Guidance for a young gay man?

[jdmare]

Dear doctors,

I'm a young gay man, trying to find the right balance between having some fun and not catching HIV/STIs.  The Internet is full of confusing and contradictory information, but I've tried to put together some guidelines for myself to keep myself safe.  Could you tell me if my thinking is on target or if I'm incorrect?

1.)  Limit the number of random partners, and always ask about HIV status before having sex.
2.)  Oral sex is generally safe for both HIV and other STI's, and I can generally engage in oral sex without too much worry.  
3.)  If, after having oral sex, I don't develop any sores or discharge within a few days, I can safely assume that I haven't caught anything from oral sex with someone.  
4.)  Use a condom when having anal sex.  
5.)  Get tested for HIV every few months.  

Is this correct?

Thanks in advance!

[CurfewX]

Sounds like you have a really good plan, and kudos for thinking this through before you find yourself in a bad situation.  I wouldn't necessarily trust everyone to tell me the truth about their HIV status, but since you plan on using condoms for penetrative sex, that isn't a big issue.

You won't need testing unless you have a mishap with a condom breaking, but it also doesn't hurt anything and may keep your mind at ease.

Re: other STDs - I suggest asking those questions in the STDs forum, as this one is specific to HIV.  Good luck!