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Nervous on Possibility
Hello Doctors. I had met a man (at a bar) and we began dating for about a month. We engaged in sex 2 times (with a condom, and yet we were drunk) and I performed unprotected oral sex on him 7-9 times. Each time with ejaculation. I know we used a condom, however, I do not know if it was a lambskin, because at that time I did not even think to check. I do not know how common they are in use today. Also, he did tell me in his past he did use steroids. I did not know at the time steroid users used needles (maybe a little naive on drugs I guess). We also kissed after he had cut his lip by biting it and as I always bit my lips and chew my cheeks from nervous habit I know I had cuts in my mouth. I had in my past only 2 parterns and had been tested with them for HIV and they were negative. Just wondering on the exposures with this particular man if anything bares a red flag towards HIV risk to you Doctors. Thank you much.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It is wise for everyone who is (or has been) sexually active outside a mutually monogamous relationship to be HIV tested from ti e to time, like once a year as long as non monogamous exposures continue. In fact, CDC advises that everyone in the US be tested at least once, regardless of known HIV risks. On that basis, and since you are worried about it, you should be tested. Based on your history, you can expect it to be negative.
It isn't dug injection that puts people at risk for HIV through drug use, it is sharing injection equipment. Most people who use steroids to build strength or muscle mass do bot share injection equipment, and therefore steroid users arennot classified as a group at high risk for HIV. So that part of your story doesn't worry me at all.
Feel free to return to let me know the result if you get tested. I won't have more to say until then. But in HHS meantime, don't lose any sleep over this. You are at minimal risk doe HIV, if any.
It isn't dug injection that puts people at risk for HIV through drug use, it is sharing injection equipment. Most people who use steroids to build strength or muscle mass do bot share injection equipment, and therefore steroid users arennot classified as a group at high risk for HIV. So that part of your story doesn't worry me at all.
Feel free to return to let me know the result if you get tested. I won't have more to say until then. But in HHS meantime, don't lose any sleep over this. You are at minimal risk doe HIV, if any.
Hello and thank you. I had been to a doctor who did test me for gonorrhea and chlamydia after this incedent. However, she did not reccommend HIV on this case. This was a couple years back and only came to my attention when I heard steroid users used needles a month or so ago. I am now in a monogamous relationship and this is the only incident I now have any worries for. You mentioned not reccomending tests for individual situations. I am curious as this is the only situation if I need be tested? Is HIV common in steroid users since it is technically intramuscular rather than intraveneous? I forgot to ask those earlier. Thanks.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
There is no significant HIV risk in this situation. Condom-protected vaginal sex is safe, even with a natural membrane condom. The recommendations for latex or polyurethane over natural condoms isn't so much because only latex is protective, but because natural membrane condoms have not been as well studied. The theoretical concern about the size of pores is just that, theoretical. Infected secretions probalby do not leak through, certainly not in sufficient amounts to carry significant risk; and kissing is definitely zero risk regardless of cuts in the mouth etc. And oral sex is very low risk for HIV transmission, even unprotected. Finally, the odds are strong your partner doesn't have HIV.
In general, we recommend against HIV testing on account of particular sexual exposures, unless there is especially high risk -- e.g. unprotected sex with a known-infected partner. Instead, people who are sexually active outside mutually monogamous relationships should just have routine HIV testing from time to time, like once a year.
Still, if you remain nervous, you could of course be tested now, even if it has been less than a year since your last HIV test. While you're at it, get standard STD tests as well -- gonorrhea, chlamydia, and a syphilis blood test. Based on the exposures described, you can expect negative results, especially for HIV and syphilis -- so don't lose a lot of sleep over this as you wait for the results.
Regards-- HHH, MD
There is no significant HIV risk in this situation. Condom-protected vaginal sex is safe, even with a natural membrane condom. The recommendations for latex or polyurethane over natural condoms isn't so much because only latex is protective, but because natural membrane condoms have not been as well studied. The theoretical concern about the size of pores is just that, theoretical. Infected secretions probalby do not leak through, certainly not in sufficient amounts to carry significant risk; and kissing is definitely zero risk regardless of cuts in the mouth etc. And oral sex is very low risk for HIV transmission, even unprotected. Finally, the odds are strong your partner doesn't have HIV.
In general, we recommend against HIV testing on account of particular sexual exposures, unless there is especially high risk -- e.g. unprotected sex with a known-infected partner. Instead, people who are sexually active outside mutually monogamous relationships should just have routine HIV testing from time to time, like once a year.
Still, if you remain nervous, you could of course be tested now, even if it has been less than a year since your last HIV test. While you're at it, get standard STD tests as well -- gonorrhea, chlamydia, and a syphilis blood test. Based on the exposures described, you can expect negative results, especially for HIV and syphilis -- so don't lose a lot of sleep over this as you wait for the results.
Regards-- HHH, MD
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