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Alcohol and many drugs reduce inhibitions which can lead to increased sexual behaviors. If you use alcohol and drugs, consider the following: Know your limits: It helps to know how alcohol and drugs affect you, so you can plan ahead...
In most cases, PEP stops HIV from establishing itself in the body and will prevent you from becoming HIV positive. To be effective, the treatment needs to be started as soon as possible in the first 72 hours after exposure. The treatment...
HAART prevents the HIV virus from making copies of itself and limits how much virus is in the body. The level of virus in the blood is called ‘viral load’. When the viral load is low or “undetectable”, there is less harm to the body’s...
When you are diagnosed with a reportable STI, anyone you have had sexual contact with or shared drug equipment with needs to be notified that they have been exposed to a communicable infection. This is sometimes called ‘contact...
Vaccines are made from weakened or killed bacteria or virus. When a person is given a vaccine, the body's immune system responds to the ‘invading’ germs. The body creates anti-bodies to the bacteria or virus which protect the person...
Some people clear hepatitis C from their body, meaning the virus goes away on its own. Most people will not clear the virus and hepatitis C can become a long-term (chronic) condition. However, hepatitis C can be managed and usually cured...
PrEP is different from PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis), as PrEP is taken before exposure to HIV and may be taken on a long-term basis. How does it work? PrEP usually comes as a combination tablet that contains two medications called...
Hepatitis B is preventable with vaccination. It’s a good idea to check your immunization records to make sure that your vaccines are up-to-date, as there is no cure for hepatitis B. Most adults get hepatitis B for a short time and then get...
Home pregnancy tests can be bought at a drug store. You can also go to your health care provider or a clinic to get a pregnancy test. If you are pregnant and not sure what to do, it can help to talk to someone about your options. What is...
Causes HIV is passed through vaginal and anal sexual contact. This includes both penetrative sex and sexual activities where there is an exchange of body fluids. There is a very low chance that HIV may be passed through oral...
Safer Sex Your chances of getting an STI depend on the kind of sex you are having, whether or not you are using protection and how many other people in your group have the STI. STI testing In BC, rates of STI and HIV are high among men who...
When there is dryness, there is more chance that tender anal or vaginal/internal genital skin will tear, or a condom will break. Not only is it painful to have small tears, it is also easier to get or pass an STI if the skin is broken....
How does it work? Fisting works best when the receiver is already aroused. Warm-up can involve different kinds of stimulation, such as direct or indirect genital or anal stroking, vibration, or penetration. The giver should start with...
A new condom should be used every time you have sex, with each new partner, and when switching from anal to oral or vaginal/internal genital penetration. The condom should be applied before sexual contact occurs. Condoms can be used...
Sometimes mental health can affect the decisions we make about sex, for example, choosing to have sex when we feel lonely or anxious. Sexual health concerns and diagnoses can also lead us to feel worried, anxious, sad, or even hopeless. If...