GET YOURSELF TESTED!

If you're sexually active, you need to be getting yourself checked regularly for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. How often you get checked depends on how much you're hooking up.

You should get tested every 3 months if you hook up a lot. Otherwise, every 6 months is probably good.

If you're having some symptoms (like burning when you piss) or a partner tells you that they just got diagnosed with an infection, you should get tested right away.

Remember, you can have an STD and not have any symptoms at all, so you (or your partners) can be infected and not even know it.

Having an STD makes it easier to get infected with HIV, so it’s important to get tested to protect your health and the health of your partner.

The CDC recommends that sexually active gay, bi and other men who have sex with men should get tested regularly for the following :

*HIV

*Syphilis

*Hepatitis B--test once, then get vaccinated if negative!

*Chlamydia and Gonorrhea of the rectum if you’ve bottomed in the past year

*Chlamydia and Gonorrhea of the penis (urethra--piss hole) if you have topped or received a blow job in the past year

*Gonorrhea of the throat if you’ve given a blow job or rim job in the past year

There are cures for many STDs, and good treatments for the symptoms of those that can't be cured completely, so don't be afraid to get tested and get treated.

PrEP SQUAD: TAKING A HOME HIV TEST from PrEP SQUAD on Vimeo.

The video above will show you the steps of using the FDA approved home HIV test called Oraquick. The Oraquick test is available to purchase for testing at home, but we do recommend getting tested in a medical clinic, so that if you do test positive you have all the resources available to you to start HIV treatment right away and live long and strong!

If you do test at home, you need to write down an action plan for yourself BEFORE you test, should you test positive, which includes knowing where to go to get a confirmatory re-test and the support and treatment you need to live long and strong. You can find HIV service providers near you by clicking on the "Find A PrEP Provider" Link above.

HIV treatment will keep your immune system strong and you healthy for a lifetime with few or no side effect for most people--so there is no reason to be afraid to get tested and treated. After keeping your HIV viral load undetectable for 6 months, you can no longer transmit the virus to your partner(s) so long as you continue to take your HIV medicine and remain undetectable.