My Story

[Jim in Nova]

I've been reading this forum and from what I've read, performing oral sex (even with ejaculation) is a very low risk activity.  However, almost a month ago, I had sex with a guy I'd been on a couple dates with and let him cum in my mouth and swallowed it.  Minutes afterward, he told me he was HIV positive and that he was on meds and had an undetectable viral load.  I sort of freaked out and called my doctor the next morning, thinking he was going to say that it was not a high risk activity and to not worry about it.  But, not such luck...he thought it was best for me to go on prophylatic HIV meds for 28 days (which, btw, cost me 2,000 dollars..ugh!).  I've been on them for 24 days and only have 4 more to do go.  The diarrhea has been relentless and I've lost almost 10 pounds (but no girth in my belly unfort).

Anyway...seems odd that my doctor (and his partner) thought the meds were necessary if everything I read on here is true.  I've swallowed the cum of few other guys over the past couple months and, although they told me they were HIV neg, who knows?  So even if the meds protect me in the this one instance, I'm a little freaked about the other instances (especially since I ran a low grade fevor for two days a few weeks after one of the instances).

Anyway...just wanted to put it out there, and see if anyone had any comments.

[ACinKC]

This is a very very very low risk situation.  Im not sure that I would have recommended PEP for this situation.  But you only have 4 more days to go so just finish up and be done with it.

[dtwpuck]

You have to decide for yourself what's risk and how to handle it.

I think it's a bit inconsistent, though, that you would willingly swallow a load from a guy who tells you he's negative, but freak out on someone who tells you the truth.  Guess what?  If all anyone has to do to get you to take it is to lie to you, then you might as well just get yourself down to the bathhouse now.

If you feel that swallowing a load is an unacceptable level of risk for you... then stop doing it with everyone regardless of how convincing their claims of "hiv negative u be 2" are.

  Sorry you don't like the meds.  They generally suck.  Maybe you will think twice now before engaging in activity you feel is unsafe.

[Coffeechick88]

It really depends on the doctor if you get PEP--some will recommend a regimine for less severe risks--it is just a conservative measure.  It also doesn't mean that they think you really had much of a risk--they just are erring on the side of caution.  It is well documented that the risk for giving oral is at the very low end of the risk scale.  You have 4 days left, might as well finish it.  You have learned a lesson about what you are comfortable with so this will be a valuable thing to think about next time you are in that situation.

[Andy Velez]

Jim, stats show us that giving oral, even when ejaculation is involved, is still way low on the risk list. The fact that your recent experience was with someone who is undetectable is definitely in your favor.

As you have learned, the PEP regimen is no light experience to get through. Since you're only 4 days away from completing PEP, there's no point in second guessing your doctor at this point. As has been suggested, finish the regimen. You do need to know that you have to wait 13 weeks from completing PEP before you can do an HIV test for a conclusive result.

My expectation is that you will test negative. There have been longterm studies of sero-dystonic couples who had lots of oral sex and only protected anal & vaginal intercourse. The results were that not a single sero-negative partner became infected. However, it's also true that we continue to get from time to time anecdotal evidence where someone who seroconverts insists the only risk they had was giving oral.

What it comes down to is what level of risk are you willing to live with.

Like I said, I expect you will test negative.

You also need to know there are other STDs out there which are much easier to acquire than HIV. As long as you are sexually active it's a good idea to have a full STD panel done regularly. That means at least annually and every six months would be even better.

Good luck with your test result.

Cheers,

[Jim in Nova]

Thanks for the responses guys!