I'm 19yo and I've just founf out I'm HIV+

[brazilianboy]

I've already talked to the doctor and scheduled the exams I need. But I have a question that may be answered by those who have been HIV+ for longer. It's about BB sex between 2 poz. My doctor said it's really important to use protection even if both guys are HIV+ 'cause the virus in each body is in a different form, so if I have sexual contact if another poz partner, I may get a different "type" of the virus, which may be resistent to my medication. I know it's expected that a doctor says that sex must be safe always, but what he said about mutations of the virus that can get it resistent to the medication is new to me. I see some guys in porn that have BB sex with so many different guys, but they look so healthy. My question is: do you have BB sex with poz partners? If so, did you get any problems with medications because of that? Sorry for my english and thank u for the help!

[spoogeboy]

The truth is that YES, co-infection with another type of HIV is possible, but it seems to be somewhat rare. There have been cases of it happening, primarily with unmedicated people, but not many where the meds have been involved. The other concern you may want to keep in mind is other other sexually transmitted infections. I had syphilis once, and it wasn't pleasant. If you're poz and get another std it will cause your white blood cell count to drop, and throw off your blood counts for a bit.

[spoogeboy]

:)All of the above being said, HIV no longer has to be a death sentence. If you're ok with meds, the possibility of other std's, and having bareback sex, then go for it! Have fun with whatever you decide.

[rawTOP]

IMHO, find another doctor. The one you have is way too conservative. What the guys have said above is true. Co-infection is possible, but rare, but unlikely to be much worse than the strain you already have.

You're poz. Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy your life. The worst thing that can happen right now is for you to be a nervous nelly, withdraw and think your life is over. Get out there and have some fun. Take some loads, give some loads... Make the most of the situation.

[brazilianboy]

:)All of the above being said, HIV no longer has to be a death sentence. If you're ok with meds, the possibility of other std's, and having bareback sex, then go for it! Have fun with whatever you decide.

Thank you for the help!

[brazilianboy]

IMHO, find another doctor. The one you have is way too conservative. What the guys have said above is true. Co-infection is possible, but rare, but unlikely to be much worse than the strain you already have.

You're poz. Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy your life. The worst thing that can happen right now is for you to be a nervous nelly, withdraw and think your life is over. Get out there and have some fun. Take some loads, give some loads... Make the most of the situation.

He may be conservative, but it got me worried 'cause I like BB sex better. I know it's not safe, but I like it. What he said concerns me because of the medication thing. I don't know if it's commom or he's being too conservative. That's why I'd like to know what long-time barebackers say.

Thank you for helping. By the way, are u poz?

[spoogeboy]

Poz for 8 years here

[Jnjbarebkhusbands]

IMHO, find another doctor. The one you have is way too conservative. What the guys have said above is true. Co-infection is possible, but rare, but unlikely to be much worse than the strain you already have.

You're poz. Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy your life. The worst thing that can happen right now is for you to be a nervous nelly, withdraw and think your life is over. Get out there and have some fun. Take some loads, give some loads... Make the most of the situation.

I would agree 110%. It is true the is the risk of co-infection which is VERY rare and minimal. I have been poz for almost 9 years. My bf has been poz almost 8. We play with others and each other. Our doctor has NEVER told us use protection with each other. He has discouraged us at times for playing with others for risk of other STI's as spoogeboy mentioned as well. These can briefly cause havoc with your blood counts and can be an unpleasant PAIN to get rid of, but rawTOP's advice - "Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy life" is the best yet. Whether you intended or not to become poz at 19, it definitely not worth stopping what you enjoy which is BB sex!!

[bbzh]

I think co-infection is a real concern until you get on meds and get your viral load down. If the virus is raging inside your body, why risk picking up another strain until you get control of the one you have?

[rubio2001]

I agree with the other posters but what strikes me as odd is that even in the gay community there are still these 'myths' about HIV - this one being that you can get another strand of HIV from another HIV+ person. I do think there are a lot of people, including those in the HIV medical field, who will not tell the truth hoping that they can steer HIV+ people to safe sex practices regardless of the medical facts. I think there is a lot more of this going on than people think.

[Guest BBSeroMan]

Don't worry. Keep taking loads raw.

[Pig Bottom]

Find a gay infectious disease doctor if you can, or at least one that is gay friendly.

[Pig Bottom]

I've already talked to the doctor and scheduled the exams I need. But I have a question that may be answered by those who have been HIV+ for longer. It's about BB sex between 2 poz. My doctor said it's really important to use protection even if both guys are HIV+ 'cause the virus in each body is in a different form, so if I have sexual contact if another poz partner, I may get a different "type" of the virus, which may be resistent to my medication.

If this were the case there would be another HIV epidemic happening and there is none. HIV is no longer a death sentence, it's like having diabetes and being able to control it with meds and new and better ones keep coming out with little or no side effects. If you take your medication and become undetectable chances are you won't be able to even transmit it to neg guys. The best thing about having HIV is not having to worry about getting it. Best for you to try to find other poz guys to have sex with, but don't worry about them getting your strain or you giving him yours. Just realize how lucky you are to be living now, if you were HIV poz in the early 80s chances are you would die.

[tboyer]

Don't worry. Keep taking loads raw.

I've been POZ for 29or 30 years, and only on meds these last 7 and have

had lot's of guys with high viral counts with resistant HIV in fact I seek

guys out with these two things. It seem in San Francisco, most POZ

guys have been exposed to high viral loads and resistant HIV.

Don't worry, Keep taking loads raw, you have a gift now

[Deaner]

There were several articles that I read quite some time ago (2-3 years) about co-infection with multiple strains of HIV. I haven't been able to locate them again, but they were very intriguing. To sum up what I remember from each of them:

There are two major strains of HIV. HIV-2 is almost exclusively found in sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia, while the other is nearly exclusive to the rest of the planet. The scientists who wrote the article were extremely perplexed why -even with persons traveling between one region and the other- the individual strains so rarely coexist in the same geographic parts of the planet.

Not to be confused with the strains of the virus, there are varying degrees of mutation among the virus when it comes to drug resistance. I've read multiple conflicting opinions as to whether these mutations can pass from one person to another. In an individual person, it may take years for the virus to become resistant to a particular drug treatment, but it is unclear whether that resistance can be passed to another (in my personal opinion, it would make sense that if this were true, treatments that have been available for 15+ years would no longer be effective, yet they are)

Multiple strain co-infection IS possible, but extremely rare. Rare as in less than 50 cases worldwide have been reported in the 30 years since HIV surfaced. Of those cases, they were generally amongst people who managed to acquire both at the same time, or those whose immune system was so compromised that they were at death's door already. The opinion of that article speculated that either the two strains compete with one another (hence the geographic disparity) or once the body begins producing antibodies for one strain, it immediately become immune to the other. In particular, this article chastised the CDC for continuing to perpetuate the co-infection threat (while never officially releasing numbers regarding its occurrence) while the WHO has all but dropped it as a serious threat.

The last series of articles which sticks in my mind was regarding an ongoing European study which suggests that people infected with HIV who /continue/ to expose themselves to the virus have longer lifespans - somewhere in the 10 to 15 year range. At the time it was written, there was wide speculation whether HIV+ people who continue to bareback simply have fuller and more satisfying lives and reap the benefits of a more positive emotional outlook, or whether continued exposure to the virus acts somewhat like a 'booster shot' to the body's immune system to keep it on its toes, so to speak. Again, the CDC disavowed this study, but other agencies are attempting to confirm the results and determine the reasons.

Of course, co-infection of HIV with other STDs is virtually unanimously regarded as a bad thing. More serious STDs such as Hep-C can wear down the immune system and hasten the progression of HIV. Drugs used to treat diseases like syphilis can interfere with the liver and other organs that process HIV medications, decreasing their effectiveness. Even relatively simple-to-treat infections like gonorrhea can tamper with blood counts and affect your HIV treatment.

Non-sexually transmitted diseases like diabetes, cancer, and even depression have their own complications when combined with HIV. Thankfully, however, they rarely affect your decision when it comes to who you have sex with or whether to use a condom.

Again, I am paraphrasing reports that have been both confirmed and denied by a variety of the doctors whom I have spoken to about them. I've seen medical professionals who advocate condoms for mutual masturbation, others who told me to keep taking my pills and live life as I did when I was negative, and even one who advised me to not even allow my OWN blood or semen into my mouth.

If you are able, speak to more than one doctor and do your own reading on the subject. If your doctor seems too liberal OR too conservative in their opinions, take their advise with a wizened grain of salt. A lot of questions are still not completely answered, and many of the official answers out there have been repeatedly proven wrong.