Do You Discuss HIV Status Before Barebacking?

[rawTOP]

Just wondering how many guys discuss HIV status before a bareback fuck? Are there times when you do and others when you don't?

I know for me I never bring it up. I used to, but it's just not an issue anymore. I do have some bottoms ask - usually "neg" guys who want to know if I'm neg, but generally guys don't seem to discuss it. In fact I'd say less than 1/2 of the guys who list their status as neg in their profiles ask me if I'm really neg...

[submissivefaggot]

I usually ask if it's a stranger - if he says he's neg then I trust him and let him cum in me. For tops who've fucked me in the past I don't ask them - I'm probably asking for it really.

[Guest Boxir55]

I am neg and most guys don't ask, even after I ask them, which I always do. I don't discuss what they say as I am gonna fuck them anyway, but I do think most of them are truthful.

[Belfast-Bottom]

I'm a neg bottom. I've always felt that it is rude to ask someone their status. I asked the status of the first Top who fucked me bareback, but I haven't asked the status of any others since. If a Top asks me my status, I tell him truthfully that I've always tested neg. I'm addicted to bareback and my sub nature drives me to give my holes to pretty much any Top who asks. From my perspective, a Top's status is HIS business. I never ask.

[Bluepsyclone]

I think that most people are probably gonna say the "best" thing in the heat of the moment.

[sdcigarpig]

I normally only seek those who are hiv poz, as I do read what is in their posting and descript. For those that neg, I will mention it once, and if they acknowledge it, then ok. In a dark bath house, I do have condoms sitting right where they can be seen, but never discuss or insist on wearing a condom, I leave that to the other person to mention or ask about.

[Slut4anyload]

I like to know for sure that I'm getting a charged load, but it depends on the scene and the man. In anon I would never ask but I'm happy if the top lets me know he's poz. I have had poz tops refuse to fuck my neg ass bare, and I want to avoid that happening so I'm careful about asking if I think the top would have any issues with gifting.

[PhoenixGeoff]

I never asked while I was neg. I didn't really care whether I converted or not and figured I wasn't endangering who I was with.

Now that I'm poz, I'm very open about my status. It's on all of my online profiles, and I usually bring it up when setting up a hookup as well, whether that's online or in person. I always answer honestly if asked as well.

There are a few situations where I might not mention it...anonymous sex being the obvious one (like fucking through a glory hole). I figure if you are having truly anonymous bareback sex with no questions asked, you're either poz already or chasing or don't care.

[cumpig6969]

Never ask cause it is all about getting the load in me either anally or orally

[JoshLandaleXXX]

I used to do, but now i never raise it unless the other person does. To be fair, whilst i get tested every single month with a rapid antigen test which shows up infections within the week, i fuck so many different guys, and they themselves fuck so many guys - and its ALWAYS bareback.... i have no way of knowing what my status is at all.... so i just put it down as "dont care".

If guys are looking for poz guys, i'll say im poz, and vice versa.... But i never raise the issue myself....

I really dont care.... it's about raw cocks in holes, shooting and swapping spunk with as many guys as possible... who gives a fuck if i catch anything... i sure as hell dont.

[Tightslider]

... i get tested every single month with a rapid antigen test which shows up infections within the week...

HIV takes up to 3 months to show up on any currently available test ELISA / Rapid et al. Just don't let that give you a false sense of security.

[JoshLandaleXXX]

HIV takes up to 3 months to show up on any currently available test ELISA / Rapid et al. Just don't let that give you a false sense of security.

Not true.

The P24 Antigen Test (not sure if its available State Side), shows up HIV infections within a week. It's not widely available here in the UK, but thankfully my HIV+ friend is a member of a support group in his town which offers it, as a result, i can get tested, free of charge, with a test which shows up infections MUCH MUCH faster than that of the normal test.

The 3 month window period is a guide for the usual HIV Antibody test.... this is based upon the bodies natural defence to ANY sort of reaction - which in the case of HIV, is, on average, around 3 months. As i state above, the P24 Antigen test, doesnt look for the human bodies defence (antibodies), instead, it looks directly for antigen/protein from the HIV virus, and as such, shows it up as quick as 1 week following infection.

[Tightslider]

Not true.

The P24 Antigen Test (not sure if its available State Side), shows up HIV infections within a week. It's not widely available here in the UK, but thankfully my HIV+ friend is a member of a support group in his town which offers it, as a result, i can get tested, free of charge, with a test which shows up infections MUCH MUCH faster than that of the normal test.

The 3 month window period is a guide for the usual HIV Antibody test.... this is based upon the bodies natural defence to ANY sort of reaction - which in the case of HIV, is, on average, around 3 months. As i state above, the P24 Antigen test, doesnt look for the human bodies defence (antibodies), instead, it looks directly for antigen/protein from the HIV virus, and as such, shows it up as quick as 1 week following infection.

Actually that is only partially correct.

Although P24 is an antigen associated with HIV the sensitivity of the test is very poor. The sensitivity varies from as low as 10% in recently infected individuals to up to 60% in full blown AIDS cases. There is also an ethnicity factor associated with this test as Africans / African-Americans tend to have a higher sensitivity than do those of Caucasian races. This is due to the polymorphic presentation of the P24 antigen in different races.

There are some manufacturers who have placed Immune Complexes on their test to assist with increasing the sensitivity of the test, but it only increases it to 50% overall across the board, including AIDS patients.

The test is also limited to the active P24 stage, prior to antibody production. At the point of Ab production it can give false negatives. The typical time for Ab production can be within 2 weeks. This test is only valid from the 2-10 week period. From this, you can see there is indeed a very real possibility of a false negative. There are also non-reactive persons, giving a false negative.

P24 has been tried in the USA already and has fallen out of favor due to its inconsistencies and questionable results. They have looked into it for monitoring those already known to be infected, similar to the PCR viral load technique they use worldwide today.

So, long story short. The current guidelines are testing until 3 months since last known date of sexual / bodily fluid contact for a true result....P24 antigen or not.

Not to ring my bell, but ... Biochemistry / Molecular Biology / Internal Medicine Physician. I've also worked with some of the top HIV / AIDS physicians on either side of the pond.

Just letting the public know that there is alot of FUD out there and trying to keep educating.

[JoshLandaleXXX]

Actually that is only partially correct.

Although P24 is an antigen associated with HIV the sensitivity of the test is very poor. The sensitivity varies from as low as 10% in recently infected individuals to up to 60% in full blown AIDS cases. There is also an ethnicity factor associated with this test as Africans / African-Americans tend to have a higher sensitivity than do those of Caucasian races. This is due to the polymorphic presentation of the P24 antigen in different races.

There are some manufacturers who have placed Immune Complexes on their test to assist with increasing the sensitivity of the test, but it only increases it to 50% overall across the board, including AIDS patients.

The test is also limited to the active P24 stage, prior to antibody production. At the point of Ab production it can give false negatives. The typical time for Ab production can be within 2 weeks. This test is only valid from the 2-10 week period. From this, you can see there is indeed a very real possibility of a false negative. There are also non-reactive persons, giving a false negative.

P24 has been tried in the USA already and has fallen out of favor due to its inconsistencies and questionable results. They have looked into it for monitoring those already known to be infected, similar to the PCR viral load technique they use worldwide today.

So, long story short. The current guidelines are testing until 3 months since last known date of sexual / bodily fluid contact for a true result....P24 antigen or not.

Not to ring my bell, but ... Biochemistry / Molecular Biology / Internal Medicine Physician. I've also worked with some of the top HIV / AIDS physicians on either side of the pond.

Just letting the public know that there is alot of FUD out there and trying to keep educating.

I presume you're stateside, as the government here in the UK only sanctioned and signed off on the P24 test after the above criterea i mentioned were met. The P24 test, at least here in the UK is PROVEN to pick up HIV within 7 days, will only show false positives 5% maximum of the time, will NEVER show false negatives, and is totally reliable. Not only that, it picks up antigen, not only at the initial infection period, but also at ANY time following infection - i.e. you could have had hiv for 10 years, and it will STILL pick up the virus. Not just after initial infection.

If you want more information on the P24 test at this side of the pond, then i suggest you contact the NHS in London. Its worth bearing in mind that the NHS and the UK government only sign off on test which are totally reliable due to the red top newspapers here in the UK - the public backlash from any test which was subsequently proved to be inadequate would, no if's or buts, bring down the government (that's not an exaggeration either). Thus, such tests are tested far more rigorously here than in the USA and safeguards installed just in case. Only when NICE (National Institude for Clinical Excellence) are ensured of public safety are they released for use on the general public. This is why there are so many other drugs and tests available in other countries, but not in the UK.

Further more, since the tests are so rigoursly tested, the prices are so darn high, they're not available on the NHS totally. They're only available at private charity test clinics which have secured a) authorisation, and funding from the government to perform such tests.

The P24 test is penned as the future for ALL HIV testing here in the UK, and as soon as funding is available, ALL test centres are being encouraged to take up the test in replacement of the usual test...of course, any positive test is then backed up by a full blood works at the test centres local hospital. If this test proves positive, the client is then referred back to the hospital of their choice for further care, and aftercare.

Edited October 11, 2010 by JoshLandaleXXX
added last paragraph and change a few spelling mistakes

[Tightslider]

I presume you're stateside, as the government here in the UK only sanctioned and signed off on the P24 test after the above criterea i mentioned were met. The P24 test, at least here in the UK is PROVEN to pick up HIV within 7 days, will only show false positives 5% maximum of the time, will NEVER show false negatives, and is totally reliable. Not only that, it picks up antigen, not only at the initial infection period, but also at ANY time following infection - i.e. you could have had hiv for 10 years, and it will STILL pick up the virus. Not just after initial infection.

If you want more information on the P24 test at this side of the pond, then i suggest you contact the NHS in London. Its worth bearing in mind that the NHS and the UK government only sign off on test which are totally reliable due to the red top newspapers here in the UK - the public backlash from any test which was subsequently proved to be inadequate would, no if's or buts, bring down the government (that's not an exaggeration either). Thus, such tests are tested far more rigorously here than in the USA and safeguards installed just in case. Only when NICE (National Institude for Clinical Excellence) are ensured of public safety are they released for use on the general public. This is why there are so many other drugs and tests available in other countries, but not in the UK.

Further more, since the tests are so rigoursly tested, the prices are so darn high, they're not available on the NHS totally. They're only available at private charity test clinics which have secured a) authorisation, and funding from the government to perform such tests.

The P24 test is penned as the future for ALL HIV testing here in the UK, and as soon as funding is available, ALL test centres are being encouraged to take up the test in replacement of the usual test...of course, any positive test is then backed up by a full blood works at the test centres local hospital. If this test proves positive, the client is then referred back to the hospital of their choice for further care, and aftercare.

You may continue to believe what you will. Your NHS is no better than any other Western Health Department / Service. I was originally trained in the UK/Australia system.

Just informing you of the facts, not what the NHS tells you.