Hepatitis and HIV
HIV Virus Hepatitis C (HCV)
If you are living with a bleeding disorder and have Hepatitis / HIV or the man you have sex with has Hepatitis / HIV here are a few things to consider:
If you tell someone you have a bleeding disorder this may bring up issues around sex and the two most known about viruses HCV and HIV. So it may help to think about how you are going to answer any questions, whether or not you are affected
If you have a Hepatitis virus, such as A, B, D or C and / or HIV, people may ask you whether you contracted the virus through blood products, injecting drug use or sex
If you are living with HIV, this doesn’t mean you should only have sex with other men with HIV – it may be the only thing you have in common
Levels of Hepatitis C (HCV) can be higher in people who also have HIV and may increase the risk of transmission
Unlike other viral infections Hepatitis B can easily be contracted
Treatment for both HCV and HIV can affect your libido (getting a hard on)
If someone’s HIV viral load is undetectable they are not infectious and this does mean HIV can’t be transmitted / past on
Hepatitis B (HBV) is most often contracted through sexual activities
If you both have HIV and don’t use a condom, either of you could get a different strain of HIV or a drug resistant strain, or another sexually transmitted disease
“When I was told I was Hep C positive I wasn’t sure what this meant for my sex life”
*There are links and contact details of other organisations on the Haemosexual website that can give you information, support and advice about Hepatitis Viruses and HIV.
