Health Question- precum related

Pre seminal fluid can be infectious.

I’m sorry no one told you in the last 40 years.

Technically, but the odds are vanishingly low. You might have herpes now, though!

I suspect you will be dead by dawn OP.

Haha r3.

But really...is there like a gay website where there's reliable info about transmission risks with mutual masturbation?

I understand your fears, OP--mutual masturbation (with anonymous hookups) was pretty much my entire sex life until my late 20s (late 80s/90s). Despite knowing how low-risk it was, I used to convince myself that I had been infected after nearly every encounter. I never was. I eventually conquered my fear enough to have a relationship of several years with an HIV-positive partner (and remained uninfected). I think you'll probably be okay.

Don't be concerned, OP. Risks are extremely, extremely low. That's not to say risks are zero, but if you were I I wouldn't give it a second thought unless I had cuts or raw spots. And even then....

And I've worked in sex ed. and public health for many years.

But you may want to consider PrEP or other meds if you're a worrier, having sex without full care and precautions, or just want extra coverage. Also, do include being tested twice a year as a natural part of your health check-ins. Peace of mind is good, as is knowledge.

You may also Google "mutual masturbation" and "STD risk" and see what you get. Be aware, too, that in every community and state there are plenty of nice, understanding, knowledgable people who are happy to talk and provide counsel and help. Local health departments, health-focused non-profits. Don't be shy!

(And listen to R5, too.)

R4 and 45, thank you for your replies.

I'm uncut, my dickhead seems to have small "cracks" for lack of a better word around the base which can be redder, but no big cuts...still, I've been reading up about PEP. Thinking of using it. Overkill? 28 days of nausea-enducing meds over 1/15th a teaspoon of precum?

Honestly I'm just spooked right now. The other guy it turns out enjoys raw sex...no condoms... with strangers. So now I'm really just thinking I did possibly the dumbest thing ever.

:(

Hoes gonna ho.

You're not funny r8. Don't shame people.

For whoever may read this thread later, here's something useful from a cool website called thebody.com:

"Blood, pre-cum, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk all contain high concentrations of HIV, and all have been linked to transmission of the virus.

Saliva, tears, sweat, and urine can have the virus in them, but in such small concentrations that nobody has ever been infected through them. However, if any body fluid is visibly contaminated with blood, the risk of transmission exists.

The HIV virus must get into the bloodstream in order to infect you. It can enter your bloodstream through a fresh cut/abrasion, or a lesion from another STD. These cuts/abrasions can be so small, you may not be able to visually see them. If HIV doesn't get into the bloodstream, you will not get the infection. Blood, pre-cum, semen, vaginal secretions, or breast milk must have direct access to your bloodstream in order to infect you. Activities where this can happen include vaginal intercourse (both partners), anal intercourse (both partners), giving oral sex, sharing needles (IV, tattoo etc.), and rarely through receiving a blood transfusion. HIV can also be transmitted from mother to child. HIV is NOT transmitted through any form of casual contact.

In summary, in order for infection to occur, 3 things must happen:

You must be exposed to pre-cum, semen, vaginal secretions, blood, or breast milk. The virus must get directly into your bloodstream through some fresh cut, open sore, abrasion etc.

Transmission must go directly from 1 person to the other very quickly.....the virus does not survive more than a few minutes outside the body.

No matter what the circumstances are, if you think about these 3 criteria for transmission, you'll be able to determine whether you're at risk for HIV or not. But do remember that other sexually transmitted diseases (STD) can be transmitted easier than HIV, so what might be low risk for HIV may be high risk for other STD's.

If you look at mutual masturbation specifically, it would be unlikely for the HIV virus to enter the bloodstream. However, when we look at other STD's, like Herpes, Syphilis, and Genital Warts, there would be a much greater possibility of infection. This is because these STD's can be transmitted by direct physical contact with the lesions/growths of the other person. Also diseases like scabies and lice can be transmitted by direct physical contact with the other person. So although mutual masturbation is low risk for HIV, it can be risky for other STD's."

You've got AIDS, Rose, and you're going to die an awful horrible painful death.

Your stuff.

Relax, you're fine. The risk is so low it's almost nil.

Talk to a doctor about PEP if you like, but I would say it's an overreaction. I was topping once when the condom broke and the (gay NYC) doctor I spoke with the next day said he wouldn't recommend PEP in my case because the risk was so low.

OP you definitely have the AIDS hon. When you are uncut and you have cracks like you spoke of that is the sign of AIDS. You don’t have a lot of time left so you should say your goodbyes now. Also, because you were so stupid and such a whore the type of AIDS you have contracted is not curable with PREP.

You should be more worried about surging COVID infection rates, Dora.

Highly unlikely that you have anything. Seriously, OP.

If you're super concerned, go get a free STD test from any local clinic.

OP is already dead.

receptive anal is the priimary mode of transmission. You are going to be fine

[quote]R9 You must be exposed to pre-cum, semen, vaginal secretions, blood, or breast milk. The virus must get directly into your bloodstream [bold]through some fresh cut, open sore, abrasion etc.[/bold]

Except that is not true. The openings of the body are lined with flesh that is different from regular skin. It is called mucosal membrane, and it can absorb virus into the body without cuts/tears being present because of the kind of cell that patrols its surface looking for virus, called the macrophage.

Really, one shouldn’t spread false information. If OP got a partner’s infected pre seminal fluid on or into his urethra, he is at risk for infection. Because that opening is made up of mucosal membrane, inhabited with macrophages... whose job it is to transport virus into the body for destruction by the rest of the immune system. Only, our immune systems cannot destruct it... instead, the virus replicates.

EST alert at R18

Wut?

Okay guys, no, I'm not dead. And yes, of course I worry about Covid and have been very careful (insert snide joke here from someone who wants to call me a whore or something.)

EST is some kind of DL shorthand for troll, but I can't remember what.

I hate how many contradicting opinions there are about what should be simple medical information about risk thresholds. I've been reading up on this for two days and most articles say that there's no reported cases of HIV infection from mutual masturbation...but at the same time, that probably assumes it's just exchanging dry handjobs where fluids aren't involved....because you're probably right r18, fluid on the urethra is going to be a situation where it can be transmitted.

Maybe it's not likely to do so....but this guy who I was with was definitely waaaay more active than me, so....

It's my third day - closing in on the end of the 72 hour window - and I'm supposed to have the PEP prescription already, but of course, somehow my clinic never got it, so I'm on the phone waiting to get answers from my doctor's office again.

r12 - see, that was the exact example I saw in a YT video explaining the use of PEP drugs. They said a straight guy's condom breaking while being with a girl, so he went and took PEP. Why would a gay Dr be all "naah, you're fine" if you're gay (higher risk portion of the population) and engaging in a similar sex act?

I always seems like facts and data are replaced by personal impressions when you talk to people about health information. Dr's always speak like they know it all, even when they don't and are sometimes even completely wrong. Or they speak from their own biases. Or they refer to sex acts as if they don't blend together - aka, mutual masturbation never involving fluid swapping....

I'm not an active person, so this has been really stressful. I don't want to overreact, but as soon as someone says "it's the urethra - of course there's a risk!" or "well, it's up to you if you want to take the meds - what option can you live with?" I get shaky and scared.

You dead now, r21?

Tangential question: is anyone else irritated by cum? If a guy cums in me and it leaks out, or cums directly on/around my hole, I have to rinse it right away or it’ll start to burn and itch (for up to a few days!) The first time it happened, I thought I had an STI and ran to my doctor for a test, but everything was fine.

r23 - ??

Start your own thread, dude.

[quote]Or they refer to sex acts as if they don't blend together - aka, mutual masturbation never involving fluid swapping....

Well, since you got pre-cum on your dick, it went from the clinical definition of "mutual masturbation" to "exchange of bodily fluids" so there is that.

I'd go on PEP for sure. The question is why you aren't on PrEP? You're worried about the side effects of a drug that should they occur and you can't accept them in exchange for the peace of mind when you know you're being exposed to HIV, then you can always stop.

So I ended up getting my PEP meds just before the 72 hour mark - better safe than sorry. So far handling them well.

Thanks for the advice and insight guys - even though it was a low(er) risk situation I feel better being proactive about it.

I did give some thought to Prep - I'm just not really active much at all so it - like PEP - were new subjects for me.

EST = Emotional Scenario Troll?

"The body fluid containing HIV has to get into the body of the other person through an effective route. Unbroken skin forms an effective barrier, but an open wound could provide a point of entry. Mucous membranes are important points of entry – these are the moist membranes lining body cavities that are not protected by dry skin, including the rectum, vagina, urethra, [bold]and the underside of the foreskin[/bold]."