HIV neg dating HIV pos

[zeon]

Going from friends experiences on this i would say that as long as you are safef and check the condom your be alright... Furthermore according to reasearch HIV is easier to catch if he fucks u whereas if u fuck him its not as easy... Oral sex has a low risk unless you have ulcers and cuts in your mouth plus i did read that they have found a cure which works on cats who have got HIV they tried it on people and 9 of them out of 10 candidates were cured..... If i can find it ill post it on here

Kindest regards

zeon x

[cloud999]

Ok, I'm officially confused.

HIV/AIDS came to the fore around 1983 as a sexually transmitted disease or 'The Gay Plague'. By late 1984 early 1985 we were bombarded with the 'Grim Reaper' series of ads (Here in Asutralian and I always thought that there was a similar adevertising campaign world wide), so why exactly wasn't there the ability to abstain from sex to prevent HIV infection in the 1980 and 90's. Is abstinence new technology discovered around the turn of the century?

The message from day dot about HIV has always been the same...Abstain, monogamy, testing and protection.

The only thing that has changed in the last 27 years is the way the disease is treated in people that are infected, extending peoples lives from a certain death within 5 years from initial infection (Which was at times impossible to determine as the disease manifests and progresses differently), to now whne we are hearing stories of people having and raisning families and are likely to so their children who were born after they were infected to see their kids 21st.

Abstinence hasn't changed...but the sensitivity of testing has. Early testing for HIV was very poor because we lacked both understanding of the disease and the molecular techniques to test for it. In the 80s, it was damn near impossible to know who was asymptomatic infected because nobody knew the disease lifecycle, lag phases, when to use the earliest tests, and a host of other factors. In short, our scientists were firing blind at a disease microbiologists previously thought couldn't exist (the first retrovirus).

For example, PCR was invented in the early 1990s...but we've only started using it for HIV testing recently. The RNA PCR test detects the virus itself, not antibodies, so it's far more sensitive and consistent.

With more effective/faster testing, serosorting can be more rapidly achieved, and thus the spread of the disease can be slowed. Assuming individuals are willing to get tested, of course.

The other things that has changed is complacency, people are seeing HIV as less of a death sentence because a 20 year old infected can live to the ripe old age of 50 with treatment...The 'Grim Reaper' advertising campign needs to be bought back.

I said before that young people need a healthy does of fear of this disease...we have become too complacent, no doubt. But, as I said above, it can increasingly be prevented.

[BobInTampa]

Your bolded statement is false. If you contract HIV, you *will* face the same cascade of drugs and symptoms/side effects that all HIV positive people experience.

With all due respect, i DO have HIV and have lived with it for 17 years and YOUR bold-faced statement is FALSE! I have been on several drug cocktails and the pill i take now has NO SIDE EFFECTS! And, i hoped you would know this now, Infectious Disease Specialists and the CDC both say that person's living with HIV who take their meds on time can expect to live a full and normal lifespan - in fact, HIV/AIDS is no longer listed by teh CDC in it's "Top 10 causes of death in the US.

Do you also think we shouldn't quarantine people with deadly contagious diseases in the hospital?.

So it's your position that HIV infection is the same as say, the PLAGUE? Let's round up and test every sexually active person, test them for HIV, tattoo a symbol on their skin so everyone knows to stay away from them? Talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater! I'm sure all the guys reading this are rushing to get tested now! Yea, nothing like having people villify you! Wow, how irresponsible!

Also, HIV is NOT A DEADLY DISEASE! It's is now a treatable cronic condition that, if treated properly allows a person to enjoy a normal life-span and high quality of life. In fact, the CDC now lists HIV treatment in the same category as those being treated for hypertension, diabetes, and other cronic conditions.

Let me say i am 10000% in favor of all the work being done to promote hiv testing. All sexually active adults should get tested every 3 months. If you READ my post, i was trying to inform the readers that the validity of an HIV test is only as good as their last sexual contact. however, trying to SCARE people with stories of slow painful death after extended suffering due to medication side-effects is JUST NOT TRUE! Are there folks with HIV who are resistant to the full battery of meds? Yes - are they the majority? NO. I think it's very irresponsible to infer that hiv is a 100% guaranteed death from AIDS - IT IS NOT!

[cloud999]

That 6 month window they pass of is an AVERAGE, not a hard line drawn in stone. Most (not all) cases will develop detectible levels of antibodies in 6 months, some won't.

That's why we're moving from insensitive antibody testing to far more sensitive PCR testing...which detects the virus itself, not antibody response. The average window for PCR testing is 12 days.

Why wasn't PCR testing used with you and your partner? Because a few years ago, the technology to do mass PCR testing didn't exist. PCR used to take a scientist several hours of manual work to perform PCR on just a few patients. Today machines can do dozens/hundreds of patients in a few hours.

Unfortunately, testing is no longer relevant to your partner, and for this I am sorry. Nobody should have to deal with what you two struggle with daily.

[Bowyn Aerrow]

That's why we're moving from insensitive antibody testing to far more sensitive PCR testing...which detects the virus itself, not antibody response. The average window for PCR testing is 12 days.

Why wasn't PCR testing used with you and your partner? Because a few years ago, the technology to do mass PCR testing didn't exist. PCR used to take a scientist several hours of manual work to perform PCR on just a few patients. Today machines can do dozens/hundreds of patients in a few hours.

Unfortunately, testing is no longer relevant to your partner, and for this I am sorry. Nobody should have to deal with what you two struggle with daily.

Yes technology in all areas moves on rapidly. +++

[BobInTampa]

The other things that has changed is complacency, people are seeing HIV as less of a death sentence because a 20 year old infected can live to the ripe old age of 50 with treatment...The 'Grim Reaper' advertising campign needs to be bought back.

I don't agree that trying to "scare" people (gay, str8, bi, etc) into safer-sex practices is more effective than the messages of "living" with hiv." Just look at states where they have the death penalty - capital crimes have NOT gone down - in fact they trend upwards.

And the absolute truth of hiv treatments is that those who take their meds on time every day and manage their healthcare CAN and DO live a normal lifespan. In fact, Dr. Stryker, and infectious disease specialist in an article published in positive living stated that the average lifespan now of a person living with hiv is 54 years from the start of treatment. So, that 20 year old - if he/she takes their meds, and manages their health, can expect to live to up to 74! I don't know about YOU but i think living to 74 is pretty good - especially living with hiv!

[cloud999]

With all due respect, i DO have HIV and have lived with it for 17 years and YOUR bold-faced statement is FALSE! I have been on several drug cocktails and the pill i take now has NO SIDE EFFECTS! And, i hoped you would know this now, Infectious Disease Specialists and the CDC both say that person's living with HIV who take their meds on time can expect to live a full and normal lifespan - in fact, HIV/AIDS is no longer listed by teh CDC in it's "Top 10 causes of death in the US.

Have you had side effects with your earlier cocktails? Because many of the HIV drugs are as potent as chemotherapy. I hope your current medication will remain effective until a cure is developed.

So it's your position that HIV infection is the same as say, the PLAGUE? Let's round up and test every sexually active person, test them for HIV, tattoo a symbol on their skin so everyone knows to stay away from them? Talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater! I'm sure all the guys reading this are rushing to get tested now! Yea, nothing like having people villify you! Wow, how irresponsible!

If I could sero-sort every human on this planet with 100% certainty, I would. The HIV pandemic would be ended in a single generation. Perhaps you are unaware, but HIV is still ravaging Africa and increasingly East-Asia.

I care more about stopping HIV than I do about your feelings. My friends who develop the drugs you now take feel the same way.

Also, HIV is NOT A DEADLY DISEASE! It's is now a treatable cronic condition that, if treated properly allows a person to enjoy a normal life-span and high quality of life. In fact, the CDC now lists HIV treatment in the same category as those being treated for hypertension, diabetes, and other cronic conditions.

Tell that to the 1.8 million who died from AIDS in 2009.

Let me say i am 10000% in favor of all the work being done to promote hiv testing. All sexually active adults should get tested every 3 months. If you READ my post, i was trying to inform the readers that the validity of an HIV test is only as good as their last sexual contact. however, trying to SCARE people with stories of slow painful death after extended suffering due to medication side-effects is JUST NOT TRUE! Are there folks with HIV who are resistant to the full battery of meds? Yes - are they the majority? NO. I think it's very irresponsible to infer that hiv is a 100% guaranteed death from AIDS - IT IS NOT!

The reason why we have so many HIV drugs, and yet HIV is not cured, is because HIV is one of the most rapidly-evolving viruses known to man. I sincerely hope that your personalized strain of HIV can be cured before it evolves resistance to your medications.

If it is not cured, as your body weakens with age, the HIV will get stronger until it eventually catches up with you. Unless you get hit by a car or have a heart attack. Morbid, yes, but these are the sorts of issues we have with cancer patients, as well.

[cloud999]

I don't agree that trying to "scare" people (gay, str8, bi, etc) into safer-sex practices is more effective than the messages of "living" with hiv." Just look at states where they have the death penalty - capital crimes have NOT gone down - in fact they trend upwards.

I've talked with guys who never use protection or get tested because "We will all get HIV anyways" and "I'll live long enough to see it cured." Make HIV out to be a walk-in-the-park and nobody will care about getting infected.

And the absolute truth of hiv treatments is that those who take their meds on time every day and manage their healthcare CAN and DO live a normal lifespan. In fact, Dr. Stryker, and infectious disease specialist in an article published in positive living stated that the average lifespan now of a person living with hiv is 54 years from the start of treatment. So, that 20 year old - if he/she takes their meds, and manages their health, can expect to live to up to 74! I don't know about YOU but i think living to 74 is pretty good - especially living with hiv!

I'm glad to see your optimism...that's a difficult thing to maintain, going through what you've been through.

[zeon]

I once had a friend who had HIV and when i first became friends he was such a fun loving guy with a big heart of oppetunity and educated me in hiv and what it does and explained the CD4 count and virial load... People with HIV are not scary and the way gay people who are negative treat them at times is absolutely disguisting... Of course its human reaction to protect ourselves but we dont need to think its going to get us... People with HIV dont always ask for it... There was a spate about six years ago people going out to catch it here because the disabled benefit system ment they qualified for money however the goverment has now scrapped that idea...
I have learnt that hivb people are just humans same as us they are no different and to be honest if u go cruising and meet some guy and ask his status he can say his negative when infact his positive and you wont know the difference especially if you have loads of partners on the go.. I do agree with bob some peoples views are slightly naive and i ask the forum to respect people who are HIV for two reasons

One is letting people know they are HIV and Two is them showing the capability of living with it... People with HIV are not bad people and if we persecute them why do we then moan when countries persecute us for being gay??? In effect we are doing what they are doing and its not right so rather than fear something ask a question and your get an answer about hiv...

Sadly in 2007 my friend with HIV died at the tender age of 37 where he drank himself and smoked to the last day..... I asked him before he died how he got it and he said his ex boyfriend pierced a condom and didnt tell him he was positive until after my friend confronted him when he found out his status.... RIP

Kindest regards

zeon xx

[dfiant]

I don't agree that trying to "scare" people (gay, str8, bi, etc) into safer-sex practices is more effective than the messages of "living" with hiv." Just look at states where they have the death penalty - capital crimes have NOT gone down - in fact they trend upwards.

And the absolute truth of hiv treatments is that those who take their meds on time every day and manage their healthcare CAN and DO live a normal lifespan. In fact, Dr. Stryker, and infectious disease specialist in an article published in positive living stated that the average lifespan now of a person living with hiv is 54 years from the start of treatment. So, that 20 year old - if he/she takes their meds, and manages their health, can expect to live to up to 74! I don't know about YOU but i think living to 74 is pretty good - especially living with hiv!

Yeah I see your point. Like I said in my earlier posts I am pretty niave about HIV, my only exposure to the disease is basically the media and the one thing that left and impression on me was the grim reaper ads when I was a teenager, but I guess back in the 80's the shock tactics had more impact on people because it was something new on TV. These days we are exposed to so many shock tactics that we tend to ignore them.

I didn't know that treatment could extend your life by over 50 years, I mean that is still theoretical and hence theoretically possible and living to 74 would be awesome, but living those 50 extra years with limitations cause by a disease, especially a disease than can be avoided like HIV, diabetes (To an extent) and many others, is not the same as living a life disease free, and that's the message that younger people should be getting more so than the message that HIV is a manageable disease.