POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: Jim1976 on July 19, 2007, 08:29:14 am
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OK I know you can't help me diagnose if I have been infected or not and I will be getting tested this week but I just wanted your opinion. I was in a monogomous relationship with my ex for 3 months and we were having unprotected sex using the pull out method even though she was on the pill. This was 6 months ago
Recently I've had this dry cough that just won't go away for the past 2 weeks. I have a 2 bruises on my arm that I have no clue how they got there and I have a cyst on my cheek. I have no other symptoms. I feel great and my stools are solid.
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Neither the presence nor the absence of symptoms will ever tell you anything accurately about your HIV status. Getting tested at the appropriate time is the ONLY way to know for sure.
There is absolutely nothing about the symptoms which you have described which is suggestive of HIV.
Just make sure that in your new bachelor life you are using a latex condom everytime you have intercourse. No exceptions no matter what you think you know about your partner's history or how great the person looks. A condom is a must.
Good luck with your test.
Cheers,
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Jim,
A test now will be conclusive and yes, you do need to test. Any time you have unprotected intercourse, you're putting yourself at risk for hiv and other sexually transmitted infections.
You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex with a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.
Have a look through all three condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.
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.
Use condoms and avoid hiv infection.
Ann