Infectious Disease Specialist Questions Infectious Disease Specialist

HIV/AIDS concern?

I had unprotected sex with someone 9 days ago. Today, I am having second thoughts on why I actually did it and wasn't sure of the person's status. Can I be helped?

Female | 18 years old
Complaint duration: 9 days
Medications: None
Conditions: Haven't tested for hiv yet

3 Answers

Thanks for the question.
It would help ease your mind if you were tested after 2 weeks for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, then please use protection in the future. If you are not vaccinated for HPV, you should consider obtaining the vaccine, as well as updating all your vaccines.

Yes, you can be helped. Mainly for the future, but since I think you were aware that it is unwise to have unprotected intercourse before you did, ask yourself why you did it anyway. Judgement impaired by alcohol or drugs? Judgement impaired by desire? Something else? Then consider how you can avoid the same situation in the future.

I recommend that you be evaluated for not only HIV but also syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea. If you have not received HPV (human papilloma virus, do so now. Expensive but it avoids catching a malignancy associated virus.
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Carl Lauter, MD, MACP, FAAAAI, FIDSA