Reinfection

[bubble]

This guy I am having sex with who is also POZ wants to have sex without condoms. He has been POZ much longer than me and has lots of partners  - never safe - and i am strangely attracted to him. He says I'm over reacting...  I've had oral sex with him without protection so I feel like I might as well go all the way... . I really want to do more but i am SO SCARED of reinfection. I want someone to tell me it's okay. My doc says it's a horrible idea. I've been POZ for almost 3 years. I just don't know what to do anymore. I feel sort of out of control also with sex. ugh.

[Matty the Damned]

It's OK.

Actually rather than worrying about re-infection, it's contracting another STD, particularly syphilis, which you should be more concerned about. If you're not vaccinated against or immune to Hepatitis A & B you might want consider getting that done too.

Oral sex is certainly not a concern for re-infection. It's the butt-secks which could pose a risk.

Re-infection is a rather strange beast, but what you're worried about (ie getting a nastier resistant strain to your own) is very, very uncommon. I believe that the total number of people who can claim such reinfection are less than two dozen worldwide.

MtD

[bubble]

if it's that rare why do "we" I worry about it??

Can't i just get a shot if i get syphilis from him? and wouldn't I see a big sore on his dick??

[Matty the Damned]

Because there's a lot of hype about the issue -- and a couple of years back there were some high profile media stories about cases that really didn't measure up in relation to the panic they caused.

And yes syphilis is treated by penicillin injections, but it's not some minor STD. The injections are painful and you have to have more than one. Depending on the kind of penicillin used that can mean ten or more really, really big needles in your tuches over ten days to two weeks.

What's more the "big sore" (officially called a chancre) only appears in the primary phase of syphilis. People with syphilis remain infectious during the primary and secondary stages of the disease. Someone can be infectious have no apparent symptoms.

The treatment and management of syphilis is more complex in HIV positive people. It's a very nasty disease and is certainly one to be avoided. I know, I've had it. There's also an idea that it's very rare these days, but it's more prevalent in homosexual male communities than is widely understood by many people.

Other STDs such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia and genital herpes are very, very prevalent. Moreso than syphilis. And whilst the first two are easily treated they're still not very nice. Genital herpes is not curable and results in recurrent, painful outbreaks of horrid lesions on your private parts which must be managed with medications. Often for life.

My point is this, re-infection is really something of a bogey-man. It has a big bad reputation but it's not something to freak out about. It's extraordinarily rare. Other STDs should be your main concern if you're considering bare-back sex.

MtD

[bubble]

ok thanks. good advice. i thought people with syphilis where only infectious when they had the sore. i live in NYC so i know it's more common here... i've heard. for sure something to be aware of. I just got tested for all the other stds and i was clean. i want to stay that way i just have a weakness.

[Ann]

Hi Bubble,

I'm in agreement with Matty. You might want to think about asking your fella if he'd go with you to your local STI clinic and get tested for the other bugs out there together. For myself, I have no qualms about unprotected with another positive person, as long as I know they don't have some other nasty lurking in them.

Have a look around the Living forum - there are plenty of threads on this subject.

And by the way, lots of us here don't like to see the word "clean" in relation to the outcome of STI testing. Think about it - the opposite of "clean" is "dirty".

Ann