Hello Friends ,
AIDS , is really spreading very fast all over the World , even in INDIA. I dont consider it as a disease , but only as an infection and its a challenge like any other . But I really feel that one can still live happily and peacefully . The World does not come to an end . We all have problems, sickness , various karmas in our lives. The most important thing is how am i living ? with DIGNITY , INTEGRITY or SHAME ? NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS ONE SHOULD NOT BE DEFEATED IN LIFE...SMILE .....!!! AND MOVE AHEAD...LIFE IS A STRUGGLE AND IT WILL REMAIN A STRUGGLE. BUT WE SHOULD SMILE , LAUGH AND TAKE THE JOURNEY OF LIFE...............HEADS ON ,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Its another challenge thats it ! ... One can easily battle anything , even AIDS !
AS FAMILY , if we support our loved ones and be there for them , there is nothing which we cannot overcome...
Once when i read that families , dont take care of their loved ones or even Friends when they are battling with this infection and they even leave them to die or at the hospitals ... I was shocked !!! How can any one of us do that?
The only thing our dear ones require is our LOVE , SUPPORT , AFFECTION AND UNDERSTANDING . With these things with me i can surely prolong my life.........................................................................................................
LETS UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY , WHAT AIDS IS ? AND WHAT BEST CAN WE DO TO PREVENT IT ! LETS ALL SPREAD AIDS AWARENESS AND TELL PEOPLE THAT ITS JUST ANOTHER SICKNESS LIKE COLD ........
What is HIV?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.
While many viruses can be controlled by the immune system, HIV targets and infects the same immune system cells that are supposed to protect us from illnesses. These are a type of white blood cell called CD4 cells.
HIV takes over CD4 cells and turns them into virus factories that produce thousands of viral copies. As the virus grows, it damages or kills CD4 cells, weakening the immune system.
What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection.
HIV causes AIDS by attacking the immune system’s soldiers – the CD4 cells. When the immune system loses too many CD4 cells, you are less able to fight off infection and can develop serious, often deadly, infections. These are called opportunistic infections (OIs) because they take advantage of the body's weakened defenses.
When someone dies of AIDS, it is usually opportunistic infections or other long-term effects of HIV infection that cause death. AIDS refers to the body’s immune-compromised state that can no longer stop OIs from developing and becoming so deadly.
What is the Difference Between HIV and AIDS?
You don't have AIDS as soon as you are infected with HIV. You can be HIV+ for many years with no signs of disease, or only mild-to-moderate symptoms. But without treatment, HIV will eventually wear down the immune system in most people to the point that they develop more serious OIs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines someone as having AIDS if he or she is HIV+ and meets one or both of these conditions:
Has had at least one of 21 AIDS-defining opportunistic infections
Has had a CD4 cell count (T-cell count) of 200 cells or less (a normal CD4 count varies by laboratory, but usually is in the 600 to 1,500 range)
How Do I Know if I Have HIV?
Most people can not tell that they have been exposed or infected. It can take up to 12 weeks for an HIV test to come back positive. However most people respond much faster. Within two to four weeks of exposure to HIV, you might have flu-like symptoms such as fever, swollen glands, muscle aches, or rash.
The only way to know for sure if you are infected is take an HIV test. If you are infected, your immune system will make antibodies to fight the virus. The HIV test looks for these antibodies. If you have them in your blood, it means that you have HIV infection.
Do I Need to Get Tested for HIV?
The CDC estimates that more than 25% of HIV+ people are unaware of their HIV status. Many of these people look and feel healthy and do not think they are at risk. But the truth is that anyone of any age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or social or economic class can become infected. It is your actions (or the actions taken against you), that put you at risk. You should be tested if:
You have had vaginal, anal, or oral sex without a condom
You have shared needles or syringes to inject drugs (including steroids or hormones)
You are uncertain of your partner’s status or your partner is HIV+
You are pregnant or are considering becoming pregnant
You have ever been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease
You have hepatitis C
Why Should I Get Tested?
If you test HIV+ there are effective medications to help you stay well. But you cannot get the health care and treatment you need if you do not know your HIV status. Being unaware of your status also makes it more likely to unknowingly pass HIV to others.
If you test HIV- you can take steps to stay that way. You can also spare yourself unnecessary worrying.
What Tests are Available?
The most common test for HIV is the antibody test (called ELISA). It can be done on blood, saliva, or urine. According to the CDC, it is more than 99% accurate. Results are generally available within two weeks. (There is a rapid ELISA test that gives results in less than half an hour.)
A positive result means your body has developed antibodies for HIV, so you are infected with the virus. To be completely certain, positive results are confirmed with a more sensitive test called the Western blot.
A negative result means your body has not developed antibodies and are probably not infected. To get truly accurate results, it's necessary to wait three to six months after your last possible exposure to the virus before being tested. That is because the immune system can take anywhere from three to twelve weeks to make antibodies. In this "window period," someone may get an unclear result or a false negative.
Where Can I Get Tested?
You can get tested at your doctor’s office, a clinic, the local health department facilities, or at a hospital. In addition, many states offer anonymous HIV testing. You can also purchase a kit that allows you to collect your own blood sample, send it to a lab for testing, and receive the results anonymously. (Only the "Home Access" brand kit is approved by the Food and Drug Administration.)
It is important to get tested at a site that provides counseling. Counselors can answer questions about high-risk behavior and suggest ways you can protect yourself and others in the future. People who test HIV+ can receive support and referrals to health care and other services. The counselor can help you through the whole testing process – from start to finish.
The CDC's National AIDS Hotline can answer questions about HIV testing and refer you to testing sites in your area:
1-800-342-2437 (English)
1-800-344-7432 (Spanish)
Is There a Vaccine to Prevent HIV Infection?
There is currently no vaccine available. The best way to prevent HIV is to use sterile needles and practice safer sex .
1
The American Foundation for AIDS Research. (2001). Facts about HIV/AIDS: Retrieved July 2003 from http://www.thebody.com/amfar/ounce.html.
2
Grossman, H. (ed.) (2004). Am I infected? (A complete guide to testing for HIV): Retrieved July 2003 from http://www.aidsmeds.com/lessons/HIVtests1.htm.
3
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. (2000). HIV infection and AIDS: An overview: Retrieved July 2003 from http://www.thebody.com/niaid/stds/aids.html.
4
The New Mexico AIDS InfoNet. (2001). Fact Sheet 101: What is AIDS?: Retrieved July 2003 from http://www.aidsinfonet.org/articles.php?articleID=101.
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Information provided on this website is for educational purposes only. It is designed to support, not replace, personal medical care and should never be used as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis, or hands-on treatment. We recommend all medical decisions be made in consultation with your personal health care provider.
Living with and managing HIV disease requires a thorough understanding of the treatments that are available to you. It also demands that drug companies develop new and more effective HIV drugs through clinical trials and research. If you’re frustrated about the lack of information specific to women, consider participating in a clinical trial (there are many kinds)! Even if you don’t participate in a drug study, you’re still helping us learn more about HIV disease in women!
HIV causes illness and problems for you by attacking your immune system. When this happens, other diseases and conditions may occur because of your weakened immune system or because of the long term affect of HIV on your body. Some are Opportunistic Infections (also called AIDS defining illnesses), some are toxicities or side effects related to anti-HIV drugs, while others are diseases and conditions that may happen to people with or without HIV
We all know that it is important to take care of ourselves. When we eat right, get good rest and exercise, we feel better! It’s easy to know this, but harder to live by it when you are HIV+. HIV drugs can have debilitating side effects, or simply make you tired. When we are sick, it’s often even harder to take good care of ourselves than when we are well. Our families need us, our jobs need us – and we have a habit of putting ourselves last. Learn to put yourself at the front of the line. If not first, at least nearly first! You’ll feel better and you’ll have more to give everyone else.
Sometimes you just want to know what something means to you – as a woman. Sure, there is lots of great information out there about HIV and AIDS, but it’s often hard to find out about how women, specifically, are affected. What does it mean to our bodies? Our menstrual cycle? Our reproductive system? What about dating? Pregnancy? The Women’s Center is here to answer those questions.
Are you Ready?
HIV drugs can improve quality of life and help HIV+ people stay healthier longer. But starting treatment is a big decision. In order to get the maximum benefit from the drugs, you need to make a commitment to taking them correctly. Commitment to the treatment is as important as the drugs themselves. So before you get started, make sure that you are ready to stick to it for the long haul! This takes a combination of the right doctor, enough knowledge about HIV, and the right attitude.
The Right Doctor
You and your doctor are a team working together to make the best treatment decisions for you. Ask yourself a few questions: Can I be totally honest with my doctor? Is he or she available when I have questions? Does he or she take my concerns seriously? If so, great!
If not, try to make changes. Write down the questions you’d like to ask your doctor before you go to visits. Answer your doctor’s questions with the truth, not with what you think the doctor wants to hear. If that still doesn’t work, it may be time to find another doctor.
It is also wise to have an HIV specialist for your care. Doctors who devote most of their time to HIV are best equipped to manage this complicated condition.
Knowledge about HIV
The Basics
HIV is a virus that infects and destroys CD4 cells. CD4 cells are part of the body’s immune system. The immune system protects the body from invaders. When the immune system loses too many CD4 cells, it becomes weak and is unable to fight off germs. At this point, you are vulnerable to AIDS-related opportunistic infections (OIs) that can cause serious illness or death.
HIV Treatments
Scientists have developed drugs that block HIV from reproducing (multiplying) at different stages of its life cycle. So far there are four classes of drugs:
Fusion inhibitors
Nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (“nukes” or NRTIs)
Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (“non-nukes” or NNRTIs)
Protease inhibitors (PIs)
These drugs are always used in combinations known as HAART. HAART stands for highly active antiretroviral therapy. HAART attacks HIV at different points using different drugs (usually from different classes). This is the best way to reduce the amount of HIV in your blood (viral load).
Blood Tests
Your doctor will use blood tests to monitor how you are doing. The CD4 count checks the strength of your immune system. The viral load test measures the amount of virus in your blood. When you use HIV drugs, you should see your viral load go down and your CD4 count go up. That’s how you can tell the medications are working.
Treatment Goals
To get viral load as low as possible for as long as possible
To preserve or regain immune system function by increasing CD4 cells
To improve quality of life and reduce illness and death
Treatment Guidelines
The government has put together a list of guidelines to help people decide when to start treatment:
Anyone with symptoms of AIDS (such as opportunistic infections) should start therapy
Anyone with a CD4 count less than 200 should start therapy
People with a CD4 count greater than 350 and viral load less than 55,000 can probably hold off on treatment
The guidelines are less clear in other situations. You and your doctor should review your numbers frequently and consider the risks and benefits of starting treatment earlier or later.
Benefits of Starting Early:
Earlier and easier reduction of viral load
Delay or prevent a weakened immune system
Stay healthier longer
Risks of Starting Early:
It can be hard to take drugs everyday
Drug-related side effects
May reduce future treatment options
No one knows how long the drugs will keep working
Benefits of Starting Later:
Avoid negative effects on quality of life
Avoid drug-related side effects
More treatment options for the future
Risks of Starting Later:
May have immune system damage that cannot be reversed or improved
May be harder to bring down viral load
Resistance
After starting HIV drugs, you should see your viral load decrease and your CD4 cells increase. Over time, however, some people see their viral load increase, even though they are still taking HIV drugs. When a drug becomes less effective against HIV, we say that HIV has become "resistant" to that drug. If you develop resistance you will have to change one or more drugs in your regimen.
Adherence
In order to get the maximum benefit from HIV therapy and reduce the chances of developing resistance, you must take your drugs on schedule. This is called adherence. Skipping doses, not taking the drugs on time, and not following food requirements can all cause your drugs to be less effective or to stop working altogether.
The Right Attitude
If you decide the time is right to start treatment, have a good attitude going in. Believe that:
Starting treatment is the right decision for you
The HIV medications will help you fight the virus
You can take your medications the right way
What ever decision you make, don’t go it alone. Put together a support system including your doctor, nurses, social workers, and case managers. You may want to join a support group of other HIV+ people. Family and friends can help too.
The more you think and talk about your decision, the better the outcome. What ever you decide to do, keep going to your doctor for regular check ups and blood work.
1
Peiperl, L. & Coffey, S. (2003). Overview of antiretroviral drugs: Retrieved July 2003 from http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/InSite.jsp?page=ar-drugs.
2
Sterling, T. (2003). When to start HAART, and what to start. Hopkins AIDS Report: Retrieved July 2003 from http://hopkins-aids.edu/publications/report/mar03_4.html.
3
U.S. Department of Health and Human Service AIDSInfo. (2004). Antiretroviral treatment: Adult and adolescent guidelines: Retrieved July 2003 from http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/guidelines/default_db2.asp?id=
Basic Facts
While many viruses can be controlled by the immune system, HIV targets and infects the same immune system cells that are supposed to protect us from illnesses. These are a type of white blood cell called CD4 cells. HIV takes over CD4 cells and turns them into virus factories that produce thousands of viral copies. As the virus grows, it damages or kills CD4 cells, weakening the immune system.
When the immune system loses too many CD4 cells, you are less able to fight off infection and can develop serious illnesses, cancers, and neurological problems. These are called opportunistic infections (OIs) because they take advantage of the body's weakened defenses. OIs can lead to hospitalization and disability, and are responsible for most of the deaths in people with AIDS.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines an HIV+ person with a CD4 cell count of 200 or less as having AIDS. The CDC has also developed a list of more than 20 opportunistic infections that are considered AIDS-defining conditions. If you have HIV and one or more of these OIs, you have AIDS.
Even if your CD4 cell count goes back above 200 or an OI is successfully treated, you will still have a diagnosis of AIDS. This does not necessarily mean you are sick or will get sick in the future. It is just the system used by the government to count the number of people who have been diagnosed with AIDS.
Preventing and Treating OIs
The best way to prevent OIs is to keep your immune system as strong as possible by taking HIV drugs before your CD4 cell count falls too low (below 200). This allows the immune system to do its job of controlling infections.
If your CD4 cells do fall below 200, taking appropriate medication at certain CD4 cell levels can prevent many OIs from developing. Taking medication to prevent disease is called “prophylaxis.”
Effective treatment options are available in most cases if you do develop an OI. After you recover, you may still need to receive on-going maintenance treatment to prevent the OI from coming back.
You may be able to stop prophylaxis or maintenance treatments if your CD4 cell count goes up. You should not discontinue any treatment without discussing it first with your doctor.
OIs and Women
There are certain sex differences in OIs:
Men are eight times more likely than women to develop Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)
Women are more likely than men to develop bacterial pneumonia
Women may have higher rates of herpes simplex infections than men
Dysplasia is a pre-cancerous condition in the female reproductive system, It is often more severe and difficult to treat in HIV+ women than in HIV-negative women. Untreated dysplasia can lead to cervical cancer, a life-threatening illness and an AIDS-defining condition.
It is important for HIV+ women to have regular Pap smears and gynecological exams to identify infection, dysplasia, or cancer. In addition, HIV+ women should have regular lab tests and appointments with their HIV provider to monitor their health. On-going medical care allows for the effective prevention or early diagnosis and treatment of OIs.
Addiction and HIV
Addiction is a serious problem in the HIV community. Using drugs or alcohol can lead to exposure to HIV, but they can also cause severe physical, social, emotional, and psychological problems after a person becomes infected.
Some people get infected directly through addiction behaviors, such as re-using a needle that was contaminated with HIV. Some get infected indirectly as a result of drugs or alcohol, like getting drunk, going home with a stranger, and forgetting about safer sex.
Recognizing Addiction
Do you have a problem with addiction? Take a quick quiz to find out: (The questions ask about drinking, but you can substitute the words “drug use.”)
Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning (an eye-opener) to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover?
If you answered yes to one question, you might have a problem with drug or alcohol abuse. If you answered yes to two or more, chances are good that you are addicted to drugs or alcohol.
Problems Caused by Addiction for HIV+ People
Some HIV+ people get defensive about their drug or alcohol use. They say it’s tough living with a life-threatening disease, that they need something to help them relax, etc.
But the truth is that the combination of HIV and either drugs or alcohol can be deadly, either in the short run or the long run. Why?
Overdose
HIV infection can make your body more fragile. You may lose muscle mass and/or body fat. You may not be able to handle the same amount of drugs or alcohol you could tolerate in the old days – and can end up in the Emergency Room or worse as a result.
Non-Adherence
If you are overusing drugs or alcohol, chances are you are not taking your HIV and medications correctly. Remember, if you take your HIV drugs incorrectly, you take the risk that your virus will mutate and become resistant to the medications. Eventually, you could end up in a situation where none of the HIV medications will work for you.
Drug Interactions
Haven’t been honest with your physician about what street drugs you use, or how much alcohol you drink? You’re headed for trouble! You can end up with drug interactions. These can affect the levels of other drugs in your system – and make normal doses of medication end up as super-high or super-low in your system. Some combinations can even result in a heart attack or stroke.
HIV Acceleration
Want to make the HIV in your system go wild, and cross the barrier into your brain faster? Do some cocaine or crack – it’s like stepping on the gas pedal. Your HIV can progress much faster than normal, and you can also end up with HIV dementia, a disorder of the brain.
Risk Behaviors
Want to do something stupid? Get high or drunk. When your judgment is off, who knows what you’ll do – including putting yourself at risk for physical or sexual assault, or at risk for other sexually transmitted diseases. Think HIV is a drag? You’ll really be sorry if you add hepatitis C, anal or vaginal warts, and herpes!
Taking Care of Yourself
So if you know you have a problem with addiction, what do you do? There is no one right answer for everyone. Each person is different. But there are two basic steps:
1. Talk to your doctor -
Even if you are not ready to cut down or stop using drugs or alcohol, your HIV physician needs to know what you are doing in order to be able to treat you.
2. Consider your treatment options -
Inpatient or outpatient? Group counseling or individual? Twelve-step or not? A mental health professional, case manager, peer counselor, physician, nurse, or substance abuse professional can help you sort through the options and make healthy decisions. Many free or low cost recovery programs are available that you may not know about.
What is Exercise?
Exercise is activity that you do on a regular basis (every day, or several times a week) for the purpose of improving your health. Keep in mind that if it’s something you do every day as part of your job, it’s probably not exercise. Exercise needs to be outside of your daily routine.
That doesn’t mean that increasing your normal activities during the day can’t be helpful. Some studies have shown that adding small amounts of activity throughout the day can improve your health. This might mean taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking farther back in the parking lot, or walking to places less than a mile or two away.
Benefits of Exercise
Everyone knows that exercise can make you stronger, give you endurance, and strengthen your heart. But there are many benefits of exercise that are especially helpful for HIV+ people. An exercise routine can:
Increase muscle mass
Reduce fat around the waist (lipohypertrophy)
Lower total cholesterol and LDL (the bad cholesterol)
Raise HDL (the good cholesterol)
Lower triglycerides
Help control blood sugars
Strengthen bones (help prevent bone disease)
Strengthen your immune system
Reduce stress
Give you more energy throughout the day
Exercise and the Immune System
There is as strong connection between muscle mass and immunity. By increasing the size of your muscles, you may be able to slow the progression of your HIV. People who exercise often have higher CD4 cell counts and fewer side effects from HIV and HIV drugs.
Types of Exercise
Aerobic exercise uses oxygen to burn fat in your body. This is why people who are trying to lose weight often do lots of aerobic exercise. It is also called cardiovascular exercise, because it raises your heart rate and makes your heart stronger. Besides burning fat, it can increase your endurance, meaning that you don’t get tired as quickly when you use energy.
Weight-bearing exercise (also called resistance or strength training) is when you move weight with your muscles. When you do this your muscles tear, but when they heal they are bigger and stronger. It is important that when you do weight-bearing exercise, you wait until that part of the body is not sore anymore before you exercise it again. Your body needs plenty of time to heal the muscles.
What Type of Exercise Should I Do?
Aerobic exercises are good for people who want to lose weight, burn fat, increase endurance, lower cholesterol and triglycerides, or lower blood sugars. (In some HIV+ people, exercise may not lower cholesterol and triglycerides enough. If this is the case, speak to your doctor about lipid-lowering drugs.)
Some HIV+ people should not do aerobic exercise, such as those who are wasting or have very little body fat. Make sure that you ask your doctor if you have any conditions that keep you from doing aerobic exercise.
Weight-bearing exercise can be helpful for most HIV+ people. This type of exercise strengthens muscles and makes them bigger, which can help prevent or fight wasting. If you have had muscle loss, weight-bearing exercise is probably good for you. However, if you have osteoporosis (bone disease) or if you have been hurt recently, weight-bearing exercise could be dangerous, and you may need a physical therapist. Ask your doctor if weight-bearing exercise is okay for you.
Good Aerobic Exercises:
Fast walking
Jogging
Stair-climbing
Bicycling
Swimming
Good Weight-bearing Exercises:
Lifting weights with machines
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Squats or lunges
Dumbbells
How do I Start an Exercise Routine?
First of all, ask your doctor what types of exercise are okay for you. Then start slowly. Do what you can, but don’t overdo it. Be patient with your body and your workout.
Before you start your exercise program record your weight and the measurements of your arms, legs, chest, stomach, and hips. If possible, also check your body composition with a Bio-electrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). A BIA can be given in a doctor's office and takes only a few minutes. The test determines your body composition by calculating the amount of fat, muscle, and water in the body according to height, weight, sex, and age.
It may be helpful to set goals for yourself, such as increasing or decreasing some of your body measurements. If you are new to exercise, set simple goals for the frequency and duration of your workouts and increase them over time. Make sure your goals are realistic.
When doing aerobic exercise, walk at a pace where you could answer a question in a few words but you aren’t gasping for air. Try to work up to at least 30 minutes three times a week. If you have to start out with 10 minutes, that’s fine. Walk for 10 minutes, and in a couple of weeks add five minutes to your workout. Continue doing this until you are up to 30 minutes or more at least three times a week.
When doing weight-bearing exercise be sure to use slow, controlled movements. Don’t slam the weights down or drop them quickly on the way down. This is not helpful when trying to put on muscle and it can be dangerous. Try to work up to weight-bearing exercise at least three times a week for 30 minutes or more.
Most importantly, drink lots of water before, during, and after your workout. When you're feeling sick, either exercise less or stop for a while.
Starting an exercise routine requires commitment. It may take a while for you to get used to your routine, but don’t give up! If you are able, try hiring or talking to a certified fitness trainer to help you develop a good routine. Make sure to talk to your doctor about any exercise you are doing.
Sexual Harm Reduction
Most people know that serious, even life-threatening infections, like HIV, hepatitis and other sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) can be passed from one person to another through sex. One approach to lowering this risk is called "harm reduction." If you do not want to abstain from sex, harm reduction offers options to make sexual activity safer.
Safer sex isn’t only for the prevention of new HIV infections. It’s important for positives, too. A couple where both partners are HIV+ can use safer sex to prevent co-infection with other STDs that can weaken the immune system. Safer sex can also reduce the possibility of getting reinfected (also called superinfected) with a strain of HIV that is resistant to the drug regimen you are taking.
Since every sexual act that involves sexual fluids has at least some risk, safer sex means using barriers every time. Barriers include condoms (male and female), dental dams, latex gloves, and even plastic food wrap (not microwave-style plastic wrap). Barriers help reduce risk substantially.
Even though it is the safest thing to do, some couples do not always use barriers. If this is the case, you can still practice some kind of harm reduction.
Practicing Safer Sex
Sometimes the place to start in safer sex is to identify the riskiest thing you do and then think about how you could make that activity less risky. The following are some safer sex tips, starting with the most risky activities and moving to less risky activities:
Penetrative Sex (sex in anus or vagina)
Penetrative sex is considered the highest-risk activity. For both vaginal and anal sex, use latex condoms and lots of water-based lubricant (lube) to prevent the condom from breaking. Lube also helps condoms feel better.
If you’re not going to use condoms, try to reduce the friction by using a heavier lube that will help prevent small cuts or tears in the vagina, rectum or penis. (Because you’re not using latex, Vaseline or Crisco are better than water-based lubes since they last longer.) Also avoid getting semen in the body by having the man pull out before cumming.
Oral Sex
Different studies report different levels of risk for HIV infection during unprotected oral sex. However, most studies find that the risk is low. To make it safer, use latex condoms for oral sex on a man. If you perform oral sex without a condom, finish up with the hand, or spit semen out and rinse with a dental wash rather than swallowing.
Dental dams are large squares made from latex. Plastic food wrap (not microwave-style plastic wrap) is just as effective. Put some water-based lube on one side of the dam or plastic wrap. Then stretch the dam over the vagina or anus with the lubed side facing down. This gives you a thin barrier between your mouth and the vagina or anus.
If you don’t use a barrier, avoid getting precum, semen or vaginal fluids in your mouth. Avoid vaginal oral sex during menstruation to prevent contact with blood. Bad oral hygiene (bleeding gums, ulcers, gum disease) can make oral sex much riskier. Use a mint instead of brushing your teeth before sex.
Fisting, Handballing, or Fingering
Paper cuts and other openings in the skin can make your hands vulnerable to infection. Wearing latex gloves keeps you protected during hand-vagina or hand-anus sex. Adding lube to the outside of the gloves will increase your partner’s pleasure.
Other safer sex tips: Limit the time and frequency of penetrations. Try non-penetrative sex for a change. For example, consider mutual masturbation. Also get medical attention for any infections or health problems in the genital area.
Thinking it Through
Try and change your ways of thinking that make it difficult for you to practice safer sex. The things you think influence how you act.
Thought: "We slipped once and forgot to use a condom, so it's too late now."
New idea: It's never too late. Yes, even one exposure can be dangerous, but it's not as dangerous as a hundred exposures! If you slipped once, it's time to get back on the wagon.
Thought: "Safer sex is such a drag. It's no fun."
New idea: Here's a great chance to spice up your sex life. Why not take one of the workshops offered on "Eroticizing Safer Sex?" How about getting a book, video, or DVD about hot safer sex?
Thought: "I can't feel anything through condoms!"
New idea: Time to change brands! Getting free condoms at the health office or buying them at a drugstore may be cheap, but you're probably not getting the best around. Try some of the variety packs offered by mail-order sex supply catalogs or hit the "adult love" stores in your area for a better selection. The best condoms are thin but tough and transmit heat and sensation well.
Thought: "My partner absolutely refuses to use a condom."
New idea: How comfortable are you with someone who is willing to put your life at risk? This sounds like a serious issue, and it's probably not the only one in your relationship. Have you considered individual or couple's counseling?
Thought: "I can't suggest to my girl/guy that we get an HIV test. We've been together so long that s/he would take it as an insult."
New idea: How about presenting it as an act of love? "You know, I really love you. We've been together for a while, but we never got tested for HIV. I hate the thought that I could be putting you at risk, because I couldn't stand to hurt you. Why don't we go get tested together for our peace of mind?"
Sometimes the safest thing you can do in sex is keep a clear head. Sex when you are drunk or under the influence of drugs may be most likely to be unsafe.
LETS ENSURE THAT WE ARE WELL AWARE OF ALL THE INFORMATION REGARDING SEX AND STAY HEALTHY AND HELP OTHER PEOPLE STAY HEALTHY !!! ....................................................................................................
