Aa
Interesting.. Window Period
Me being the worry wart I am, I had a discussion today with an hiv counselor in Austin and was told that the CDC considers a 6 week test conclusive, but they're required to use 3 month as a standard simply because of a CYA attitude.
Don't want this to incite a flame war (I'm glaring at Guilt and Teak), but thought it was interesting that a professional source (who has been an hiv counselor for 23 years) confirmed that.
Don't want this to incite a flame war (I'm glaring at Guilt and Teak), but thought it was interesting that a professional source (who has been an hiv counselor for 23 years) confirmed that.
I actually don't think Xhost judged you on your writing skills at all, in fact I'd go so far as to say Xhost is the least judgemental person I've ever come across on an internet forum.
And yes he is a talented writer. I'm very jealous!!
For the record, you're right, everything carries a risk. Even leaving the house, or getting out of bed. But you're not going to stop doing those things are you? Because you're pretty damn sure you'll be fine.
If you're Bi and you're limiting your actions to oral, I would say you will never contract HIV. I think what HHH meant - and of course, I could be wrong, as I often am - was that eventually sexual contact could lead to unprotected anal, or condom failure, which would be far more likely to lead to infection. But that's easy for me to say; here I am concerned about testing next week over unprotected cunnilingus!
Such is life.
And yes he is a talented writer. I'm very jealous!!
For the record, you're right, everything carries a risk. Even leaving the house, or getting out of bed. But you're not going to stop doing those things are you? Because you're pretty damn sure you'll be fine.
If you're Bi and you're limiting your actions to oral, I would say you will never contract HIV. I think what HHH meant - and of course, I could be wrong, as I often am - was that eventually sexual contact could lead to unprotected anal, or condom failure, which would be far more likely to lead to infection. But that's easy for me to say; here I am concerned about testing next week over unprotected cunnilingus!
Such is life.
Everything in life is and has inherent risk. There is truth to the old saying nothing is certain in life except death and taxes.
Docotrs are not really allowed to say anything with certainty.
Docotrs are not really allowed to say anything with certainty.
"To me, a 1 in 10,000 chance of something happening isn't really much of a concern"
I Guess if it were someone else it wouldn’t be a “Big Deal” to me either. The problem is, some people like me are looking for “zero risk” which we both know is not possible. Enter into that equation guilt, family and of course the never-ending sex drive and one has a formula for a very stressful life. As I have said, I am out of the Bi life it simply is not worth it givin my freaking out at the slightest change in my health after an encounter.
Years past were I had encounters and no health changes ,however after the last two I did have strange things transpire with my health which brought me back to reality concerning the damage I could do to my loved one’s.
Thanks for asking how I’m doing. Although Dr HHH words gave me some peace the only thing that was important was my HIV test results. I have tested NEG. thank God @ 8 weeks so I am home free. As you and I both know, my risk was small in reality but not small emotionally.
Have a good day you are a talented writer. BTW don’t judge others by their writing skills, there is much more to true intelligence that writing skills alone.
I Guess if it were someone else it wouldn’t be a “Big Deal” to me either. The problem is, some people like me are looking for “zero risk” which we both know is not possible. Enter into that equation guilt, family and of course the never-ending sex drive and one has a formula for a very stressful life. As I have said, I am out of the Bi life it simply is not worth it givin my freaking out at the slightest change in my health after an encounter.
Years past were I had encounters and no health changes ,however after the last two I did have strange things transpire with my health which brought me back to reality concerning the damage I could do to my loved one’s.
Thanks for asking how I’m doing. Although Dr HHH words gave me some peace the only thing that was important was my HIV test results. I have tested NEG. thank God @ 8 weeks so I am home free. As you and I both know, my risk was small in reality but not small emotionally.
Have a good day you are a talented writer. BTW don’t judge others by their writing skills, there is much more to true intelligence that writing skills alone.
Never mind, I went to look it up myself. In your post you spoke about oral sex, and your concern that you contracted HIV from such an event. In his reply, the doctor mentioned the *theoretical* odds of such an event, 1 in 10000 (the term theoretical being important here for the reasons outlined earlier in this thread).
To me, a 1 in 10,000 chance of something happening isn't really much of a concern. Add that to the fact that transmission via oral sex has never been verified, and I'd say it isn't much to worry about. But, as I also said, to each his own.
Now, on to the point of this post. Further along, after the doctor had directly addressed your question, he also said this:
*****
Finally, why in heaven's name are you out there having sex with other men without asking and sharing HIV status? That should be automatic for all gay/bi men, even when safe sex is planned. Fail to follow that rule, and there is a good chance HIV is in your future.
*****
This is his standard advice to all gay and bisexual man, no matter the relative level of risk involved in the poster's description of events. Is he speaking specifically here of oral sex? That's not my take on it. In the end, though, perhaps it doesn't matter.
BTW, are you feeling any better since your last post to the doc?
>Really, professor, in as much as you haven’t read my post to Dr. HHH how then do you >form this opinion?
Whoa, cool your jets turbo, I wasn't calling you a liar, I was really just speculating aloud that, based on every other answer to every other oral sex question I have seen posted to him, this would be the first I had seen where he implied that oral sex was some type of appreciable risk. Granted, I have not read *every* post on the subject from the Doc.
But, of course, you are entirely correct that I have not read the post, so perhaps I should not be speculating. Mind posting the link to the question so I may read it and see what it says? Would be much obliged.
his risk was rimming and protected anal sex. no condom break. no risk. Rimming is a form of oral sex. Judging by the rest of his posts, it is clear that sooner or later he was going to ask if he was at risk by rimming. No, the answer is no.
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