HIV Support Group

I will just say that I was dating an hiv+ guy that had been on HAART/HIV regimine since it started in md-90's, and durring those 6 months of having safe sex other than oral, because I too believed in what Raggs has quoted, not to mention the CDC claims of oral sex being very low risk (now the CDC has upped that risk factor). Understand this: the guy did NOT tell me he was HIV+ nor that he had been on HAART for many years, undetectable because he thought that hiv could not be transmitted orally either and since everything else was safe--no problem, right? WRONG!!!! After we went seperate ways, I had a dental abcess/infection, then came down with bad case of MRSA and within two months, was hiv+ myself---then calling him up to let him know, as a responsibility thing....that's when he disclosed his status and he SO blindly believed/believes in RAGG'S words, that he told me it had to be someone else. I had been so busy with 7 yrs of college immediately after my non-sexual time in the USAF, and had been tested every 6 months forever.
So, as the good Dr. pointed out....IF there is a gum/tooth issue you may not even be aware of, you CAN INDEED get hiv from someone that is on HAART and undetectable for years!
This kind of perpetuated lackadaisical thought process is what is assisting the resurgence and spread of hiv in hetero and homo communties! Undetectable ONLY means it is undectable by the current standard testing done that is not cost-prohibitive to patients. Plus, replication continues onward, especially if you have a mutant strain, of which, most newly poz people have more than one strain due to this. As my well-respected researcher/Infectious Disease Dr. told me; Atripla will work for an indef. amount of time until the mutant strains that are not kept down from replicating take precidence in our systems.....then there are those that the virus never seems to get to point of needing HAART, but still are indeed infectious.
In all due respect people, LISTEN to your Dr's, and educate yourself on truths---NOT justification of unsafe practices! It is postings like I just read here that makes me want to walk away from such community groups but am hoping rather, my ACTUP Activism will prevent the perpetuation of ignorance. Note: Ignorance means not being properly informed, NOT stupid, however one can have both of these as well! LOL
Peace and please, please be safe!

Namnibor I don't wish to get into a separate debate about the Swiss statement that Ragg's mentions ...in fact it's been well and truly chewed over in many other forums and articles BUT being in an heterosexual relationship for nearly 14 years, my wife is still negative despite many years of unprotected sex PRIOR to my own diagnosis nearly two years ago. This in itself shows very clearly that it is very difficult to become infected ...NOT IMPOSSIBLE just MORE difficult and even more so with someone who meets the criteria according to the Swiss statement.

There clearly has to be an opening for the infection to take place, be it bleeding gum's, open wound, abscess, other STi or whatever.
If Ragg's and his partner decide to continue having unprotected sex (as part of a happily married couple) based on their own findings and evidence which backs up their case, then that is their choice. I'm sure Ragg's wasn't advocating unprotected sex just because of the Swiss experts studies. I think he was merely trying to put the enquirers mind at ease by relaying his own situation.

MJMJ for the record I enjoy oral sex with my wife ....hmm nothing new in that I don't think but of course this relies on a few precautionary measures:

* I Don't clean my teeth directly before sex and double check for infections and bleeding gum's
* I keep my explorations (for want of a better word) external

Namnibor you didn't get that informed choice. I'm sorry to hear that, truly! The guy who infected you deserves (in my opinion) to be locked up for deceiving and ultimately infecting you.

Let's be straight here (pardon the pun):

Zero risk - use a dental damn
Small risk - check your husbands mouth prior

Happy ...hmmm ...explorations MJMJ!!!!

Namnibor, this study did not include gays. The transmission rate among gays is substantially higher than that of serodiscordant heterosexual couples.

The reason being is that anal tissue is much thinner than the vaginal walls and can rip and tear much easier, exposing blood.

Now I am not knocking gays. This study was only done on HETEROSEXUAL couples. It did not include anal sex or gay couples.

Thanks All!