wood

Quite frankly we got "here" by guys like me. Im 30, I grew up during the AIDs crisis, I know what it is, and I got the education. When I first started having sex, I used condoms, now I usually dont. Where I differ from many other guys is that I am also very educated on the subject matter. However I have seen highly intelligent people become poz because they simply didnt care. One guy is a 23 year old hot as hell 6'1" yale grad making 120k a year. he just really didnt care. Of course at this point its important to ask why wouldn't someone care about getting HIV, and that answer is also surprisingly simple, its now easily managed. it is viewed as a pill a day and nothing more. Long term effects are really too far off for most people to care, even if there are some. There are many underlying issues here, but one major one isnt that difficult to figure out, condoms suck. No one really wants to use them, and on one really likes them, gay or straight. When I was coming out I used them because I didint know any better about risk reduction techniques. Hell the first time I knowingly fucked a poz undetectable guy raw, I thought for sure I was going to become poz. As I grew older I grew wiser, and became more of a raw top, safe bottom, now with PrEP, I really dont care much but stick to undetectable guys. For the guys who are not as educated on the issue, its simple for them, neg for neg only. Of course in practice this doesnt work, but it at least makes them feel better, and they can at least then pretend to be shocked when they get a poz diagnosis. We also got here but a fundamental lack in any sort of progress in how we treat HIV education, testing, and treatment. I dont mean this on a scientific leavel, I mean this on a human level. For 30 years gay men have been preached to use condoms every time when the level has remained stagnant. At least in the US clinics usually cant get funding unless they preach this condom mantra that has been proven to not really work in real life. When condom use was at 50% 20 years ago, and its still there now, I dont see anyway that mantra is working. I also believe the testing system is completely broken. People may think I am crazy but I fully support mandatory testing protocols. The simple fact is that people are getting infected from people who dont know their status, not from people who know and are on treatment. Weeding that variable out, would almost certainly result in a huge drop in new infections. Tie to school, tie it to taxes, make it confidential, I dont care, but make people get tested. I agree with you that I think it is sad when someone thinks being poz will set them free. And agree that more needs to be done, but IMO it needs to be a complete overhaul, much like what i said before. Some of what you said is specific to canada, so I cant really address those items, but I can say what I have experienced here in the US. The testing message is a good one because it needs to happen. You cant treat anything you dont know about, which is why like I said before I think mandatory testing should be done. Also I think PrEP should be an option for anyone who wants it. I think its so silly that in places like the US you can get HIV treatment often for free, but you cant see a doctor or get PrEP without jumping through hoops or using assistance programs from the maker. Quite franking in terms of condoms, I think they should be there, I think a basic message about using them is a good idea, and thats about it. IMO people will use them at about the same rate they do now. I agree with this 100%. A while back i was dating a guy who was poz/undetectable, and one day we were having a conversation about sex. I told him what I like, and how I was overall more mild that wild in the bedroom,and wasnt really into anything that kinky. He then replied to me, "yeah but you like cum in your ass!?" I found this really interesting because he also liked cum in his ass, and we had conversations before about sex, and that he also wasnt really into anything that freaky. Since like you I am also on PrEP, I didnt care about his status, and enjoyed the sex. And this is where I think there is a disconnect both on personal levels, and with health workers. It is natural to want to be close to your partner. Its a great feeling both as a top and bottom being with a guy without barriers. Additionally as others have stated, its not just gay men, most people dont like condoms. And I would imagine that for most gay men its simply the intimacy they desire which leads them to practice condomless sex. I also used to do outreach work, and all of the people in the center where I worked had stories in their own lives about not practicing sex with condoms, neg or poz it didnt matter, and these were the guys preaching it. I really think its just time that we are all honest with ourselves about what we do. For many guys like myself, its not about "barebacking, chasing, breeding, etc" Its just about close intimacy with a sex partner. Personally I hate all the buzz words around it because I think it stereotypes condomless sex to more than what it is. I remember a scene in boogie nights where mark wahlberg is fucking julianne moore for the first time, and its so good that she whispers to him, "cum in me!" She didnt say "breed me!, give me that raw load, yeah bareback my ass", etc, etc. She just wanted to closeness that comes with sex without barriers, and IMO thats what most gay men want, not the fetishised view of what condomless sex is for gay men.

Ohh well if thats how that came across then my bad. lol. And I completely agree about quality. The one exception to that is ketamine, because ketamine is so common that it is generally just baked, crystallized, then packaged. When doing HIV counselling years ago we also did work with substance abuse. Like you I also have friends all thoughtout the medical fields from surgeons, to pharmacists, to nurse anesthetists. I also have my own experience that I will not discuss here. As far as my comment on poison, I stand by my statement. Using even poor quality meth once or twice is unlikely to cause permanent harm, its the ongoing addiction, and use that causes issues. Don't get me wrong here, I am completely against meth because of what it does to people. However, simply saying meth is poison, drastically oversimplifies the drug and situation IMO.

yes, and no. The story could go anywhere. Personally what I saw was a guy who literally and figuratively got his fill at party, had a guy say hello when he was leaving, and he was being polite, but not necessarily interested. When he took the card out of his pocket at the end, I saw that as him thinking to throw it out, or keep it. another aspect i liked about the film is the lack of HIV discussion. In a film this short, there isnt time to discuss that, and to anyone who see's it, the subtext of it is there, especially in the looks of some of the guys fucking him.

Yeah I agree 100%. I REALLY wanted to see where the story went!

Some people just dont care. Simple as that. Personally I always ask, but I also dont hook up at sauna's, or in the park, etc. etc.

In terms of body damage, there is a huge difference in what other amphetamines do to the body vs methamphetamine. This is why Methamphetamine is rarely used today even if it technically can be. While other amphetamines still have a high potential for abuse, they dont have nearly the side effects of meth. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adderall Probably the most commonly used mainstream amphetamine.

lots of drugs are poison, meth is no different. And yes, meth is used therapeutically, although its use is very rare, and other amphetamines are usually used today. Yes, your doctor can actually prescribe you meth. http://www.rxlist.com/desoxyn-drug.htm - this is meth With that said, doctors can technically perscribe all kinds of what are illegal drugs on the street. http://www.rxlist.com/ketalar-drug.htm - this is ketamine, which is also on the WHO essential drugs list. Cocaine hydrocloride, or just cocaine is still used in some places. http://www.rxlist.com/xyrem-drug.htm - this is GHB mdma, aka Ecstasy, or molly is still sometimes used in deep psychotherapy, although this is illegal. you get the idea.

Ehhh beyond stimulants, especially meth I dont know if addicts spend a lot more time having sex, otherwise I agree. Heres the other thing, drugs have always been a part of the gay community. From 60's on, gay men did drugs, be it alcohol, cocaine, ludes, pcp, acid, etc. the thing about many of the drugs that were used then vs now is that they were somewhat self limiting. Obviously there were still addicts, but not in the way that people get addicted to meth today. The major drug problem today in the gay community really starts and ends with one word. Methamphetamine. Its relatively cheap, last a long time, and unlike many other drugs, you can still function on it, at least initially. You feel great, have tons of energy, can fuck all night, and still work the next day, whats not to like!? However, its extremely addictive, very harmful to the body, and even the delivery methods all are terrible on the body. Smoking scars the lungs, snorting kills your nasal tissues, and injection risks all kinds of infections. Very quickly people also think they need it to cope with all kinds of stuff. "Im a bit tired today, use meth" "I feel fat, use meth and dont eat" "I dont like myself, use meth feel better" especially in the gay community Meth just seems like a quick answer to everyones problems, when in reality it will cause so many more than it fixes.

Its pretty simple, and you got part of the answer already. Take HIV out of the picture, you feel better, are not as tired, and your probably like that. It feels good to be healthy! HIV was just your wakeup call to do it. Also HIV is far from the only thing that can cause you issues. Leading an unhealthy lifestyle for a long time can have serious consequences. I have a acquaintance who is a commercial pilot. He was always really unhealthy, ate badly, smoked, drank a lot, etc. Well it caught up to him. At 36 he had a heart attack. Now he is a good 3 years away from even possibly being able to fly a commercial plane again. He medical certificate was revoked as soon as he had his heart attack, and it is damn tough to get back. Lastly, you dont need the lecture I know, but quit smoking. It will make you lethargic, and not want to do basic exercise. There is zero benefit to it, and its expensive. I also makes you look like shit when you get older. Lastly, lots of people don't want to be around smokers.

good call. Call the people at the gilead assistance program, There is a good chance you can get it for free. Also check out insurance options from your school. Many will have very cheap options. Also try healthcare.gov. You may be able to get a government program.

1) I always ask status, mainly because it weeds out flakes, tweakers, and the like. For me, I have no desire to have a man in me raw, and cumming in me, if he cant provide basic info. It is different for everyone, but I personally dont get off on just a dick in my hole, or my dick in a hole. I need to be attracted to the person, and want to do it. Other people are different, but thats your opinion and mentality. 2) In a word yes, I will do almost anything with an undetectable guy, and in many ways prefer them to "neg" guys who dont get tested enough. I know undetectable guys see a doctor and tend to care about their health, with PrEP, and new studies saying they pose very little risk in transmission, its a win win. 3) No, I will do "neg", undetectable, etc. Im also vers, so I am much more likely to top a guy who is unsure of their status than I am to bottom for them. I was like that pre-PrEP so old habits die hard. PrEP just opens things up more without the worry, at least for me. 4) No, and IMO thats hard to avoid, and could be silly. Many guys who do watch their health and are neg still bareback, so there are some good ones out there. The best part about PrEP is that it protects you in those circumstances where the guy may not know. What I avoid is anyone who PNP's, especially with meth. I walk away from anyone who does meth, because I usually don't trust anything they say. One last thought. Another way to help limit exposure is to stick to complete tops, as their risk is lower than vers guys. Its far from perfect but it can help. For me, I still wont let a poz guy not on meds fuck me. For me I dont see the point. I live in a major city, and there are plenty of men I can sleep with that are undetectable. I dont se the point in taking the extra risk, no matter how small it is. Your best bet to stay consistent with PrEP is to get a pill case, and set an alarm. That way you will know if you took it, and the alarm will be at the same time daily. Ive been on mine about 8 months and have missed two doses, mostly thanks to the pill case. You know if you have taken it or not, which makes a huge difference. When its such a small detail in a daily routine, its easy to forget if you too it, if it was just out of the bottle.

well its both true and misleading, drug resistant strains of HIV often will eventually mutate back to NOT being reistant to those drugs, but it takes time. bacteria OTOH will almost always stay resistant to those drugs that were misused.

Nope, cant say I agree. I never practiced bareback sex because I got off on the risk, I do it because it feels so much better, and intimate. Before PrEP, tests every three months were always a a somewhat nerve racking experience. Now they are a non-issue. I will take that anyday over the insane amount of worry I used to get.

I have a guy exactly like this, and we have actually become good friends too. He is based in San Fran, and comes to my city fairly often, I usually go to his hotel, but he has came to my place too. I actually really enjoy that we became friends, and he is a great guy to go out and have fun with. He has also given me flight passes on more than a few occasions which is awesome. He also told me an awesome story about how on his first flight ever on the job, he ended up getting fucked in the back of the plane on a very light flight. IIRC they were in a 737-900, and there was maybe 20 people on board all towards the front. Hot story.

I dont know about other STD's, but HIV seroconversion is never going to start that quick outside of possibly a tainted blood transfusion. The virus needs time to replicate which is what causes the initial symptoms. With that said, if you dont want to become HIV+ you probably want to stop taking loads at glory holes.

Well... lets not get into the costs of health care in Canada vs the US now... I push PrEP because like fast initial treatment, and consistent testing I believe those the things that could actually with the war against HIV even without a cure. PrEP with truvada is a flawed system and I acknowledge that. Its an expensive pill a day, that has to be taken perfectly for it to really work. However PrEP is also being researched in several different forms. One is a once every 10 week injection, another is a 2x a week pill. both IMO would be much better than what we have now, with the injection route being the most advantageous. PrEP has had a slow uptake, and unfortunately its been even slower in the at risk populations that really need it. Look at the HIV infection rates in the southern US and you will see what I mean. I fully understand being wary about PrEP, however it has been proven to work, and I am for anything that can actually put an end to HIV/AIDS, especially when its been proven safe.

Agree completely, and just for reference, I typed out my response before the initial results of the PARTNER study were released. At least for the US, the only issue I really have with the study is making sure that people stay on their medication, especially because it can be very expensive for people in the US. Also I wonder if this information becomes widespread and public if some men who are HIV+ may just start lying about their undetectable status while not really monitoring it. Now obviously I think thats a low priority at this point, but I also think it a may give a bit of false confidence to some people. Relationships are much different than hookups, and the person having sex in a relationship knows a lot more about their partner than the person in a hookup scenario. Don't get me wrong I think this is great news, and I agree that neg guys thinking other "neg" guys who dont get tested are really silly, but just like any new findings I would approach this with caution. With all that said I am a neg guy who has dated several poz undetectable men, and remain neg. I also did that well before PrEP was around. I have always said that discriminating against poz undetectable guys was extremely stupid. They get checked out way more often than the general population.

It says he is in South America, which doesnt have PrEP. Dont know what your nationality is, but depending, you may be able to get PrEP some way.

Herpes tests are notoriously inaccurate. Also they are finding now that some people are getting HSV1 infections on their genitals, which is usually HSV2 (genital herpes). HSV1 is milder than HSV2, but the symptoms are the same. Herpes outbreaks will naturally decrease in time for most healthy people, so treatment may or may not be warranted. Because of this many doctors even in regular STD screenings DO NOT include tests for Herpes. I'm fairly sure I have HSV1 because I remember getting cold sores as a kid, but haven't even had one of those in 15+ years. I remember hearing an interview about some Hollywood people like Dennis Hopper, etc in the 70's where someone said "anyone who was anyone had herpes" because they were all sleeping around and with each other, so its obviously easily transmissible. If I had to guess I would think that many gay men out there have herpes, and don't know it. Not all people even get an initial outbreak, and for some people even that is mild and goes away quickly. It becomes a much greater issue for people that are HIV+ because the lower immune response means that outbreaks can become very frequent, painful, and last a long time. Another reason why staying negative, or going on treatment for HIV asap is very important.

exactly, its not a damn "gift" its a disease that without consistent treatment will kill you. Who wants that!?

I agree with this. The major issue with health care in the US is that its still profit driven, thus increasing costs for all. A single payer non-profit system takes that motive away. Do I think the government should pay for PrEP? In theory yes, but I also dont think that drug companies should be charging $1200 a month for 30 pills of truvada. If it was a reasonable amount, like oh $100, more people would be able to afford it without the assistance of insurance or assistance programs.

Being blunt, if you have no idea about "these things" you are not ready in the slightest. Becoming poz is a LIFELONG illness. Why would you choose that? even if you dont have health complications, which even with treatment are common, are you ready for what other people may think? Are you ready to possiblly be rejected by someone you fall in love with because of your status? Are you for always letting people know your status before sex? Being poz isnt fun, despite what is glamorized in some circles. If you want to have BB sex, then go on PrEP.

I would add Neg on PrEP to that. The regulations in the US currently say you must get tested every three months to stay on it, and it can be up to 99% effective. So really you can say its unknown, but in reality its pretty damn effective.

Thats what PrEP is.

you need to be on it for at least 7 days for optimal concentrations in your body before you can consider yourself protected. You may be able to find the generic version much cheaper. Its call Tenvir-em, and its made by Cipla. This is important because Cipla is the only company that is licensed to make a generic of Truvada. With that said if you do, you still need to get the regular blood tests. Heres a link I found for it. http://www.unitedpharmacies.com/Tenvir-EM-Tenofovir-Disoproxil-Fumarate-Emtricitabine.html