worried about unprotected sex in thailand

[max07]

i was in thailand a few weeks back , i had unprotected sex with a girl worker there , i drank to much i guess,i know a bad excuse, i did come inside her ,it terrible im always careful, 1st time ive ever done something so stupid,  mean time the worry at the back of mind ,is slowly driving me mad & i haven't told anyone so all kinds of thoughts are flying rnd my head .whats the chances ive caught a std are hiv?.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Most Thai commercial sex workers are not infected with HIV; I believe the current estimate in most cities is around 5%, a lot lower than a few years ago.  If she had HIV, the chance of transmission during any single episode of unprotected vaginal sex is estimated at a 1 in 2,000.  Thus, the odds you were infected are 0.05 x 0.0005 = 0.000025, i.e. 1 in 40,000.  That's less than your lifetime risk of getting killed by lightning (if you live in the US) and less than the chance you will die in the coming week in some sort of accident.  As for other STDs, the lack of symptoms is a strong indicator that you didn't catch anything.

But if you remain nervous, go get tested for HIV and other STDs.  You can expect negative results.

HHH, MD

[lbs77]

A related discussion, HIV Transmission with blood was started.

[Princessleah]

I keep hearing a lot about HIV being contracted lately, and like many others i'm worried!  In the past i've had a lot of unprotected sex, some people on numerous occasions.  I've been with my current boyfriend for nearly a year so i'm too scared to mention my worries to him, as if i did have it, that'd be awful to confess!!!  What are the statistics of catching HIV through unprotected hetrosexual sex???  thanks!

[Forum-M.D.-]

"Part of me feels [the statistics] are a bit optimistic": Your symptoms don't have any bearing on the statistics.

Subtype E: So what if the transmission probability is higher? If it is double that of other HIV subtypes, then the risk of unprotected vaginal with a known infected parter is 1 in 1,000 instead of 1 in 2,000, and my calculation of max07's risk would be 1 chance in 20,000 that he caught HIV instead of 1 in 40,000. Be still, my beating heart.

[mistake99]

coincidently, i'm more or less in the same boat, so nice to read the stats on the chances. though, part of me feels they're a bit optomistic. it's been around 10 days since my first possible exposure (super drunk x no condom for some of the time during intercourse x 2 situations = uncertainty). have a slight sore throat and fever and crazy muscle aches (never had them like this before, but i'm 33 and getting older?). the only thing that keeps me a bit rational is, maybe that's too soon and too weak for ARS (muscle aches started days ago, too, before the rest). i've also had some crazy hot flashes with sweating, but i really think that's in response to conscious and subconscious guilt (only happens when i'm awake and thinking too much).

the one thing i keep worrying about though is the comments i've read about thailand's most common flavor of hiv - subtype E - which is supposed to be easier to catch through hetrosexual sex (supposedly including oral sex of both kinds) - and thus maybe makes those estimates a bit high? i've been searching this forum quite a bit (being a worry-er and being at home sick), but the couple times this subtype E has come up, it's not been commented on. curious...

4 weeks and counting...

[max07]

this different type of hiv in thailand , this gives me a better a catching hiv ,god getting worried again now, hey doc reassure me ,i should be o.k. right .

[max07]

sorry doc heads playing tricks on me , thanks for the education , always wearing condoms after this episode .don't let this put you off thailand though its agreat country ,just don't drink to much & don't forget the rubbers .think im not as worried now doc ,thanks.

[Forum-M.D.-]

Good grief.  Read my last reply.  Will it help more if I say it twice rather than once?

This thread is over.

[dobber21]

As far as I know, HIV rates among CSWs in Thailand has been falling as the girls become more and more aware of the risks involved. The chances of HIV transmission from any isolated incident of unprotected sex are fairly low, approximately 1 in 2000 for the insertive partner. Nevertheless, unprotected sex in Thailand is probably riskier than it is here in the West. If you're going to test, test for STDs after a week/10 days and then have a HIV test 6-8 weeks after exposure.

The chances are strong that you'll come out of this ok:)

[max07]

i did come back with a bad cough & fever , but not sure if that was the air conditioner on to high in my hotel room & the plane journey home that did that to me, its open my eyes this ,i was very drunk when with her ,as far as i can remember i penetrated her about 3times but only came once ,thats when i came to my senses , she did give me her number ,but somehow lost my phone in my room,, which the cleaning lady located on my last day,,ive the number in my mobile ,do you think i should contact her. . drink & sex are really dangerous mix . its terrible the thoughts that go on in your head. i even went to a thai doctor ,while out there, but he said bring the girl to him,which i could not find ,could not remember the bar i pick her up in .this all happened in phuket is that good are bad.