POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: robbie25 on April 17, 2009, 04:28:01 pm
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I always use a condom for all sex acts I participate in. I know myself and know I will stress. I have only participated in oral sex and used condoms each time. I performed on them. I would then fill the condom up with water to check for holes, that is just what I have to do to not stress. Well 4 weeks ago I didn’t have water so I took the condom off and blew it up, well it popped very quickly. I have done it before and they have never popped. I am of course now worried that it had a small hole or something. I know I stress a lot, but now can you help me on whether you would recommend testing in my situation. What if the person was HIV positive and there was a small hole? I think I just need a little bit of reality to help calm my fears. I appreciate any honest info you can give.
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You don't need to check condoms for leaks with water and you sure in the hell don't need to blow a used condom up. If a condom fails you would know.
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A failed condom is quite obvious because it ends up looking like a a fringed hula hoop.
You know, having sex is supposed to be enjoyable. It's one of life's great gifts. You seem to having an awful lot of anxiety. You can have sex and protect yourself. I would also suggest that you consider seeing a counselor or other such professional and discussing your feelings about what you've discussed here. At its longest life is too short to be spent in worry and anxiety.
Nothing you are reporting in your action is putting you at risk for HIV transmission.
Cheers.
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Robbie,
Correctly used condoms rarely break. Read through all three condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use them with confidence.
And by the way, filling them with water or blowing them up is INCORRECT usage. I'm not surprised one broke on you when you blew it up.
Use them CORRECTLY (and not like a young child playing with daddy's stash) and consistently for anal or vaginal intercourse and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple.
Ann
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Thanks for taking the time to respond to me. I am getting help for my anxiety, but I always found that checking the condom after would help me ellivate the fear and then I couldn't stress so when it popped so quickly I thought there must have been a tear or hole so I thought worse case what would happen? Is it possible for a condom to have a small hole or tear without you knowing? I won't ask any more questions, I know you will think I am crazy but it would help eliminate this worry.
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No it is not possible for a condom to have a small hole or tear.
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What would happen if a condom had a small hole? Would it spllit? I am just wondering so I can let this go. I have heard people say they got pregnant with a condom so it must have had a pin sized hole. Does that happen?
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They didn't get pregnant by a small hole they got themselves pregnant by not using a condom consistently from start to finish.
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Thank you for replying to me. I am sorry if I sound stupid. If there was a hole, even a little one, would the condom split? I have a friend who is telling me that yes they can have small holes and of course what did I do? I got on the internet. Yikes, big mistake. Can you help me put this behind me? He said it could have had a small hole because it popped as soon as I blew it up, I tried it on a nother one I have and it didn't pop as fast. I am sorry if this is stupid, I just don't have anyone to talk to about it that seems to be knowledgable about anything.
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Condoms don't get small holes they have catastrophic failures.
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I have a general question. If a person uses a home access hiv test 12 weeks after a potential exposure is it conclusive? Or does it have to be 13 weeks. Is there really a difference? I always here 3 months which is 12 weeks, but then I see 13 weeks. Does it really impact results?
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Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.
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Either 12 or 13 weeks is a reliable testing points. The CDC recommends 13 weeks but many countries use 12 weeks. With the sensitivity of current HIV tests, all tests currently in use will give a reliable result at either of those testing points.