Here's a simple HIV testing schedule that should be easy to memorize. It is recommended that you get HIV and STD tests based on your sexual behavior and frequency of activity.

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• MEN WHO ARE SEXUALLY ACTIVE ON A REASONABLE OR AVERAGE BASIS:
  Test every 6 months
  • Reasonable or average frequency of sexual activity would include engaging in anal sex (protected or unprotected) 2 or 3 times a month to once every few months.
    
    
  • Also includes receptive oral sex and cum-swallowing with the same frequency.


• MEN WHO ARE SEXUALLY ACTIVE ON A FREQUENT BASIS:
  Test every 3 months
  • Frequent sexual activity would include engaging in anal sex (protected or unprotected) or receptive oral sex on a weekly basis to several times weekly.


• MEN WHO ARE SEXUALLY ACTIVE ON AN EXTREME BASIS:
  Test every 6 weeks to 2 months
  • Extremely sexual activity includes those who engage in oral or anal sex (protected or unprotected) on a daily or almost daily basis with a variety of different partners.
    
    
  • Also included in this category are men who engage in extreme sexual behavior, such as intense receptive assplay, watersports, bareback gangbangs (top or bottom), fisting, etc.
    
    
  • Men who party and play - pnp - with crystal meth or other drugs should also get tested on this schedule.

REMEMBER: Public health is EVERYONE'S concern! It is our basic human responsibility to contain and help eradicate HIV and other STD's. If you do not know your HIV status or you only "think" you know, GET TESTED! You are more of a danger to yourself and others when you do not know with reasonable certainty whether you are HIV-Negative or Positive.

Jack's Testing Tip: When going for your next HIV test, ask if your testing site offers the Ora-Quick Advance 20-minute HIV test. It is extremely accurate, it is sensitive to HIV Types 1 & 2, and you can leave with your results in hand! And, the Ora-Quick Advance test can use either a tiny sample of blood, or fluid from the inside of your mouth, which means no more painful or lengthy blood draws!

ALSO RECOMMENDED: When going for an HIV test, BarebackHealth.net highly recommends getting the battery of STD tests at the same time. Because some STD's such as Syphilis can act as a gateway for other STD's and diseases (including HIV and hepatitis) to enter your body, it is best to make sure you're clean of STD's. And if not, your doctor or clinic will have a pill or a shot that can cure you of most STD's except HIV or Hepatitis.

For further information on STD's, please visit the CDC website at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/dstd/disease_info.htm.

Also please visit http://www.healthypenis.org for information on the recent epidemic of syphilis affecting gay men.

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