Oral exposures

[Drake0001]

Hi,

Due to a traumatising experience a couple of years ago, I began to fear HIV, especially oral exposures. Now I have read that oral exposures (blood on food and in drinks, or sexual secretions) normally don't pose a risk thanks to saliva and stomach acid.
Would this change if you are on medication to lower the ph level and production of stomach acid? (like I am obiously)
Especially with drinks and sexual secretions, because those aren't mixed with saliva, but immediately swallowed.
So if you don't have enough stomach acid, would the hiv virus survive in the stomach and get into the bloodstream?

[Drake0001]

Ty for the help vance

[Vance2335]

even before that

[Drake0001]

Ok so if i understand correctly the virus will be dead in most cases when it hits the stomach? Or almost dead and then the remaining acid would do the rest?

[Vance2335]

Need more than a little fluid for an infection, most people don't have HIV, saliva inactives the virus, air inactives the virus...

[Drake0001]

Hi vance, actually i have a medical condition. I dont know whats it called in emglish, but the valve? between my stomach and oesophagus? is gone, so the stomach acid can flow up again. That having said, you are probably right about my anxiety, but i would still appreciate an answer

[Vance2335]

I am sure the acid reflux is caused by anxiety (well my guess).

I can give you 100 reasons why you had no risk but I am not sure any will do you good. I know anxiety and no matter what I say now might help for an hour but then you will be back looking for more and we are not able to do that here.

Trust me, we give people the truth, WE want to do our best to educate people so WE can do our best to stop HIV.

[Drake0001]

Hi, maybe you are right vance. The reason why i posted this question is because i am on acid reflux medication ( you suspected that already i guess). My doctor told me not to take to much because it lowers the ability to fight viruses and bacteria in the stomach...but you both say there is no extra risk. Is this because the hiv virus is weaker then other viruses or is there another reason?

[Vance2335]

You might want to seek a therapist for this anxiety issue thinking that all this stuff is blood that you are seeing.

[JamesD1991]

No.

[Drake0001]

Anyone? In short my question is: is there a increased risk for hiv from oral exposures (food or drink with blood on it or oral sex) if you have stomach issues? (low volume stomach acid and/or low acidity) or is there still no direct access to your bloodstream, so no risk...

[Drake0001]

Well, yes, like I said I am afraid of oral exposures due to 2 exposures:.
- couple of years ago: unprotected oral sex
- more recently I had blood on a sandwich I got at a restaurant, which i first thought was ketchup, but when i licked it off, tasted like blood.
- my 3 year old son had a drink in the pub, when afterwards I saw a red stain on the straw (not sure of it was blood)
Maybe wasn't Hiv blood in all of these instances but  to be sure I got tested for these 2 things, but since then i just woundered if I should be scared of these oral exposures in combination with low stomach acid

[Vance2335]

Do you have an actual risk you wish to speak of?