I'm 25 and I want to have unprotected sex

[tallslenderguy]

36 minutes ago, ErosWired said:

This is somewhat misleading. Yes, the cost of ART can be extremely high, but your out-of-pocket expense depends on your situation. In my case, my ART is covered in part by my insurance, and in part by the copay assistance program offered by the pharmaceutical company. Between the two of them, when I go to the drugstore to pick up my meds, I pay $0. Now, I have excellent (if pricey) insurance, and I qualify for the copay program; not everyone will check both boxes. But ART can be obtained with financial assistance. HIV + poor ≠ death.

Good point ErosWired. i don't mean to mislead. i too have very good insurance and qualify for the pharm assist. i have never directly paid for my ART meds. i say "directly" because i do have to consider, for instance, if i left my job, would i still be able to have the same coverage. Also, when you take ART, you are tethered to it, dependent. You have to make sure you always have meds available. 

[NWUSHorny]

@tallslenderguyand @ErosWired
how different would the costs be for PREP versus ART? If they are even close  it would be greatly preferable to protect ones health with PREP. I have good employer provided insurance, but currently have a $50 a month co-pay on my meds.

[Bigblkd]

You should try it even if u at glory hole I had fucked a gay friend without a condom n I moved it felt soo natural n I did cum in his ass 

[BootmanLA]

53 minutes ago, NWUSHorny said:

@tallslenderguyand @ErosWired
how different would the costs be for PREP versus ART? If they are even close  it would be greatly preferable to protect ones health with PREP. I have good employer provided insurance, but currently have a $50 a month co-pay on my meds.

Costs, of course, vary depending on the drug and where you get it. But for comparison's sake, using full retail pricing (exclusive of any insurance coverage, but taking into account the pharmacy's own discounting for its bulk purchases), Descovy (the most recently approved oral PrEP medication) runs from $2,178 to $2,450 for a month's supply. Truvada, which has been out longer, is somewhat cheaper in general.

By contrast, full retail on a one-month supply of Biktarvy (which I'm on) runs from $3,828 at Albertson's to $4,522 at CVS. Genvoya, which I was on before Biktarvy, runs from $4,006 at Walmart to $5,230 at CVS.

Of course, essentially no one pays those prices. Major insurers negotiate steep discounts on those drugs, assess you a copay, and pay the balance to the manufacturer. So, for instance, Blue Cross may pay Gilead only $1,500 for that Biktarvy prescription and my copay might be $250, meaning that Gilead is discounting the medication by $2,000 a month or more.

And in turn, Gilead offers copay assistance programs, where they waive the copay portion of the tab for those who make less than a certain amount. And to be honest, they don't check that very closely - you don't have to submit a copy of your tax return or anything to qualify for that. In fact, my pharmacy handles that internally so I've never actually filled out anything.

Of course, one still has to have insurance. As a self-employed person, I foot the bill for that myself, and it's not cheap. I don't qualify for an ACA subsidy because I make too much money - and I recognize I'm fortunate in that respect! - but I still shell out nearly $1,400 a month to cover just me, personally. And that's with a $4,300 deductible, $9,100 out-of-pocket maximum, and where they only pay a 60/40 split on in-network covered expenses above the deductible until the out of pocket max. Prescription drugs have a separate $500 deductible, but that is met the first month of the year.

So any way you slice it, HIV isn't cheap.

[Kayne]

I'm gonna add my voice to the chorus. 

I literally grew up during the "Bad old days" Many people in my life that still should be in my life are gone, and much too soon because they got 'the package"  not everyone got it through sex. Some were addicts. some had poor health care. Of those who did get it through sex, some were tricked. Either way  it wasn't pretty.

With 50 years since the pandemic began in sight,  The "gift" is manageable. If one stays on preventative maintenance,  or once obtained,, has  strict after exposure careGoing full blown is a choice. Chasing is a choice Barebacking is a choice,  and so is getting high.

 I'm not going to lay a guilt trip on you about all the people that died so that you can make those choices. I'm not going to preach about just how reckless it is, or how you should value  the state of your health now. I'm not going tosit and jaw on about the isolation or the stigma that "Gifted" people still go through. or how shit like Covid is/was so much more dangerous and intense for those that are are "gifted" I'm not going ro lecture you about the judgment or scorn that you'll get from.medical professionals. 

Others have discussed the financial burden. I can say that in the USA,the state in which you reside can make things easier, or harder. 

What I will say is that there is a cost to join us in the Bareback Brotherhood.  The price of admission is quite high, and it doesn't end wit Just HIV. There is a litany  of other things one can walk away with., things that PrEP or PEP do not guard against.  I'm not judging,  I just want you to walk into this decision with open eyes.

The adage of "Play Stupid Games. Win Stupid Prizes"  applies here. End of the day, you have to ask yourself whether given what you know now (from the men that have given their experience and POV) The moments of pleasure you'll undoubtedly receive from taking the plunge, will be worth everything you are signing up for. 

Because there is no going back.

[blkboibtm]

Prep would be the way to go if your exploring raw.  There is always a risk of catching any STD if your having unprotected sex.  I know the fantasy of it is great and it looks great in porn but there are real life consequences that can come with raw.  If you aren't ready for possible side effects that come with playing I would say still get on prep and fuck safe. 

[Treehugger]

On 10/22/2022 at 9:50 PM, Selfsucker9382 said:

I want to feel what its like going raw

Hey, just wanted to ask if you have had a hepatitis B vaccination. According to the World Health Organization chronic hep b disease kills more people per year than HIV. 

     Hepatitis B is more infectious than HIV and there is no cure as well but unlike HIV is totally preventable with a vaccine. 
    So get vaccinated, go on prep and then fuck away with the confidence that you have already taken care of business. 

[Guest]

45 minutes ago, Treehugger said:

Hey, just wanted to ask if you have had a hepatitis B vaccination. According to the World Health Organization chronic hep b disease kills more people per year than HIV. 

     Hepatitis B is more infectious than HIV and there is no cure as well but unlike HIV is totally preventable with a vaccine. 
    So get vaccinated, go on prep and then fuck away with the confidence that you have already taken care of business. 

sounds like a great idea. thank you. 

[Guest]

On 10/23/2022 at 7:11 AM, galanya said:

not taking prep is more exciting; real raw is no condom , no meds.......

i notice that  my reply has shocked  some people but  no prep no meds is the reality for some guys here....... I don't say it's an obligation for everyone ; we all have the choice to do what we want

[bicep]

I am on PrEP and never use condoms.  I like raw natural sex.  If you go on PrEP, you will be protected, as studies show PrEP is more effective in preventing HIV than condoms.  That being said, I have a full STD screening every three months for my PrEP checkup. If I have unusual symptoms, I go to the gay health center in Chicago where I am treated for my STD.  Between the quarterly and systematic testing, I find and get treated for whatever I catch. It is part of the lifestyle of being a sexually active gay male.  I accept this situation and do not get stressed over going in for STD diagnosis and treatment. No need to carry around shame.  Just have a plan to address and identify hidden infections. 

[BootmanLA]

On 10/29/2022 at 1:06 AM, galanya said:

i notice that  my reply has shocked  some people but  no prep no meds is the reality for some guys here....... I don't say it's an obligation for everyone ; we all have the choice to do what we want

I think we all recognize that this is the "reality" for some guys here. I would suggest that most of the people who downvoted your reply did not do so because they were "shocked", but because we believe

(a) it's bullshit, for starters - as ErosWired said, it's only "exciting" in the same sense that playing Russian Roulette is exciting. Both are stupid risks to take. And frankly, ANY discussion of pursuing unprotected sex without PrEP belongs in the Backroom.

(b) the fact that "no prep no meds is the reality for some guys here" does not make that good advice to give to anyone else, especially someone young and relatively inexperienced.  It's shitty advice. 

(c) sure, people have the "choice" to do all sorts of stupid things. That doesn't mean we should applaud those who advise people to do stupid things. As the saying goes, "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes".

For an HIV-negative man, to have unprotected sex with another man without PrEP or a condom SHOULD be a very carefully considered decision that requires a lot of mature thought. Treating it as "oh well, that's the reality for some people" and nothing else when someone is asking for advice is a shitty thing to suggest.

[detroitsexyitalian]

You should go on Prep and get Hep A and Hep B vaccinations (as well as covid and monkeypox).   Then I'd say be a raw whore.    You're young.   Enjoy your 20's and your young body.   Let others enjoy it too.

[Whitehole]

On 10/24/2022 at 1:22 PM, Guest said:

I think im going to do it. Get on PREP and start fucking bottoms raw. I have a really nice uncut cock. Every time I go to a porn store that has glory holes and theatre so many people grab my cock. I get so much attention. Im tired of turning them away. I want to be a slut and just fuck. I want to know what it feels like fucking a bottom raw. I want to experience cumming inside a hole. Every time I stick my cock through the gloryhole i always wear a condom. Ive gotten around 10 blowjobs thats with a condom. Three times the person on the other end bend over and started riding my cock. First time I went in shock and ended up cumming fast. The next two times I fuck them so good but I wanted to take the condom off. This is the lifestyle i want. 

Have you go BB yet?

[OklaDaddy]

Get the vaccination for Hep B. At the time I lived in a small community. So I drove to the next county where there was a large university to the health department. I used my brother's name and date of birth. Went back for the 2nd shot but forgot to use my brother's name. The nurse smiled and administered the shot any way. The reason for the Hep B vaccination is because I love to rim a guy before I fuck him and have always barebacked. Became HIV Poz in 2010 with no regrets. I accepted that eventually I would be Poz and when it happened I wasn't "shocked". Went on meds and went on with my life, and I'm still barebacking.