HIV possibility

Hello AiraUyaco1093,

Welcome to the EmpowHER community. Thank you for reaching out to us with your concern about being at risk for HIV.

The important question is if your boyfriend is infected HIV.

Most commonly, people get or transmit HIV through sexual behaviors and needle or syringe use.

Only certain body fluids—blood, semen, pre ejaculate fluid, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids from a person who has HIV can transmit HIV. These fluids must come in contact with a mucous membrane or damaged tissue or be directly injected into the bloodstream as with from a needle or syringe or transmission to occur. Mucous membranes are found inside the rectum, vagina, penis, and mouth.

You cannot rely on symptoms to tell whether you have HIV. The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested.

The early symptoms of HIV are sometimes very mild and can be easily dismissed as cold and flu symptoms.

Early HIV symptoms include swollen glands, rashes, infections, and low grade fevers.

As HIV progresses, there may be bouts of diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss. Other symptoms include severe headache, joint pain, and muscle aches. Shortness of breath, chronic cough, and difficulty swallowing are not uncommon.

In the later stages, HIV can lead to short-term memory loss, mental confusion, and coma. The most advanced stage of HIV is called acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). At this stage, the immune system is severely compromised and infections become increasingly difficult to fight off. Women with AIDS are at greater risk of aggressive cancers that are difficult to treat.

Hope this helps you,
Maryann