Safe Sex - Standards, Practices, Information & Resources

[Ceoli]

Quath mentioned that it would be helpful to have a thread about STI's and such.

I've been meaning for a while to post a thread about safe sex practices. So here it is.

What are your practices, rules, guidelines or any other thing you follow to protect yourself and keep yourself healthy?

Here are my general practices:

• I get tested every six months, including a pap smear
• Any partners I have an ongoing sexual relationship with also need to get tested every six months.
• I regularly visually examine my bits to make sure they look ok.
• I talk about sexual histories with my parnters before any kind of sexual contact.
• I use barriers with all genital contact (including surgical gloves and dental dams) until I see paperwork of STI test results that are less than six months old. (and don't knock the gloves and the dam! They can be pretty fun!)
• I do not have PIV sex without seeing paperwork of STI test results that are less than six months old (even with a condom).
• If I am fluid bonded with a partner, we agree to follow the same safe sex practices with other partners. I also want to know what other partners my partner may be fluid bonded with.

So let's talk about this.

[NeonKaos]

I'm overdue for a visit to my GYN. I should make an appointment tomorrow.

[redpepper]

I am over due for a pap, and now will probably be more over due seeing as I just took my boy there to discuss my many partners. Just a little embarrassed.

I am thinking that now that I am about to turn 40 I will have to start getting those dreaded mammograms.

As for safe sex? I am in a poly fi relationship so we don't check all that often. Mono and I did a test when we met and that was it. My husband just had one done as he has a boyfriend.... he uses a condom with me and the boyfriend. I don't give him blow jobs that often and besides he is super safe sex guy, so I don't worry. I'm fluid bonded with Mono, and a good thing too cause there is lots of fluid going on!

My tertiary and I use condoms but our relationship is mostly based on SM so I am not all the worried about STI's. He isn't seeing anyone else but me and my husband. If he does then he will tell us and we will act accordingly... testing again.

None of my men use dental dams. I guess they think that I am clean as I am only with them. The only woman I have been with in the last year has never had sex before and now has only had sex with me. So she is clean.

I don't really think I would engage in any sex that meant fussing around with protection too much unless there was a SM theme to it as I don't think I would be very entertained. I like my poly fi situation of being able to get down and dirty and be confident that I am safe and so are my loves.

[Ceoli]

Originally Posted by redpepper

I don't really think I would engage in any sex that meant fussing around with protection too much unless there was a SM theme to it as I don't think I would be very entertained. I like my poly fi situation of being able to get down and dirty and be confident that I am safe and so are my loves.

Eh, it's not that much of a fuss actually and dental dams with lube are just fun even if you don't need to use them for protection.

But honestly, I've only had to worry about that once since with most of my partners, we've usually done all the other stuff well before we get to the point of sleeping together. But I like to have those steps in place.

[redpepper]

yes, dental dams and lube, my mind can go there.... and I certainly experienced that years ago now...

sigh... if I had a woman in my life I would certainly entertain the idea!!!

[Derbylicious]

Why is it that you can go into any drug store and buy condoms but dental dams are so much more difficult to come by?

[NeonKaos]

Originally Posted by Derbylicious

Why is it that you can go into any drug store and buy condoms but dental dams are so much more difficult to come by?

You can usually find them in adult book-stores or sex-toy shops. Sometimes drugstores have them with the first-aid supplies.

[Ceoli]

Originally Posted by redpepper

sigh... if I had a woman in my life I would certainly entertain the idea!!!

*remembers to pack the dental dams and lube for when I take my west coast trip* Ya never know!

[redpepper]

Originally Posted by Ceoli

*remembers to pack the dental dams and lube for when I take my west coast trip* Ya never know!

oh MMMYYYY!!!!!! that party could really happen? YAY!

[MonoVCPHG]

Dental damns...I guess if you had too...thank god I don't though LOL!