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Author Topic: Needle Stick. May seem silly...  (Read 52939 times)

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Offline HIVsexpert

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #50 on: August 26, 2006, 01:25:36 am »
His "posts" weren't useful..........except to belittle and insult the person, aside from the fact that the poster was way overboard.  Better to not say anything at all.  Rapidrod.........please refrain from hijacking others threads.....if you have a problem with me, you can address me in mine or through a private message.  Thanks in advance!

Offline ScienceGuy25

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #51 on: August 26, 2006, 01:34:04 am »
His "posts" weren't useful..........except to belittle and insult the person, aside from the fact that the poster was way overboard.  Better to not say anything at all.  Rapidrod.........please refrain from hijacking others threads.....if you have a problem with me, you can address me in mine or through a private message.  Thanks in advance!

Suggesting someone seek the help of a mental health professional is not meant to be insulting and is often very therapeutic for someone suffering from such intense, irrational HIV related anxiety.  This kind of fear often needs to be treated professionally and can't be helped by "surfing the web."

Offline Matty the Damned

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #52 on: August 26, 2006, 02:19:02 am »
Sexpert,

It's time you shut up and stopped giving gratuitous advice. The same goes for Blackhawk. You're hijacking threads and have no credibility in this forum. You need to know that RapidRod is a recognised and longstanding AIDSMEDS expert and doesn't answer to you. He is also a clinical health professional.

Leave the giving of advice to those of us who know what we're doing.

MtD

Offline wavecast

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Back again. This time it's not so silly :(
« Reply #53 on: November 11, 2006, 08:58:05 am »
Hi guys, I know I've come to you before with concerns that weren't very serious - or not serious at all. But last night something happened that I think might have put me at a significant level of risk.

I was out with a girl and we were kinda fooling around and play-fighting when she bit me quite hard on one of my fingers. I don't think she meant to hurt me but when i examined my finger the skin had been broken - it wasn't gushing blood but it WAS bleeding when I applied pressure. I didn't see any of her blood on the wound, but I can't be sure there weren't small amounts. The actual cut was small but it was enough to make me bleed.

Now I know saliva on it's own isn't infectious but how significant is my risk if she were to have traces of blood in her mouth? Her lips looks like they might've been chapped and bleeding slightly, which would constitute blood to blood contact.

Please bear with me on this and advise me as to what I should do... if I should wait 3 months and test...

This is really breaking me down. I was finally beginning to overcome my irrational fear of this and BANG - this has to happen.

Thanks in advance for the help. You guys have been great to me in the past I'm hoping you'll help out just one more time.


Offline Ann

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #54 on: November 11, 2006, 09:05:44 am »
wave,

You didn't have a risk of hiv infection through this bite. IF you had just punched her in the mouth BEFORE she bit you, and she was bleeding profusely, then you MIGHT have a TINY risk. But, as she wasn't dripping with blood when she bit you, you didn't have a risk. Seriously.

Ann
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"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #55 on: November 11, 2006, 09:13:26 am »
Hello Ann. Once again, thank you for your patience. Your words are comforting as usual.

So as I take it, unless there were large VISIBLE amounts of her blood all over my finger after the bite, then my risk is nonexistent? I sure didn't punch her beforehand lol. Her lips just looked sorta cracked.

Offline Ann

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #56 on: November 11, 2006, 09:43:20 am »
wave,

No, you didn't have a risk by any stretch of the imagination. Cracked lips do not transmit hiv.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #57 on: November 11, 2006, 11:04:16 am »
Thank you Ann. I take it this wasn't a small risk, it was a no risk situation and therefore warrants no testing...

Offline Ann

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #58 on: November 11, 2006, 12:38:33 pm »
wave,

NO risk.

NO test.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #59 on: January 20, 2007, 12:53:25 pm »
At the risk of getting kicked off these forums, I've got a question for Ann and whatever other experts might want to add their input.

I've made some constructive progress in the realm of my HIV phobias as of late. Usually I'd be on this board quite often - and lately I haven't come here at all. I've been able to keep my irrational fears at bay through the advice I've received. I've also been able to pass on the knowledge I've received here to others who are greatly misinformed about what they think are risks.

What I came to ask about might qualify as an environmental surface exposure, which I KNOW is in fact no risk - but I thought that clarification might just be a good idea since it wasn't just any old ordinary surface.

Recently our office changed locations. Our new washrooms aren't the most sanitary ones around but that's cool... I still use them, use the toilet paper there freely... no risk of anything from washrooms or toilets as I know. [told ya I've made progress!]- The other day as I was washing my hands I slammed my knuckle against the tip of the faucet and I gave myself a nice cut that bled immediately. Now of course this isn't anything I'd normally worry about, but this faucet is like a razor-sharp edge that I'm sure didn't only injure me. It's sharp as hell and I can't see why it was made the way it was. Definitely not a piece of quality faucet craftsmanship!

Anyways I just wanted to check with you guys and see how risky getting cut with something that may have cut other people is. If it was any other washroom I really wouldn't care - but it's just the sheer volume of people who use that faucet that worries me. This would be similar to sharing a razor blade if there was another man's blood on the faucet... so I thought I would just check it out here.

Thanks for reading and for your patience. It's more appreciated than you know.

And also happy new year to everyone.

p.s. Ann I'll be visiting the U.K. soon - any suggestions for a not-so-good-with-directions tourist?

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #60 on: January 20, 2007, 12:55:32 pm »
Zero risk again.

Offline Andy Velez

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #61 on: January 20, 2007, 01:00:17 pm »
I suspect you already know the answer(s) you will get to your latest question.

You've been hanging around here long enough and had enough information given to you to know that you were not in any way at risk in the latest situation you have posed.

Period. End of story.

This site is not for you to just drop in anytime and as often as you feel like to chat about your latest non-risk.

Consider yourself warned. 
Andy Velez

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #62 on: March 03, 2007, 09:41:44 am »
Alright Andy I understand. Thanks for your patience.

I had another question to ask you - it's not about any exposure or risk or non risk I had or anything like that. Just a general inquiry about something I saw on TV. I hope either you or Ann will be kind enough to answer. I tried searching the forums for something like this before posting but I couldn't find anything.

I was watching a UFC fight with some friends of mine this past weekend, a couple of which practice mixed martial arts themselves. One of the fighters was cut pretty badly - and since much of this sport involves close contact grappling on the ground, there were a few drops of blood that landed on the other fighter's face. My friend asked "I wonder if these guys are required to get tested for HIV?"

I know sports aren't a risk because of sweat not being infectious in any way, I'm just curious as to what the line is between 'no risk' and 'risk' in terms of fighters getting each others blood in their eyes? Would just a drop require testing? Or would it have to be many many drops? Does the actual amount matter at all?

Just something that had me curious. Not that I'm fighting like this or anything. Just an inquiry.




Offline Andy Velez

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #63 on: March 03, 2007, 10:36:54 am »
No, there is no REQUIREMENT that athletes get tested in relation to the situation you mentioned or many like ones which come up in various sports.

There are no reliably documented cases of transmission in that manner.
Andy Velez

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #64 on: March 03, 2007, 10:53:05 am »
Never been known to happen, I see. So in terms of the quantity is it because there's just not enough blood? I'm just trying to understand what is and isn't a risk in terms of the amount.

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #65 on: March 04, 2007, 07:03:41 pm »
Can anybody field my last inquiry, please?

Offline Ann

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #66 on: March 04, 2007, 07:08:24 pm »
wave,

It's because successful hiv transmission needs to take place INSIDE the human body, most usually during unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse. Hiv is very fragile and once it finds itself outside the human body, it quickly becomes damaged and unable to infect.

As Andy told you, no one has EVER become infected in a sports setting - or even a street brawl. It just doesn't happen that way.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #67 on: March 04, 2007, 07:14:10 pm »
Thanks for the response Ann. I realize that it's one of those things that just doesn't happen, but is it specifically because the blood would be exposed to too much of a hostile environment? Or does it have to do with the amounts of blood involved? That's what I was unsure of.

I know the virus can't survive outside the host - but a drop might sometimes go from one fighters face into another guys eye.

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #68 on: March 29, 2007, 08:50:02 pm »
Sorry my thread kinda got lost. Ann or Andy might you have an answer for my last question? Thankyou! You've done worlds for my overall knowledge of this. I hope you don't mind adding to that knowledge with additional inquiries I have. The more I'm able to understand the better.

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #69 on: March 29, 2007, 08:53:19 pm »
Wavecast, there has never been anyone in sports, including street fighting, that has been infected by another competitor.
« Last Edit: March 29, 2007, 08:54:54 pm by RapidRod »

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #70 on: March 29, 2007, 08:56:22 pm »
Yeah I understand. I'm just trying to wrap my head around the differences between lets say an MMA figher or a boxer who gets a drop of blood in their eye from an opponents fesh cut - and a health care worker who gets blood in their eye from a patient. That's the difference I'm looking to understand. There's obviously a difference since there's never been a transmission related to sports, I just want to understand what it is. Thanks Rod.

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #71 on: March 30, 2007, 03:43:06 am »
You aren't a health care worker and you aren't a fighter so that makes one less worry for you.

Offline Ann

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #72 on: March 30, 2007, 05:12:09 am »
wave,

There's never been an infection in a health care worker from blood in the eye either. So there is no difference.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #73 on: March 30, 2007, 07:23:17 am »
What? I thought cases like that HAD been documented? They list the risk as like 1/1000 or something like that and mention how the membranes in your eye are a means of transmission? I was under the impression that it had been documented... Am I misinformed?

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #74 on: March 31, 2007, 04:56:03 am »
Post the link to where you saw that there are documented cases of blood splatter in eyes is documented to have caused HIV transmission.

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #75 on: March 31, 2007, 04:45:59 pm »
Hi Rod. I was basically saying that every time you hear about "occupational exposures" - you usually see that 'blood to eye' contact is lumped in as a risk.

"Some health-care workers have become infected after being stuck with needles containing HIV-infected blood or, less frequently when infected blood comes in contact with a worker's open cut or is splashed into a worker's eyes or inside their nose."

That's taken from the CDC. It doesn't really show a documented case - but it's the only reason I was under the impression that there have been cases documented.

Anyways I was just curious what the difference was between a health care worker's eye being exposed to blood and an athlete's eye. That was what my initial question was driving at.

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #76 on: April 01, 2007, 10:29:00 pm »
Can you guys please help me understand this? Thanks.

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #77 on: April 01, 2007, 10:40:17 pm »
There have been apx. 900,000 occupational exposures and less than 100 have become positive. Now do you think the risk is great? That's blood in the eyes, needle stick, busted test tubes, lacerations by bone, and suture needles. As you can see it's not that great of a concern.

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #78 on: April 01, 2007, 10:57:44 pm »
So if it hasn't been documented as ever actually happening - how can they lump it in with the other needle sticks and bone lacerations? Is it because it's theoretical only?

Also - is the amount of blood a factor in an eye exposure? Because surely some athletes, fighters & boxers have gotten small droplets of blood in their eyes before.

Thanks for your patience. I'm just trying to get as good an understanding of this as I can.

Offline milker

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #79 on: April 01, 2007, 11:17:12 pm »
If you want to be the first documented case of hiv infection from blood to eye, then be it. Boxers that are HIV didn't get it thru the eye.

Milker.
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Offline RapidRod

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #80 on: April 02, 2007, 04:31:38 am »
Wavecast, we're done with you here. You did not have a risk, so it's time for you to move on.

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #81 on: April 02, 2007, 06:56:54 pm »
Rod as a matter of fact, the questions I'm asking this time (above few posts) are NOT to do with a risk I had (or think I had) - but more to do with areas of this topic that I truthfully don't understand and would like to wrap my head around a little more thoroughly.

I'm sorry if my curiosity has offended you. It isn't my intent to do so.

Offline ACinKC

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #82 on: April 02, 2007, 07:12:44 pm »
Thing is we are here to help people with REAL risks.  We arent here as paid educators of the masses.  if you want the knowledge you should work to get it rather than take the easy road by asking us.  Also, continually responding to your quest for knowledge taxes the precious little time we have to help those who really need it.

So please, study some other way than just asking us.  The information is out there if you want to find it.
LIFE is not a race to the grave with the intention of arriving safely
in a pretty and well-preserved body, but, rather to skid in broadside,
thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming--WOW! WHAT A
RIDE!!!

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #83 on: April 02, 2007, 07:49:27 pm »
I understand that. And I appreciate what the volunteers do here. Believe me I'm not ignorant to the fact that people go out of their way from the goodness of their hearts. It's just that so much of the information out there is contradictory and confusing at best. I trust what's said on this site - which is why I often turn to these forums for answers.

If the answers to my questions were out there -  I wouldn't bother anybody here. It's not due to laziness. 


Offline ACinKC

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #84 on: April 02, 2007, 07:54:32 pm »
Regardless of the information that is or is not out there, you are not speaking of a risk directly related to you.  We can't help you any further.
LIFE is not a race to the grave with the intention of arriving safely
in a pretty and well-preserved body, but, rather to skid in broadside,
thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming--WOW! WHAT A
RIDE!!!

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #85 on: June 15, 2007, 09:01:03 pm »
Hello I've been away so I hadn't had a chance to respond. Can somebody clarify why it is that certain experts on this site say that transmission through the eye happens rarely, and others say that it has NEVER been known to happen? I mean it's one or the other, right?

Offline Matty the Damned

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #86 on: June 15, 2007, 09:06:24 pm »
For the record there has never been a documented case of HIV transmission via the ocular route i.e. through the eye. Tears contain a substance called lysozyme which neutralises HIV, the fragile virus which causes AIDS.

You may draw from that answer what you will.

Having said that, I would remind you that you didn't have a risk to begin with and so HIV is not a concern in your case. As you have been told before, it's time you moved on. We cannot help you any further.

MtD

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #87 on: June 15, 2007, 09:12:10 pm »
Oh is that right? That's a new one I had never heard about that before. I was reading in another thread and Mr. Velez said that it happens "rarely" and I obviously gathered from that that it has in fact occured.

So why all the confusion about blood to eye contact as a mode of transmission? Even the damn CDC implies that it's happened! If it's never been documented then why isn't is as readily dismissed as things like kissing?

Offline Matty the Damned

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #88 on: June 15, 2007, 09:17:33 pm »
Wave,

Am I Infected is not a discussion forum. I and the other experts are not here to bandy words with you about the various modes of transmission real or imagined. People come here to post their concerns about risky experiences they've had and we answer their questions.

I have rendered my answer to your question. As I said you may draw from it what you will.

One other thing, don't you dare take that pissy tone of voice with me. We cannot help you any further. Move on.

This conversation is over.

MtD

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #89 on: June 15, 2007, 09:24:11 pm »
Matty, tone is clearly lost on these forums. I took no 'pissy attitude' towards you whatsoever. I apologize that you understood me as such.

I appreciate your answer and wasn't trying to challenge it.

Offline Andy Velez

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #90 on: June 16, 2007, 09:30:44 am »
Wave, I don't know which other thread you are referring to.

I would certainly consider transmission via the eye to be more in the theoretical category rather than an actual ongoing risk. Could transmission happen in that manner? Yes. Does it happen? So rarely beyond rare that it is not a matter for serious consideration.

It is mistakenly focusing on that kind of rarity which fuels unwarranted and obsessive fears about everyday life events and actions as a means of transmission.

We know from experience in the epidemic that unprotected intercourse is the big issue sexually in terms of risk. A very small number proportionally and in total of transmissions happen through healthcare-related accidents.

 
Andy Velez

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #91 on: June 16, 2007, 09:49:08 am »
Andy, the thread to which I was referring was this one: http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=2650.msg29755#msg29755

I can understand what a theoretical risk is. But when you say ocular transmission happens "so rarely beyond rare" it implies that it HAS in fact taken place, even if just once or twice.

That's what I was getting at. The other experts say it's NEVER been documented. You say it happens rarely. It can't be both.

Offline Ann

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #92 on: June 16, 2007, 11:38:49 am »
wave,

You need to understand what it means when a case is "documented". Being documented means that there is absolutely no question of how transmission took place. As far as I am aware (and I've looked), there is not one single documented case of transmission via infected fluids getting into someone's eye.

There may have been people who thought they were infected this way, but it has never been proven - usually because they engaged in other risky behaviours, ones that are MUCH more likely to lead to transmission and infection.

You're more likely to stumble across a multi-million winning lottery ticket lying in a gutter than you are to become infected this way. Now chill, please.

Ann
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"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #93 on: September 07, 2007, 08:32:11 pm »
Ann I was wondering if you might clarify something for me please. When a person seroconverts, I know they may or may not show symptoms and it's no way to determine anything. Now let's say somebody does show symptoms within 3 weeks, and they were in fact due to infection. Does that mean after that point antibodies would in fact be detectable through a test even if it was before the standard 3 month window?

I was reading the lessons but couldn't find an exact answer to this.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to read this.

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #94 on: September 07, 2007, 08:35:14 pm »
Most people if they are going to test positive, will do so in six weeks. Just because you think you serocoverted does not mean that there will be enough antibodies in your system for the tests to detect.

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #95 on: September 08, 2007, 08:42:15 am »
I understand. Is there an amount of time that these symptoms usually last? Can they come and go in one day? Or would they last longer?

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #96 on: September 08, 2007, 08:45:29 am »
No, they to not come on one day and go. They come on 2-4 weeks after infection and last 1-2 weeks.

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #97 on: September 08, 2007, 09:14:41 am »
I see. The lessons say that sometimes the symptoms are so mild that they're simply dismissed as nothing. Just thought this might have meant they could possibly come and go within a day or two.
« Last Edit: September 08, 2007, 09:19:30 am by wavecast »

Offline Ann

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #98 on: September 08, 2007, 09:36:47 am »
wave,

The symptoms that may or may not accompany seroconversion is the physical reaction to the process the body goes through to produce antibodies; it is not a reaction to the virus itself. Some people observe no such physical reaction in their bodies. This is why testing is so important when there has been a risk, regardless of the presence or absence of physical symptoms.

Most often, if a person tests for hiv antibodies during the process of antibody production, the test will come back as negative or inconclusive as the levels of antibodies are not yet high enough to produce a definite positive result.

The majority of people who have actually been infected will have produced enough antibodies to result in a positive result by the end of six weeks. A negative result at this time MUST be confirmed at three months, simply to catch the RARE person who takes a little longer than six weeks to reach the necessary level and test positive.

However, where you're concerned, this is all purely academic as in order to become infected with hiv, you must first have a risk. You have not had a risk.

Do you need a time out to get the message? You have not had a risk for hiv infection. Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you never will either.

As for your hiv related anxiety/obsession, please see a mental health care professional. We cannot help you with that here.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline wavecast

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Re: Needle Stick. May seem silly...
« Reply #99 on: September 08, 2007, 09:41:45 am »
Ann I won't lie to you. Something happened 3 weeks ago that set me off. I didn't want to mention it or ask about it because I've got a good feeling that I'd be dismissed as paranoid.

Yesterday afternoon I began to feel tired with a slight headache. Today the headache is gone but I still feel slight fatigue. That's why I asked about how long these symptoms do last if they are in fact present. 

I know a test is the only way to be sure, but I just wanted confirmation on the duration of the symptoms if any at all.

 


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