Qtalk: Condom broke; trans woman worries she’s now HIV+
LGBTQ+ Nigerians benefit from the support provided by volunteer counselors via the Qtalk app, which is supported by this site and by the St. Paul’s Foundation for International Reconciliation.
The Qtalk user’s name has been changed in the following writeup, which is one of many contributed by the counselors who provide advice to LGBTQ+ Nigerians via the free Qtalk app:
Trans woman worries she might be HIV-positive after being exposed
Beatrice, a 30-year old trans woman, says she is scared that she might have contracted HIV after the condom broke during sex with her HIV-positive boyfriend.
In her support request, she wrote:
“Is it possible that I may have contracted HIV because the condom my boyfriend wore during sex broke and he came into me? I am scared that I have been infected since my boyfriend is HIV-positive.”
In a response to Beatrice’s support request, the counselor addressed her fears by informing her that even though there’s a possibility that she might have contracted HIV during the intercourse, the chances of her not contracting it was still there depending on a lot of factors such as her boyfriend’s viral load, and if he was on ART [antiretroviral therapy] and for how long. The counselor added that there was absolutely no need for her to panic because the only way for her to know was to be patient for at least three months before getting tested. The counselor also added that in the 72 hours after exposure, there is a chance to get on PEP, a medicine that prevents a person from getting HIV after they have been exposed.
She was grateful for the information and started using PEP. She was then referred to a facility where she was able to access the medication, and then exited the session.
This article is one of five that comprise Part 14 of the Qtalk series.
To download the Qtalk mobile app, click HERE.
To support the Qtalk project financially, click HERE.
