My partner and I were both diagnosed with HIV at the same time. We are about 3 months post diagnosis and have achieved undetectable VLs. We've been having sex with condoms, but I was curious to know if we still need to use them.
I know this is a question for a medical professional, but my doctor said that we should wait until we are 6 months UD and his doctor said that it should be fine as long as we are monogamous.
Has anyone had any experience with this?
leatherman:
--- Quote from: Tguid13 on February 11, 2022, 05:05:07 pm ---I know this is a question for a medical professional
--- End quote --- actually it's not anymore.
Research has shown that someone living with HIV does not transmit HIV after being UD for 6 months. It's known as "undetectable = untransmittable". It's also the principle behind "TasP" - "treatment as prevention". When a person living with HIV who has HIV successfully controlled (UD for 6 months) they can't spread HIV which helps in stopping the spread of HIV (i.e. prevention). https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/art/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/globalhivtb/what-we-do/briefingbook/briefbook-hivprevention.html
So in a few more months, y'all can skip the condoms..... as long as you're cautious about other possible diseases. (ugh. I hate when our HIV doc talks to us about stuff like this; but he knows other couples who aren't monogamous like me and my hubby, so we always get the warning. :D Of course this would have been a valid warning in my younger days with my previous partners. 8) )
Tguid13:
Sorry! I don't know if I phrased my question correctly. I know that we aren't considered U=U status as of now, but both of our VLs have been suppressed for 2 months. 2 of our doctors said condomless sex is fine, but a third said to wait.
So my question is: Is there any risk of us having condomless sex considering we have the same strain, we both have suppressed VLs, and we are monogamous?
zach:
Wait
Data says 6 months
Jim Allen:
Hiya,
Moved your thread to this section.
Not much to add to what the other gents have mentioned already. Wait until you are UD for 6 months. UD in terms of U=U would be below 200 copies.
If you do engage in condomless intercourse with your partner you should consider testing more regularly for STI's.
Treatment as prevention (TasP) Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) https://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=71864.0