Do you fear getting an STD/STI in Thailand?

[scubascuba3]

1 minute ago, Ben Zioner said:

While your post is useful, you should not give in to the condom monomania. There are now other ways to protect yourself, just as effective, without have to fumble with a piece or rubber and lose this delicious silky feeling on your shaft.

 

Circumcise, HIV PPREP, Doxy PREP, Cef. + Zythro PEP on post act risk assessment, TEST. Get learned on these and integrate them into you hygiene/health routines. Your sex life will take a boost, especially if you are over 70.

You're right, sad that so many only know about condoms, especially the girls

[Ben Zioner]

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

One has stigma

Well I have the Asperger PREP against Stigma. 

 

Shouldn't bring this up here as some of the AN native English writer will spell is A$$ purger.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, RSD1 said:

Thanks. I just skimmed those infographics, but I didn't see anything about cunnilingus?

Unless you have a bleeding mouth or gums, the chances of infection are very small. I'm living proof of that.

 

12 minutes ago, RSD1 said:

Good general advice. 👍🏼
 

The Thai Red Cross anonymous HIV testing clinic in Bangkok can provide a double test now. One is a test that provides results within a hour and can determine infection from exposures that occurred within the last 2 to 4 weeks. The other testing method they're using now apparently can detect an HIV infection that occurred within just 7 days after exposure. 
 

When you refer to the risks of getting HIV from oral sex being nearly zero, are you referring to a woman giving oral sex to a man, a man giving oral sex to a woman, or both?

Western sex workers obviously fear it as they will only do oral with a condom ( on the guy ). I think the risk for females is higher as ejaculate only comes from men and HIV is carried in bodily fluids.

[RSD1]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I think the risk for females is higher as ejaculate only comes from men and HIV is carried in bodily fluids.

But it's in vaginal fluids too I believe. 

[AsiaTraveler1234]

10 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

While your post is useful, you should not give in to the condom monomania. There are now other ways to protect yourself, just as effective, without have to fumble with a piece or rubber and lose this delicious silky feeling on your shaft.

 

Circumcise, HIV PPREP, Doxy PREP, Cef. + Zythro PEP on post act risk assessment, TEST. Get learned on these and integrate them into you hygiene/health routines. Your sex life will take a boost, especially if you are over 70.

Yes, male circumcision is good for risk reduction, especially if you dont mind the marked decrease in sensitivity.

 

PREP is great for HIV prevention, but it isn't cheap and only good for HIV, not bacterial bugs like gonorrhea, etc. Antibiotic resistant gonorrhea is on the rise and quite concerning.

 

Condoms still are the safest route, just like wearing a seatbelt or helmet when driving a car or motobike, respectively. I do all 3, and I assume you don't. It really just comes down to your level of risk tolerance.

[thaibeachlovers]

4 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

You're right, sad that so many only know about condoms, especially the girls

BS IMO. Condoms protect against STDs and pregnancy. If I was a female I'd never let any stupid unknown man near me that claimed he was safe without a condom.

 

If one wants to do it without, get a real girlfriend.

[Ben Zioner]

7 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

BS IMO.

Interesting how you dare being disrespectful of fellow posters while you try to show respect for prostitutes.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, RSD1 said:

But it's in vaginal fluids too I believe. 

Google is pretty definite about it being possible either way, but IMO vaginal fluids are less in volume than a mouthful of semen so unless with a break of skin integrity in the mouth or bleeding gums, the chances that one gets it from a female are less, and I am proof of that.

 

Also, a prostitute is less likely to be aroused, ergo no vaginal fluids, which is why a condom should always be lubricated when used with a pro. KY is your friend.

[Walker88]

Yes, I would say I abstain from casual sex out of fear of catching an STD, but I prefer to think I abstain because of my deep sense of moral rectitude.

 

That being said (facetiously), people should know that STDs are not limited to the major ones (HIV, Hep-C, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia) but also all sorts of mycoplasma bacteria. These can be passed even from oral sex...you on her, she on you. Some women get their lady bits checked, few get a mouth swab, so if shakuhatchi (a kind of Japanese flute) is your thing, and if she does it regularly, you can get things. Some of the mycoplasma, as well as gonorrhea, is drug resistant. Some mycoplasma might require powerful antibiotics like moxifloxicin, which can have nasty and unusual side effects, such as tendon damage. At the very least, all antibiotics are bad for your gut microbiome, so best avoided. Avoid STDs and that limits the odds of one needing antibiotics.

 

Best to be "moral", which is to say carry a decent bit of fear. If a casual acquaintance 'does it' with you, you're unlikely to be her first.

[Freddy42OZ]

18 hours ago, Alpha84 said:

I am wondering how many people abstain from casual sex and quick hookups in Thailand simply because they fear catching an STI/STD?

 

Also, is it common for people to engage with sex workers in Thailand, but avoid having full intercourse and only engage in touching because of that same fear? 

 

According to the CDC, one in five Americans have a sexually transmitted disease (STD). However, rates of infection vary by age, sex, and state. For example, young adults between the ages of 20 and 34 have the highest rates of infection.

There are 4 Viral STI, all of which are very common and incurable. 

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of viruses and the most common STI, it causes genital warts and some type cause cancer in both men and women.

Then there is HSV which causes Herpes which affects one out of every six people in the U.S. age 14 to 49.

There is also Hepatitis B that affects the liver and can cause acute or chronic disease. 

And finally HIV which causes AIDS. 

It doesn't matter where you are sexually active, Thailand, the US, the UK, Australia....  and it doesn't matter if the person you're sleeping with looks like a slapper, or they are a nice bit of upper class totty, anyone can be carrying one or more of these viruses and if you are a normal adult whos had in excess or 100 sexual partners then chances are you've slept with someone carrying one of these or you've already contracted one of them.

Which is why you should always use a condom, despite condoms making sex almost pointless for us guys

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, Ben Zioner said:

Interesting how you dare being disrespectful of fellow posters while you try to show respect for prostitutes.

I wasn't being disrespectful of a poster that has been on here for a very long time, but IMO the info was not just wrong but dangerous for women. By all means use that with a GF, but it's more important that a sex worker protects their means of an income, and also that they don't pass it on to the next customer

 

I have great respect for pros. They fill a very important role in society. Much like other essential workers ( like sewage operatives or dustbin men ) they provide an opportunity for men that would otherwise never ever have sex to do so. Respect where it is due.

[scubascuba3]

13 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

BS IMO. Condoms protect against STDs and pregnancy. If I was a female I'd never let any stupid unknown man near me that claimed he was safe without a condom.

 

If one wants to do it without, get a real girlfriend.

Condoms are not as effective as PrEP and doxy PEP simply because condoms get removed or can break. HIV cases dropped when gay men moved from this "use a condom" mantra to PrEP.

 

Anyway you haven't been to Thailand for a long time so experience is well out of date

[Freddy42OZ]

15 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

BS IMO. Condoms protect against STDs and pregnancy. If I was a female I'd never let any stupid unknown man near me that claimed he was safe without a condom.

 

If one wants to do it without, get a real girlfriend.

 

You should consider NO-ONE safe until you've seen the results of a full panel STI test.  

 

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

Condoms are not as effective as PrEP and doxy PEP simply because condoms get removed or can break. HIV cases dropped when gay men moved from this "use a condom" mantra to PrEP.

 

Anyway you haven't been to Thailand for a long time so experience is well out of date

I'm not going to argue the pros and cons of condoms, but IMO a condom should always be used with a lubricant. I never had one break while doing so.

 

Any guy that removes a condom deserves to lose his testicles, if not the whole thing.

 

Anyway, I'm not talking about homosexual activity.

 

I don't see how not being in LOS makes any difference. Are they sideways now?

[thaibeachlovers]

5 minutes ago, Freddy42OZ said:

 

You should consider NO-ONE safe until you've seen the results of a full panel STI test.  

 

Agree 100%.

[thaibeachlovers]

24 minutes ago, AsiaTraveler1234 said:

Yes, male circumcision is good for risk reduction, especially if you dont mind the mark decrease in sensitivity.

 

LOL. How would we know there is a reduction in sensitivity, given it was chopped soon after birth? Anyway, women like it if the guy doesn't lose it in the first 30 seconds.

 

If anyone has seen severe phimosis they might think circumcision is a good thing.

[tomazbodner]

43 minutes ago, AsiaTraveler1234 said:

Both

 

While your numbers are facts, I just wanted to point out that HIV is not the only STD out there. There are also some that are far more infectious, like Hepatitis B/C, HPV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia,... As mentioned before, HIV NAT offers a clinic that does testing for several (but not all) of them, and provides vaccines for some. I would actually recommend them for vaccines. They are using high quality vaccines at much lower costs than hospitals. I had Hepatitis A/B vaccine from them and it was like 400 baht (Sanofi), but when coming for last shot they were out, so I went to hospital for it, which ended up over 2000 baht for the same.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, AsiaTraveler1234 said:

the risk to the insertive partner via vaginal sex with a partner who is already positive is relatively low.

Assuming that they are aroused and naturally lubricated. An unlubricated vagina can be traumatised by dry sex as the skin is fragile. IMO a bit of KY is a good starter.

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 hour ago, RSD1 said:

That's your science lesson on avoiding STIs? Young and beautiful means your safe? Sheesh. 

 

I did say it wasn't 100%, next time wear your glasses. 

 

You stick with the older, fat, smelly ones, say  hello to my friends at the clinic next time you are there for your jab.

 

[Ben Zioner]

15 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Agree 100%.

But you see, while you are so assertive you lack knowledge, no one is 100% after a full STD check, you must factor in incubation period(s). So it would be full test panel + a give period of full abstinence...

 

And why does one wish to be 100% safe in sex? We need a degree of folly to be happy, sex is the best place to do so.

[RSD1]

47 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Google is pretty definite about it being possible either way, but IMO vaginal fluids are less in volume than a mouthful of semen so unless with a break of skin integrity in the mouth or bleeding gums, the chances that one gets it from a female are less, and I am proof of that.

 

Also, a prostitute is less likely to be aroused, ergo no vaginal fluids, which is why a condom should always be lubricated when used with a pro. KY is your friend.

Agreed, makes sense. 👍🏼
 

BTW, Boots has a house brand of lube in a pump bottle. 130 Baht for 100ml. Much better than KY. After using 1/3 the bottle I usually refill it with water. It works much better mixed with a bit water I've found. 

[AsiaTraveler1234]

31 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

LOL. How would we know there is a reduction in sensitivity, given it was chopped soon after birth? Anyway, women like it if the guy doesn't lose it in the first 30 seconds.

 

If anyone has seen severe phimosis they might think circumcision is a good thing.

I actually had an adult circumcision in my early 20s (no joke). I was born in the UK where they don't circumsize at birth, but I grew up in the United States. At that time, American girls weren't used to my "pencil dick," so I was concerned that I might miss out on potential sexual opportunities as a result. So, I did some research and learned about the health benefits of male circumcision and decided to go for it. It wasn't fun, but in retrospect I am happy I did it since I very much value health and cleanliness.

 

So, yes, there is marked desensitivity (similar to that of using a condom vs. not), and even my girlfriend at the time (who had sex with me for years before before and after the procedure) agreed that the sensitivity for HER was less.  Apparently, the foreskin moving back and forth during sex is pleasurable for her, too.

 

I also knew in advance that I likely would experience less sensitivity, having read academic papers about adult male circumcision prior to the operation.

 

The good thing, aside from the general health benefits of male circumcision, is that the decreased sensitivity, like a condom, allows me to last longer during sex.

 

For those who are curious, after the procedure I was basically in bed for 2-3 days, could walk OK after about 5 days, and could technically have sex after a month but I waited 2 months as a precaution.

[RSD1]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Unless you have a bleeding mouth or gums, the chances of infection are very small. I'm living proof of that.

Although vaginal intercourse in general is higher risk for HIV infection, cunnilingus is riskier for getting Herpes, HPV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydia.
 

Whenever one gets tested for HIV it's always good to get screened for Syphilis too since that one often shows no symptoms and can cause serious damage to brain, liver, kidneys and various other things when left untreated. 

[RSD1]

2 minutes ago, AsiaTraveler1234 said:

I actually had an adult circumcision in my early 20s (no joke). I was born in the UK where they don't circumsize at birth, but I grew up in the United States. At that time, American girls weren't used to my "pencil dick," so I was concerned that I might miss out on potential sexual opportunities as a result. So, I did some research and learned about the health benefits of male circumcision and decided to go for it. It wasn't fun, but in retrospect I am happy I did it since I very much value health and cleanliness.

 

So, yes, there is marked desensitivity (similar to that of using a condom vs. not), and even my girlfriend at the time (who had sex with me for years before before and after the procedure) agreed that the sensitivity for HER was less.  Apparently, the foreskin moving back and forth during sex is pleasurable for her, too.

 

I also knew in advance that I likely would experience less sensitivity, having read academic papers about adult male circumcision prior to the operation.

 

The good thing, aside from the general health benefits of male circumcision, is that the decreased sensitivity, like a condom, allows me to last longer during sex.

 

For those who are curious, after the procedure I was basically in bed for 2-3 days, could walk OK after about 5 days, and could technically have sex after a month but I waited 2 months as a precaution.

Many men get it done as adults simply for the increased level of hygiene and the reduced risk of HIV rather than aesthetics. 

[AsiaTraveler1234]

44 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

While your numbers are facts, I just wanted to point out that HIV is not the only STD out there. There are also some that are far more infectious, like Hepatitis B/C, HPV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia,... As mentioned before, HIV NAT offers a clinic that does testing for several (but not all) of them, and provides vaccines for some. I would actually recommend them for vaccines. They are using high quality vaccines at much lower costs than hospitals. I had Hepatitis A/B vaccine from them and it was like 400 baht (Sanofi), but when coming for last shot they were out, so I went to hospital for it, which ended up over 2000 baht for the same.

I agree 💯!  I, too, am vaccinated against Hep A, Hep B, and HPV (Gardisil). I also just got the new Qdenda vaccine for dengue fever 2 weeks ago. Bangkok hospital was running a special. Dengue a big and growing problem in SE Asia!

[scubascuba3]

3 minutes ago, RSD1 said:

Although vaginal intercourse in general is higher risk for HIV infection, cunnilingus is riskier for getting Herpes, HPV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydia.

That's garbage, have you got a link for that? no way it's riskier to catch gonorrhea and Chlamydia with oral

[AsiaTraveler1234]

2 minutes ago, RSD1 said:

Many men get it done as adults simply for the increased level of hygiene and the reduced risk of HIV rather than aesthetics. 

Yes, me too! The aesthetics were what prompted the research, initially, but once I learned about the health benefits and added cleanliness, that sealed the deal 👍

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, Freddy42OZ said:

 

You should consider NO-ONE safe until you've seen the results of a full panel STI test.  

 

Girlfriends have secret thai boyfriends so never totally safe, plus a test for everything incl MG etc is thousands of baht, better to stick with the usual suspects unless have symptoms

[RSD1]

1 minute ago, AsiaTraveler1234 said:

Yes, me too! The aesthetics were what prompted the research, initially, but once I learned about the health benefits and added cleanliness, that sealed the deal 👍

More women seem to be more willing to engage in oral sex too as they perceive it as being more cleanly. 

[AsiaTraveler1234]

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

That's garbage, have you got a link for that? no way it's riskier to catch gonorrhea and Chlamydia with oral

You are correct. Perhaps what the poster meant to say is that you can acquire gonorrhea, Chlamydia, herpes and HPV via oral sex, which is true, whereas I don't believe there has been a documented transmission of HIV via oral (while still possible, in theory). Without barrier protection, vaginal sex is higher risk than oral sex. And anal sex is higher risk than vaginal sex.

 

An earlier posted mentioned about testing for gonorrhea and Chlamydia in the throat. This is true and, while less common, should likely be tested for via throat swab culture once a year, for those you are oral receptive partners of a penis (i.e., straight women and gay/bi men).