HIV & Hepatitis C

[mj6000]

If you are HIV positive you are at a greater risk for Hepatitis C. It is so VERY important that everyone be tested for HepC and to know unsafe sex can cause you to be infected with it. Here is a link you may want to read.
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hiv_hcv_co_inf/2009/090109_a.html

[mj6000]

There are many guys who are HIV positive that seek out other guys who are also HIV positive to have unproteced sex with. Those are of great concern to me and if any read this thread I hope what you learned was use a condom anyway,period.

[Teak]

If you are HIV positive you shouldn't be having sex with anyone unprotected.

[mj6000]

Just for an update I am now officially cured of Hepatitis C, now I can go back to concentrating on my HIV.Treatment for HepC is a very very bad experience.  If you are HIV poz don't think you can have unsafe anal sex with someone without worry. Studies show about 30% of HIV Positive Gay men also have HepC. Get tested for HepC,and "B" too. Many people were exposed to one or the other in the past from many possible sources including improproperly cleaned dental and medical equipment from YEARS past,or unsanitary tattoos as well. Not taking risks now doesn't erase what could have happened as a possible exposure many years ago. 4 Million americans have Hepatitis,many more than who have HIV...HIV complicates matters!

[mj6000]

I agree. Everyone that is HIV+ should be checked out for everything on a regular basis...regardless of what risks they did or did not take. Not everything is transmited just by sex.

I also started this thread because my Dr did not test me for HepC until I actually had to ask for it. Not all Doctors do the right thing. ( When you have something you develop a passion about it).

[lady316]

must say i looked at this thread out of interest. I think it seems to have forgotten a few things. Most HIV+ people know they are still at risk from other infections for this reason the ones who care about their own health as well as the health of others will use protection, ie condoms.  Not sure about other countries but all newly HIV people in the Uk are tested for other sexually aquired infection in additional to this they are advised about entering relationships and being aware of the others persons status be it HIV or any other sexually aquired infection.

We are all adults and when given the information should make an informed choice of our future.



Sorry not meant to sound as a rant.

[mj6000]

I'm glad to know that you have been checked for everything including hepatitis then.

[Teak]

Unless the person you have sex with is not breath or talking then ofcourse you would not have a risk but coming into close contact with someone that does have TB can transmit it just by breathing in their spores. Sharing works with other IV drug user can transmit HCV along with unprotected vaginal sex where blood has been came incontact with.

[Teak]

For someone that has had HIV and HCV as long as you have are very inexperienced in blood tests and the working of an ID doctor/clinic. For your information that is what I do for a living.

[mj6000]

Hepatitis is not usually a sexually transmitted disease except by those who are already HIV positive,most cases people have had HepC many years...decades. A person could have been exposed by improperly cleaned dental or medical equipment, most people don't know how they were exposed or were even aware they have it. Some have had it for 30 years. TB is not a sexually transmitted disease. You don't always know if you have been exposed to it. Teak if you don't care about  being checked,then don't. I can't believe your discouraging people to be aware of issues that HIV could cause to become worse.

This is not the HIV Prevention forum. Don't be so obsessed with sexual activities.Get educated.

[Teak]

They do if you are truthful with your ID doctor about sexual activities. If you aren't having any sex you don't have to worry about it as for TB testing it is only done once a year unless you were known to have an exposure to someone with TB.

[mj6000]

I"m not talking about your usual HIV lab work every few months. These additional checks should be done once a year.

[mj6000]

Every lab work done does not include checking for STD's,Hepatitis,TB etc. Those should be done once a year.

[Teak]

I don't know any ID doctor that doesn't have a CBC done with each lab. They have to check liver enzymes, chlor and tri levels if you are on HAART.

[mj6000]

I said a complete CBC once a year which includes checking for STD'S,Hepatitis etc. Everyone with HIV goes several times a year to check the main HIV stats. You must have misread.

[Teak]

Who with HIV only goes to the ID doctor once a year and has labs drawn? I've been going every three months for the last 26 years and just now went to four months and labs are ran each doctor visit.

[mj6000]

Always take care of yourself. Your HIV Dr should run a complete blood panel on you once a year to check for any other things that may be lurking.

[mj6000]

There are only several ways that you can contract a bloodborne pathogen. So use condoms for sex and don't share works.

[Teak]

There are only several ways that you can contract a bloodborne pathogen. So use condoms for sex and don't share works.

[mj6000]

If you are positive you still need to protect yourself if you are having sex with another HIV positive person. There are possibly 30% of HIV+ people who also have HepC. You could have gotten it the same time you got HIV.

[Teak]

There are only several ways that you can contract a bloodborne pathogen. So use condoms for sex and don't share works.

[mj6000]

That is true about risk...There are also untold numbers of people who have HepC and don't even know where they got it and HIV causes it to advance faster.
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/2010_conference/croi/docs/0301_2010_e.html

[Teak]

Only if you put yourself at risk.