Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

To Everyone: An Apology

Hi guys and gals,
I just want to apologise for my post last Friday http://www.medhelp.org/forums/HIVSupport/messages/1388.html

It's just I'm absolutely terrified myself; big painless lumps in my neck, intermittent rash, headaches, even though I know that symptoms mean nothing. I alternate between being worried about having infected the girl I slep with And I try to  help with people's problems here, but it rarely seems to work.

I was also angry at myself for spending too much time on here!

I just wish a lot of you guys who haven't had risks could just let it be and get on with your lives. There is nothing more soul destroying than worrying about HIV, especially when the risk is protected sex, insertive oral, kissing, toilet seats (on and on and on!) But then again, if reassurance helps, even for a small while, I'll try and post when I can.

Sorry for my petulance!:)
42 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I hear you...  We are all starting to become little experts on HIV testing and what not.  And the simple things we learn, that others have yet to learn pull on us sometimes I think.  

But in the end we are all scared and hoping to find that line on the internet that says "->name here<- you are fine and do not have HIV 100%"

Glad you are back...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
And to think it was an Irishman who won it for you guys....!
I can imagine Cardiff is a sombre place at the moment.
Thanks for all your posts guys, they really have been comforting:)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey man,
As long as we beat the Azzuri next weekend all will be well!
You're not ruining it for anyone, it's just disheartening to see you worrying about something you really don't  need to be worrying about. Because you really, really don't need to be worrying about it!

The referee was a great help to you guys, but you deserved it:)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I know; 6 billion people, 100 million HIV positive at MOST, over half in Africa, we'll say 60 million out of a billion, that's 40 million out of 5 billion, at least half are gay, a good few are IV drug users, it leaves very few actual heterosexual HIVers.

But the fact remains, if a man goes into battle(!) unprotected, and I did, stupidly, a risk has been taken. All I can hope is that my colleague gets good news on Wednesday. She's had unprotected sex and only tested four weeks afterwards. I hope.

I'm an alcoholic. I'm off it now for nearly a month. I was extremely drunk when I made the mistake I made. I really love my girlfriend, even though my actions might suggest otherwise. We never have sex, but I'm willing to give up the one thing - booze - that makes me seek it out elsewhere. All I can do now is hope that I've been lucky...again! (Even though I don't deserve it)

You're great Peekawho, you really are. Now go and study! If you pass your exam I'll fedex you a chocolate donut:)
Helpful - 0
172023 tn?1334672284
I guess, but millions and millions of people have unprotected sex, and a very very small percentage of those are HIV pos.  Cancer is by far more common.  I'd just worry more about that.  In fact, I've had cancer and sucessfully overcame it, but live with the fact that it could return at any time.  

What I'm also trying to get at in a very roundabout way, is that if you are an average person, an act of intercourse will probably occur with regularity...so how can everyone say their symptoms "must" be related to sex?  If I had sex, and the next day I developed say, athletes foot, it would be wrong to say that the athletes foot must have been linked to my sex act.  (unless feet were involved, but lets not digress!)

I don't know really what I'm trying to say.  Just musing.  I'm actually trying to keep from studying for my Advanced Cardiac Life Support test on Saturday, that's why I was here a lot last week.g

I really really need to go study!  But I don't wanna!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm 25, I've had unprotected sex lately, and I'm in a relationship. That's why I worry about HIV and not Non-Hodgkins.

I actually thought about that a lot when I first started worrying about this. I often thought I'd rather have cancer than HIV. See, the latter is still epically stigmatized, and you always think about all the people you'd let down if you actually had it. People wouldn't really understand.
Furthermore, you would have a lack of peers. I know a lot of 'friends' who would run a mile if they found out someone they knew was infected. Wrong, yes, ignorant, yes, but eminently likely.

Also, for me, considering this is my second time to act so stupidly, it's like I deserve it. I know that's silly but it's how the brain works.

you said in an earlier post that if you contracted HIV in a work setting, you would still have to deal with the stigma. Perhaps, but people would sympathize, they would feel you had been hard done by. If people get it from unprotected sex or IV drug use, others would reckon that they got what they deserved. Wrong and cruel but it's the way most people think.

One final part. Over here it's still seen as a 'gay' disease. If I contracted it, people would think I was bisexual. I've no problems with what people think about me, but it would lead to a lot of beatings!

On top of all that, it's the thought of never, ever finding a cure. Never ever living without pills. Mutated viruses, drug resistance, dying young from a disease that completely shatters your immune system. I know cancer is no walk in the park, but it boils down to dignity, and if you were HIV positive over here, they'd strip you of it fairly quickly.

Don't know if that answers your question!:)
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the HIV Prevention Community

Top HIV Answerers
366749 tn?1544695265
Karachi, Pakistan
370181 tn?1595629445
Arlington, WA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
Can I get HIV from surfaces, like toilet seats?
Can you get HIV from casual contact, like hugging?
Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.