Hello, I've been reading this forum for a few months and have read through the archives and I believe this may be a first for you. Ok, so don't get mad if you've covered this question but you seem to care about everyone so here goes..I'm a 50 something who went to a 30 year reunion. Hooked up with an old flame, ended up at the local hotel and proceeded to do what was natural back in our young days. This is where the problem comes in, the guy has ED so he pops a viagra and gets a slight erection, a few quicks thrusts and he "deflates". Ok, so i'm not sure if he ejaculated but did feel a little wet. I know I know, stupid and we did not use a condom. Fast forward to Jan. 2006 and we try again. Same result but even less penetration. Now I start to realize how stupid this was and decided to get tested. Did a home access test on 7/31..came back negative. So, do we older folks take longer for the results to be conclusive or should I feel confident that I can move on and never look back on this disgusting lapse of good judgement. I would consider him high risk as he has been married 3x. Thanks for your time, I think the older generation needs education as much as the young kids and your site is awesome!! Best to you and Steve, you are lucky to have found your soul mate.

A stupid senior but one more enlightened due to your fabulous site.

Hey,

Since when is a 50-something considered to be a "senior citizen???" Don't you know that 50 is the new 30? Besides, I'm 50-something and I'm certainly not a senior citizen. Many of my activities would tend toward the young adult (or even juvenile) side of the age spectrum. I've even told those folks at AARP who send you stuff on your 50th birthday (and seemingly every day thereafter) to take me off their old farts list and stop bothering me. As a good buddy of mine just said on the occasion of his 50th birthday, "I plan to live forever. So far so good."

So do vibrant sexy middle-aged 50-somethings take longer to HIV-seroconvert? No, of course not! (They may take longer to "shoot," but shouldn't that be considered a good thing compared to the rapid-fire Quick-Draw McGraws who are sometimes finished by the time they get their tighty whities off?)

Your negative six-month Home Access test is definitive, conclusive and WOO-HOO-able!

As for the older generation needing HIV prevention/awareness education as much as the young bucks, yeah, I agree for two reasons:

1. Our HIV awareness/prevention-education programs to date have been woefully and shamefully inadequate for all age groups. This can be clearly demonstrated by the fact that we continue to have the same incidence of new HIV infections per year, despite the fact that HIV is an entirely preventable disease! Someone is not getting the message! This is often because the message has been watered down, or in some cases completely blocked, by well meaning, but terribly misguided rightwing sex-phobic religious zealots.

2. The 50-something crowd (the new middle-agers) are spending more time shagging than playing canasta or Parcheesi. In years past, 50 was when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waistline changed places. But not anymore! Today the fifties can be fabulous, OK?

Stay well. Stay fabulous.

Dr. Bob