HIV risk???

[califguy]

Just stay away from body fluids...Fingering a guy and having potentials cuts, even microscopic, could be risy, however the risk is small.

 

[JayHew]

The contacts you discribe are low risk over all. What Adidasluvr said is more likely the worry. All has to do with viral load in any given exposure. In other words, how much of a given virus are you coming in contact with at the time. If it is below that threshold, the disease gaining hold is pretty much not going to happen. Above that level, disease usually can develop. What are the levels, various for different viruses. Some viruses shead at given intervals, others are near constant.

From what you have said, it is likely very low risk, but you would be best to have barrier protection when engaging in such things.

 

[SilverRRCloud]

You have been describing a pretty low risk behavior.

However, fingering can be risky.

You want to make sure that there are no wounds, even the tiny ones. And you want to make sure that the body fluids resting on any finger get into the body of the other person.

Latex gloves can be fun, too and reduce the risk even further.

Do not worry about anyone critisizing you here or anywhere else for that matter. Your question is more than welcome and legitimate and so is everybody's right to criticize, if they find find. This is called: societal discourse, rite?

SC

 

[tonyboy]

I hope I don't sound stupid or naive - and I know many of you will criticize me for asking this question - but I don't have many other people to discuss this with. I am a bi guy in my mid-20's and have a lot of anxiety surrounding HIV in general. I've done all the research and take the precautions (with women I always use a condom, I've never had anal sex with a man), but there's one topic I seem to be able to find little information on and this is what worries me.
So here goes......If I engage in extensive body contact, mutual masturbation, and fingering (mostly getting fingered) with a guy (as I did a couple of weeks ago which is why I'm concerned and asking) am I putting myself at risk for getting HIV? I know unprotected anal and vaginal sex are the riskiest, followed by oral sex which is lower risk, but I know little about mutual masturbation/fingering and the risks that come with that. Like, what if a guy has some of his own pre-cum on his hand/fingers and then he jerks me off or fingers me? Can I be infected that way?
Again I know many of you will think my question is ignorant for my lack of knowing the answer, but try to refrain from criticizing me if you can.
And I'd really appreciate any honest, informed responses I might get back.
Thanks guys!

Good questions you've asked and I think you've gotten some honest and non prejudicial replies. That is one of the reasons I love JUB.
Just another point to make friend. You wrote that you have't had sex with a guy, gut fingering and such is really sex. You didn't mention, and I don't need to know, how you and this guy met or what your relationship is. Could be someone you have known for sometime, or maybe some sort of casual pickup sort of thing. No matter how far the 'sex' goes with someone you don't know (male or female) there is some risk. Sometimes it's tough I know, especially in the heat of the moment. But it really does pay to know something about the person you are engaging in such activities with. You know the sort of things I mean I think.
That is one good reason for dating someone for sometime before any sort of sexual activity. Getting to know them and their background.
Now, I'm sounding like some old school master I know. I never did follow the advice I'm giving you but I didn't need to when I was very sexual active. It was pre-aids time and things were much different then.
Good luck to you my friend.
tony

 

[HartfordGuy]

Very good question and very good answers.

Just don't forget guys, that fingering is ok unless you are both fingering eachother. Ie: he fingers you then himself. That will transfer any body fluids back and forth. Same applies to sharing Dildos. Even the smallest tear inside your butt can result in some blood even though not easily seen.

I think oral sex has been determined to be 99% risk free as long as you don't have any cuts in your mouth or you were just at the Dentist and your gums are still raw from the hygenist working you over. Still, swallowing should be considered a no-no.

HIV is not a death sentence any more, but you will spend the rest of your life taking pills everyday and the side effects of the meds. It is wise to be safe, just don't be paranoid.

 

[KingofFaeries]

make sure his nails are cut short enough that they won't scratch even if he goes in at some funky angles cuz it's been my experience that guys tend to do that when they are fingering. Like someone above me said gloves can be used to reduce the risk of stds as well as the scratching. Believe me a scratch on the inside is NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a pleasant thing. and u have to consider that if you do get a cut on the inside it could get infected very easily, and imagine telling ur doctor that you had a guy's finger up your butt and he didn't trim his nail and u got scratched and it got infected.

The gloves can add excitement too. U can roleplay. U be the patient getting a physical. And he can finger you nice and slow. Ok... I'm done. Have fun, and don't get too wrapped up in the paranoia. Remember a lil can keep you safe, alot can make u sick. (paranoia not fingering)

 

[oz_doc]

Something that you should consider when thinking about somehting getting "inside" your body. You really can think about humans as being a long skinny donut. We have our skin on the outside and our alimentary canal (gut) through the middle. Just becuase something is in your gut does not mean it has entered your body it has crossed no membrane, cell layer, or body surface it is merely sitting near a different surface.

The body is very good at keeping things that shouldnt cross its membranes out. So unless you have cuts ulcers abrasions or other structural issues something in the gut is still low risk. Similar can be said for the Urinary tract, normally sterile, organisms can colonize the surface of the tract withut crossing into the body itself and in fact organisms that can do this are rare and very serious, google EIEC, EHEC and Haemolytic uraemic syndrome if interested.

So rest assured your practices are low risk, issues occur with anal sex due to the micro or macro trauma that can occur to your gut, so use lube and practice safe sex.

Cheers

 

[Soilwork]

you're not at a very high risk... it's there.. but very small.

oh, and never appologise for asking questions about your health.

There are no stupid questions.. just stupid people.

 

[Thatguyouknow]

wow, GREAT info guys - cleared some stuff up! i was going to ask something like this soon...

 

[Thatguyouknow]

oh, and my sex- ed pretty much sucked... it was all abstenance (which amazes me that they still preach that more than inform about STDs)...

could someone explain to me a little better how HIV becomes aids? i understand how HIV/AIDS end up possibly killing you, but what i THINK it all is:
HIV is an infection which at first multiplies rapidly while decreasing a specific 'helper T cell' HIV decreases the immune's systems power. and then AIDS is the collective symptoms and infections resulting from HIV's damage?

ALSO, what about HAART treatment and pills such as Abacavir?
if you have the slightest doubt about some one after participating in sex with them, shouldnt you immediatly pop a few of them as a preemptive strike on the infection -- rather than questioning it and waiting to see a doctor and getting results (which could be diagnosed as nothing more than a common virus at such an early stage). supposedly HAART drugs are slightly expensive. that could be one deterrence from immediate usage. Is there something else im missing? such as side affects, of if using the drug preemptively could hinder its power later on if you do end up getting infected?

edit: realized that this could be thread-jacking, however i thought since it was still HIV subject manner that it could still be allowed in this thread.

 

[drhladnjak]

You're right--effectively AIDS is the state your body finds itself in after its immune system has been destroyed by the HIV virus and picked up one or more diseases associated with AIDS (such as Kaposi's Sarcoma).

I believe some scientific studies are currently underway on the value of prescribing certain low side effect anti-HIV drugs for HIV- men who have casual sex. I know they often already do this for the HIV- member of serodiscordant (one HIV+, one HIV-) couples as an extra precaution. You might try talking about it with your doctor or another doctor who's knowledgeable about gay men's health issues.