Aa
SEX
Ok I need to know if I need to keep using these damn condoms? I have been married 14 years and dont plan on that changing. So no mutiple partners or anything. The Dr said it would be safe not to use protection and just get my hubby tested every so often. We have used condoms since we found out about Hep C. My hubby is clean, test came back perfect. He doesnt want to use protection anymore but I am not so sure. If he cant get it from me then why test every so often? This is starting to be a big deal around here. I finally told him to be happy with what he got because it may all end when I start tx. I hope not but chances are they will. So the ? is use protection or not?
I agree. I think that many of these reports on sexual transmission wind up tainted with drug use, other STDs, and other factors that influence these sexual transmission rates sometimes up to 15% and as such freaks people out about sex and HCV. I swear if I hear one more "Pam Anderson hep C hooker" comment...
It definitely comes down to an individual relationship analysis I suppose. I'm actually pretty damn "vanilla" by gay standards so I'm not too concerned about it. lol
Have fun, stay sexually active, but don't go crazy and just use common sense. I think that pretty much sums it up.
It definitely comes down to an individual relationship analysis I suppose. I'm actually pretty damn "vanilla" by gay standards so I'm not too concerned about it. lol
Have fun, stay sexually active, but don't go crazy and just use common sense. I think that pretty much sums it up.
"The bottom line is that hep C is NOT a sexually transmitted disease as long as blood-to-blood contact is not involved. "
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Welcome and I couldn't resist; excellent pun in your last paragraph. : )
I don't think it's too much information and besides HCV is not for the weak of heart anyway. Sooner or later we have to face and deal with all aspects of the virus. Thanks for posting your information, solutions and results.
I want to clarify or even undercut one point. Even with hetersexual sexual relations there is a range of infection rates. As they say in advertisements; "your actual milage may vary". The deal is that so far as sex we all have different experiences. It's true even for ourselves at different times in our lives and with the same or different partners. One comparison might be between 20 year olds in the "honeymoon" phase of a relationship versus folks that have been married for 50 years. Although both are hetersexual relationships there is going to be a difference in frequency, duration, and lets just say"enthusiasm" involving sex between the two cases. That will impact (love using that word in a transmission thread) on the transmission rates.
Just as all "straight" sex is not the same, the experience also varies in gay sex. There are some cases where the likelihood of sexual transmission increases. There have been reports of increased transmission rates where group or enduro sessions take place, particularly with the use of meth. I am not trying to paint this as a picture of normal MSM relations but only want to point out that it is on the radar and ends up impacting on the transmission rates.
I appreciate your post. I am of the opinion that just as so called straight couples can have safe(r) sex while one partner is infected, I think it is important for other gay couples to get information on the same. A lot of living with this disease is learning how to live with it without (or with less) fear.
best,
willy
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Welcome and I couldn't resist; excellent pun in your last paragraph. : )
I don't think it's too much information and besides HCV is not for the weak of heart anyway. Sooner or later we have to face and deal with all aspects of the virus. Thanks for posting your information, solutions and results.
I want to clarify or even undercut one point. Even with hetersexual sexual relations there is a range of infection rates. As they say in advertisements; "your actual milage may vary". The deal is that so far as sex we all have different experiences. It's true even for ourselves at different times in our lives and with the same or different partners. One comparison might be between 20 year olds in the "honeymoon" phase of a relationship versus folks that have been married for 50 years. Although both are hetersexual relationships there is going to be a difference in frequency, duration, and lets just say"enthusiasm" involving sex between the two cases. That will impact (love using that word in a transmission thread) on the transmission rates.
Just as all "straight" sex is not the same, the experience also varies in gay sex. There are some cases where the likelihood of sexual transmission increases. There have been reports of increased transmission rates where group or enduro sessions take place, particularly with the use of meth. I am not trying to paint this as a picture of normal MSM relations but only want to point out that it is on the radar and ends up impacting on the transmission rates.
I appreciate your post. I am of the opinion that just as so called straight couples can have safe(r) sex while one partner is infected, I think it is important for other gay couples to get information on the same. A lot of living with this disease is learning how to live with it without (or with less) fear.
best,
willy
As some of you know, I have a monogamous relationship with my sex-doll, "Jenna".
While latex is quite flexible, Jenna probably can't outperform "Meki" in terms of "having sex every single imaginable way", but then again, she only cost $29.95. And let me add that she requires very little mainteance, as Jenna will perform the same whether I take her out to dinner nice or not.
As to precautions, no sharing of razors (she might explode) and no sharing of tooth brushes (she has no teeth). Still, at least until I became SVR, every few months I took an air sample and send it off to HR's lab for HCV analysis via those very senstive tests. They all came back UND although one result did suggest a trace of helium, which may account for the fact that Jenna always seems to rise for the occasion.
I do understand that some of you may have real relationships with an actual spouse, but there are alternatives out there.
-- Jim
While latex is quite flexible, Jenna probably can't outperform "Meki" in terms of "having sex every single imaginable way", but then again, she only cost $29.95. And let me add that she requires very little mainteance, as Jenna will perform the same whether I take her out to dinner nice or not.
As to precautions, no sharing of razors (she might explode) and no sharing of tooth brushes (she has no teeth). Still, at least until I became SVR, every few months I took an air sample and send it off to HR's lab for HCV analysis via those very senstive tests. They all came back UND although one result did suggest a trace of helium, which may account for the fact that Jenna always seems to rise for the occasion.
I do understand that some of you may have real relationships with an actual spouse, but there are alternatives out there.
-- Jim
Wow. Some great laughs in here! :-)
Just thought I'd put in my two cents being a male in a gay relationship (and I hope I'm not sharing too much lol).
My partner was diagnosed as a "recent exposure" back in October (we suspect exposure in late August/early September) and he has been on treatment since. He's a geno 2 and he thankfully is responding to treatment wonderfully.
Anyway - As soon as we found out about it I got tested and was told by my doctor who knows about my lifestyle that the sexual risk just really isn't there yet condoms for anal are a good idea as it is easier to damage the lining of the rectum than it is to damage the lining of the vagina and since anal sex can be rough, it could be easier for him to "rough himself up" inside me which could cause blood-to-blood contact.
I came back negative (as I thought I would) and it was a bit of a relief as I've read all these horrible things regarding HCV sexual transmission and gay men - but then again it was on an HIV site so I don't know - so knowing that we could remain sexually active was a great relief to me. Granted about 80-90% of our sex life is oral (which the risk is practically non-existent as long as you're not into shaving and bloodsports too), yet knowing that anal with protection was still okay was awesome.
It's really helped him while he's been on treatment. I think he was really worried about having given it to me in that 6 week window between exposure and testing. Granted there are days when he's very lethargic and doesn't feel like doing much, but the days that he's "on" it's wonderful and it seems to really help him deal with the stress of this.
Just my two cents from a different perspective. The bottom line is that hep C is NOT a sexually transmitted disease as long as blood-to-blood contact is not involved.
Just thought I'd put in my two cents being a male in a gay relationship (and I hope I'm not sharing too much lol).
My partner was diagnosed as a "recent exposure" back in October (we suspect exposure in late August/early September) and he has been on treatment since. He's a geno 2 and he thankfully is responding to treatment wonderfully.
Anyway - As soon as we found out about it I got tested and was told by my doctor who knows about my lifestyle that the sexual risk just really isn't there yet condoms for anal are a good idea as it is easier to damage the lining of the rectum than it is to damage the lining of the vagina and since anal sex can be rough, it could be easier for him to "rough himself up" inside me which could cause blood-to-blood contact.
I came back negative (as I thought I would) and it was a bit of a relief as I've read all these horrible things regarding HCV sexual transmission and gay men - but then again it was on an HIV site so I don't know - so knowing that we could remain sexually active was a great relief to me. Granted about 80-90% of our sex life is oral (which the risk is practically non-existent as long as you're not into shaving and bloodsports too), yet knowing that anal with protection was still okay was awesome.
It's really helped him while he's been on treatment. I think he was really worried about having given it to me in that 6 week window between exposure and testing. Granted there are days when he's very lethargic and doesn't feel like doing much, but the days that he's "on" it's wonderful and it seems to really help him deal with the stress of this.
Just my two cents from a different perspective. The bottom line is that hep C is NOT a sexually transmitted disease as long as blood-to-blood contact is not involved.
Man, these threads sure do get sidetracked, but the siderails here are pretty amusing. :-)
I read a good bit about sexual transmission and also talked to numerous docs. While none were entirely committal, they all agreed (as do published studies) that transmission through monogamous hetero sex is very, very slim.
As with Meki, I was undiagnosed for 20+ years, and within that time I had unprotected sex with my partner for 12-13 years, with no regard to caution. After several years, I ended up getting herpes from him (which I knew going in that he had) but he never got HCV.
These days, I have sex w/o condom with my current husband but we ARE very careful about any possible exchange of blood. No intercourse during period, no use of razor, toothbrush (yuk anyway!), nail clippers etc. He gets tested annually, and he also got vaccinated against A & B.
These days it is a non-issue as I am into 8 mos of tx and sure don't feel like sex. Gonna try to work on that though! ;-)
Sex w/o condom does pose some risk so doc will usually advise safe sex practices, but the risk vs the impracticality didn't weigh for me. Take a look at some of the studies...
all the best,
Robin
I read a good bit about sexual transmission and also talked to numerous docs. While none were entirely committal, they all agreed (as do published studies) that transmission through monogamous hetero sex is very, very slim.
As with Meki, I was undiagnosed for 20+ years, and within that time I had unprotected sex with my partner for 12-13 years, with no regard to caution. After several years, I ended up getting herpes from him (which I knew going in that he had) but he never got HCV.
These days, I have sex w/o condom with my current husband but we ARE very careful about any possible exchange of blood. No intercourse during period, no use of razor, toothbrush (yuk anyway!), nail clippers etc. He gets tested annually, and he also got vaccinated against A & B.
These days it is a non-issue as I am into 8 mos of tx and sure don't feel like sex. Gonna try to work on that though! ;-)
Sex w/o condom does pose some risk so doc will usually advise safe sex practices, but the risk vs the impracticality didn't weigh for me. Take a look at some of the studies...
all the best,
Robin
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Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
