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Exposed to HIV
Dear Dr,
Unfortunately I have been very stupid, about a year and a half ago I had a sexual encounter with a transsexual woman.
Because it was a one time only kind of slip I thought "what are the odds' and as I'm very busy with my career and moving to other countries on several occasions in the last 16 months, haven't really felt ill other than an occasional cold going to the doctor wasn't really on my high priority list (I'm one of those idiots that has to feel near dead before he visits a doctor).
But now this person came back to me today and admitted to me that she is and was at the time infected with HIV, so so much for my "what are the odds"
I just went to the local hospital but as I'm living in Saudi-Arabia testing is not an option as they would throw me in prison if I test positive.
We had sex several times in that encounter where I was usually top but also bottom sometimes and although we used condoms there were a few in the "heat of the moment" occasions where there was no condom used, as far as i can recall there was no ejaculation inside anyone.
Also she is apparently not being treated, how bad is the situation I'm in?... I know it looks pretty bad ...
Unfortunately I have been very stupid, about a year and a half ago I had a sexual encounter with a transsexual woman.
Because it was a one time only kind of slip I thought "what are the odds' and as I'm very busy with my career and moving to other countries on several occasions in the last 16 months, haven't really felt ill other than an occasional cold going to the doctor wasn't really on my high priority list (I'm one of those idiots that has to feel near dead before he visits a doctor).
But now this person came back to me today and admitted to me that she is and was at the time infected with HIV, so so much for my "what are the odds"
I just went to the local hospital but as I'm living in Saudi-Arabia testing is not an option as they would throw me in prison if I test positive.
We had sex several times in that encounter where I was usually top but also bottom sometimes and although we used condoms there were a few in the "heat of the moment" occasions where there was no condom used, as far as i can recall there was no ejaculation inside anyone.
Also she is apparently not being treated, how bad is the situation I'm in?... I know it looks pretty bad ...
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
All these are conclusive when done more than several weeks after the last possible exposure. Congratulations -- you can stop worrying.
Dear Dr,
During my businesstrip to Manila I had a HIV antibodies, syfillis and Hepatitis B quick test, all of them came out negative.
Can I consider this test 100% conclusive?
During my businesstrip to Manila I had a HIV antibodies, syfillis and Hepatitis B quick test, all of them came out negative.
Can I consider this test 100% conclusive?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Well, the odds remain strong you don't have HIV. And even if you do, I imagine there are plenty of people with HIV (outwardly healthy and on treatment) who manage to find or continue careers in Islamic countries. The modern data on lack of transmission risk in persons on treatment should influence immigration policies -- although of course I understand that such policies are not necessarily based on science and logic.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Thank you Doctor, In a way this is what I needed to hear to at least stay a little bit calm.
Fortunately I didn't have a lot of sex partners in the past year and most were protected anyway and here in SA my sexlife (luckily as i see it now) my sexlife came to 0
In 2 weeks time I'm travelling to the philippnes for my work and I hope I can get tested there.
Might seem crazy but the disease itself is not what worries the most, the fact that most likely I will lose my career for wich I fought so hard is the past year... after a emotional very heavy period (break up with fiance (before this encounter), loss of my brother and a bancrupty of a business) my career was the one thing that kept me hanging in there...
Fortunately I didn't have a lot of sex partners in the past year and most were protected anyway and here in SA my sexlife (luckily as i see it now) my sexlife came to 0
In 2 weeks time I'm travelling to the philippnes for my work and I hope I can get tested there.
Might seem crazy but the disease itself is not what worries the most, the fact that most likely I will lose my career for wich I fought so hard is the past year... after a emotional very heavy period (break up with fiance (before this encounter), loss of my brother and a bancrupty of a business) my career was the one thing that kept me hanging in there...
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for an interesting question -- and a somewhat unusual one. Few forum questions involve confirmed HIV exposure.
You are at high risk for HIV. You had anal sex, both top and bottom, with an infected male (anatomically) several times, some unprotected. Moreover, your partner was not on treatment and therefore may have had a high viral load, increasing the risk of transmission. The odds still are in your favor -- I would guess a few percent (2%? 5%?) chance you caught HIV. But that's far too high to take the risk, either for your own health or that of any other sex partners you have had in the past 16 months.
So you need HIV testing for sure -- there's simply no way around it. In my opinion, the risk is high enough to warrant a trip out of Saudi just for that purpose. I doubt people are imprisoned if HIV positive in SA -- just deported. (I assume clinical services for HIV are not available to non-Saudis.) But if your test is negative, nothing will happen; and if your test is positive you'll need to leave the country anyway to receive life-saving treatment. Still, I can understand you wouldn't want to face the medical and bureaucratic inconveniences in event of a positive result.
Let me stress that the odds really are in your favor. If you're feeling healthy, there's no major urgency to be tested (except maybe psychologically). But I would suggest you do so in the next few weeks. In the meantime, you need to not have sex with anyone until you know you are HIV negative.
I'll be interested to hear how this shakes out. Good luck-- HHH, MD
You are at high risk for HIV. You had anal sex, both top and bottom, with an infected male (anatomically) several times, some unprotected. Moreover, your partner was not on treatment and therefore may have had a high viral load, increasing the risk of transmission. The odds still are in your favor -- I would guess a few percent (2%? 5%?) chance you caught HIV. But that's far too high to take the risk, either for your own health or that of any other sex partners you have had in the past 16 months.
So you need HIV testing for sure -- there's simply no way around it. In my opinion, the risk is high enough to warrant a trip out of Saudi just for that purpose. I doubt people are imprisoned if HIV positive in SA -- just deported. (I assume clinical services for HIV are not available to non-Saudis.) But if your test is negative, nothing will happen; and if your test is positive you'll need to leave the country anyway to receive life-saving treatment. Still, I can understand you wouldn't want to face the medical and bureaucratic inconveniences in event of a positive result.
Let me stress that the odds really are in your favor. If you're feeling healthy, there's no major urgency to be tested (except maybe psychologically). But I would suggest you do so in the next few weeks. In the meantime, you need to not have sex with anyone until you know you are HIV negative.
I'll be interested to hear how this shakes out. Good luck-- HHH, MD
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