Risk Assessment

[biggbear03]

Hello all,

I'm not sure if my mind has been playing tricks on me, but the worry of having HIV is causing me great anxiety (which results in my mind playing even more tricks, which causes even more anxiety).

I am a white hetro 25 year old male. For the past three months I had sex with about 15-20 escorts in the Toronto area.

- All vaginal sex was done using a condom

- No anal at all

- The condoms seemed to stay in tact, and did not break

- There was only one encounter where the condom slipped off. The escort seemed to realize quite quickly and pulled off me. There was most likely some direct contact during that process.

- Gave oral sex only once
- I have many cuts on my tongue (fissured tongue since childhood)

- Received oral sex mostly with protection. There were rare times when the escort did not use protection for oral, but I'd say about 85% of the time it was safe oral

- Have some cuts on my testicles, some of them CAN bleed pretty easy, just with a few scratches. But none were bleeding during all those encounters.

- Sometimes I did feel a burn on those cuts during intercourse, assuming from sweat/vagial fluid from the escort.

- The escorts' ages ranges from young 20's to mid 50's, mostly white, hispanic, asian. did not seem like drug users to me, except for sure one who during intercourse said 'i'm so fucked up right now'

Based on the above, are my risks considered high?

Am I like likely to show less/no symptoms since I my immune system is still young?

[Jeff G]

The only thing that stands out as a potential risk is the brief insertion when the condom broke . Its a low risk situation being of brief duration but low risk is not no risk .

You didn't say when the broken condom incident was but the testing window period is 6 weeks past exposure and again at 3 months to confirm the results .

I wouldn't expect you to turn up with HIV from this low risk activity but since all sexually active adults should be having regular sexual health checkups now is a good of time as any to have yours . Its best to test for HIV and ALL STD's at least once a year .

I read the rest of your concerns and the broke condom was the only risk you have had , and a low risk at that .   

[biggbear03]

Thanks for the quick response.

The fact I have somewhat bloody cuts on my testicles and the fact they burned for a bit during intercourse due to the female's sweat/vaginal fluids doesn't concern you? They weren't bloody during the intercourse itself, but with a tiny aggravation they had the potential to be bloody.. they're very sensitive cuts.

As for the condom breaking risk.. it didn't break. It just slipped off as I was thursting, staying in the female's vagina as my penis pulled out. It went up far up her vag though, she had to 'dig' it out.

I did talk with the escort after that incident, she assured me she gets tested frequently and is HIV free.

[Jeff G]

The vaginal secretions comes from just inside the vagina from two small glands and those secretions are not infectious for HIV . HIV resides in the mucosal lining around the cervix and that is why unprotected vaginal sex is a risk only during penetration with your penis where your glans can contact the mucosal lining .

HIV is a fragile virus that is damaged instantly when exposed to oxygen rendering it unable to infect , this is why the only sexual risk for HIV is unprotected vaginal and anal sex .

A condom that breaks isn't much different from one you are not wearing when it comes off during intercourse . Brief dipping like you had rarely results in an HIV infection but like I said low risk doesn't equal no risk . I'm suggesting you get your sexual health check up but I would not expect a positive HIV test to come from it .

[biggbear03]

Thank you.

Would you consider having protected sex with so many women a risk?

If during all encounters  a condom was properly used (and lets say no situation of slipping off or tearing), would you consider it a risk? I read on many sites that even condoms aren't 100% effective against HIV transmission, and that there could be tiny tears in the condom invisible to the naked eye.

I'm asking this because during one of the encounters there was a spec of blood on the condom after I pulled out. It seemed very small and only on the outside of the condom... but if the microscopic tears theory is true then that increase the risk by a lot.

are there any documented cases of HIV WITH condom use?

[Jeff G]

As long as you are using condoms correctly and consistently for vaginal and anal sex you will avoid HIV . If a condom breaks or fails you would know it , they are designed that way so there is no doubt it failed .

You can have all the sex you want if you use condoms ... HIV inst like poison where just a little bit wont hurt and just the right amount kills , you either had a risk or didn't .