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MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
So today I went and got HIV testing and it made me think of how many young people who are at risk (even low risk) don't know their HIV status.

I want to encourage everyone here to get tested. Education and knowledge of status are our most powerful weapon to date in slowing and, perhaps even stopping, the spread of HIV/AIDS.

If you live in the US, go to www.hivtest.org to find out about free, anonymous HIV testing near you. The services are ANONYMOUS, which means that they are done by first name only and there is no possible way that your results (or even the fact that you ever had a test) could ever be linked to your medical, employment, or insurance records.

If you're squeamish about needles, a new test called "Orasure" is available at many testing centers. It involves a swab taken of from the inside of the mouth that looks for so-called IgA antibodies against HIV. No needles. Some centers may charge a small fee for this service (US$10 or less, in most cases).

For those in other countries, contact your doctor's office and ask them for information, or do a web search.

Please go get tested. It only takes a few minutes, and it makes a world of difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

weavesmiley

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
Holly: I remember that.

Doc: will in a couple weeks.

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
BTW, I got a PM from someone concerned that it is inappropriate to ask people to reveal their medical history on a message board.

Please note that at no point have I revealed my HIV status. Although the fact that I get regularly tested and seem happy afterwards would imply that I am HIV-negative, my actual HIV status is nobody's business (unless I'm contemplating sex with them). And neither is yours.

However, I am asking people to go get tested. Because every little swing we take at this monster helps.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


hamamelisBRONZE Member
nut.
756 posts
Location: Bouncing off the walls., England (UK)


Posted:
Just curious, but why would it be inappropriate to reveal your own status?



I can see asking other people about theirs being so (though even if you did, no-one would be under any obligation to do so), but would anyone consider someone posting that they had any other medical condition -from a sore throat to cancer- as inappropriate for a public forum?



I'm not* trying to imply that everyone should.. just.. thinking..



(edited to add missing negative, thanks smile )
EDITED_BY: hamamelis (1214488463)

THE MEEK WILL INHERIT THE EARTH!


If that's okay with you?


astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
I think that the main reason is that there is less of a stigma attached to suffering from cancer or something like that.



Until HIV/AIDS is accepted on the same sort of level, then I think that asking will always be inappropriate. Especially given the most common way it spreads (ie sexual activity).



Would you expect people to randomly volunteer whether they had something like gonorrhea or syphilis?

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
 Written by :hamamelis



Just curious, but why would it be inappropriate to reveal your own status?







It's not. It's inappropriate to ask others to reveal theirs unless it is of immediate relevance (i.e. it is appropriate to ask someone their status if you are contemplating them as a sexual partner).

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


spinningstarletSILVER Member
enthusiast
271 posts
Location: Bradford *rolls eyes*, United Kingdom


Posted:
Thursday is testing day for me.....

Oh, and i agree that encouraging people to get checked is a super duper thing!

It's up to others to decided what to reveal and to whom.

Sparklygreenfire*Green Spirit*
201 posts
Location: Southampton, England


Posted:
I agree! I have a friend who has never been tested yet has had unprotected sex so many times...and continues to do so, not with the same guy either. She has no intention of getting tested as she says she would just rather not know!! This is pathetic and irresponsible and I've told her how I feel. It's up to ppl to make sure they don't pass anything on. Most ppl have slipped up at some point or other, fair enough...go get tested. But don't be ignorant to the point of being malicious!

Are you a robot...or an alien?


astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
Why yes, I do know my status.

Since it was partly this that inspired the choice, *BUMP*....

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


NeeBRONZE Member
newbie
15 posts
Location: Australia


Posted:
HIV is fairly uncommon in Australia I think. I've never met anyone I knew to have HIV though a friend of mine did. Either way, it's still important to get checked. I don't know how it is in other places but here, you can go to your GP and get a free referal to a pathologist who will take a blood and urine sample and test you for practically everything (HIV, Hep B, Hep C, Chlymidia, Gonorrohea, syphilis, etc). You get this test routinely under some circumstances, like if you get pregnant. And yes, I know my status.

TobinWrightBRONZE Member
newbie
30 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
My best friend is HIV+ and he's a very very private person. I remember I had told a friend about him once, thinking it wasn't a big deal and he lost it on me.

I understand why now, and it kills me that he thinks it makes him less than anyone else. He's one of the best guys I know and I've seen first hand the completely unnecessary hatred that he receives from people.

Since then I've been tested every 6 months. I don't want to ever have the same look on my face that I see on his when he walks into the clinic waiting for his viral load count. It's scary stuff, we need more education on this.

It's not just gay people that can get HIV!!!

MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
 Written by :TobinWright


It's not just gay people that can get HIV!!!



Admittedly it probably has something to do with where I've practiced, but the vast majority of HIV cases I've seen are straight people, and most of them minorities.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


FireTomStargazer
6,650 posts

Posted:
Don't know why you get yourself tested every 6 months... Maybe you should reconsider your habits.

As far as my knowledge goes, the condition only shows up after 3 months (incubation?)... and if you're scared that you infected yourself and might unintentionally be passing it on, then just you should consider using protection.

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink


animatEdBRONZE Member
1 + 1 = 3
3,540 posts
Location: Bristol UK


Posted:
The only protection that is 100% guaranteed is abstinence.

I don't really want to use it if I can help it... wink

Empty your mind. Be formless, Shapeless, like Water.
Put Water into a cup, it becomes the cup, put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
Water can flow, or it can Crash.
Be Water My Friend.


TobinWrightBRONZE Member
newbie
30 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
 Written by :FireTom



Don't know why you get yourself tested every 6 months... Maybe you should reconsider your habits.



As far as my knowledge goes, the condition only shows up after 3 months (incubation?)... and if you're scared that you infected yourself and might unintentionally be passing it on, then just you should consider using protection.





I think that's pretty righteous of you to judge my 'habits'. I was saying it is good to know where you stand, because not everyone is obviously as saintly as you are.



Getting checked is a good thing, grow up and don't judge other people.



Edit: Just as stated above me, protection isn't 100%. If you think it is, maybe you should do some research. I wear protection even when I'm monogamously involved.
EDITED_BY: TobinWright (1218280995)

MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
First of all, *Bump!*

I know MY status!

Originally Posted By: FireTomDon't know why you get yourself tested every 6 months... Maybe you should reconsider your habits.

As far as my knowledge goes, the condition only shows up after 3 months (incubation?)... and if you're scared that you infected yourself and might unintentionally be passing it on, then just you should consider using protection.

Second of all, I cannot emphasize enough: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SAFE SEX; THERE IS ONLY SAFER SEX

Using condoms 100% of the time (and I do) is NEVER a reason why you shouldn't get tested regularly. The ONLY reason you should not get tested regularly is if you are either 1) not sexually active and have not been sexually active for 6 months BEFORE your last negative HIV test OR 2) if you are in a monogamous relationship, you are 100% SURE it is monogamous, and both of you have negative STD tests dating from 6 months after you became monogamous.

Using condoms doesn't mean that you don't need to get tested and having a negative test doesn't mean that you can stop using condoms. I was not concerned that I had HIV this time, but I still get tested at least every 6 months as a matter of routine. And unless you fall into one of the above categories, you should, too.

Oh, I also know my gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis status.

As for time course, 95% of patients will have a positive HIV test within 3 months of having been infected. >99.9% (read 100%) will have a positive test by 6 months.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


Mother_Natures_SonSILVER Member
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!


Posted:
I know all those status' also, but I'm still not allowed to give blood because of my recent tattoo. frown

hug


astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
In my case, the Eastern Cape gets sticky about me donating because I live in a malaria area....

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
I'm not allowed to give blood because

1) I am gay
2) I have spent a grand total of 12 months in Europe in my life. Yes, folks, that's a disqualifier in the US. Worried about Mad Cow or something. And then we wonder why we have a blood shortage.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
in australia i think you have to have continueously lived in the UK or Europe for over two years to be excluded from donating.

12 months over the course of your life? that sounds a bit rediculous.

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
It's because those Limeys are so filthy.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
In RSA it is a total of 12 months or so between certain dates (1990 and 1996 or something) in the UK, including Isle of Man, Channel Islands and so on....

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
yeah i think we have the same thing aston, either two years in total or over 6 months between certain dates (i believe in the 80s).

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


DrDrizzleBRONZE Member
Student of Life
32 posts
Location: Argenta Art District, NLR, USA


Posted:
I know my status! And think its a very wise choice for anyone who is sexually active to get tested at least every six months. I volunteered at a testing clinic as a counselor and was sort of taken back by the randomness of people who DID test positive...it's not just junkues and gay men. It was doctors, husbands, farmers...no one is exempt.

Thanks to everyone who posted!

There is no strong performance without a little fanaticism in the performer.


natasqiaddict
489 posts
Location: Perth


Posted:
I know my status!

Mainly coz I got a needlestick in February. and even though I've been tested etc, I'm not allowed to donate blood for 12 months... *sigh*

FireTomStargazer
6,650 posts

Posted:
I don't know my status!

But I've been faithful for 3 years now and tested negative back then... in case I'll change parter I'll get me tested again.

Originally Posted By: MikeI'm not allowed to give blood because

1) I am gay
2) I have spent a grand total of 12 months in Europe in my life. Yes, folks, that's a disqualifier in the US. Worried about Mad Cow or something. And then we wonder why we have a blood shortage.

That's completely ridiculous and imnsho discriminative!

@TW - no judgment involved in this... I just state my opinion wink This i snot about "holiness". If I were to be unfaithful, I would tell my partner (though using protection) and would get tested.

It's not about judgment - it's about lifestyles.

Do you only test for HIV or also for Hepatitis and other STD's? Because HIV is only one out of manymanymany wink
EDITED_BY: FireTom (1278841798)
EDIT_REASON: PS

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink


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