Testing FAQ

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• Am I at risk?

  Ask yourself—have you ever had unprotected (no condom) sex with somebody and you didn’t know for sure if your partner had HIV or not? Have you ever shared a needle with somebody—for steroids, drugs, tattoos, or whatever? Or maybe your partner had unprotected sex or shared a needle with somebody. If that’s the case, then yes, you are at risk for HIV (and maybe some other STIs too, like syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia).   
  
  HIV is spread by direct contact with infected body fluids like blood and semen (jizz, cum, whatever you want to call it). If you come in contact with any of these fluids and they have a way of getting into your body, then get tested! If you just got a pearl necklace or gave somebody a hand job, then HIV isn’t your worry. Other STIs might be. Check out our STI section to see if you’re at risk for them.
  
  So to be clear—if you’ve been a top or a bottom for unprotected butt sex, if you’ve shared a needle for any reason, or if you’ve shared coke straws—you’re at risk for HIV. You and your partner(s) can only be 100% sure of your status if you got tested together and were both out of the window period.

• Who should get tested for HIV?

  If you’re a guy who has had sex with another guy and didn’t use a condom, if your partner had sex without a condom, or if you or a partner ever shared a needle or coke straw, then you should get tested.   
  
  Some people think that HIV is something from the past—like in the 80’s—but guess what?  It’s still here! And it’s rising in the men who have sex with men communities across the US. Why?  Maybe because we’ve forgotten what it was like, think HIV is only for the “old guys,” or just got bored with using condoms. No matter the reason, HIV is in our community and you should get tested if you’ve had possible exposure.
  
  What’s a possible exposure? Unprotected sex with somebody you aren’t 100% sure didn’t have HIV; sharing a needle for any reason with somebody you aren’t 100% sure didn’t have HIV.  
  
  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) suggests that any sexually active MSM get tested annually and get additional testing when there is exposure or if they tested previous and were still in the window period. Ditto for STI testing. That’s a really smart way to take care of your sexual health, whether you’re MSM or not!

• When should I get tested?

  Okay, you know you need to get tested, but when should you get tested? If HIV gets into your body, your white blood cells will make antibodies to fight the virus. (White blood cells are your army against bacteria, fungi, and viruses.) HIV tests work by checking to see if you have these antibodies specific to HIV. It takes between four weeks and three months for your body to make enough antibodies to show up on an HIV test and everybody’s body is different.  Some things slow down your body’s ability to make antibodies, like drug use, stress, and other illnesses.
  
  This time lag between potential infection and when you can get accurate test results is called the window period. Each time you fuck somebody or get fucked by somebody without a condom, or anytime you share a needle--the window period starts again. You have to wait ‘till the window period is over to get tested if you want to know for sure if you are infected with HIV.

• How often should I get tested?

  If you answer 'yes' to any of the following questions, then you should get tested.
  

  • Were you in the window period at the time of your last test?
  • Have you had unprotected sex since you last got tested?
  • Have you shared a needle with anybody since your last test?
  • Have you never been tested before?

  Good news!  If you were clear of the window period the last time you got tested and you haven’t have unprotected sex or shared a needle with anybody since then, then you do not need to be tested again.  

• Where can I get tested?

  Project HOPE offers free confidential HIV/STI testing, with regular drop-in hours on Thursdays at our office at 927 Broadway, Albany. We also test at ROCKS, Waterworks, the River Street Club bathhouse, the Pride Center and other community sites. Check out our Testing Calendar to see where we’re at.
  
  HIV testing can also be accessed through the State and County Departments of Health, most health and/or STI clinics, most Planned Parenthood facilities, your own physician and some community organizations.

• What can I expect when I test with Project HOPE?

  Project HOPE does confidential testing, and your Test Counselor will ask you a lot of questions.  If you don’t want to share your name or other personal information, you’ll have to get tested at a NYS or county DOH that offers an anonymous option.  (see Where To Get Tested). Confidential testing helps to get you the services you need if your test comes back reactive. Don’t worry, confidential testing also protects your information under the law.
  
  

  Here’s what to expect when you get tested with  Project HOPE. One of the Project HOPE Boyz will greet you and bring you to a confidential space where you two can talk. We’ll start off with some basic questions—your name, DOB, race/ethnicity, that kind of thing. We also offer counseling during testing sessions, which can be a good way to learn more about HIV and your own risk. We’ll meet you where you’re at--helping you find tricks to reduce your risk when you play. You do you. We’ll tell ya’ how to do it as safely as possible and you create a plan that works for you.   

  
  Getting tested for HIV and the full gamut of STIs takes about 30 minutes. Depending on what your risk is and what you want to get tested for, we might ask for a finger prick, a blood draw or for you to pee in a cup – either way, no painful swabs up your dick.

• Does it cost anything to get tested?

  Project HOPE offers free confidential testing--check out our Testing Calendar or call 518.HIV.TEST to get the most up to date schedule.  All State sites are also free--call 1-800-962-5065 for details or an appointment.

• What is the difference between confidential and anonymous testing?

  Confidential testing means just that--all your information is kept confidential and it is not made public. This is what Project HOPE offers, and while we do ask for identifying information such as your name, address, age and ethnicity/race, this information and related files are kept double locked with extremely limited access to computer files. If you test positive for HIV, meaning you do have it, this information goes to DOH Epidemiology so they can keep track of how many people are getting HIV in NYS.

   

  Anonymous testing means that no name or identifying information will be kept on record or passed on to public health authorities in the case of a positive result. Results cannot be used to access treatment or services—no name, no connection to the diagnosis, no assistance based on the diagnosis. A specific form can be filled out to retroactively change the anonymous test to confidential. Anonymous HIV testing is offered by the NYS Department of Health and other county health departments. For more information contact the New York State Anonymous Testing at 1-800-962-5065.

• How long do I have to wait before I get my results?

  It depends on what tests are used. Project HOPE uses rapid HIV tests, so you’ll get your HIV results the same day. We also provide same-session results for Hep C. Other STI tests, including gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis, are sent to a lab and results are available in one week.