Question
Do we have to start using condoms?
1 July 2009. Related: All topics, HIV transmission.
I recently started medicines (was near 300 CD4), while my boyfriend didn’t (and he may be long before starting, his results are very good). Does that mean we need to start wearing condoms when having sex – we do not engage into sex with other people since we found out we are both positive (8 months ago)? Does it matter that I am the one with the passive role?
Answer
As long as you have not used condoms until now (ie that you are likely to have the same viral strain), you are adherent to the therapy (not missing doses) and you are sure that neither of you have unprotected sexual contacts outside of your relationship, then there is no reason to start using condoms now.
The main risk to your partner would be if you developed resistance to treatment – so to avoid that make sure you are good at not missing doses. The main risk to you would be if your partner was reinfected with a resistant strain of HIV, from unprotected sex with other partners.
The role in the sexual contact does not make much of a difference here.
Hope this helps.