FORUMS > HIV/AIDS Forum Rules

Leading HIV/AIDS organizations like the San Francisco AIDS Foundation recommend that sexually active men who have sex with men get tested for HIV every 6 months; more often for those who have higher-risk activities.

Do you get tested regularly? If so, how/where do you get your test? Please share your experiences with other RealJock members who may be worried about getting an HIV test.

Depends on how active you are. Every 3 or 6 months....at least yearly.

I get tested every 6 months at Kaiser.

i was going to be witty here... but then i noticed this is official

No less often then every six months, and no more often than every three months.

I get tested twice a year - once for my Navy physical and then again for my regular/civilian one. Conveniently, they're about six months apart.

I've gone more often when starting a new relationship to give a partner peace of mind and I'd go if there was something that made me nervous. Actually, in that case, I'd probably go a couple times...right away and then in a few weeks, again after a month and then again in three months.

We've got a great free clinic in DC - Whitman Walker. They're very friendly and helpful.

I'm a firm believer that everyone who is sexually active (or trying to be) should know and understand their health data.

I get tested twice a year. Once at Pride, and another in the winter.

2-3 times a year

I go about every 5 months. But I get the whole STD panel thingy done.

RealJock saidLeading HIV/AIDS organizations like the San Francisco AIDS Foundation recommend that sexually active men who have sex with men get tested for HIV every 6 months; more often for those who have higher-risk activities.

Do you get tested regularly? If so, how/where do you get your test? Please share your experiences with other RealJock members who may be worried about getting an HIV test.

Thanks for this thread, Chris.

We both get tested at least every 6 months, for HIV and a complete blood panel of STIs and other infectious diseases.

My partner & I are at zero risk for HIV. But we're involved with the HIV/AIDS community, encouraging others to test every 6 months. So we try to set an example.

We would be sending a conflicting message to the community if we said: "YOU get tested regularly, but we don't need to test ourselves, because we're low risk." Problem is, many guys will cop out and use the same excuse, that they're not at risk, either. Except in their case, it's actually denial and avoidance.

So I urge other guys to do the same thing: test for yourself, but also test for your friends and others you know. Encourage everyone to test with your own good example.

Every 6 months through my doctor.

I get tested once a year with my physical as I have not been very active due to illness. Now that I am well again, my Doctor says that when my activity level picks up, I should get tested every six months.

Every 6 months or fewer. I don't hookup very much, but after each one and before the next provided its in the window period. I just saw the oral at home tests at Kroger for only $40. Definitely something i'll do frequently now that it's easily available! I hate the stigma of going somewhere to have it done.

With sexual activity, every 3 months, and if I ever do bareback, I go immediately... HIV-

If you're not exclusive and sleep around, the I'd say often. If not, then once you know you're negative not until you've changed partners.

For those in school (in the US) most health centers should be able to test for STD panels and a good number offer HIV testing as well. I suspect that the number should grow with the rapid oral tests. The last two times I was tested were with those.

Remember, kids, knowing is half the battle!

Twice a year, which is about twice as often as I get laid. Go figure...

I usually go to the local LGBTQI Center. They are mighty fine people, and the tester is a real hoot!

Twice a year.

twice in year
in germany we become one test per year for free from health insurcane
the second i pay for myself
is not much money i pay 30 €

JR_RJ saidWith sexual activity, every 3 months, and if I ever do bareback, I go immediately... HIV-

I'm glad you're testing, but, doing it immediately after barebacking doesn't indicate if you've just gotten infected.

Most HIV tests require 3 to 6 months for the blood antibodies to develop on which the tests rely. For that reason the results you get are indicating what your HIV status was 3 to 6 months ago, not what it is today. But a person testing negative can still be infectious to others if recently infected with HIV.

There is a test that gives results in about 10 days following infection, but it's very expensive, and you must request it from a medical facility. You won't find it in a local community center, or in a home test kit. It's called a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.

BTW, barebacking is a very bad idea. I recommend you use a condom for anal sex at all times with casual sex partners.

http://www.avert.org/testing.htm

(This site is not current regarding home testing, which is now available for sale in the US)

3-6months... in Canada, the tests are free at the Public Health Clinics. And they give you a big bag of lube and domes when you leave!

I had my first test the other day and even though I don't fuck around a lot I was still nervous about the results, all clear though.

I think the stigma over HIV tests is still kinda prevalent which is a shame. It's helpful to have a doctor who is understanding about the issue so they can put any apprehensions aside.

I get a full D.C. pre-marital blood test and hiv test every 3 months.

Here in New Mexico, getting tested is somewhat of a problem.

The state budget for STD tests and treatment has been drastically cut. Unless you tell the personnel at a NM STD clinic that you have had sex with X number of partners (I don't remember what X is, but it's rather high), they will absolutely not test you, even if you offer to pay for the test. Getting tested by a private doctor or clinic could result in sub-standard medical treatment depending on the attitudes of the personnel.

The solution may lie in using the new home test, but I don't know how reliable it is.

FRE0 saidHere in New Mexico, getting tested is somewhat of a problem.

The state budget for STD tests and treatment has been drastically cut. Unless you tell the personnel at a NM STD clinic that you have had sex with X number of partners (I don't remember what X is, but it's rather high), they will absolutely not test you, even if you offer to pay for the test. Getting tested by a private doctor or clinic could result in sub-standard medical treatment depending on the attitudes of the personnel.

The solution may lie in using the new home test, but I don't know how reliable it is.

The home test is the same as used by many agencies, and is just as reliable. It's a mouth swab that tests for the presence of the antibodies produced by the presence of the HIV virus. But as I noted above, the human body takes about 3 to 6 months to produce those antibodies following HIV infection.

So like most HIV tests it's not a "morning after" test that gives you an instant indicator as soon as you become infected. The reading you get tells you what your HIV status was 3 to 6 months ago, but not more recently. If you got infected 1 month ago these tests will not pick it up, even though the virus is in your system, and while you can be infecting others.