Welcome to the forum.
I would love to help, but your second follow-up comment (below) shows you have already followed my primary advice and received all the information you need. Collectively, Australia's sexual health centres are the best network of STD/HIV clinics in the world, in my opinion. And if you are in Sydney, as suggested by your comment about NSW, the Sydney SHC is perhaps one of the two best in the country (along with Melbourne's SHC). Whichever clinic it was, you can expect highly expert, accurate, and culturally senstive advice and care. Had you not provided the information below, I would have told you almost exactly the same things they did -- the low rate of heterosexual HIV transmission in Australia (especially among Australian nationals), predominant transmission among gay men, and that from a statistical standpoint you don't even need HIV testing after such an exposure. And I would have finished by advising you to contact your local SHC for specific advice and to confirm my own. So basically, we have reversed that sequence.
So it sounds like you are in a calmer state than when you first asked. However, experience on this forum teaches that many people are only partially reassured by advice like mine and that of the SHC. If you find yourself continuing to obsess about catching HIV despite virtually zero risk, you may want to have an HIV test anyway -- i.e. if a negative lab test will help you relax about it all. This doesn't mean I really believe there was any significant risk; I do not. But you could discuss this when you visit the SHC for STD testing.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Sorry to go on but I have been reading through and a lot of the time you have suggested that if a male has insertive vaginal sex and has had no symptoms for the 2 weeks post possible exposure you generally do not recommend testing. Would this be true in my case
Oh there is one thing that I forgot I spoke to my local sexual health clinic and you have said that there are very knowledgeable here in Australia. When I spoke to them and told them my situation I was inquiring about PEP. The doctor that I spoke to said that in Australia it is very uncommon for HIV to be passed through heterosexual vaginal sex. She continued on that in NSW and my region in particular there are very few cases of IV drug users getting HIV. She said the group of people affected by HIV are male to male contact and said that I should not even worry about getting tested for HIV and just get a check for the more common STD's. I felt very comfortable when speaking to them and when they said my chances are 1/1000 if she was infected gave me the idea that testing was not needed and put my mind at ease. It was not until I started searching the internet that I got scared. I think that there is so much misinformation out there. I like the fact that you are straight to the point and honest with people. I look forward to your review of my risk and since writing this have realized how low a risk I have actually had. I just want to move on from this and be a better husband and father.
Thank you doctor,
I do not live in Sydney I am south of sydney in Wollongong but in saying that I have read that our SHC in Aus are some of the best in the world. I have actually decided to do some volunteer work with them as I now know how much garbage information is out there I want to help others that are in my situation and give correct information.
I feel much more at ease with the situation. I just am scared due to my wife becoming a statistic from my stupid act. Would she be at risk if exposed 5 days after I was infected? The vast majority of research that I have done suggests that my viral load at this stage if I did have one would almost be undetectable.
My wife has been tested and has chlamydia so I dare say that I had it well and truly before I had unprotected sex with this girl. Does that change the risk of HIV even though I have never had a symptom of chlamydia.
I do not think that I need testing now. I have searched a lot and found that even a male with chlamydia has such a low risk of infection that experts are saying that there is no reason for testing of a male other then yearly screening. Other then situations where I high risk is known to have taken place. I found a interesting post by a doctor from Australia saying that in Australia if every person that had unprotected sex with a one of exposure went for testing there would be kaos in every pathology department and hospital. This made me ask myself am I wasting doctors and pathology labs time?
Since I was tested with a HIV duo at 4 days post possible exposure and I plan to never stray or even leave my wife's side from now on there is no reason for me to ever get tested again. Is this true?
I would like to add that the reason for my paranoia is due to the education that I received that basically told me that if you have unprotected sex with a HIV+ person you are going to get HIV no ifs buts about it. After being told this for so long it is hard to think any different and it is very hard to unlearn something then it is to learn something new.
Oh one more question and then I will leave you alone and begin my fresh start to life.
With the brief intercourse that I had (total of 30 seconds maybe less) does this affect the risk factor any less. HIV does need a certain environment to be transmitted and if I only gave HIV a brief 30 seconds to transmit I would naturally think that chances would become less. This is one thing that I did not discuss with my local SHC.
I would like to add if there is another male or female out there reading this it makes a hell of a lot of difference approaching this board and asking a question. The doctors here have been straight up and honest with me and it makes a uncomfortable situation so much more bearable. There is no reason to do what I have done and search the internet and get yourself in a state of distress from all the misleading information on HIV. The doctors here are experts in there field and it makes sense that if they have been answering questions on here for 7 years they would have more information on STD's and HIV then all other doctors. Prayers go out to you all including the doctors.
You had faulty education about HIV risks, or you misunderstood what you were told. Regardless of the duration of intercourse, the chance of HIV transmission was extremely low, even if your partner was infected -- and probably she was not. Your risk is too low to require HIV testing. But if you remain nervous, feel free to be tested for reassurance. If this is your only potential exposure, the result will be negative.
That's my last comment. I won't have any further advice. There is nothing you can say that would change my opinion or advice.
Really, mellow out. HIV is not a concern here.
Thank you very much
The girl is HIV negative as you suggested due to her last test that she received results for yesterday. I have been treated for my chlamydia with antibiotics and feel very reassured from you words. I am trying not to think about it and I hope that I can get my mind off it and have a new respect for life and health.
Never will I make a mistake like this again.
And yes this is my only potential exposure that I was concerned about.
I have done the correct thing in this event and told my wife about my chlamydia and she has been tested and is being treated for it as well so from now on there will be no more STD's involved in my life.
Thank you very much for your help to have a expert opinion makes a massive difference.
Hi Doc
Well it is over 2 weeks since my low risk event. Well I am happy to say that the girl I was with had another test just shy of the 2 week mark. Well I was with her when she got her results and they where all Negative. In theory it would have been so unlikely for her to have been infected with HIV within the 2 week period prior to me having unprotected sex with her so the negative tests where a relief for her and myself. So I am free from this and have learnt a valuable lesson.
I would like to thank you for helping me and others on this board your work here is greatly appreciated.
Thanks for the thanks and I'm glad you're feeling better, but I have nothing more to say. You don't need to keep posting every additional thought about it. Take care and stay safe.