that are available in the States are ones that are approved for hiv diagnostic use - and that means they are accurate, or they wouldn't be approved. The one you took included both strains of hiv and your negative result means you are hiv negative. Period, end of story.
Ann
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well truthfully I had unprotected sex about 81 days before my test and that was my real risk....it wasn't complete sex, it was more like i put it in and pulled it out and said I should have a condom so maybe 10 seconds max. All of the other scenarios I pulled out of my ass were from my mind working in overtime creating scenarios that I could have put myself at risk, like condom slippage, razor blades, things like that. I'm taking it easy though. Thanks for all of your help....
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Do you all know what procedure is for giving HIV results over the phone? A few weeks ago I called my doctor and a nurse gave me my results over the phone and said I was negative after I complained. She then realized she wasn't my doctor's nurse and said she would relay the info and the results are accurate. A few weeks later I received a notice in the mail saying to come in to the doc for an appointment. I already had a follow up set in August but this appointment was for July. I called the doc back and they would not give me my results over the phone. They gave me every result except for HIV. Definitley scared me and I called back asking what was up and they told me it is procedure to send out appointments to come in and talk to the doc about the bloodwork. My question is why would this lady have not given me only my HIV results on the phone, she said they werent coming up? She gave me every other one and now shes got me worried again. She said to me that I shouldn't trust other nurses. The other nurse seemed to know what she was doing when she told me I was negative.....This is probably a mess but any replies would help.....