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Q: I recently heard that HIV can remain dormant and undetected in your body for up to 10 years. If that’s true, what would you recommend as far as a testing schedule whether you’re single or with a monogamous partner?
It may take up to 10 years or more for someone to have AIDS. AIDS, as you may know, is the final stages of the disease, when the HIV virus damages a person’s body to the point where they start to get infections that healthy people don’t usually get. An example of a type of infection seen a lot in AIDS patients is Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (aka PCP).
The way HIV works is that once a person gets infected with the virus, it takes about 4 to 10 weeks before it can be detected in the blood (aka seroconversion). For a small group of people, it may even be more than that. At that time, the person may or may not be experiencing any symptoms. But if they are, they may complain about such things as a fever, headache, sore throat, general muscle aches, weight loss, or diarrhea. During this period of time, the virus is heavily present and the body is trying to fight it by making antibodies against the HIV virus. Most HIV tests look for the antibodies so even if the HIV virus remains dormant and undetected, a person’s HIV status can be picked up by these tests through existing antibodies.
What would be the best testing schedule? The CDC recommends that everyone between ages 13 – 64 should be tested. A repeat testing should be done if you have a new sexual partner. Ideally, it would be best to wait 3 months after the 1st sexual contact with your new partner. What would be even better is if you have your new partner tested before you even consider sleeping with him or her. People who are at very high risk for HIV (homosexual males, IV drug users, and those with multiple sex partners) are recommended to be tested every 6 to 12 months.
What can also take up to 10 years in HIV? The average amount of years an HIV-infected person who refuses treatment has from the moment the virus is seen in the blood.
Q: Experts say you can still have a happy and healthy sex life with HIV or Herpes, but how is that so? What are the guidelines for keeping my unaffected partner safe?
Glad you asked! Just because a person has HIV or herpes does not mean that they are put in the no-sex zone. You can have a happy and healthy sex life if you adhere to these recommendations whether you have HIV or herpes.
Obviously, the most effective way to avoid transmission is not having sex with an unaffected partner. Have you told your partner about your current status?? If not, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND you do so ASAP! They need to make a conscious decision that they are willing to take put themselves at a risk in order to be intimate. You have to put yourself in their position. I know you may think that it may be impossible that they would put themselves in that situation if they knew, but you would be surprised. A classical example of a rather steady love in a similar situation is Magic Johnson and his wife, Cookie. She decided to stay with her man despite him being HIV positive. If your partner does decide to leave, just know that they may not have been the one destined for you. Communication is always key and would lift a HUGE burden off of your shoulders so that sex can become more about intimacy rather than being about intimidation.
No protective methods can guarantee you 100% prevention. If both of you have made a conscious decision to be intimate, then using a latex condom can help in protecting your partner from getting HIV or herpes. It can’t guarantee absolute protection, but condoms have been found to be highly effective when used correctly and consistently. Always use protection during oral sex through a condom or dental dam. Other ways to avoid transmission is not share sex toys or reuse condoms/dental dams.
Avoid having sex if you any active herpes sores because you increase the risk of your partner being infected. Also, even though condoms help to reduce transmission of genital herpes, condoms cannot help you if your sores are located in areas where the condom cannot cover.
Disclaimer:
The information contained here are intended solely for the general information of the reader. It is not to be used for treatment purposes, but rather for discussion between you and your physician. Please consult your physician for further information in regards to your own general care. And always remember, knowledge is power! Be informed.
Got a question for Dr. Edionwe? Email us at editors@madamenoire.com.
Dr. Mercy Edionwe is a physician specializing in internal medicine. She earned her medical degree at the University of Texas Medical Branch, and afterwards, completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ. During her free time, she loves to write and educate the public on medical issues. She currently resides in Texas. You can follow her on Twitter at @fuchsiamd.
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