Confusion About Possible Exposure

[peaceisneeded]

Hi everyone,
thanks for your efforts in preventing HIV, this website is very useful..
I tried to read posts similar to my situation, but at the end I decided to write down my case since everyone has different exposures then others..
1 month ago, I received a negative result after a possible exposure..
what worrying me that I might have to test again because of another exposure 2 weeks ago, willing to test again is being a REAL TORTURE for me (since my happy result didn't last more then 2 weeks)..

I read that Mr. Andy Velez mentioned somewhere that if someone had gonorrhea in his past, this will decrease the immune system and then will be more vulnerable to catch HIV, this freaked me out

I caught twice "penile" gonorrhea in the past few years, and treated them with antibiotics, and I was diagnosed with HPV that manifested twice, the last one I treated it was months ago..

Exposure:
My exposure is a rough frottage for several minutes (after fingering), some precum might entered my anus.. NO PENETRATION OCCURRED, I know that HIV can't infect outside its living host, but what if that precum hits directly the opening of my anus..

Suspicious Symptoms:
- from day 9 to day 13 (very slight sore throat that went with Strepsils)
- day 15 I noticed a kind of bump INSIDE my anus (the doctor said it's internal hemorrhoids, NOT AN HPV outbreak.. I didn't believe him since he just touched it without observing it with the light/tube)
- day 15 (yesterday) till now (5 weird small pink dots, not raised, on my belly, maybe due to the heat)

I appreciate if you can answer my questions to put my worries aside:

1- Do I need to test again for that specific incident?
2- Giving that I had the STDs mentioned above in my past, does this put me in a particular risk of catching HIV in my case?
3- the opening of the anus is pink, is this the mucous membrane that catches infections? if not where does it start?
4- is it possible that fingering may created small fissures that would facilitate the transmission? if there were wounds or fissures I would feel it, correct?
5- my symptoms are more suggestive to anxiety or HIV?
6- Should I ignore any possible symptom that may occur later?

My partner:
- Married, bisexual (Top, he's never passive in gay sex)
- He lives in Abu Dhabi where he has to do medical tests to renew his permit of stay (in case he's positive they would deport him) last time he did the test (negative) was 8 months ago…

I would really appreciate if you can answer my questions to put my mind at ease, especially Mr. Andy that mentioned once about gonorrhea, I would take your answers seriously to forget the incidence and to move on with my life..

Thanks a lot

[RapidRod]

Frottage is not a risk of HIV transmission. HIV requires unprotected anal or vaginal penetration.

[Ann]

peace,

1. No. You do NOT need to test over NO RISK frottage.

2. No. Other STIs are only a problem if you have an active infection. You don't have an active infection - you were treated.

3. It's the inner lining of the rectum that has cells that hiv can latch onto and infect. NOT the opening.

4. No.

5. We do not discuss symptoms here because neither symptoms nor the lack of symptoms will ever tell you a single thing about your hiv status. ONLY testing will.

6. If you feel unwell, see a doctor. You don't have hiv and you have not had a risk since your last hiv test.

Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:

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 without a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT NEED FURTHER TESTING AT THIS TIME, 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!

Ann

[peaceisneeded]

Rapid & Ann, Thanks a lot for your help...

Thanks again Ann for your detailed answers, you're such a calming creature..

this really helped me, as I'm not willing to test again..

I understand from your answer (3), that penetration has to occur to reach that "scary" inner lining of the rectum...

Hugs

[Ann]

peace,

Yes, penetration is required for successful transmission.

Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus that is primarily transmitted INSIDE the human body, as in unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse where the virus never leaves the confines of the two bodies.

Once outside the body, small changes in temperature, and pH and moisture levels all quickly damage the virus and render it unable to infect. For this reason, cum outside the body is not a risk and frottage is not a risk.

Ann

[peaceisneeded]

Hi again,

I really appreciate your responses, it's just that today I was googling about the anus anatomy, I find out that the opening of the anus is "Squamous Mucosa", is it different from the "Rectal Mucosa" of the inner lining? for what regards HIV its mucous anyway, no? or doesn't carry the hosting cells?

I bet this is a too detailed question.. googling is a bad thing

Thank you guys

[Andy Velez]

Do yourself a big favor and stop the googling. All you do with that is find more to feed your unwarranted fears.

Keep it simple. Use condoms consistently and properly everytime for intercourse and get on with  your life.

[peaceisneeded]

I'm not being worry, I know I'm not infected, I don't want to test, and I'm educating my self


I just want to share what I got out with anus anatomy

these are the types of mucous from outside towards the rectum
- Anus:
 (1) Stratified squamous, keratinized
--- Hilton White Line
 (2) Stratified squamous, non-keratinized
- Rectum:
 (3) Simple columnar, non-ciliated

I think the (3) is the risky part!

Thanks & Cheers

[RapidRod]

■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.