What you say is correct, however, cold sores commonly known at HSV1 can be transmitted to the genitals and, conversely, genital HSV2 can be transmitted to the oral region. Therefore, if you have HSV1 you can give someone HSV1 on the genitals which would now be considered a STD. Many people with HSV of either type are asymptomatic and can shed virus without any signs or symptoms. So just becuase you have HSV1 doesn't mean you didn't get it or give it as an STD.
How many of you have been hobbying for years, and did DATY, BBBJ, and DFK all this time, and have not contracted any form of STDs ever? I mean, you have to get tested to confirm... Is it possible to hobby, remain married, and not contract anything ever?
11 years hobbying, happily married & no STD's
So far so good. Knock on wood.
...just one case of a molluscum. This STD can also be contracted through non-sexual means, which my wife chose to accept.
Strangely enough, I did not give it to my wife. It is supposed to be very contagious, but we took precautions every time and she never caught it.
I did curtail my hobbying activities until it went away (you can also get them burned off with liquid nitrogen.) Nobody I had seen recently had the STD, so maybe I didn't catch it from the hobby.
This is in no way intended to suggest that you should not be careful as you hobby. Cover up, and do your testing.
I have been in the Hobby for a while and have enjoyed the company of more than a few ladies and have never showed any signs of an STD. I get a blood work done every 3 months as part of my regular medical care.
Many of the STDs are aymptomatic and/or often not readily visible in men (chlamydia, warts, herpes). The true incidence will be much higher than any reported numbers.
I've said it before and will say it again, if you participate in this hobby you are at very high risk for getting an STD. You are only fooling yourself if you believe otherwise.
The only time I got STDs was in the 70s, in massage parlors off Times Square in NYC when I was young and reckless. I got clap once and a non-specific urinary tract infection the second time. I have seen more providers than I can count, let's say in the hundreds, and done DATY, BBBJ and DFK with loads of them. I have consistently and religiously used condoms, with two unusual exceptions where I was absolutely confident in the integrity of my partner. I've been tested, and I'm clean. While past results are no indication of future performance, and I don't recommend unprotected sex to anyone, my experience has been that the biggest risk of seeing providers is getting orally-transmitted diseases such as colds or the flu.
8 years hobbying and no STD's.
I'm a cancer survivor and I get my blood checked twice a year, I will ask the doctor to run all the STD (inc HIV) tests at least once per year.
I've been hobbying for awhile and never caught an STD from a provider. I have contracted an STD or two back in my early Marine Corps days from the barracks groupies and club hags.
However, I will say that there's no way to get around the reality of hobbying---it's risky; and you only have yourself to blame if you catch something. I rationalize by saying to myself "If a provider has an STD, she's likely to be confronted or exposed by her customers." It's in their best interest to remain disease free, or at least know it if they have one and avoid spreading it. That's not to say that they will...but it does relax my mind as I take the plunge each time.
I'd thought I'd contracted something so got tested for everything possible. Came out clean as a whistle and the doc told me that it was all in my head but to be careful from now on. That test was after seven years of hobbying.
Years of hobbying with well over 100 different women. Never caught anything.
It is very possible to hobby and stay married. Just be very discreet. It's not that hard.
So far (5 years) no STDs and I get tested once/year (I know Sedona would heckle me for not doing a test more often). BUT...I do get the common cold or flu about 50% of the time. Part of my screening is whether the provider screens and also shows smarts. I figure if she is smart, she is careful. Doc in the box is a bit too bleak on this topic.
How do you know you have never had a STD? Warts can be tiny and difficult to see. They often go away on their own. Same with molluscum which are often confused with simple whitehead pimples. The majority of the adult population is HSV positive - you may have had herpes and not known it. Furthermore, there are no "blood tests" that are 100% accurate for all of these diseases.
The point is that just because you haven't noticed any signs or symptoms doesn't mean that you haven't had an STD. Sometimes they are relatively asymptomatic and other times they can be awful.
I'm willing to take the risk and play safe, however, there is not question that we are dealing with an extremely high risk population.
I don't think the truth on this is as bad as DocInTheBox implies.
Yes, we're at increased risk.
And yes, some STDs may go undetected.
But it IS possible to minimize risks. Being proactive about preventing and detecting infection, even if not perfect solutions, helps to minimize risks.
DocInTheBox says "the majority of the adult population is HSV positive". While that may be true, it is misleading. We're talking about STDs here. Probably helpful to make a distiction between HSV-1 (coldsores) and HSV-2 (genital herpes).
HSV-1 is very common. According to the GlaxoSmithKline site "coldsore.com", 80% to 90% of the US population over 50 has HSV-1. But this is not genital herpes.
HSV-2 (genital herpes), according to the same site, affects about 20% of Americans over age 12.
What you say is correct, however, cold sores commonly known at HSV1 can be transmitted to the genitals and, conversely, genital HSV2 can be transmitted to the oral region. Therefore, if you have HSV1 you can give someone HSV1 on the genitals which would now be considered a STD. Many people with HSV of either type are asymptomatic and can shed virus without any signs or symptoms. So just becuase you have HSV1 doesn't mean you didn't get it or give it as an STD.
Started the hobby at 25, took a break while married and then am back full force (11 years total).
Never an STD.
Doc is basically correct.
HSV is probably your greatest concern. Most people who have it don't know it, and a person does not have to be symptomatic to transfer the virus.
Testing used to be impossible unless you were symptomatic, because practically everyone carries the HSV-1 (oral cold sore) variety and there was not a blood test that could distinguish between HSV-1 and HSV-2.
But it is my understanding there is now a blood screen test that can resolve HSV-1 from HSV-2. It is pretty new, you would probably have to ask for it specifically.
The Doc is correct.Here are some bare facts about testing for STDs.
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/STD/messages/C9-1.html
I argee with you that a good offense is a good defense. I try not to see high volume providers or those who have a reputation for everything but BBFS. I do think it helps. Almost 3yrs and nothing yet. Like you I get tested once a year. Maybe not enough but I'm not partaking like some and seeing the eros girls of the week. Mostly with my ATF who I've known for 2yrs.
17 years hobbying -- am single -- no STDs so far.
That Minnesota sense of humor can be killer.
I've been in the hobby for 10 years and I have yet to catch anything, knock on wood. Of course I've been carefull and I subject myself to an annual physical every year.
might be a long time... LOL... seriously. I think the answer is on several levels. Start with covering. Absolutely no FS without it. You are relatively safe on BBBJ but DATY is another story. That's where choosing to be selective about who you see and what kind of provider you see. Who equals a reputable provider with solid reviews. What kind equals someone with reviews rather than a lady in a bar or on a street corner.
The last advice I have is just personal choice and no real facts to back it up. But I avoid Greek. Uncovered its like the single worst thing you can do. Finally, if a lady offers to leet you have any FS uncovered.... run... do not walk... to the door.
30 years still going. I must be one lucky SOB. Only got crabs once and wife thought it was from our trip to Jamaica. Lots of DATY. NO BBsex. Probably 750-1000 women.
About a year ago I found myself going to the doctor for a very unpleasant sensation I had while urinating. This came up about a week to ten days after I had seen a provider and received a BBBJ. This woman was an incredible lay and had nothing but good reviews (before and since). I got some meds, stayed out of the hobby until I got a clean bill of health from the doc, and simply never saw that provider again. Was never 100% sure it was her but never had an instance like that before or since so I had to deduce...
-- Modified on 10/17/2004 9:28:31 PM
Fun times at the clinic...
http://theeroticreview.com/msgBoard/viewmsg.asp?MessageID=58491&boardID=12&page=
Nine years of daty, bbbj, dfk, no std, and knock on wood.
Although STDs are out there and do present a risk the media machine is directly responsible for the overwhelming proliferation of fear-mongering. A year ago I asked my Brother in law who is a urologist if he thought STDs were as big of a problem as the news would like us to believe. He felt that although he has treated many a patient with an STD; Overall the news media is responsible for a disproportionate amount of hype in this area.
Hobby safe, hobby long, hobby on
CTToI
I sure hope you guys are all telling the truth and not down-playing something serious. I'd like to think hobbiests support each other emotionally and not f*ck each other up. I agree that a well-reviewed provider has every incentive to remain healthy. So far no one has admitted to catching HIV. Is it true that HIV is much harder to catch than crabs and herpes? I guess HIV is my greatest fear because if I die from it, my whole family will be destroyed. So far I noticed that NetMichelle and Sedona are well-spoken and very knowledgeable. Is it safe to assume that these two fine ladies are examples of top-notch providers whom you shouldn't worry about catching anything?
If you cover up and don't have any open sores or abrasions, your chances of getting HIV are extremely low - close to zero. Not so with the other STDs.
I know only men were invited...but here goes
Doc, i am with you, i am not Mrz. Doom, but gents if you are going to gamble you need to know the odds. We are all 100% responsible for our OWN sexual heath and if or you/I get one of the many STI’s you/I went out and got it, no one gave it to you/i.
Doc, forgot to mention that many STD's can be contracted by
SKIN to SKIN contact, Daty and BBBJ are higher risks than not participating in those activities, or using cover for them. (Dental dam or even plastic wrap work fine for cover for DATY.) As far as " the choice of provider” you select, sorry boys but wow is that a risky attitude. No one having sex can guarantee they are STI free and sure as hell not a provider. Incubation periods start at a few days and go to months.
If the pressure of that is too much for you, start collection trains.
There is NO such thing as risk elimination, only risk reduction.
Any of you could have Google STD's or STI's and educated your selves for days, rather than come here and seek false reassurance.
Sorry this subject really gets me going.
If you are going to play, be informed.
Love and Light