POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: johnnyboy1 on September 14, 2007, 07:25:55 am
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hello all. i have just come across this information on the web. it states that anal/rectal secretions are up to 25 times more infectious with hiv than blood and vaginal secretions. wouldn't that make rimming more risky than it is believed to be?
here's the link:
http://www.rubbaboyz.net/Articles/bottomsup.aspx
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Johnny,
That information is hardly new and nothing we haven't see before. The short answer is no, these findings do not mean that rimming is a risk, because it isn't.
The risk they discuss in the article concerns men who want to top bareback, thinking that bareback topping isn't much of a risk. It IS risky, and we have hiv positive tops in the Living section of this forum who will testify to that fact.
And no, by the way, you are not allowed to go into those forums to ask them about it. Make sure you read our Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0), familiarise yourself with our posting guidelines, and click on the Lessons links.
Rimming isn't a risk for a variety of reasons - among them is the fact that the mouth is a very inhospitable place for a fragile virus like hiv, even if a person were to get some rectal fluid into their mouth. This really cannot be compared to having an unprotected penis inside the anal cavity. It's like comparing apples and oranges.
Rimming is not a risk for hiv infection.
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple! Read through the three condom and lube links in my signature line - think of it as a refresher course.
Ann
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i was feeling sick, so i recently went to see my primary doctor.i had some general blood and urine testing. a week later the nurse called back and said that my white blood cells were below normal. she didnt say how low. but she insisted i take an hiv test and a test for mono. i drew blood for mono, but i insisted i would take a rapid hiv test, as they offered in the same hospital, my hiv test result came back negative. i am still a little anxious though. is it possible that you could test negative yet still have hiv lowering your white blood cells? i am recently in a monogamous relationship.we have unprotected sex. my girlfriend claims she was tested negative. and i have tested negative in sept. i also have donated blood recently. and the american red cross said my blood was good and encouraged me to donate again. however in the past 3 months i had PROTECTED vaginal sex with a woman on two occassions(not my girlfriend). however i did perform and receive unprotected oral. any info would be greatly appreciated. not sure about the whole white blood cell thing.
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Changes in white blood counts including downward are NOT an HIV-specific occurence. It happens for all sorts of reasons and that should not be interpreted to mean HIV is involved. In fact neither the presence nor the absence of symptoms is ever the way to know about HIV status. The only way to get that reliably is through an HIV test at 13 weeks past an unprotected intercourse incident.
You haven't done anything which put you at risk for HIV transmission. Period.
Whatever is going on with your wbc is something to sort out with your doctor. It's not about HIV, at least not based on the information you've given us.