POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: cryingshame on October 23, 2013, 11:11:45 am
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Hi everyone,
So I have a situation that's a bit different from what I have seen posted. I had two encounters with two different CSW's spaced about a month apart. The first encounter was on the 14th of September and the last was on October 21st. In both encounters, I received vigorous and deep oral sex without a condom. I also had protected vaginal sex on both occasions. I get tested for HIV 4 times a year (done 3 so far) and I do a full STI panel 2 times a year (done 1 so far). I have a question about my risk exposure here. I am worried that I could be infected from receiving unprotected oral sex in both encounters. I am scheduled to do a test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV on October 25th and then a full panel STD/STI test on the 15th of November to as a stopgap as I wait to hit the prescribed 90-day period where I can do a conclusive test to cover both encounters. Is my testing approach too narrow? Should I expand the window? Please help.
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You did not have a risk for HIV .
These are the risk factors for HIV ...
Sharing IV drug needles immediately after use.
Unprotected anal and vaginal sex.
Mother to child during or shortly after birth
Very specific healthcare situations.
There have been no fewer than three separate serodiscordant couples studies (where one person is HIV positive, the other negative.) These couples were tracked for three. five and ten years. The couples used condoms for penetrative vaginal and anal sex, but NO BARRIER at all for oral sex. Any kind of oral sex.
These studies yielded NO infections.
ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT NEED HIV TESTING AT THIS TIME for this specific incident , anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.
If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results.
Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv. Some of the other STIs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!
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Jeff G,
I hear you. I guess I am fearful because of a possible (low risk) exposure. I will still get the testing done but do you believe that HIV antibody testing on October 25th will at least provide at least some coverage for the first possible exposure, which occurred on September 14th? That will be 42-day test period?
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You did not have a low risk , you had no risk . You can test at anytime for a conclusive result if this specific incident is your only concern in the past 3 months .
I am not telling you not to test for HIV , just do not want to leave you with the impression that you had a risk in the situation you described .
For future reference ... the cdc testing guidelines for HIV are 6 weeks past any possible exposure and again at 3 months for a conclusive result . You do not need to test over the spicific indecent you shared with us .
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Heard you loud and clear. At this point, I will go ahead with the test since I have already scheduled it and for my own peace of mind. I will make sure to post updates as I get results. Thanks Jeff G.
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You are most welcome !