Semen to cut

[hopeless2]

Thank you for being here when I need you most!

A few weeks ago I had unprotected safe sex (I know that sounds crazy) but it was only hand jobs.  His semen got on my right hand.  Afterwards he handed me a paper towel and I used it to wipe my hand (it was now dry).  10 minutes later I went into the bathroom and (this is the stupid part) used no soap, just cold water to rinse my penis (using my right hand) I dried my penis and hands with paper towels.  He's gone now, no idea who he is or if HIV positive (about 15 minutes later) I did not finish so I went back into the woods and started masterbating to ejaculation (maybe 30 minutes have elapsed now).  When walking back to my car I saw blood on my right hand--in the bathroom I go to find that my zipper had cut the underside of my penis (bleeding bad).  I started freaking out!  How stupid!  The whole process started flashing before my eyes.  Why didn't I wash my hands before I wiped my penis?  If this guy has HIV I'm clearly infected.  I didn't even tend to the cut I was so upset (I figured by then it was too late).  That night I start getting educated about the whole mess and found much (online) to be concerned about.  The following two days I had a fever and night sweats.  No more symptoms for two weeks. Two weeks later, sore throat and flu like symptoms.  I have the feeling of swollen lymph nodes. I can feel little bumps under the skin in my groin, neck and armpits.  There's a guy at work that has been sick and I seem to have the same symptoms as he but I'm really having trouble believing that I caught the cold from him exactly two weeks after my in-counter.  He's taking antibiotics and feeling better now.  It makes me feel a little better that everyone else in the office is getting sick.  It helps me to hang on thinking I just may have avoided infection.  I'm thinking I don't want to know.  Maybe if I think positive I'll have a better quality of life even if I am infected.  I really would like to know if the HIV virus is this potent.  Can it live after it has dried up and can it get into my system when blood is coming out of me.  If I do live through this, I have learned a very important lesson.  Thanks for this site and I thank you, in advance for any input.

[Andy Velez]

Whoa! Whew! You need to take a good deep and slow breath in and out right now. I'm not kidding. And a second one, please.

Man, I was exhausted from just reading your report.

HIV is a fragile virus. It needs a nice friendly environment like an anus or a vagina for transmission to occur. Despite all of the happenings with his semen and your nicked penis and all, this was not a risky incident. Nicks, cuts, abrasions and such happen all the time. Transmission just doesn't happen that way.

As far as your symptoms are concerned, neither the presence nor the absence of symptoms will ever tell you anything accurately about your HIV status. If you have a real risk, and I don't consider this incident to be such, then the only way you can know your HIV status accurately is by having an HIV test. The CDC recommends doing that at 13 weeks past the most recent such incident.

In your case I don't see a need for testing. If you continue to have symptoms discuss them with your doctor.

Cheers,

[hopeless2]

I love you Andy, you're the best!
Thank you!

[thunter34]

No, you are not ''clearly infected" if your hand job partner had HIV (take extra note of the word IF in there).
You found much on the internet to be concerned about?  There's a real shocker.
Take a breath and relax.  HIV absolutely does not get transmitted in the way you describe.  It seems pretty certain to me that you've just gotten sick from whatever is going around your office- that, or you've worried yourself to death...or perhaps some of both.

Take a read through the Lessons section of this site to learn more about how HIV is and isn't transmitted.  You don't need to worry over this incident.

EDITIED TO SAY: Andy beat me once again.

[hopeless2]

Thank you thunter34!  Feeling much better.  The internet will scare the hell out of you!

[hopeless2]

I was fine until I read the topic "infected via oral sex" yesterday.  I read the whole folder and started freaking out when I read "blood or semen to any cut no matter what size"  I was told in my previous post that I don't need to test.  I've got three weeks to go (I think) and I'm now freaking out again.  Does anyone have any input good or bad?

Thankyou,

Hopeless2

[Andy Velez]

You'd better lay off of reading anymore, no kidding.You're in too vulnerable state right now and it will only feed your worst fears.

You had a mutual masturbatory incident and all of the details you're tossing in notwithstanding, that is not and was not a risky situation. Believe me we have heard all kinds of variations on nicks, cuts, bruises, etc., and it doesn'tmatter. HIV has never been transmitted that way and you will not make history by becoming the first to get infected in a jerking off scenario.

STOP SURFING THE NET now and even these pages. I don't see any cause for concern. If you choose to test at 13 weeks you will collect a negative result. No kidding.

Now how about getting busy with other things in your life. Really. Focusing on this is a bad for your health.

Really.

[hopeless2]

Andy,

Thanks again.  I wonder if, when I'm 70 years old, I'll still need a kick in the pants when I get out-of-line?

"Cheers"

[Andy Velez]

Could be. And they can roll me up in a wheelchair and I'll give it to ya.

Cheers again,