STDs and GRS

[Maddie Secutura]

Anyone know if an STD will prevent someone from getting their surgery done?  I currently do not have any but getting the money for the procedure in a timely manner would put me at a high risk of contracting HSV-1.  I'd hate to go through the effort only to be turned down (then there really would be no hope).

[Kristyn]

Anyone know if an STD will prevent someone from getting their surgery done?  I currently do not have any but getting the money for the procedure in a timely manner would put me at a high risk of contracting HSV-1.  I'd hate to go through the effort only to be turned down (then there really would be no hope).

I know that most if not all surgeons won't operate if you are hiv positive.  What is HSV-1 and why would you be at risk?

[Jessica.C]

I know that most if not all surgeons won't operate if you are hiv positive.  What is HSV-1 and why would you be at risk?

If you don't currently have HIV, for the love of god USE CONDUMS I have had more sex partners than all the people i know have put together. I wouldn't normally admit to that on an open forum but i can tell you first hand they are highly effective as i am 40 and still HIV negative and havent had any STD's to date.

Be Responsible and i say that with love.

[Fata Morgana]

Anyone know if an STD will prevent someone from getting their surgery done?  I currently do not have any but getting the money for the procedure in a timely manner would put me at a high risk of contracting HSV-1.  I'd hate to go through the effort only to be turned down (then there really would be no hope).

You're talking about genital herpes, right? There are 2 herpes viruses and both of them can infect the genitalia.

I haven't read of any SRS restrictions conserning genital herpes. Maybe someone here knows better.

What are you planning to do? I really wouldn't suggest putting your health at any risk to obtain money for the operation. You must respect yourself enough not to do something like that.

I have herpes myself, on the lips though. It is not nice and usually not a dangerous thing, but it stays with you for the rest of your life.

[Kristyn]

I have had more sex partners than all the people i know have put together.

STOP!!! You're turning me on! 
Post Merge: July 16, 2010, 04:18:29 PM

I haven't read of any SRS restrictions conserning genital herpes. Maybe someone here knows better.

Of course!  Herpes!  See what happens when you just ain't cool e'nuff?  There's nothing I've heard in regards to herpes, just hiv.

Damn, I really got to get me a tattoo and a piercing!

[Jessica.C]

I have had more sex partners than all the people i know have put together.

Ok... that didnt sound to good... LOL 

Just a big advocate for condoms. Ive lost way to many friends that's all.

[Maddie Secutura]

To be honest and I know this is going to sound really bad but I was considering doing porn to fund my surgery.  The industry highly regulates against HIV and a host of other life threatening STD's so that's not as much of a worry.  And yes I understand the whole objectification and that its not really helping the trans cause but if it can get my surgery before the end of next year I never have to do it again.

[Flan]

as far as I understand, the infection has to be in a dormant or managed state, mostly for the safety of the nursing staff and part for healing of the wounds.

I wouldn't recommend prostitution to get surgery money but if you must, be sure to protect yourself (in more ways then the obvious).

[Kristyn]

And yes I understand the whole objectification and that its not really helping the trans cause but if it can get my surgery before the end of next year I never have to do it again.

It's not so much a matter of objectification, it's that the exotic/erotic entertainment industries has a way of eating its young.  In my early years I spent a number of years working as a dj in some pretty shady dives.  I've see a lot of bad and I've seen a lot of good people turn bad.  These places were notorious for bikers, dealers, hookers and strippers.  In my three years doing this, I seen a number of nice wholesome girls who were just in it for the money get caught up and turned out--and it happens before you even realize it.  You work, you party then you work and you party some more.  It's a never ending cycle.  You live a completely different life from the rest of society.  You can literally party your ass off any day of the week and the drugs are everywhere.  I myself did a lot of cocaine and I even snorted heroin once--believe me, I can fully understand how someone can become addicted to it.

I later moved into an agency which employed exotic dancers.  I organized their schedules and, on occasion, I drove them to their gigs.  1000-1500/week tax free!  That's amazing cash for someone in their early twenties.  Problem was I never really saw a lot of that money--it went straight from cashing it to partying it away.  It was here again, I witnessed a lot of innocent, naive young girls go from clean, wholesome, pretty to drug addicted waste cases--and they all said the same thing--"I'm only doing it for a while then I'm out.".  It never happened.  The industry has a way of getting a hold of you and it happens before you even realize it.

If you are serious about this then you are really going to have to commit yourself to your goal and promise yourself you will stay away from all the tempting things.  That means no partying. Period.  You do your stuff and you go home.  The catch-22 is that in some cases if you don't party, if you are not part of the group, then you don't get much work.  It truly is a f**ked up environment!

[Rosa]

Just remember, as previously said, once you have herpes you have it for life and there is risk of transmission even when there are no noticeable lesions.

[Jessica.C]

It's not so much a matter of objectification, it's that the exotic/erotic entertainment industries has a way of eating its young.  In my early years I spent a number of years working as a dj in some pretty shady dives.  I've see a lot of bad and I've seen a lot of good people turn bad.  These places were notorious for bikers, dealers, hookers and strippers.  In my three years doing this, I seen a number of nice wholesome girls who were just in it for the money get caught up and turned out--and it happens before you even realize it.  You work, you party then you work and you party some more.  It's a never ending cycle.  You live a completely different life from the rest of society.  You can literally party your ass off any day of the week and the drugs are everywhere.  I myself did a lot of cocaine and I even snorted heroin once--believe me, I can fully understand how someone can become addicted to it.

I later moved into an agency which employed exotic dancers.  I organized their schedules and, on occasion, I drove them to their gigs.  1000-1500/week tax free!  That's amazing cash for someone in their early twenties.  Problem was I never really saw a lot of that money--it went straight from cashing it to partying it away.  It was here again, I witnessed a lot of innocent, naive young girls go from clean, wholesome, pretty to drug addicted waste cases--and they all said the same thing--"I'm only doing it for a while then I'm out.".  It never happened.  The industry has a way of getting a hold of you and it happens before you even realize it.

If you are serious about this then you are really going to have to commit yourself to your goal and promise yourself you will stay away from all the tempting things.  That means no partying. Period.  You do your stuff and you go home.  The catch-22 is that in some cases if you don't party, if you are not part of the group, then you don't get much work.  It truly is a f**ked up environment!

WOW Kristyn you pretty much told my whole story. I can say first hand it's all true. somehow by gods grace i got sober and am very active in A.A. I go to meetings just about every day, as a matter of fact just got home from one

Only scene Ive been sober has SRS become possible.

[peggygee]

Definitely agree that the sex industry lifestyle has a way of "eating it's young", and drugs and alcohol are
often a part of that lifestyle.

The harsh reality is that when sex is mixed with drugs and alcohol a person's judgement is impaired, and
mistakes can be made, potentially life threatening mistakes.

Also contrary to what some folks believe, models aren't paid huge sums for their appearances in videos or
on websites, and there are no residuals that accompany each video sale.

Yes, some of the big names in porn may earn relatively high fees for porn shoots, but the real money for
them is made via escorting.

As might be imagined escorting can be quite dangerous as regards STDs, legal involvement, and the afore-
mentioned drug use and abuse.

As regards HIV and gender reassignment surgery, back when HIV was a little known and poorly understood
STD, a large portion of surgeons were reluctant to perform the surgery. As HIV became better understood,
and more manageable, surgeons started to tack on a surcharge to perform the surgery.

Routinely now when you go to a surgeon's site, you will see that they may charge 30 percent on average,
and if the patient is other-wise healthy and asymptomatic, that they will perform the surgery.

[Kristyn]

WOW Kristyn you pretty much told my whole story. I can say first hand it's all true. somehow by gods grace i got sober and am very active in A.A. I go to meetings just about every day, as a matter of fact just got home from one

Only scene Ive been sober has SRS become possible.

Up until last year, I was drinking about 1.5 litres (roughly 50 ounces) of Vodka per week over a two day period--Friday and Saturday.  Throw in a long weekend and you could add another 24 ounces.  I can't even recall how many years I was doing that for but, after I quit, that's when everything started to change for me too.  I started working out and really taking care of myself--went from wearing a size 12/14 to wearing a 6 now moving to a four.  I just bought an extra small sized top today, it's crazy!  The funny thing is that I still got boobs, even more so, or so it appears, than before.  Due primarily to losing the mass around the upper chest, back and shoulders.  Last week I told my Mom I bought a size 2 skirt--size 2 because of the cut and it has spandex in it--and she freaked!  My parents haven't seen me since last October when I was wearing a size 10.  My Mom is meeting me in Montreal with my brother, they're gonna die when they see me! 

It's unbelievable how much time you lose just by getting wasted!    I think about all the things that I'm doing now that I could have done years ago.  I would have probably already had my surgery.

SORRY!    Forgot to say congrats on you're sobriety!   

[FairyGirl]

I had an HIV test before surgery, not because the surgeon required it but because my doctor thought it was a good idea. He said surgeons have their hands all up in your blood and get squeamish about such things lol. I've been a good girl in recent years but in times past I was very promiscuous with both men and women. I didn't mind getting tested anyway but I really wasn't worried about it.

[Jessica.C]

SORRY!    Forgot to say congrats on you're sobriety!   

Thanks Kristyn and Congrats on yours too

I started working out and really taking care of myself--went from wearing a size 12/14 to wearing a 6 now moving to a four.

  Now that's tiny.

[Griffin]

Anyone know if an STD will prevent someone from getting their surgery done?  I currently do not have any but getting the money for the procedure in a timely manner would put me at a high risk of contracting HSV-1.  I'd hate to go through the effort only to be turned down (then there really would be no hope).

I have HSV-1 and fully qualify for surgery -- it's just a cold sore virus.  Small children and even babies get HSV-1 all the time.  I contracted it from my girlfriend, who likely got it from sharing a soda with her dad, her ex, or a friend.  I've never had a cold sore and it's not a big deal.

They only care about something that puts them directly at risk like HIV or HepC.  And now most US surgeons will take you f you are HIV/HepC+ (Schrang, Bowers, McGinn I believe, Meltzer, Alter).  They also care about active/severe herpes in the area where they will need to work, due to complications that can arise.

[MeghanAndrews]

The industry highly regulates against HIV and a host of other life threatening STD's so that's not as much of a worry.

It really depends on what your definition of "highly regulates" is. In California where most porn including TS is shot, they require full HIV/STI screening once per month. That does nothing but ensure that you haven't contracted anything up to 30 days BEFORE you are doing a new shoot. HIV/STI spread on more than a 30 day cycle, lol, so 30 day requirement does nothing. They should require rapid test for HIV right before shooting but they just can't regulate that. There is the testing facility in the Valley (AIM) set up for adult actors/actresses but don't think you are actually protecting yourself from anything. It's a myth. I know a lot of people in the business and they go into it knowing they have a likelihood of contracting something at some point and they use condoms almost exclusively.

[Griffin]

It really depends on what your definition of "highly regulates" is. In California where most porn including TS is shot, they require full HIV/STI screening once per month. That does nothing but ensure that you haven't contracted anything up to 30 days BEFORE you are doing a new shoot. HIV/STI spread on more than a 30 day cycle, lol, so 30 day requirement does nothing. They should require rapid test for HIV right before shooting but they just can't regulate that. There is the testing facility in the Valley (AIM) set up for adult actors/actresses but don't think you are actually protecting yourself from anything. It's a myth. I know a lot of people in the business and they go into it knowing they have a likelihood of contracting something at some point and they use condoms almost exclusively.

Yup.  Nevada is much stricter with prostitutes -- weekly checks and all partners are vetted by the prostitutes directly.  Porn doesn't come close to those standards, the onus is on the performers and there's no performer-directed vetting.  You don't make much more working without condoms, so it's even more not worth it.  The 30-day checks keep out infected newcomers and make it easy to spot/track from an epidemiological standpoint.  So I'm happy it's there, because those things are great, but that is not going to protect you totally.

You'd be better off approaching an independent porn producer (aka amateur site) and working with them, with condoms.  You'd make more money too.

Edit:  Don't get me wrong, I'm very pro-porn, but I firmly believe that amateur sites provide the best mix or money, risk and responsibility.  There is no shortage of work on an amateur basis and you can even start your own site if you have a mind for a temporary career change.  I've never seen a picture of you en femme, but you could also make a good solo performer.  Really look at all your options if you are serious about porn as a job.