I cant BB anymore is this just a phase?

[Male22192]

There is no magic age where people living with HIV drop dead. Actually I've been told by a doc (who is the head of the Immunodeficiency clinic of a major hospital who participates in HIV research) that so long as someone is consistently compliant with their meds, there isnt any difference in life expectancy.

Besides, think about it, at 62 you could drop dead of several other diseases. Heart attack or Cancer to mention a couple of big ones.

No, I'm not saying got out and get pozzed, I'm saying stop worrying as that stress itself could be cutting your life short.

That's the thing. There is so much conflicting info out there it's hard to know who to believe. Yes, you can die of almost anything, but I am not going to purposely engage in something that could cut short my life.

As for meds, if you can't afford them, then you're fucked. Even though I have a decent income, I live in a high cost area and I know in all honesty I couldn't afford them.

[JoshLandaleXXX]

Interesting thread. Do what feels right for you, and only you. Don't listen to anyone else who tells you you should be doing this that or the other. Its your life, and you lead it for you. If the risks are acceptable, and you want to go raw, go raw. If the risks weigh on your mind, go safe.

As for ages of death for HIV+ people, as someone else said, there is no magic age at which you just keel over and die. Same as there isnt for HIV- people. Some people on meds out live people who are HIV-. Other people have drug resistant strains, and develop AIDS really quickly, passing to the grave within months of their diagnosis.

For the most part, if you have a strain that is managable with meds, and you adhere to them strictly, consistantly, there is no reason why you will die early. In fact, the indications are now that when you do die, it will be from something totally unrelated to HIV... you will die WITH HIV, not BECAUSE of HIV. On the other hand you may get hit by a bus tomorrow....

Read my article coming up tomorrow for Positive Lite in which I talk about barebacking, the risks, the stages of acceptance we go through etc. It's a really in depth, thought provoking piece.

I was asked to write it by the Editor of Positive Lite, Bob Leahy after he saw my blog and contacted me.

[PhoenixGeoff]

In fact, the indications are now that when you do die, it will be from something totally unrelated to HIV... you will die WITH HIV, not BECAUSE of HIV.

This is mostly true, but there is one small caveat: recent research on aging seems to indicate that life expectancy can be tied to cumulative damage done over the course of years by the combination of different, otherwise unrelated factors. For instance, have HIV by itself may not be deadly, but it does put a certain amount of strain on the body. Add to that strain (through, say, smoking or drinking or poor diet or through other chronic diseases like diabetes, or even the chronic side effects of HIV meds) and the toll increases to the point where perhaps you don't die of HIV strictly speaking, but you might have a heart attack a bit earlier than you otherwise would have.

So the point is, yes you can have a completely normal life expectancy with HIV. It is a manageable condition. But if you start piling several manageable conditions on top of each other, you start running into problems.

Short answer: make your vices few, and choose them carefully.

BTW, congrats on the article!

[TxBBTop]

I was actually in this same situation. I grew up with my parents and everyone else always telling me to wear condoms. But after I discovered the joy of fucking raw I attempted to use condoms every once in awhile or only fuck guys bare that i fuck regularly. I'm still somewhat safe when it comes to barebacking. i'm neg and am not a chaser but I'm not scared of doing what I love. Yes, I don't advertise that I'm a devout barebacker, but I also wouldnt talk with my parents about my sex life so what does it matter if im breeding or playing it safe.

Also, im a big believer that you have one life to live, and you need to enjoy it while it lasts. Lord knows I don't want the last thing I did on this earth to fuck a guy with a condom.... I'd rather be sliding into a slick bare hole full of 2 of my previous loads and maybe even 10-20 of other guy's cum in there too!

Hope this gives u some insight