IS HE INFECTED?

[directorboy]

Hello guys.

I've done something so stupid and bad. I feel so guilty and so sad.

This is Yiğit from Turkey. I've been diagnosed with HIV positive on July 2015. So my viral load was undetectable for more then 9 months. But on my recent test it shows "<20" (Below Twenty). I had sex with a negative person. And I was feeling really guilty So after 15 hours we bought him Hivent the Pep meds. Only Hivent. The doctor offered another med starting with letter "I" but we couldn't afford both so we only bought Hivent. He uses Hivent for pep and he took the first pill 19 hours after the exposure. He uses them right. But he skipped one dose sadly... He will take the last pill at the 23rd of February. And he will get tested at the end of February. So can you tell me if the infection rish is high. Or are we clear. Because I can't sleep and feel really guilty. I read about "There's no transmission risk under the 200 copies." So is it true? I am really scared. I can't live with knowing I infected another person. I'm really trying to fix things. So can you tell me are we clear?

[Jim Allen]

Hi

So my viral load was undetectable for more then 9 months. But on my recent test it shows "<20" (Below Twenty)

Look anything below 50 is from a clinical standpoint undetectable or suppressed so you are fine on your personal treatment front. Glad to hear its going well.

I had sex with a negative person. And I was feeling really guilty So after 15 hours we bought him Hivent the Pep meds.

Ill be frank, use condoms it offers some STI protection and peace of mind as well if your feeling guilty but even without them nothing you mentioned would warrant PEP, I am surprised they gave him anything.

However in terms of HIV here is the consensus statement that may give you peace of mind. http://www.preventionaccess.org/consensus

People living with HIV on ART with an undetectable viral load in their blood have a negligible risk of sexual transmission of HIV.  Depending on the drugs employed it may take as long as six months for the viral load to become undetectable. Continued and reliable HIV suppression requires selection of appropriate agents and excellent adherence to treatment. HIV viral suppression should be monitored to assure both personal health and public health benefits.
​
NOTE:   An undetectable HIV viral load only prevents HIV transmission to sexual partners. Condoms also help prevent HIV transmission as well as other STIs and pregnancy. The choice of HIV prevention method may be different depending upon a person’s sexual practices, circumstances and relationships. For instance, if someone is having sex with multiple partners or in a non-monogamous relationship, they might consider using condoms to prevent other STIs.

As for the guy, he can go test when required but end of the say he agreed to have sex and if he agreed to unprotected sex than he agreed to a higher risk of STI's including but not limited to HIV, if he is a consenting adult than its as much his problem to manage his own sexual health.

If he had unprotected intercourse with you well taking into account your labs/history and treatment adherence it was only a negligible risk to start with and on top of that you gave him PEP (I did not have the time to check out the meds you mentioned) the risk is as near zero as it can be.

Stop feeling guilty.

Jim

[directorboy]

Thank you so much for your response.


I took him to my doctor and he said the "Hivent" med.

I felt guilty because I dunno if I told him Im poz or not. Because we talked so many times but nothing happened.

I always use condoms. Now I have a monogamous relationship. But that time was an exception and I really don't know why I didn't use. And I have no reasons.

You really made my day. From now on I will carry condom factory in my wallet.

So I think the reporting system changes. If you say below 50 copies is "Undetectable". Than I'm undetectable with <20. Thank you so much again!!!

[Jim Allen]

You're welcome.

So stop worrying about it.

Jim

[directorboy]

Hey there, this is Yiğit.

Im HIV + for 2 years and I am undetectable since a year. I have a question. My brother knows me. And we were smoking hookah. And he used my tip. Then he realized my lip was bleeding by looking at me. And he cleaned the tip. But the blood was so little. It wasn't dripping. I didn't even felt. And I don't think it left on the tip of the hookah. But Im nervous. So is the risk big. I will get him tested 3 months later just in case. But I don't wanna bother him by telling him now. So is the risk big, should I tell him now. Or I can tell him before a week we have to go? So you think is he infected?

[Ptrk3]

No, your brother was not infected with the HIV from you because you shared a hookah and there was some blood on your lip.  The HIV is fragile and would not survive contact with oxygen, let alone being on a tip of a hookah.

Also, you are undetectable.

There is no need for him to test since he had no risk for HIV infection.  You don't need to tell him anything.  Move on with your life and let your brother move on with his.

[directorboy]

Hello there, me again.

Me and my boyfriend were having unprotected sex since I am undetectable. Afterwards. I noticed bleeding from my rectum. But not so much. So is he at risk? Shoul we start Peps? Or since I am undetectable is it okay?

Thanx for answers

[Jim Allen]

Asked and answered really see below.

Look honestly you need to stop freaking out or stressing about this and just live your life, also on a bigger note your BF is also responsible for himself.

Take it easy Jim.

Hi

Look anything below 50 is from a clinical standpoint undetectable or suppressed so you are fine on your personal treatment front. Glad to hear its going well.

Ill be frank, use condoms it offers some STI protection and peace of mind as well if your feeling guilty but even without them nothing you mentioned would warrant PEP, I am surprised they gave him anything.

However in terms of HIV here is the consensus statement that may give you peace of mind. http://www.preventionaccess.org/consensus

People living with HIV on ART with an undetectable viral load in their blood have a negligible risk of sexual transmission of HIV.  Depending on the drugs employed it may take as long as six months for the viral load to become undetectable. Continued and reliable HIV suppression requires selection of appropriate agents and excellent adherence to treatment. HIV viral suppression should be monitored to assure both personal health and public health benefits.
​
NOTE:   An undetectable HIV viral load only prevents HIV transmission to sexual partners. Condoms also help prevent HIV transmission as well as other STIs and pregnancy. The choice of HIV prevention method may be different depending upon a person’s sexual practices, circumstances and relationships. For instance, if someone is having sex with multiple partners or in a non-monogamous relationship, they might consider using condoms to prevent other STIs.

As for the guy, he can go test when required but end of the say he agreed to have sex and if he agreed to unprotected sex than he agreed to a higher risk of STI's including but not limited to HIV, if he is a consenting adult than its as much his problem to manage his own sexual health.

If he had unprotected intercourse with you well taking into account your labs/history and treatment adherence it was only a negligible risk to start with and on top of that you gave him PEP (I did not have the time to check out the meds you mentioned) the risk is as near zero as it can be.

Stop feeling guilty.

Jim

[directorboy]

Thanx for answer

Yes he is responsible too, but I would want to learn if it is risky from rectal bleeding when I am undetectable. So we can get him Peps It's not about taking all responsibility by myself It is just a rush because it was the first one without condoms. But as I see from your response it is safe as well since I am undetectable I hope it is because I am waiting the morning to take him to my doctor for peps

[mecch]

directorboy, from my reading it seems that you live with a high level of anxiety about HIV transmission despite being undetectable.  I would then suggest that you may not be in the right spot psychologically to be screwing without the condoms. Why not just keep using the condoms so if you have mishaps like this going forward, your anxiety can stay in check.  Just a thought.

[directorboy]

The thing is it is my second time doing unprotected. knowing I a undetectable and some cases just freaks me out. Because I know I am UD and I know the PARTNER search results. So that blood thing just drove me over the edge.

[mecch]

3 freak in the thread.  Coming after the water pipe scare (non scare).

I will just mention here that partner studies are based on research on partners so is the person in question your long-term partner? 

I am probably a lot older than you and I had love affairs and boyfriends in the time of AIDS with no cure.  I was young, then!  And HIV-.  I guess I was infected about 10 years ago now.

Well anyway a lot of us back in the 80s and 90s just stuck with condoms for fucking and we were religious about sticking to that.  Once I stuck to condoms, I never had any worries about getting aids. 

Is your partner the one wanting to move to un protected sex, or is it you, or the both of you?

Maybe you could do bareback in a few years when having HIV becomes more mudane for your psychology?

Anyway, that was my input to you.  Feel free to ignore.

[directorboy]

We both wanted to do it bareback for once. And btw he didn't used the PEPs because our doctor  said there is no need as too many of you said. And he didn't take em. So I am releived. But I will be okay when the test results are on my hands.

I use condoms like all the time. Only few mistakes and they were all. Thanx for your suggestions. I will go on full protected mode because I ain't ready as you see.