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Author Topic: Early uses of drugs?  (Read 4129 times)

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Offline yoyayayo

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Early uses of drugs?
« on: April 27, 2012, 02:39:07 am »
Hi guys and gals,

In Southeast Asia. Had sex for about 30 seconds without a condom. On withdrawal saw menstrual blood on penis (quite a bit). Did not cum inside vagina.

So as far as risk situations, I think i can say I am at the top end of the scale.

13 days later = slight fever for two days, sore throat three days and continuing.

Okay, I understand the fever and throat do not mean anything, but I read an article that said if you aggressively use drugs at the seroconversion stage, you can basically stop the virus in it's tracks. Seems that i would be wise to try this if it is true.

I just wanted to know if that is an accepted view?

Offline Matty the Damned

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Re: Early uses of drugs?
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2012, 06:05:04 am »
Hi guys and gals,

In Southeast Asia. Had sex for about 30 seconds without a condom. On withdrawal saw menstrual blood on penis (quite a bit). Did not cum inside vagina.

So as far as risk situations, I think i can say I am at the top end of the scale.

13 days later = slight fever for two days, sore throat three days and continuing.

Okay, I understand the fever and throat do not mean anything, but I read an article that said if you aggressively use drugs at the seroconversion stage, you can basically stop the virus in it's tracks. Seems that i would be wise to try this if it is true.

I just wanted to know if that is an accepted view?

Yo,

HIV is a fragile virus, it is transmitted in very particular ways. Those ways are:

Unprotected vaginal and anal sex;
Sharing contaminated injecting equipment such as needles and syringes;
In some cases from HIV positive mother to her unborn or nursing infant.

You need to be tested for HIV. I do not think you will test positive, but you must test to be sure. The window period for HIV testing is 13 weeks from the date of the unprotected encounter.

Aggressive drug use prior to seroconversion doesn't apply in your case. To be effective you have to start taking them within 3 days of the exposure.

Symptoms do not mean anything when it comes to HIV. You can have no symptoms and still have been infected. You are going to have to wait 13 weeks for an accurate test result.

MtD

Offline yoyayayo

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  • Posts: 5
Re: Early uses of drugs?
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2012, 02:07:21 am »
Phase 1.
The acute phase of HIV infection (also called acute sero-conversion illness) begins as soon as sero-conversion has taken place. Sero-conversion means the point in time when a person’s HIV status converts or changes from being HIV negative to HIV positive. This also usually coincides with the time when an HIV antibody test will show that a person is HIV positive.

Sero-conversion usually occurs four to eight weeks after an individual has been infected with the HI virus. About 30%-60% of people infected with HIV develop flu-like symptoms such as sore throat, headache, mild fever, fatigue, muscle and joint pains, swelling of the lymph nodes, rash, and (occasionally) oral ulcers. These symptoms usually last from between one and two weeks.

Because of the rapid replication of the virus, the HIV viral load is usually very high during the acute phase. Immediate and aggressive treatment with anti-retroviral therapy (ART) at this stage may be effective in reducing the viral load to undetectable levels, or even in eradicating the virus.


Ok. I have read that wrong or is it wrong? So if you take drugs during seroconversion it is too late, or have I misread the whole article :)

I now have heavy fever, bad throat, and excessive coughing. I have not had a real flu in seven years. Just want to make sure that I am not missing the window to pop some meds :)

Offline Andy Velez

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Re: Early uses of drugs?
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2012, 09:23:43 am »
Unfortunately you are now anxiously misinterpreting everything that happens to you through an HIV jitters mindset.

Yes, you had a risk. But there are significant factors in the situation which are in your favor against transmission having occured. It is significantly harder to transmit HIV from female to male than the other way around. Yours was a single and brief exposure. The odds are in your favor that you are going to come out of this ok.

You can test initially at 6 weeks after the incident. If you test negative then it is likely that you will continue to test negative at 13 weeks for a conclusive negative result.

Meantime guessing about statistics and all of that is not only pointless, it feeds your fears and without giving the answer which only an HIV test can render. You need to make an effort during the waiting time to focus on other things in your life. It will help to make the waiting time pass more quickly than you may imagine is possible. And as I said, at the end of it the odds are in your favor that you'll come out of this ok.

You do need to learn a lesson from this. You can have all the sex you want to, but just do it the safer way which means always using a condom for vaginal and anal intercourse. No exceptions.

Good luck to you.   
Andy Velez

Offline yoyayayo

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  • Posts: 5
Re: Early uses of drugs?
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2012, 01:18:34 pm »
Thanks Andy.

Actually, I am doing okay. Live with the consequences as they say. I just wanted to be sure about the drug thing. I assume you are also saying the window has passed, so I will just wait for testing time.

I hope this bloody cold goes away soon.....hard work feeling sick. I haven't been ill for so long :)

Good luck to all on the board.

Offline Andy Velez

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Re: Early uses of drugs?
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2012, 01:23:50 pm »
Yo, yes it is past the time for having started PEP.

And I still expect you to come out of this ok.

Those are not HIV specific symptoms you have been having.

Get on with your life, time will pass and then you will collect what I expect is going to be a negative result.
Andy Velez

Offline yoyayayo

  • Member
  • Posts: 5
Re: Early uses of drugs?
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2012, 03:52:31 am »
K. Thanks Andy.

The menstrual blood I think makes the whole thing extra nervy for me. That is why when you say female to male is more difficult, I feel that blood being involved changes the whole dynamic.

Anyway the flu has settled down now. Perfect timing 13-18 days :)

Will sit back and wait for the tests. Will let you know whatever the result.

Take care :)

Offline Andy Velez

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Re: Early uses of drugs?
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2012, 08:28:04 am »
OK. And I still expect you to come through this ok.
Andy Velez

Offline yoyayayo

  • Member
  • Posts: 5
Re: Early uses of drugs?
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2012, 01:44:22 am »
A place near me does a test which I assume is like a home testing. Prick your finger and wait a few minutes to see what happens.

Is there a different time scale for these tests or is 6-7 weeks okay?

Cheers

Offline Ann

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  • It just is, OK?
    • Num is sum qui mentiar tibi?
Re: Early uses of drugs?
« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2012, 05:56:27 am »
yoya,

Yes, 6-7 weeks is ok for the type of test this clinic offers. Please remember that a negative at this point is highly unlikely to change, but must be confirmed at the three month point.

Like Andy, I also expect you to come out of this ok.

Ann
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