Effectiveness of a condon once removed, then put back on

[wrm0605]

Hello, last night after a night of drinking with some friends I found myself in an Asain brothel - an apartment with multiple bedrooms being worked by a number of different women.  Needless to say, this was a big mistake.  It was also the first time that I have done something like that, and I plan to make it my last!

Anyway, I did not find the situation very appealing and had a very difficult time getting aroused.  The woman who I was with began giving me oral sex with a condom on, but I still could not get aroused; this occurred using two separate condoms and both were removed.  She then used a lubricant and her hand to give me an erection.  Once I was erect she put one of the condoms that had already been removed back on my penis and we engaged in vaginal intercourse.  We had sex for about five minutes before I ejaculated into the condom.  When I removed the condom the semen was still inside of it.

The question I have is how effective is a condom once removed and then reapplied?  If she was HIV positive or carrying any other STD's how likely is it that I have contracted the disease?  I am really starting to stress out and need to know the level of risk.  Thanks and I eagerly await your response!!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

It is within the realm of when the ARS might appear but your symptoms are insufficient to call this ARS.  You ahve a summertime soret hroat- it happens.  The chances that this is ARS however are vanishingly low.  Further anxiety based questions will be delted without comment.  EWH

[wrm0605]

It has now been 10 days since my risky exposure, and I know the only way to properly diagnose HIV is through testing.  However, I also know that there may be some initial symptoms after infection.  As of yesterday, I have come down with a sore throat and the glands in my neck are swollen.

Does this fit within the known timeframe for someone who is newly infected?

I really have been trying not to stress, but when I woke up with a sore throat yesterday I immediately remembered hearing about people that suffer from ARS after becoming infected.  

I am sorry if I have become a nuisance, and I promise this will be the last post on this topic.  Thanks for all your support/advice thus far, and I look forward to hearing back from you!

[wrm0605]

Thanks again Dr. Hook, I will try not to stress any more and get tested in a couple of weeks.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The pimple you describe in unlikely to modify your minimal risk in any substantive way.  You are stressing and you need to try not to.  EWH

[needknowledge701]

The last bit is a very interesting question. The majority of times you hear about condom use is to cover the tip of the penis. You rarely hear any comments about the base and pubic area of male genitals. For instance shaving in that area you might nick  that area and not know that you have an open sore in that area. A pimple could be considered an open sore so I would be interested in hearing this answer as well. Condoms don't protect anything past the base of the penis and even then, for those that use condoms, know that a condom will roll up partially.

[wrm0605]

Doctor,

A bit of information I forgot to mention is that at the time of the sexual encounter last week I had a pimple on the base of my penis; which may not have been covered by the condom.  I cannot remember if I had tried to pop the pimple prior to having sex with the sex worker; but I can say that even if I had it was earlier in the day it was not bleeding or omitting any other bodily fluid when we had sex.  With that said if I had, and the pimple was not covered by the condom how likely is it that I have contracted HIV (that is of course if she had it)?  I know it doesn't pay to stress, but it is a lot easier said than done!  Please let me know if this increases the level of risk, and by how much!  Thanks and I eagerly await your response!

[wrm0605]

Thanks Doc!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Everything that is written about condom use suggests that to take a condom off and then re-use it is a bad idea and leads to failure of condoms to protect against STDs and pregnancy.  I think your experience might be an exception to these statements.  First, most of these statements are made in the context of preventing transmission of genital STDs or pregnancy and assume that there were male genital secretions involved (most of the studies also focus on risk for women).  In your case, while the condom may have been in her mouth, it sounds as though there were no genital secretions involved during the initial application.  The other concern is that re-use might lead to breakage which did not happen either.

Thus, while there are no data or studies to guide advising you regarding this exposure, logic tells us that this was a no risk exposure for you.  I would not worry and do not recommend testing, except if your own anxiety requires it.  EWH