POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: Anitta on June 20, 2006, 07:56:30 pm
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Well I dont really know why Im freaking out exactly. I went to Cuba in May and had sex with a guy on May 11th. We first did it for about 30 seconds without a condom but then i made him put it on and he didnt take it off till we were done. Then after we were just fooling around and we did it for like one minute again with no condom. I told me that i cant do it and he was fine with that. I dont know if he had HIV but for some reason im really scared. Is there a big risk??
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Anitta,
Certainly your exposure is lowered because there was no ejaculation and very little time unprotected, however....unprotected sex is a risk regardless.
You need an HIV test at 13 weeks after your last exposure, and a STD panel would be in order as well.
You must insist on a condom from start to finish in order to protect yourself from HIV....just a condom, that's it!
Sae.
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I hope so...i dont know if the guy had anything, but i want to be sure. i did my test yesterday because i didnt want to wait the 13 weeks, just in case. Its free so i didnt see why not. I'm planning to do another one in August
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I hope so...i dont know if the guy had anything, but i want to be sure. i did my test yesterday because i didnt want to wait the 13 weeks, just in case. Its free so i didnt see why not. I'm planning to do another one in August
Like Sae mentioned the risk of you have contracted HIV from what you describe is very low, but you need to get that 13 week test. Also testing for other STD's is important too. Things like chlamydia are much more prevalent than HIV and more infectious.
You should read our friendly Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) to learn more about HIV transmission and testing.
Regards,
MtD
/edited for clarity/
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I already got tested for clamydia and herpies, a couple of weeks after i came back. they all came back negative. its only HIV im worried about...
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Get your syphlis and HIV test 13 weeks past your unprotected exposure.
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A negative at this point is certainly encouraging because the average time to seroconversion is 22 days. All but the very smallest number of those who are going to seroconvert will do so within 4-6 weeks after an exposure to the virus.
Given the brevity of the incident and that no ejaculation took place the odds are very much in your favor that you will ultimately test negative.
But low risk is not the same as no risk. You need to stay awake to the reality that everytime you have even brief unprotected anal intercourse you are putting your life at risk. It's as stark and as simple as that.
So condoms aren't something to use just when you "feel" like it. And it doesn't matter how great the guy looks or what you think you know about his health history. Use a latex condom everytime. No exceptions.
Good luck with your test result.
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I live in toronto, does anyone know what the chances are of me getting my results back in 11 days? I have a headache and im really worried that its a symtom. I know the only way to know is to get tested but having a headache doesnt help putting my mind at ease.
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Having a headache is not a symptom of HIV infection.
You have to check with your testing site to find out how quickly you will get a test result.
Between now and the time you get your result you may very well have other headaches and various "symptoms" which your mind will incorrectly attribute to HIV. It seems to me you are in the HIV jitters mindset where everything that happens or doesn't happen is mistakenly seen as another ominous sign. It's all baloney of course, but that's how the mind is sometimes.
Get productively busy and the waiting time will pass more quickly than you may imagine at this moment.
Cheers,
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anitta, i am in exactly the same position - your account is literally identical to mine. I'm also anxiously awaiting test results and am passing the time by going for runs and occupying myself with funny people.
in my obsessive research, i found that Cuba has a very low HIV rate. this doesn't mean we weren't at risk, but it's something I remind myself of when i'm struck with anxiety over this issue.
Sorry if this is considered hijacking - just thought I'd offer some words during a stressful time. Please feel free to delete this post if it's not in accordance with the rules.
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Anitta,
Fellow Torontonian with fears....you can go to the best sexual health clinic in the country to get a rapid test and it will cost you nothing, and you can benefit from pre and post test counselling (they'll tell you to wait 3 months past the encounter).
heres the site http://www.hasslefreeclinic.org (http://www.hasslefreeclinic.org)
derek.
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Hi, sorry if this isn't the forum im supposed to write in since i had another one before, but i cant find it now....so i decided to start a new one. First of all i know that i have to wait 3-6 months to test, and that unprotected sex is risky. But i want some info, if you guys know, about my specific case....We were in the ocean, and the guy didn't put it in all the way, and tried to for about 10-15 seconds, and then i said no. i'm not sure about his HIV status but he said that he gets tested every 3 months and 2 months ago he was still negative. I'm wondering if you can tell me, is HIV very possible in the case? I will get tested, im just worried right now and want to somewhat put my mind at ease.
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First of all, I have merged your threads so keep all of your entries here, please.
OK. So you sort of had unprotected intercourse. Given the circumstances you have described I would say the odds are very much in your favor of testing negative -- semi-penetrated, no ejaculation and in the ocean -- those are not the circumstances which make for easy transmission. But low risk is not the same as no risk so you do need to get tested at 13 weeks. Forget about 6 months. That's long outdated. A standard ELISA will give you a reliable result at 13 weeks.
As far as what he has told you about his status, that's strictly hearsay and maybe reassuring but not more than that. Get tested and collect what I expect will be a negative result.
You can have intercourse with whomever you want to and as often as you like, BUT the guy always, ALWAYS has to be wearing a latex condom. No exceptions, no matter what you think you know about him.
Good luck with your test.
Cheers,