The Condom Broke And I’m Scared
Question: Hopefully you can help me with my fear. Eight days ago I had protected anal sex with another gay male of unknown HIV status. I was the top. After completion … I pulled out and noticed the condom I was wearing had broken. Should I be worried?
Answer: The estimated per-act risk for acquisition of HIV from unprotected insertive anal sex with a partner who is confirmed to be positive is 6.5 per 10,000 exposures. … Should you be worried? No, not excessively. But you should get a rapid HIV test at the three-month mark.
In 1% Of Cases Paranoid As Is Used
You are hysterically paranoid as to who I am.
This perspective presents the paranoid as a victim.
In the end, they become paranoid asopposed to cautious.
He was bland as oatmeal without raisins and paranoid as a nightguard on patrol.
It sees the paranoid as a person who is imagining that evil persons are persecuting him.
Mikekelly12 Being paranoid as no doubt I am do you think that its me that is talking with myself.
Ever know someone that used cocaine on a regular basis? Paranoid as a mofo, ‘ They’re coming to get me, they’re coming to get me, ‘type paranoia.
If you’re constantly paranoid as to what they’re carrying out or who they’re hanging out with, you are able to shed plenty of your children’s believe in.
Oh this waiting game is driving me insane!!! Now feelingparanoid as to what the reason could be for my medical being referred – blood in urine or low blood pressure or something else.
How Is Hiv Diagnosed
Because this disease has nonspecific symptoms, they are not a reliable way to diagnose HIV infection. The only way to know whether a person has been infected is through testing.
- Elisa is the first portion of the test. This test detects the presence of HIV antibodies in the blood. Negative results determine a person is not HIV infected. Positive results lead to the second portion of the test to confirm the results.
- Western Blot is used to confirm a positive Elisa test result. The Western Blot test detects specific protein bands that are present with HIV infections. A positive Elisa test with a positive Western Blot test gives 99.9% accuracy in identifying the infection.
- PCR detects specific DNA and RNA sequences that indicate the presence of HIV in the genetic structure of anyone infected. DNA and RNA from the virus circulating in the blood. The presence of these particles indicates the HIV virus.
Testing for HIV antibodies is the only way to know if a person is infected. However, this test for antibodies is effective only after the infected persons immune system produces antibodies to HIV. There is a time period between the initial infection and when the antibodies are detectable which can be from 2 weeks to 6 months with an average length of 3 months. During this time period, standard testing is ineffective.
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First Stage: Acute Hiv Infection Symptoms
Most people don’t know right away when they’ve been infected with HIV. But they may have symptoms within 2 to 6 weeks after theyâve gotten the virus. This is when your body’s immune system puts up a fight. It’s called acute retroviral syndrome or primary HIV infection.
The symptoms are similar to those of other viral illnesses, and they’re often compared to the flu. They typically last a week or two and then go away. Early signs of HIV include:
- Ulcers in your mouth, esophagus, anus, or genitals
- Headache and other neurological symptoms
If you have symptoms like these and might have come into contact with someone with HIV in the past 2 to 6 weeks, go to a doctor and ask that you get an HIV test. If you donât have symptoms but still think you might have come into contact with the virus, get tested.
Early testing is important for two reasons. First, at this stage, levels of HIV in your blood and bodily fluids are very high. This makes it especially contagious. Second, starting treatment as soon as possible might help boost your immune system and ease your symptoms.
A combination of medications can help fight HIV, keep your immune system healthy, and keep you from spreading the virus. If you take these medications and have healthy habits, your HIV infection probably wonât get worse.
There Are Approximately 367 Million People Living With Hiv Worldwide Including 11 Million In The Us Here’s What You Need To Know
Youve probably heard about HIV or learned about it in sex ed class, but how much do you know about the current epidemic? Yes, there have been tremendous successes in treatment, research, and health outcomes for people since HIV/AIDS was first discovered in the 1980s. However, HIV/AIDS is still a real public health problem in the US and all over the world today.
So we spoke to four different HIV/AIDS experts to find out what they REALLY want people to know: Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Rowena Johnston, PhD, vice president and director of research at amfAR Dr. Stacey Rizza, chair of HIV clinic at the Mayo Clinic and Dr. Diane Havlir, chief of the HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine Division at University of California San Francisco.
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The Guys I’ve Slept With Are Low Risk But I’m Too Scared To Get Tested
Question: Since I have had three boyfriends and been with four guys that are relatively low risk, I would think. They are in their early 20s, non-IV drug users and heterosexual. … I want to get tested for HIV I’m very scared and it really gives me great anxiety to the point that my neck and back are sore and I have a lump in my throat.
Answer: It’s not good practice to evaluate HIV status based on demographics or self-report. The majority of new infections are caused by people who don’t know they are positive. … You need to follow through with an HIV test to confirm you are negative. It’s the only definitive way to provide relief from the anxiety.
Hiv Treatment As Prevention
People with HIV can take ART to lower their chance of transmitting HIV to others.
ART reduces the quantity of HIV in the body, or viral load, and keeps it at a low level.
The term viral load refers to the number of HIV copies per milliliter of blood.
Healthcare professionals define successful viral suppression as having a viral load of less than of HIV per milliliter of blood. Achieving and maintaining viral suppression significantly reduces the risk of HIV transmission.
Other ways to prevent HIV transmission include:
- using a condom or other barrier method during sex
- reducing the number of sexual partners
- getting vaccinated against other STIs, such as HPV and hepatitis B
- avoiding using injectable drugs, if possible
- if using injectable drugs, avoiding sharing needles and syringes
- following all workplace safety protocols
People can speak with a doctor to learn more about their individual risk of contracting HIV.
Anyone concerned about HIV exposure should contact a healthcare professional or a local emergency room to get testedand receive PEP.
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Anyone Can Get Infected With Hiv Regardless Of Race Sexual Orientation Gender Socioeconomic Status Or Age
Although some groups are disproportionately affected by HIV, this does not mean that the virus cant infect people in any other group. “People need to understand that HIV is a common infection and it affects every socioeconomic group, profession, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc and there shouldn’t be any judgment associated with people who have it,” Rizza says.
The fact that many believe that only people of a certain demographic are at risk is another reason why cases go undetected and untreated, Rizza says. It’s always important to practice safe sex and use condoms to protect yourself against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
Healing The Wounds Ignited By Gaslighting
Gaslighting causes us to doubt our own memories, perceptions, and judgments, throwing us emotionally and psychologically off balance.
If you feel as though your self-esteem, confidence, and independence has withered under the flame of gaslighting you are not alone and there certainly is hope!
Almost all of us, including myself, have experienced one form of Gaslighting or another throughout life.
The problems arise when Gaslighting is a frequent shadow that trails behind our relationships and partnerships.
The good news is that knowledge and awareness is the first step to healing your life and rebuilding the strong, perceptive person you are and you have already taken it!
While it is true that in some situations we genuinely might be overreacting, or might genuinely be exhibiting irrational behavior, it is also important for you to listen to your instinct or intuition.
Do you have a heavy feeling in the pit of your stomach? Do you feel weighed down and oppressed? Do you feel depressed? These are signs that you have unconsciously picked up on deception and foul play.
While we can consciously be fooled, unconsciously we cant, and often we will have a lingering feeling that something just isnt right. Make sure that you listen to this feeling and seek help, either professionally or socially .
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First Sexual Experience Leads To Irrational Fear
Question: I lost my virginity recently to a much older girl. … This is the only sexual encounter I have ever had. I’m not even sure she had HIV. Seems like I’m thinking of the worst possible scenario and there’s constantly a lingering voice in the back of my head saying “what if” it’s causing me to worry. Am I being irrational?
Answer: In short, yes, it sounds irrational. Since you are now sexually active you need to keep using condoms and have an plan for yourself. In the meantime, you might want to think about other reasons behind your worrying. Perhaps guilt or anxiety? A counselor or trusted adult might help you talk through any concerns you uncover.
About 15% Of People Living With Hiv In The Us Don’t Know They’re Infected
According to the CDC, an estimated 1.1 million people in the United States were living with HIV at the end of 2014. Out of those people, 15%, or 1 in 7, did not know they were infected and 30% of new HIV infections are transmitted by people who are living with undiagnosed HIV.
There are a number of reasons why people go undetected, the experts say. “First, people just don’t know they are at risk or don’t think it’ll happen to them, so they don’t get screened. And if they do think they might have HIV, they may be too afraid to find out their status,” Rizza says. Fear of discrimination and stigma hinder testing for many people. But the number of undiagnosed HIV cases also reflects a problem among providers. “Many clinicians are bad at doing universal screenings or they have a misconception about who should be tested and how often, so they misjudge which patients need routine screenings,” Rizza says.
When it comes to STIs, not knowing your status can both jeopardize your health and the health of all your partners. “Don’t wait there is so much benefit from knowing your status you can protect yourself from AIDS and you can protect other people from HIV,” Johnston tells BuzzFeed Health.
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What Are Some Of The Neurological Complications That Are Associated With Hiv Infection
AIDS-related disorders of the nervous system may be caused directly by the HIV virus, by certain cancers and opportunistic infections , or by toxic effects of the drugs used to treat symptoms. Other neuro-AIDS disorders of unknown origin may be influenced by but are not caused directly by the virus.
AIDS dementia complex , or HIV-associated dementia , occurs primarily in persons with more advanced HIV infection. Symptoms include encephalitis , behavioral changes, and a gradual decline in cognitive function, including trouble with concentration, memory, and attention. Persons with ADC also show progressive slowing of motor function and loss of dexterity and coordination. When left untreated, ADC can be fatal. It is rare when anti-retroviral therapy is used. Milder cognitive complaints are common and are termed HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder . Neuropsychologic testing can reveal subtle deficits even in the absence of symptoms.
Central nervous system lymphomas are cancerous tumors that either begin in the brain or result from a cancer that has spread from another site in the body. CNS lymphomas are almost always associated with the Epstein-Barr virus . Symptoms include headache, seizures, vision problems, dizziness, speech disturbance, paralysis, and mental deterioration. Individuals may develop one or more CNS lymphomas. Prognosis is poor due to advanced and increasing immunodeficiency, but is better with successful HIV therapy.
Debunking Common Myths About Hiv
Read responses to myths that ‘HIV is a gay disease’ or a ‘death sentence,’ and find other important information about getting tested.
Myths about who contracts HIV
MYTH: HIV is a gay or LGBT disease.REALITY: While rates of HIV are disproportionately higher among members of the LGBTQ community, HIV is by no means confined to LGBTQ people. Anyoneregardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or other factorscan acquire HIV. Calling HIV a gay or LGBTQ disease is medically untrue and only serves to perpetuate harmful stereotypes about people living with HIV and members of the LGBT community.
MYTH:I am over 50! I dont need to worry about HIV.REALITY: HIV transmission is about behavior, not how old you are. Moreover, according to the CDC, older Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with HIV at a later stage of the disease.
MYTH:I am in a monogamous relationship. I dont have to worry about HIV.REALITY: It is still important to get tested for HIV even if youre in a monogamous relationship. According to the latest estimates, 68 percent of new HIV transmissions among gay and bisexual men occur in the context of a primary relationship . Be sure to talk to your partner your sexual health and practices and theirs. You might even consider getting tested together for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections .
Myths about who contracts HIV
Myths about HIV testing and treatment
Myths about HIV prevention and safer sex
- Topics:
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Welcome To Do I Have Hiv
Welcome to the “Do I Have HIV?” POZ forum.
This special section of the POZ forum is for individuals who have concerns about whether or not they are HIV positive. Individuals are permitted to post up to three questions or responses in this forum.
Ongoing participation in the “Do I Have HIV?” forum requires a paid subscription, with secure payments made via PayPal.
A seven-day subscription is $9.99, a 30-day subscription is $14.99 and a 90-day subscription is $24.99.
Anyone who needs to post more than three messages in the “Do I Have HIV?” forum — including past, present and future POZ Forums members — will need to subscribe, with secure payments made via PayPal.
There is no charge to read threads in the “Do I Have HIV?” forum, nor will there be a charge for participating in any of the other POZ forums. In addition, the POZ Basics “HIV Transmission and Risks” and “HIV Testing” basics, will remain accessible to all.
NOTE: HIV testing questions will still need to be posted in the “Do I Have HIV?” forum attempts to post HIV symptoms or testing questions in any other forums will be considered violations of our rules of membership and subject to time-outs and permanent bans.
To learn how to upgrade your Forums account to participate beyond three posts in the “Do I Have HIV?” Forum, please .
Thank you for your understanding and future support of the best online support service for people living with, affected by and at risk for HIV.
Not Everyone With Hiv Will Go On To Develop Aids
AIDS is the final, and most severe, phase of HIV infection. People with AIDS develop an increasing number of opportunistic infections, or certain illnesses and cancers that happen in people with weak immune systems. According to the CDC, once someone has AIDS they typically survive about three years.
“If you detect HIV early enough and you go on a therapy that works and stay on it, you will most likely not get AIDS,” Fauci. Early treatment is key, because the time window between when someone is infected with HIV and when it turns into AIDS can vary greatly. “For some people it only takes two years and for others it can take 20 years it really depends on the person,” Fauci says. The earlier you get treated for HIV, the better chance you have at living a healthy life. If left untreated, HIV will turn into AIDS, and ultimately lead to death.
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Is All Criticism Paranoid
Now that weve seen paranoid reading in action, I want to return to Sedgwicks original essay for context. First of all, she is not dismissing critique in general. Were allowed to disagree and discuss texts. Instead, Sedgwick argues that criticism has become synonymous with paranoid reading that we cant imagine other strategies of criticism: In a world where no one need be delusional to find evidence of systemic oppression, to theorize out of anything but a paranoid critical stance has come to seem naive, pious, or complaisant.
Sedgwick isnt as much condemning paranoid reading as she is offering an alternative, because the practice has subsumed all other strategies. She also isnt saying that paranoid reading reaches incorrect conclusions: I am saying that the main reasons for questioning paranoid practices are other than the possibility that their suspicions can be delusional or simply wrongThey represent a way, among other ways, of seeking, finding, and organizing knowledge. Paranoia knows some things well and others poorly. She compares a lack of diversity of critical approaches to a shallow gene pool that cant react effectively to change.
Sedgwick is most interested in what knowledge does. The essay begins with a discussion of HIV and whether it was possibly government manufactured, a debate at the time. Would the answer really change anything? She quotes activist Cindy Patton, on the conspiracy theory that HIV was created by the U.S. military: